Before Batman, before Superman, even before Dick Tracy, but almost a contemporary of the Lone Ranger, there was a righter of wrongs who didn't fly through the air or whoosh through Gotham's dark streets in a sleek, black roadster.

No, this doer of good deeds was the caped crusader of an earlier era - rescuing the downtrodden on horseback and always leaving his legendary signature behind - a distinctive "Z" carved with his flashing sword . . ."The Sword of Zorro!"This production (sub-titled "From Z to Shining Z") is the latest musical-melodrama to be mounted by Desert Star Theatrics at the Desert Star Playhouse, 4861 S. State, Murray.

Director Jansen Davis' cast includes Shawn Maxfield as the dashing Don Diego (aka Zorro), Eric Jensen as the Spanish despot Captain Ramon (Boo! Hiss!), Troy Lunt as Garcia and Alisa Harris, Mary Williams, Sharon Kenison, Jeffre Darling, Gary Winterholler and Steven Luck.

The action, set about 1800, takes place in Capistrano in the territory of New Spain on the California coast. Done up in typically campy, melodramatic style, the characters include a greedy governor general, a high-spirited heroine, a pack of tax-evading prisoners, a sultry senorita, the handsome and elusive masked man, and even Capistrano's faithfully returning swallows.

The script is by Peter VanSlyke. DST's musical director Val David Smithson has integrated such tunes as "Gold," "Perfidia" and "Zorro's Theme" into the romance and action.

The show includes a rousing finale of olio acts, this time featuring a Western theme.

"The Sword of Zorro" runs Fridays, Saturdays and Mondays at 7 p.m. from May 26 through July 19. Tickets are $5 for adults and $3 for children 12 and under. Group rates and fund-raiser discounts are available. For reservations, which are suggested for the cabaret-style, family theater, call 266-7600.

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