The Wild, Wild, Wildest West

Act 1, Scene 1

The Setting: The Melodrama Theater, Bakersfield, CA - 2000

The scene opens as six ambitious Aera Energy employees, head for an actor’s workshop as a team building exercise. The workshop culminates in an actual performance of the show and the enthusiastic band of performers encourages their friends and family to attend the show. This results in a small profit of $2,500, for which the group tries to find a worthy cause. Because many in the troupe had friends, family, or loved ones that were affected by cancer, they decide to donate the money to the American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life. The group has so much fun contributing to such a worthy cause, that they decide to stage a show every year to benefit the Relay for Life,.

Act 1, Scene 2

The Setting: Norris Road Veteran’s Hall, Bakersfield, CA - 2004

No longer just a group of Aera employees, the little theater company has grown to include employees from many companies within the oil industry. The group, now calling itself Black Gold Productions, forms an alliance with the American Petroleum Institute (API) and sets its sights on grander shows with more performances to raise even more money for the Relay for Life. The API alliance also provides an opportunity to raise scholarship funds for deserving young people. The alliance proves to be a success when the group receives an Excalibur Award from the American Cancer Society in recognition of their level of contribution. The award is the American Cancer Society’s second highest award given to donors.

Act 2, Scene 1

The Setting: Norris Road Veteran’s Hall, Bakersfield, CA -  2005-2010

The group performs a show every year gaining more followers, more support, and raising more money each year for the American Cancer Society’s Relay For Life. The little theatre company is nominated four times for the Beautiful Bakersfield Awards in the Humanitarian Group category.

Act 2, Scene 2

The Setting: The Masonic Temple Bakersfield, CA - 2011

Now in its 13th season, Black Gold Productions has moved its performance location to the historic Masonic Temple in downtown Bakersfield.  In addition, BGP has decided to return to its roots and stage a rooting-tootin, wild west, shootem' up, musical melodrama.  One thing that will never change is the API/Black Gold Production Team's dedication to raising money for the American Cancer Society.  Over the past twelve years, the API/Black Gold Productions Relay for Life team has contributed over $320,000 to the American Cancer Society's Relay for Life.