IOD News Release Archive

Fox named new director of UNC's Institute of Outdoor Drama

CHAPEL HILL — Rob Franklin Fox, who has served as general manager for PlayMakers Repertory Company (a professional theatre at UNC-Chapel Hill) since October 1999, has been named the new director of the Institute of Outdoor Drama at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

The Institute of Outdoor Drama, a public service agency of UNC, aids and advises theater companies nationwide about management, promotion, technical and artistic elements and more. The institute currently advises 100 theater companies in 37 states, with an annual economic impact on U.S. travel and tourism of about $500 million.

“In my time at PlayMakers, I developed a deep respect for Paul Green not only because of his history with the Carolina Playmakers, but as one of the leading pioneers behind this country’s outdoor drama movement. Green’s ‘The Lost Colony’ is an incredible gift to the theater arts,” Fox said. “And as a North Carolina resident and arts lover, I value the importance of outdoor drama on the state’s and the nation’s economy.”

Scott J. Parker, who headed the institute for 17 years, retired July 31 and will remain in Chapel Hill. Next April, Parker will become dean of the College of Fellows of the American Theatre, an honorary society based at the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C.

Fox has been with the department of dramatic art in the College of Arts and Sciences for more than 10 years. He has served as a lecturer, teaching a course in theatre management, and was previously PlayMakers’ box office manager and assistant box office manager.

Fox has 14 years of theater management experience and holds a master of business administration degree in arts management from Oklahoma City University. Before joining PlayMakers, Fox was the box office manager for the American Dance Festival and the Florida Studio Theatre. He is past president and a member of the Triangle Network of Theatres and a member of the North Carolina Theatre Conference.

“Rob’s MBA in arts management, coupled with his experience at PlayMakers — one of the leading professional companies in the country — give him a strong background in many areas crucial to outdoor drama,” said English professor emeritus Laurence Avery, a member of the search committee. “Given his experience, he can also be counted on to bring a fresh perspective and new ideas to the field of outdoor drama.”

Web site: http://www.unc.edu/depts/outdoor

Note: Fox can be reached at (919) 962-1328, roo1@email.unc.edu

College of Arts and Sciences contact: Kim Spurr, (919) 962-4093, spurrk@email.unc.edu

News Services contact: LJ Toler, (919) 962-8589, laura_toler@unc.edu

New Web Site Streamlines Planning for Attending Outdoor Dramas

by L.J. Toler (UNC News Services)

May 23, 2003

Photo note: To download photos and maps, see end of release.

CHAPEL HILL, NC – This year, summer vacation planning is just a click away, thanks to an online “Directory of Outdoor Drama in America” covering shows at 118 theaters in 37 states – including 10 theaters in the birthplace of outdoor drama, North Carolina.

The easily searchable Web site, enhanced for 2003 with new art and updated schedules and information, is located at http://www.unc.edu/depts/outdoor/dir/.

From the Fairbanks Shakespeare Theatre in Alaska to the nation’s oldest historical outdoor drama, “The Lost Colony” in Manteo, N.C., the site offers theater locator maps, plot summaries, performance dates and times, telephone numbers, ticket prices and purchasing options, local tourism information numbers and links to the theatres’ own Web sites.

Users can search the site by location, clicking on a state on a U.S. map, or by one of the three types of drama: historical plays performed on or near sites where the events occurred; Shakespeare festivals; and religious or passion plays. Most open for the summer season in early June. “The Web site is a tremendous resource for the traveling public,” said Scott Parker, director of the Institute of Outdoor Drama, which created the directory. The institute, a public service of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, seeks to foster artistic and managerial excellence in outdoor drama and expand the genre through training, research and advice.

The institute also seeks to serve the public by providing information about the dramas and gauges the performance of the outdoor drama movement. The economic impact of a successful outdoor theatre on the community hosting it can be significant. In 2002, some 2.5 million people attended nationwide, which translates into a $500 million impact on the nation’s travel and tourism industry.

In a good year, the Utah Shakespearean Festival in Cedar City, UT will boost the local economy well over $32 million. In Chillicothe, OH, population 24,000, the outdoor historical drama "Tecumseh!" generates a $15 million annual economic impact, a fact that is not lost on city leaders. According to Parker, “This income has affected the whole pattern of living and changed tranquil villages into thriving communities.” He points to the
hamlet of Eureka Springs, AR, population 2,200, which hosts the religious drama "The Great Passion Play." “When we opened in 1968, the community found a new life,” said the drama’s director of human resources, Ken Smith. “Today, we employ more than 400 people, and attract more than 150,000 here from all over the world,” he said.

