Windust is the third musical by Shade Smith and John Reynolds and follows on from their very successful shows Starblaze and Valley Of The Voodons. This western musical is designed for performance by schools or theatre groups wishing to stage a contemporary show which has appeal for all age groups.

Windust is a satire on the western movie genre. Consequently costuming and sets can be simple or elaborate, depending on available resources. Similarly, although it can be staged with a relatively small cast, it is possible to considerably expand the numbers of participants.

The townspeople of Little River are constantly plagued by drought and bandits. In desperation, the sheriff sends for a gunfighter called the Drongo Kid whom he has found listed in the Yellow Pages. However, the gunfighter turns out to be shortsighted and incompetent.

Meanwhile, in the local school house, the school Ma'am Miss Scow is trying to suppress her natural desires to break out of the ultra-conformist mould. She covers this by encouraging children to be totally obedient and to maintain their manners at all times. Two of the school children, Shane and Charlotte escape into the hills where they are captured by the bandits. Realising that an attack is imminent, Miss Scow persuades the sheriff to treat the bandits with kindness and generosity, a plan which backfires. However, the arrival of Professor Pecksniff, a travelling quack doctor and the erratic behaviour of the Drongo Kid save the day. It transpires that the professor is a geologist who has discovered a permanent water supply, thereby saving the town and ensuring its future prosperity.

Each of the groups within the show is designed specifically to appeal to school children. The Citizens of Little River provide ample scope for both male and female characters with additional opportunities for singing and dancing. Young men enjoy the roles of the Cowboys while young women can be cast either as the traditional Western female in long skirts and bonnets or in more ‘liberated’ garb. Similarly, the Schoolchildren include both male and female roles which enable the actors to play exaggerated mimics of their real selves.

The Bandits are likeable rogues, for whom the adventurous aspects of their lives have been long since overshadowed by the harsh realities of making a living. Mexican style costumes offer ample scope for complementing the colourful nature of the characters. The Stinkers can be quite outrageous and vile. Most children spend their early years reluctantly tolerating constant parental exhortations to maintain a high standard of cleanliness. Being a Stinker, a role in which they can deliberately be revolting, has an obvious attraction.

Within each of these groups there is ample scope for developing cameo roles. The lead roles have been designed to provide a variety of contrasting characters with an equal opportunity for both male and female roles (including Professor Pecksniff who portrays both).

Windust is a lively show, easily staged. Many of the songs are based on western styles and have the potential for wide appeal. Like Starblaze and Valley Of The Voodons, the show is suitable for performance by students (aged 10+) or theatre groups seeking a production that is ideal for family audiences.