A WESTERN WORTH REVISITING

The Onomatopoeia Theatre Company, in collaboration with the Gene Frankel Theatre, brings back The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance in a compelling and timely revival. Presented in two acts and running 110 minutes, the production benefits from the intimacy of a theater that seats fewer than 50. The result is a refreshingly up-close encounter with a Western drama—an uncommon presence on New York stages, but a welcome one when executed this convincingly.

 Samuel Shurtlef and Daniel Kornegay

Set in the saloon of a small frontier town called Twotrees, the story begins (after a needless voice-over and prologue) with the arrival of an unconscious stranger, dragged in from the prairie and revived by a potent mix of coffee, whiskey, and hot sauce. The stranger is Ransome Foster (Leighton Samuels), a scholar from New York City left for dead—most likely by the notorious Liberty Valance and his gang. Instead of fleeing, Foster stays, determined to teach the town’s illiterate citizens how to read. He forms a bond with the saloon owner, Hallie Jackson (Mari Blake), and with her friend and employee, Jim “The Reverend” Mosten (Daniel Kornegay), a bright, Black man raised by Hallie’s family. As the town begins to embrace literacy, the threat of change summons Liberty Valance (Derek Jack Chariton) back to reclaim his reign of fear. For Valance, knowledge is the enemy—because with education comes order, law, governance, and the end of lawlessness—blood-soaked rule.

Samuel Shurtlef

British playwright Jethro Compton’s adaptation of this classic Western fable—originally a short story by Dorothy M. Johnson and later immortalized in the 1962 John Ford film—has been performed more than 70 times across North America. That’s somewhat surprising, given the play’s structural flaws. The voiceovers feel like a crutch, offering clunky exposition in the style of Disney’s Hall of Presidents. The prologue and epilogue overstay their welcome, forcing the bulk of the play into a flashback that dulls some of the dramatic immediacy.

And yet, director Thomas R. Gordon makes a convincing case for the revival. He guides his design team to admirable accomplishments, given the usual limits of such a small contract. Nino Amari’s set and Susan Yanofsky’s costumes ground the story in texture and authenticity, while Reid Sullivan’s lighting enhances the drama without drawing attention to itself.

Leighton Samuels and Mari Blake

The performances, too, are uniformly strong. Samuels brings warmth and idealism to Ransome Foster, while Blake’s Hallie is tough, grounded, and believably torn between independence and new promise. Kornegay is likeable and understandably conflicted with how he fits into the surrounding white community. The pent-up racism reminds us that such bigotry is an American problem, not just one from the confederate south. Scott Zimmerman and Samuel Shurtleff have the perfect look and temperament for Marshall Johnson and the older suitor who mistakenly assumes Hallie is his girl. Dillon Collins, Ben-David Carlson, and Emily Cummings round out the cast well in smaller roles.

Derek Jack Chariton

But it’s Derek Jack Chariton’s Liberty Valance who electrifies the stage. His entrance is prefaced by the ominous click of his slowly approaching boots. Before we even see him, we feel his menace. Perhaps Chariton’s slight build is a casting comment on tyrants (think Napoleon and Putin), but either way, he carries himself with terrifying conviction. His baritone voice is unsettling, and his piercing gaze and simmering fury suggest a man both unhinged and unstoppable. It’s a performance that jolts the production into high gear, making it clear just how dangerous the stakes are.

Okay, the script lags in places and leans too hard on narration and a prologue, but this production is worth supporting—not only for the craftsmanship onstage, but for the relevance it unexpectedly holds. As political discourse fractures any reverence for education, journalism, science, and compassion, The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance feels less like a historical artifact and more like a mirror. It reminds us that the American frontier wasn’t only a place, but a battleground for values—some of which are still up for grabs.

Even if I hadn’t planned on recommending this production, my theater companion demanded it. As it stands, I do so gladly.

photos by Joshua Eichenbaum
poster design by Jay Cruz (Cactus Flowers by Anna Elizabeth)

The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance
The Onomatopoeia Theatre Company
The Gene Frankel Theatre, 24 Bond Street (Between Lafayette & Bowery)
Wed-Sat at 8; Sat & Sun at 2
ends on July 26, 2025
for tickets ($25-$35), visit Onomatopoeia

Gregory Fletcher is an author, a theater professor, a playwright, director, and stage manager. His craft book on playwriting is entitled Shorts and Briefs, and publishing credits include two YA novels (Other People’s Crazy, and Other People’s Drama), 2 novellas in the series Inclusive Bedtime Stories, 2 short stories in The Night Bazaar series, and several essays. Website, Facebook, Instagram.