With these sorts of numbers and the improvement in local quality of life, 30-40 communities across the nation are getting assistance in starting outdoor theatres from the institute, Parker said. That work soon will result in two new dramas in Texas – one based on the book and movie “Lonesome Dove,” and one about the Texas Rangers – and one in Ohio about Johnny Appleseed. Citizens in Lake George, NY, are seeking institute advice in their quest to start a drama based on the book and movie, “Last of the Mohicans.”

Besides economic benefit, the outdoor drama movement seeks to enhance education. Often, teachers send the institute kudos about the history their students have learned through the dramas. Plots and dialogues are
generally suitable for children, and most kids are captivated by the brilliant costumes, action, animals and/or music and dance in most of the shows.

“Texas Legacies,” the nation’s newest outdoor drama provides one example. It replaces the tale “Texas” previously staged in Palo Duro Canyon near Amarillo.

“This 100-mile-long canyon is the second largest in the country, and it’s quite magnificent,” Parker said. “The theatre is in front of a 600-foot canyon wall, and the canyon is used to great advantage. It’s almost a character in the play.”

Special effects technicians use the setting to simulate a thunderstorm, Parker said. There are a Civil War battle, galloping horses and fireworks, too, all likely to maintain audience attention to the history of the Texas
Panhandle in the 1880s. Colorful characters include Quannah Parker, the last Comanche chief; Col. Ranald “Bad Hand” Mackenzie; and buffalo hunter Billy Dixon.

We anticipate that attendance will be strong this summer, as families on vacation continue to show renewed interest in the nation’s heritage, Parker said. “After all, these outdoor historical dramas bear witness to the great things we’ve accomplished as a people.”

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Editors: Besides its resources for the public, the new Web site contains pages helpful to media representatives including:

· Color production photographs ready for downloading.

National and local media: http://www.unc.edu/depts/outdoor/media/media/photos.html

· Three stories by the institute staff are available for reprinting, on historical dramas, Shakespeare festivals and religious productions.

· A list of outdoor drama facts: http://www.unc.edu/depts/outdoor/media/media/facts.html

· A list of now-famous actors who once appeared in outdoor dramas: http://www.unc.edu/depts/outdoor/news/1995/alumni.html

Contact: Scott Parker, 919-962-1328, parkers@email.unc.edu

New Features, Related Activities Put New Face on Outdoor Dramas

by L.J. Toler (UNC News Services)

May 15, 2001

CHAPEL HILL -- Energized by new consumer research on what summer vacationers want, managers at North Carolina's 14 outdoor drama theaters hope this summer will bring their best season since 1995.

The findings sparked new marketing this year that touts additional activities -- at the theaters themselves and at nearby museums and historical sites -- that help visitors better understand the time periods, people, places and events that the dramas portray.

"New audience surveys have showed us that people want to learn more about their heritage," said Scott Parker, director of the Institute of Outdoor Drama, a public service agency of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. "They want to see how people lived back in the 1700’s and 1800’s. I'm sure the theaters will take this information to heart, and in the coming years, we will certainly see a new face on outdoor drama."

Dr. Larry Gustke, a tourism management professor at N.C. State University, identified this consumer trend in audience surveys and other research he conducted while on loan to the institute for the fiscal year 2000-2001.

Last summer, he surveyed audiences at 23 theaters across the country that he said comprised a representative sample of outdoor drama nationwide. He also surveyed visitors at seven North Carolina dramas -- another representative sample. The surveys told him how the approximately 120 outdoor dramas nationwide could improve their product and communications, and as a result, draw larger audiences.

Patrons surveyed gave the shows high marks and said they want more: craft demonstrations, backstage tours, dinner theatre packages, history tours, children's activities and other features that would enhance their experience and help them understand historical events portrayed in the dramas.

"This and other national tourism research suggest a stronger interest in heritage and the past," Gustke said. "People would like activities that give them a context for the play, that show them how people lived in those times."

In the past year, Gustke visited all the North Carolina dramas twice, suggesting new and different marketing approaches and enhancements specifically for each theater. The state was the birthplace of U.S. outdoor drama, with the first performance of "The Lost Colony" in Manteo in 1937.

Gustke also presented similar recommendations for all U.S. dramas at their national conference in Kentucky last year. As a result, theater managers from across the country have called him with questions.

Outdoor dramas include Shakespeare festivals and religious plays, but most dramatize history in amphitheaters where the events occurred. "Many people go to outdoor dramas almost as a pilgrimage, to walk the hallowed ground where these events took place," Parker said.

