Before Belle Fourche, There Was Minnesela.
A hometown comedy imagines the colorful characters behind a vanished Black Hills town.
Minnesela is an original western comedy by Belle Fourche writers Derek and Bob Olson, inspired by the ghost town that once stood just three miles east of town. Before Belle Fourche became the community people know today, Minnesela expected to be the railroad hub and county seat. Then the railroad chose a different route, businesses packed up and moved, and the town slowly disappeared from the prairie.
The play doesn’t try to recreate that history. Instead, it imagines a lively frontier town filled with outlaws, nuns, reluctant heroes, broken engagements, and enough mistaken identities to keep the laughs coming. Orphan Emma Williams arrives searching for legendary lawman Tom Bragg, only to find his reputation is a little more complicated than the stories suggest.
There’s another reason this production caught our attention. Belle Fourche Area Community Theater has become one of the few community theaters in the region regularly investing in new local writing. Executive Director Derek Olson has spent the past several years encouraging original plays, directing new works, and even launching a community playwriting festival where first-time playwrights develop scripts that are performed on stage.
Minnesela is part of that effort. It began life as a screenplay Derek Olson wrote in college before he and his father Bob adapted it for the stage. The show was first produced by Belle Fourche High School more than a decade ago and now returns with Belle Fourche Area Community Theater for a four-performance run after organizers added an extra show due to demand.
For anyone who has driven past the Minnesela cemetery, noticed the historical marker outside Belle Fourche, or simply enjoys seeing local stories told by local artists, this is one worth putting on the calendar.
Know Before You Go
Dates: Thursday, July 23 through Sunday, July 26
Showtimes:
- Thursday, July 23 – 7:00 p.m.
- Friday, July 24 – 7:00 p.m.
- Saturday, July 25 – 7:00 p.m.
- Sunday, July 26 – 3:00 p.m.
Venue: Belle Fourche Rec Center Auditorium, Belle Fourche
Runtime: Approximately 2.5 hours, including a 15-minute intermission.
Tickets:
- Adults: $15
- Seniors (60+) & Veterans: $10
- Students & Children: $5
What to Expect: Minnesela is an original western comedy written by Derek and Bob Olson. Set in the long-gone sister town of Belle Fourche, the story blends local history with fast-paced comedy, colorful frontier characters, and plenty of twists as orphan Emma Williams searches for her childhood hero, Tom Bragg.
Good to Know: Due to strong interest, Belle Fourche Area Community Theater added a fourth performance to the production’s run, giving audiences one more opportunity to catch the show.