Dramas Bring History to Life Under the Stars

The lights dim. The stars brighten as a soft breeze rustles the nearby trees. Then, softly at first, a heartbeat grows louder and louder. Suddenly, a rider on horseback bursts into the clearing, wearing an expression of deep wisdom, past pain and hope for the future. Hundreds of miles away, overlooking the majestic blue waters of a lake bordering the windswept High Plains of Texas, a troop of spirited dancers celebrate the Indian, Spanish and cowboy cultures of frontier times. Still more hundreds of miles away, a dancer performs the mystic Eagle dance, a celebration of Cherokee spirit, history and strength. Moments later, however, the dance ends, and the people begin preparing for their long journey to Oklahoma along the infamous "Trail of Tears"…far from their home and ancestors.

These moments are from three of the nation’s forty-three outdoor historical dramas that every summer celebrate a local community’s heritage and contribution to the American tapestry. Through drama, music, dance, elaborate sets and special effects, these theatres tell the stories of such notables as Abraham Lincoln, Daniel Boone, Tecumseh, Sir Walter Raleigh, Andrew Jackson, Sequoyah, Helen Keller as well as those of lesser-known, perhaps even unknown personalities such as Floyd Collins, Lucius Williams, Captain Jack and David Zeisberger.

While some of the main characters from these dramas might be less familiar to some, outdoor historical drama has provided many an up-and-coming actor with the opportunity to work in the professional environment and to learn and hone the craft of theatre. Ann Archer, Louise Fletcher, Andy Griffith, Goldie Hawn, Kathleen Turner, Raquel Welch, Jonathan Frakes and Denzel Washington are just a sampling of those who worked in outdoor historical theatre on their way to greater celebrity.

Outdoor historical dramas, an original American dramatic art form, are performed in large, open amphitheatres on or near the actual site where the events portrayed occurred. These heritage theatres bring history alive for audiences of all ages, using music, dance, special effects and scenic settings to create an entertaining and educational experience for all who attend.

This dramatic form began with Paul Green’s The Lost Colony in Manteo, NC, in 1937. Originally conceived to be a one-year celebration of the birth of the first English child in the New World, Virginia Dare, the play proved so popular that it has run ever since and has played to over five million visitors. Soon after its inception, other outdoor historical dramas began appearing all over the country.

Today, there are outdoor dramas all over the country in towns like Whitehall, Montana; Hemet, California; Downsville, New York; Chillicothe, Ohio; El Paso, Texas; Evansville, Indiana; New Salem, Illinois; Branson, Missouri; Tuscumbia, Alabama; Walnut Grove, Minnesota; and Snow Camp, North Carolina. In one state alone, North Carolina, visitors can seen eight different historical dramas during the summer.

Stories told by the nation’s outdoor historical dramas range from peaceful Quakers caught in the violence of the Revolutionary War to Native Americans fighting to protect their homeland from encroaching settlers to African slaves fleeing the oppressive conditions of the South. These and all outdoor historical dramas share a pride in local heritage and a desire to share that pride with visitors from near and far. Every year, nearly 1,000,000 people attend outdoor heritage theatre: families on vacation, history enthusiasts, veterans, intergenerational vacationers, school groups, historical association groups, international tourists and more.

So, a truly unique way to rediscover America – in some of the most breath-taking venues in the world – is to attend one of the country’s forty-three outdoor theatres this summer. More information on outdoor historical drama is available by contacting the Institute of Outdoor Drama at (919) 962-1328 or online at http://www.unc.edu/depts/outdoor.