Nationally, 2.4 million saw outdoor dramas last summer, Gustke said. At 15 theaters consistently reporting attendance since 1983, attendance last year dropped 1.5 percent, he said. Nationally, attendance peaked in 1994 and 1995 but has dropped since.

That doesn't mean the dramas are failing, Gustke said. He directed an earlier study that showed North Carolina's dramas added $63.7 million to the state's tourism industry in 1999, a 5 percent increase over numbers from his previous economic impact study in 1997.

Reasons for the recent attendance changes probably included competition from new attractions and a booming economy, he said. More consumers could afford high-priced vacations; they could fly rather than drive.

This year, while soaring gas prices and an economic downturn have most folks frowning, outdoor drama managers hope these trends will boost their attendance by keeping folks closer to home.

The dramas' bargain prices compared with those at other tourist attractions can't hurt, Parker said. The average nationwide is $8.25 for adults, discounted for children, seniors and active military personnel.

While Gustke advocates more "enhancement activities" at the theaters, he adds: "Many dramas already have these enhancements, but they don't always tell everybody about them." Examples in North Carolina include:

A restored Quaker village and museums in Snow Camp, where "The Sword of Peace" portrays Quakers' pacifism during the American Revolution;
Life-size representations of buildings and the Mount of Golgotha in Jerusalem in Biblical times at "Worthy is the Lamb" in Swansboro, a religious drama. Before the play, visitors can see the horses, sheep and a camel that will appear in the show. Backstage tours, ushers dressed in garb of the 12 tribes of Israel, and supporting characters engaged in activities typical of the times during the play, help complete the picture;
A replica of a late 18th-century North Carolina homestead, with log cabin tours and craft demonstrations, at "Horn in the West" in Boone, the nation's third-oldest outdoor drama, which celebrates its 50th anniversary this summer. "Horn" also offers children's theater and camps, authors' readings, pre-show performances and much more; and
A replica of a Cherokee Village 250 years ago near the theater for "Unto These Hills" in Cherokee.

"A good example of better packaging and marketing is what's going on at 'The Lost Colony,' " Gustke said. There, a visitor can get one ticket to three different but related activities: The play and visits to the Elizabeth II, a reproduction of the type of sailing vessel used to transport Sir Walter Raleigh's first Colonists to the New World in 1585, and the Roanoke Adventure Museum, where tourists visit an Elizabethan parlor, a Native American village and other replicas, learning about the history, legend and lore of the Outer Banks.

"They're packaging things to do on Roanoke Island that build a context for the drama," Gustke said. "All those things are related to what happened to the lost colony."

Also as a result of his studies, Gustke recommended that theaters build itineraries for today's busy consumers.

"They need to explain how long it takes to get there, how long it takes to visit attractions, where to eat in the area and other logistics," he said. "In the past, dramas assumed visitors would figure all that out. Now, they don't have time. They want the dramas to tell them. We live a fast-paced life, and we're used to packing a lot of things into the day."

As dramas continue attracting baby boomers who saw the plays as kids and want to bring their own, theater managers must make extra efforts to attract younger families not brought up on the tradition, Gustke said.

He believes new marketing efforts already under way may nudge attendance back up beginning this summer: "Unless there's a lot of rain, we should have a really good year."

Downloadable photos of all N.C. outdoor dramas are available at http://www.unc.edu/depts/outdoor/ncpress

Contacts: Scott Parker, director, Institute of Outdoor Drama, 919-962-1328; Martha Shannon, institute communications director, 919-843-9526; Dr. Larry Gustke, 919-962-1329 or 919-515-3688.

THE SUMMER OF OUTDOOR DRAMA 2001

BY THE GOVERNOR OF THE STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA

A PROCLAMATION

WHEREAS, North Carolina is the birthplace of outdoor historical drama in the United States, which is uniquely American and epic in scope; and

WHEREAS, North Carolina’s 14 outdoor dramas serve as an introduction to theatre for millions of Americans; and

WHEREAS, North Carolina has 10 outdoor historical dramas, the largest number of historical dramas of any State in the Nation; and

WHEREAS, among those 10 historical dramas are the three oldest outdoor historical dramas in the Nation – The Lost Colony (Manteo, North Carolina – 64 years old); Unto These Hills (Cherokee, North Carolina – 52 years old); and Horn in the West (Boone, North Carolina – celebrating its 50^th anniversary this year); and

WHEREAS, North Carolina’s outdoor historical dramas have played to 8.5 million people in the last 35 years, averaging 250,000 people each summer, and attract both residents and tourists visiting North Carolina from all over the world; and

