"The Crack in the Canyon" by Gale Alexander, produced by Casper Theater Co.

For Gale Gooch Alexander, something good came from the coronavirus pandemic quarantine. She began to write plays.

After having collaborated with three friends to write What Were We Talking About?, she wrote Milestones and Moose Dancing which was recently produced by Casper Theatre Company. Other plays, Blackland, Wake Up Calls, A Code for Christmas, and The Crack in the Canyon have each been produced or is scheduled for 2025.

Gale was raised in Texas, graduating with B.S. and M.S. degrees from the University of North Texas. Living in Casper since 1979, she and husband Ron are retired Casper College instructors who spend winters in Louisiana and summers in Wyoming.

Coming from a family of story tellers, Gale especially loves spinning tales for her five grandchildren. The Crack in the Canyon was written after her twin grandsons invited her to hike up Elk Horn Canyon to the top of Casper Mountain where they discovered a hidden chasm and mysterious cave.

Honored to have her work recognized by ARTCORE, Gale hopes you lose yourself in this fantasized view of our beloved Casper Mountain and will decide to look for your own magic cave.

From competition judge Kathryn Schultz Miller:

The Crack in the Canyon is a well-drawn drama in one act about a pair of brothers, twins, who encounter Native Americans who inhabit a “crack in the canyon” or cave structure, on Casper Mountain in Wyoming.

The two boys have a playful relationship, with Alex being the more serious and studious one, while Than (short for Nathanial) likes to make a joke about everything, annoying his brother.

The play begins with a nice dramatic monologue by Wanacha who lives secretly on the mountain. She is awaiting a prophecy, an eclipse, which she says will guide her future destiny.

The work is quite admirable and a thoughtful, moving testament to the history of Wyoming and America. It is certainly a work worthy of the prize for this contest.

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