June 4, 11, 1950

If I were King—ah Love! If I were King
What tributary nations I would bring. . . .
Beneath your feet what treasures would I fling
If I were King.

Set in the 15th century of Louis XI, If I Were King tells of the adventures of the Vagabond King, Francois Villon, “the strangest knave in all Paris—scholar, poet, drinker, drabber, good at pen, point and pitcher,” and leader of the Company of Cockleshells, comprised of the dregs of Society.

This lusty drama marked the end of an era. With this production, her 19th Spring Play, Lois Sandall retired as director of The Mountaineer Players. It was a fitting conclusion to Mrs. Sandall’s many years of dedication and hard work. The dance choreography was under the direction of Madame Lara Obedenna, formerly of the Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo.

“Dame Fortune, Lady Luck, several four leaf clovers and liberal amounts of Mountaineer elbow grease all teamed up to score a memorable success as the Players presented Justin Huntley McCarthy’s famous medieval adventure, ‘If I Were King,’ as the twenty-fourth Mountaineer Players’ production at the Forest Theatre on June 4th and June 11th.

 “. . . The Players, for the first time in many a season, were blessed with an ample supply of honest-to-goodness M-E-N. No longer was there need to disguise our valiant girls behind heavy beards and . . . teach them to walk and talk like medieval heavyweights!

 “The publicity staff had a horseshoe tossed in its lap when the Seattle Times gave The Mountaineers a lavish full-page Sunday spread on the very day of the first showing! “Early in the week before the first show the weatherman promised a sunny Sunday. . . . [He] fulfilled his promise ... [and] on June 11, beneath flawless blue skies, an overflow crowd sat enthralled as the cast delivered a memorable performance.”

Bob Neupert, The Mountaineer, 1950