WHEREAS, outdoor historical drama is a unique educational, entertaining, exciting and spectacular form of the performing arts nurtured in North Carolina. Outdoor historical dramas are original plays, often with music and dance, based on significant events performed in amphitheatres located where the events occurred; and

WHEREAS, outdoor historical dramas focus on the people and events that shape the heritage of the country, preserving and bearing witness to the great things we have accomplished as a State. Outdoor historical dramas are unique attractions among a diverse mix of attractions for the residents and visitors to the State to enjoy; and

WHEREAS, North Carolina’s renowned outdoor historical dramas contribute to the social, economic and educational fabric of the quality of life in the State. In the 1990s, the outdoor historical dramas had an average annual economic impact on the State’s travel and tourism industry of $63 million; and

WHEREAS, May 31, 2001, marks the beginning of the summer tourism season in North Carolina;

NOW, THEREFORE, I, MICHAEL F. EASLEY, Governor of the State of North Carolina, do hereby proclaim the summer of 2001, as “THE SUMMER OF OUTDOOR DRAMA” in North Carolina, and commend this observance to all our citizens.

MICHAEL F. EASLEY

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and affixed the Great Seal of the State of North Carolina at the Capitol in Raleigh this tenth day of May in the year of our Lord two thousand and one, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and twenty-fifth.

N.C.'s 14 Outdoor Dramas Plan Tales of the Bard, Religion, History

by L.J. Toler (UNC News Services)

May 15, 2001

CHAPEL HILL -- Below is an alphabetical list of North Carolina's outdoor dramas, with plots, places, dates and contact information. The 14 theaters present 11 historical plays, several Shakespeare productions and one religious drama.

For a list of all outdoor dramas nationwide and more information, visit the World Wide Web site of the Institute of Outdoor Drama at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill: www.unc.edu/depts/outdoor/.

For a 2001 Directory of Outdoor Drama in America, send $5 to the Institute of Outdoor Drama, UNC-Chapel Hill, CB #3240, Chapel Hill, NC, 27500-3240. The directory includes a locator map for 124 theaters nationwide, plot summaries, performance dates, theater addresses andphone numbers.

“Amistad Saga: Reflections,” African American Cultural Complex, 119 Sunnybrook Road, Raleigh, NC 27610. A mutiny aboard a slave ship that marked the beginning of the end of slavery in the United States is brought to life through powerful speeches, song and dance. Thursdays-Sundays, July 19-29. 919-231-0625.

Cape Fear Shakespeare, Greenfield Lake Amphitheatre, Wilmington. “Taming of the Shrew,” 8 p.m. Fridays-Sundays, June 1-24. Free. P.O. Box 908, Wilmington, NC 28402. 910-392-7474.

“First for Freedom,” Joseph Montford Amphitheatre, Halifax. Max Williams, playwright. Celebrates events leading to the signing on April 12, 1776, of the Halifax Resolves, the first formal declaration of independence from Great Britain by an American colony. Thursdays-Saturdays, June 28-July 21. Eastern Stage Inc., P.O. Box 21, Halifax, NC 27839. 252-583-3011.

“From This Day Forward,” Old Colony Amphitheatre, Valdese. Fred Cranford, playwright. Story of the Waldenses, a religious sect that arose in southeast France in the 1100’s, their struggle to survive persecution in their homeland and their eventual arrival in North Carolina to establish a colony in 1893 at Valdese. Includes music and dance. Fridays-Sundays July 13 -Aug. 18. Old Colony Players, P.O. Box 112, Valdese, NC 28690. Box office: 1-800-635-4778; administration: 828-874-0176.

“Horn in the West,” Hickory Ridge Homestead, Boone. Kermit Hunter, playwright; Peter MacBeth, composer. In North Carolina's southern Appalachians during the American Revolution, frontiersman Daniel Boone and his settlers struggle against the British militia. Museum and homestead on site. Tuesdays-Sundays, June 22 -Aug. 11. Southern Appalachian Historical Association, P.O. Box 295, Boone, NC 28607. Box office, 1-888-825-6747; management, 828-264-2120.

“Listen and Remember,” Waxhaw Amphitheatre, Waxhaw. Belva Dare Steele, playwright; Eleanor Niven McLaughlin, composer. Celebrates Waxhaw's early pioneers, including the family of Andrew Jackson, who learns from adversity and builds character to help him serve as president. Fridays - Saturdays, June 1-30. Waxhaw Historical Festival and Drama Association, P.O. Box 1776, Waxhaw, NC 28173. 704-764-7159.

