Shanghaied in Astoria

A Review From My Porch

The Coast Community Theater of Astoria, Oregon is in its 23rd year of presenting the musical melodrama “Shanghaied in Astoria”. For at least ten of those years my mother and I have talked about going to see it and finally did this year. My mother will be 85 in September and while she might have many more summers left, to alleviate the guilt I have felt each winter when we’ve not gone, I decided that this was going to be the year, no matter what. We chose a matinee so as to have the highest likelihood of Mother being awake throughout the performance.

“Shanghaied in Astoria” was written by local writers and is produced and performed by the local talent of the Astor Street Opry Company whose theater has been located most recently in the Finnish Meat Market building under the Astoria Bridge.

“Shanghaied” is not high art. It is a melodrama in the traditional sense. The story is set in 1904 Astoria and revolves around a villain, Max Krooke, whom the audience is encouraged to boo; our Finnish hero, Eric Olson, who along with his pals Yakko and Ehno the audience is encouraged to cheer and applaud; and Miss Virginia Sweet, the ward of Max Krooke, sweetheart to Eric and whom the audience is encouraged to “ahh.” Additional characters include Eric’s mama, his four sisters, a madame and her girls, a sea captain, the cancan girls “The Happy Hoofers” and a variety of supporting characters.

My one criticism is that because the actors are community members and unpaid any number of people can perform in various parts depending on the day. While the program lists all of their names there is no way for an outsider to know which of the actors listed is performing at any given time. The young man who portrayed Max Krooke at the performance we saw was excellent, in a slightly Johnny Depp sort of way.

The crowded ambiance of the Finnish Meat Market has the effect of transporting the audience to a simpler time when melodrama was high art. The audience is given pop corn to throw at the bad guys and expected to add punch lines to the actors’ jokes. The Astor Street Opry Company is in its last season in this location and is looking for a new, and hopefully permanent, home. Performances run through September 15th so if you have plans to be on the South Washington or North Oregon coast, set aside three hours (including two intermissions and a raffle) to see this Astoria fixture. Tickets can be reserved by calling 503-325-6104. Not only will you be supporting locally grown art, but you will be giving yourself a treat that you’ll not easily find elsewhere.