A Night Where Western History Comes Alive
Becoming Billy • World Premiere at Mescal Movie Set
Tomorrow — Saturday, April 18, 2026 • 5:00 to 9:00 p.m.
Tomorrow evening, the legendary Mescal Movie Set in Benson, Arizona will become the site of something that has never happened before in its long and storied history: a film premiere. And not just any film — but the world debut of Becoming Billy, a short Western drama shot on the very ground where it will be screened.
From 5 to 9 p.m., guests will step through the gates of one of the American Southwest’s most iconic filming locations — the backdrop for Tombstone, The Outlaw Josey Wales, The Quick and the Dead, and dozens of other landmark Western productions — and into an immersive evening of cinema, history, and live music.
The Film
Becoming Billy — An Outriding the Devil Origin Story is the work of Tucson-based writer and director Raen LeVell, a multi-award-winning filmmaker best known for Buffalo Daze. Drawing on historical research by acclaimed Western historian Bob Boze Bell of True West Magazine, the short film travels back to 1875 to explore one of the enduring questions of American frontier mythology: how did Henry McCarty — an orphaned Irish teenager with few prospects and fewer friends — become the legendary outlaw known to history as Billy the Kid?
The film stars Golden Garnick (1923) in the title role, with deliberate attention to McCarty’s Irish immigrant roots — including authentic accent and period colloquialisms largely absent from popular portrayals of the character. Chancey Williams, a saddle bronc champion turned CMT No. 1 country artist, makes his big-screen debut as Sheriff Harvey Whitehill, alongside Roberta Sparta (Star Wars: Obi-Wan Kenobi) as Sarah Brown. The production was filmed on location at Mescal itself, including the hotel, livery, jail, the Young Riders set, and Virgil Earp’s house from Tombstone.
The Evening
Guests will enjoy self-guided tours of the set, walking the same ground once walked by Clint Eastwood, Paul Newman, Steve McQueen, Sam Elliott, Kurt Russell, Leonardo DiCaprio, and the many other legends whose work was shaped by this remarkable location. The saloon made famous by The Quick and the Dead will serve as the venue for a cast meet-and-greet with Williams and fellow cast members.
The main program will open with the world premiere screening of Becoming Billy, followed by screenings of two companion historical dramatizations — Quanah and Angela — produced for LeVell’s feature-length docudrama Outriding the Devil. A panel discussion with the filmmakers and cast will follow the screenings.
The evening will conclude with an intimate acoustic concert by Chancey Williams, whose authentic cowboy sound and Wyoming-rooted style promises a fitting close to a night rooted in the living traditions of the American West.
The Larger Story
Becoming Billy serves as an origin story and prologue to Outriding the Devil, LeVell’s feature-length docudrama chronicling the remarkable life of Angela Ganter — world champion barrel racer, Texas Rodeo Hall of Famer, and stage 4 breast cancer survivor. Hailed as “Masterful” by the Houston Chronicle and “An unbelievable true story” by Sports Illustrated, the documentary premiered at the National Finals Rodeo in Las Vegas and features narration by Forrie J. Smith (Yellowstone) and a soundtrack by Grammy-nominated artist Radney Foster. Its Arizona premiere follows one week later, on April 25, at Pollack Tempe Cinemas, with a Q&A featuring LeVell and cast members including Ned LeDoux.
Tomorrow night’s event will mark the first film premiere in Mescal Movie Set’s history — a fitting milestone for a location that has shaped the visual language of the American Western for generations.
Tickets & Information
Tickets are limited for this exclusive one-night engagement. Advance purchase is strongly recommended.
Date: Saturday, April 18, 2026
Time: 5:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.
Location: Mescal Movie Set, 1538 N. Mescal Road, Benson, Arizona
Tickets: Available on Eventbrite — tickets are limited.
Eventbrite: eventbrite.com — Becoming Billy Premier & Chancey Williams Concert
Venue website: mescalmovieset.com
Film project: Outriding the Devil / Becoming Billy
Mescal Movie Set • 1538 N. Mescal Road, Benson, Arizona • (520) 255-6662
mescalmovieset.com
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