Literary Executive Review: Carla B. Zimmerman, “The Wild, Wild East: A Cowboy Purim Shpiel”

by ReadersMagnet | March 13, 2026 | Literary Executive Review | 0 Comments

This might just be me, but I do find Westerns have been a bit underappreciated these days. The last time I’ve seen anything about cowboys trending was maybe three or five years ago.

I say this because it is still very much beloved by dedicated fans of the genre! So, when I read Carla B. Zimmerman’s The Wild, Wild East: A Cowboy Purim Shpiel, I had those types of fans in mind, and I think they will be very interested in the unique take this story has.

A Western Intro to the Purim Shpiel

Before we dive in, here is a general overview of what the story is about. Its subtitle is actually A Cowboy Purim Shpiel.

What is a Purim shpiel, you might ask? It’s something of a Yiddish satirical play. So, that makes The Wild, Wild East a sort of cowboy play with Jewish elements.

This is because Carla Zimmerman is a long-time author of Purim shpiels. She first started writing them for Temple Shalom in Aberdeen, New Jersey. I can really see how experienced she is, even detailing the kind of set pieces, costumes, music, and ambience the play should have. It’s very impressive!

And as for the story, it follows a sort of traditional structure of a Purim shpiel by being based on the story of Esther. The really cool (and comedic) difference is that this one really leans well into the cowboy theme.

In the original story of Esther, we begin with King Ahasuerus. But in this play, he is now a sheriff. Other familiar names like Vashti, Mordechai, and, of course, Esther herself have also been reimagined.

Esther in this story is now a schoolteacher named Miss Esther Lou, who arrives at the town just as Sheriff Ahasuerus runs out the local saloon owner, Madam Vashti, for denying his demands. Meanwhile, the conflict of the Book of Esther is reimagined in classic Western fashion as Esther’s Uncle Mordechai becomes a bank teller who offends the influential Mr. Haman, a chairman of the Sheriff’s Shushan Shines Development Committee.

Of course, that is just the tip of the iceberg, and a lot of what makes this book a fun read.

A Comedy Celebrating Jewish Influence in the Wild West

The thing that struck me the most was just how natural the author has adopted the names of the original Esther story into a Western setting. It is very common for a lot of frontier or colonial characters bearing names from the Bible, but that also goes for names that are Jewish!

And after a bit of digging, I learned that there were, in fact, a lot of Jews during the time of the Old West. This no longer seems like an accident. The play takes this influence and really plays it heartily to the end.

The dialogue is also very on point, and I can really hear the characters talking like they did in those days.

On top of that, the comedy does not miss a beat. The story does not just take the Book of Esther and dress everyone up in Wild West outfits. A lot of the funny conversations successfully satirize life in the Old West.  Whether it’s the way Mr. Haman wears his untrustworthiness on his sleeve, or how Esther works to charm the Sheriff on behalf of the town’s Jews, there is a lot of wit for readers to enjoy all the way to the last act.

A Truly Professional Script from Start to Finish

It is not every day I read a script by an independent playwright, but Carla Zimmerman’s attention to detail really deserves a spotlight here.

A lot of newer authors tend to just limit the work to writing the dialogue, with no real consideration to what the audience actually sees or hears.

On the other hand, the way this book cues the tone of the actor’s speech as well as their actions is very neat and organized.

Lastly, the songs used in this play really capture the spirit of a Western comedy with its renditions of Oh Susanna, Oh My Darling, Clementine, and other well-known cowboy ballads.

I can really tell how much heart and soul Carla put into assembling this script, because there is so much in it that can guide any director to set everything up. There is even a diagram for the set locations!

For those who love plays and want to stage one as a really ambitious project, I highly recommend picking this one up.

A Great Start to Reviving Westerns in Theatre

All in all, I really had a great time going through this play even in its script form. In fact, perhaps one more positive highlight of this work is how there is enough detail to imagine this play really performing in the theatre of one’s own mind.

Still, that may not even do it justice. This is definitely something that other directors and fans of Westerns should look through. It is very true to its label as a Cowboy Purim Shpiel.

If you want to look through this colorful and comical cowboy play for yourself, then you can get copies over on Amazon.