Tourists see wedding, Hoosier style

DePauw students Donald Smith (Lil' Abnormal) tries to negotiate his way out of a shotgun wedding with Pa played by Tim Fox and Elizabeth Orshorn as Sally Single on the Cataract Covered Bridge. The students put on a Hoosier Hillbilly Wedding for a group of Ohio tourists during a tour. The Putnam County Convention and Tourist Bureau sponsored the event.

Senior citizens from Vandalia, Ohio were treated to a Hoosier Hillbilly wedding during their lunch on the Cataract Covered Bridge Monday afternoon.

The group of approximately 50 came to see Indiana's largest waterfall in Cataract State Park, stayed for lunch catered by the Putnam Inn and were surprised by a shotgun wedding held during their lunch.

Just as the group began to eat, a barefoot hillbilly ran through the bridge screaming followed by a shotgun toting, overall wearing man. Next Sally Single appears yelling at her Pa to stop chasing her beau Lil' Abnormal.

Cornered by Sally and her Pa, Lil' Abnormal agrees to get married (as Pa holds a shotgun on him) as soon as they find a preacher.

Lo and behold, Sally has brought along the Preacher and the two get hitched amid the Ohio visitors.

The Putnam County Convention and Visitors' Bureau (CVB) with the help of four DePauw University theater students presented the comedy performance.

The students volunteered to participate after they received an e-mail from their drama teacher.

"We don't get credit for it, but we do make $50 and get out of classes," said Senior Tim Fox who played "Pa" in the comedy.

Other players were freshmen Elizabeth Orshorn (Sally Single), Donnie Smith (Lil' Abnormal) and Bradley King (the Preacher).

This was one of six tour buses booked for the event that includes lunch or dinner on the Cataract Covered Bridge, tour of the falls and the Hoosier Hillbilly Wedding.

Designed after similar events in Branson, Mo., the tour is one of several new attractions the CVB has created to encourage tourism in the area.

The Ohio visitors seemed to enjoy the affair. Ebbie White told the BannerGraphic the group from the Senior Center in Vandalia stopped by an antique shop on the way to the park.

"Last year we went on a day tour to Cliffty Falls but they didn't have a covered bridge," claimed White.

"This is nice but my favorite day trip is still one we took to a dump in Indianapolis. It was a mystery tour," added White.

CVB Executive Director Karla Lawless has recruited local residents to perform in upcoming Hillbilly Weddings on the bridge.

All four are planning to donate their $50 paychecks to local charities.

For more information about the Hoosier Hillbilly Wedding or Putnam County call the CVB at 765-653-8743 or visit their website at www.coveredbridgecounty.org