The Cooterville Caper: A Western Noir in Five Episodes by Jan Probst

Sheriff Hardy Justice is spending another rainy night minding the drunk tank in dusty Cooterville Montana, when in walks a dame with a murder for him to solve. There's something about Cecelia Hooferberg; her long legs, her luscious red lips, her desperate need to avenge her father's death... or it might be that she's a horse.

The Cooterville Caper was written for the Story Relay at...
Sheriff Hardy Justice is spending another rainy night minding the drunk tank in dusty Cooterville Montana, when in walks a dame with a murder for him to solve. There's something about Cecelia Hooferberg; her long legs, her luscious red lips, her desperate need to avenge her father's death... or it might be that she's a horse.

The Cooterville Caper was written for the Story Relay at the 2023 Valdez Theatre Conference Fringe by The Loud Mouthed Malamutes (aka Kelsey Sullivan, Jillian Blevins, Jan Probst, Erin Moughon and Dante Medema).
  • Recommend
  • Download
  • Save to Reading List

The Cooterville Caper: A Western Noir in Five Episodes

Recommended by

  • Scott Sickles:
    8 Aug. 2023
    “ It was a rainy night on the thawing Alaskan tundra.

    Or maybe it wasn’t.

    There *was* an awning, a fire, and mosquitoes whooshing like starlings as a sheriff took the stage along with a wanted-poster-hopping outlaw, a lard-licking belly scratching butter lover, and a lipsticked lady who was literally a horse. A horse? Of course!

    Unseen amidst the prairie mischief, scattered ‘neath the awning, lurked five scribes fashioning a serialized tale of larceny, land, lust… and MURRRDERRRwhinneywhinneywhinney…!

    A tale as compelling as it was perverse, filled with passion, betrayal, tragedy, and dairy!

    A batshit masterpiece! ”

Character Information

  • SHERIFF HARDY JUSTICE
    Rough and tumble, unclean. Classic cowboy.
    Can be played by:
    • Age: 
      30s
    • Race/Ethnicity: 
      Any race/ethnicity
    • Gender: 
      Any gender
  • CECELIA HOOFERBERG
    A recent orphan. A literal horse.
    Can be played by:
    • Age: 
      30s
    • Race/Ethnicity: 
      Any race/ethnicity
    • Gender: 
      Female
  • BLACK HAT BOB
    The villain.
    Can be played by:
    • Age: 
      Any age
    • Race/Ethnicity: 
      Any race/ethnicity
    • Gender: 
      Any gender
  • OL’ LARD LOVER LEONARD
    Your drunk uncle - yes YOUR drunk uncle.
    Can be played by:
    • Age: 
      50s, 60s
    • Race/Ethnicity: 
      Any race/ethnicity
    • Gender: 
      Male

Production History

  • Fringe
    ,
    Valdez Theatre Conference
    ,
    2023