“The Lost Colony,” Waterside Theatre, Manteo. Paul Green, playwright. Original symphonic drama, in its 64nd year, on the mysterious disappearance of the first English colony to settle in America after its arrival on Roanoke Island in 1587. Mondays-Saturdays, June 1-Aug. 24. Roanoke Island Historical Association Inc., 1409 Hwy 64/264, Manteo, NC 27954. Box office 800-488-5012, management 252-473-2127.

Montford Park Players, Hazel Robinson Amphitheatre, Asheville: “Macbeth” and “Twelfth Night,” Fridays and Sundays, June 1 - Aug.12. Call or write for specific dates: Montford Park Players, 246 Cumberland Ave., Asheville, NC 28801. Box office 828-254-5146; management 828-254-4540.

“Ripple in the River,” Helen Goodman Amphitheatre, Polkton. The Anson County Writers' Club's story of Snedysborough, N.C., a small, bustling port at the headwaters of the Pee Dee River, which thrived from the late 1790’s until just before the Civil War. Thursdays-Saturdays, June 7-16. “Ripple in the River,” c/o Anson Community College, P.O. Box 126, Polkton, NC 28135. Box office, 800-766-0319; management, 704-694-4181.

Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre in America, P.O. Box 3000, Forest City, NC 28043. “The Merchant of Venice”, Aug. 11 and Oct. 22-27. For times, call 828-245-3000.

“Strike at the Wind,” Adolph Dial Amphitheatre, Indian Cultural Center, Pembroke. Randolph Umberger, playwright; Willie Lowery, composer. This drama depicts the life and mysterious disappearance of North Carolina Lumbee Indian outlaw Henry Berry Lowrie, whose exploits in the years after the Civil War earned him a reputation as the American Robin Hood. Fridays and Saturdays, July 7-Aug. 11. Robeson Historical Association, Box 1059, Pembroke, NC. 910-522-6111; 910-521-2433.

“The Sword of Peace,” “Pathway to Freedom,” Snow Camp Historic Amphitheatre, Snow Camp. For a schedule, call or write Snow Camp Outdoor Theatre, P.O. Box 535, Snow Camp, NC 27349-0535. Box office, 800-726-5115; management, 336-376-6948. “Sword” William Hardy, playwright: During the Revolution, Cane Creek Society of Friends defends belief in non-violence; “Pathway,” Mark Sumner, playwright: Slavery opponents and free blacks help hundreds of escaped slaves flee north before the Civil War. Wednesdays – Saturdays, June 20 -Aug. 25.

“Unto These Hills,” Mountainside Theatre, Cherokee. Kermit Hunter, playwright; Jack F. Kilpatrick and McCrae Hardy, composers. The Eastern Band of the Cherokee from arrival of Spanish explorer Hernando DeSoto in 1540 to removal to Oklahoma on the tragic trail of tears. Cherokee leaders Junaluska, Tsali and Sequoyah fight for the tribe's survival. Mondays-Saturdays, June 13-Aug. 25. Cherokee Historical Association, P.O. Box 398, Cherokee, NC 28719. Box office: toll free 1-866-554-4557; management: 828-497-2111.

“Worthy is the Lamb,” Crystal Coast Amphitheatre, Swansboro. J.T. Adams, playwright. The White Oak River is the backdrop for this passion play beginning with John the Baptist's arrival in Jerusalem. The 300-foot stage features three life-size replicas of buildings in Biblical times; staff members dress in garb of the 12 tribes of Israel; sheep, horses and Solomon the camel are among the cast members. The recorded soundtrack features more than 150 Shakespearean actors in speaking roles and a symphony orchestra. Thursdays-Saturdays June 29-Aug. 25 and Fridays-Saturdays, Aug. 26 -Sept.

15. Passion Play Productions, P.O. Box 1004, Swansboro, NC 28584. Box office, 800-662-5960; management, 252-393-8373.

Coverage suggestions: Many N.C. dramas have new marketing approaches this year and plan to add new features in the years to come based on new consumer research by the institute. The changes may give local reporters new angles for the dramas' openings this summer. Dr. Larry Gustke, a professor of tourism management at N.C. State University, suggested the changes after studies and attendance surveys he conducted while on loan to the institute for the past year. Gustke (919-962-1328, 919-515-3688) and theater managers can provide information for local stories on changes or highlights coming up for individual dramas.

Photos: To download photos from North Carolina’s outdoor dramas, visit http://www.unc.edu/depts/outdoor/ncpress/

Institute of Outdoor Drama contacts: Scott Parker, Martha Shannon, 919-962-1328
News Services contacts: Print, L.J. Toler, 919-962-8589; broadcast, Karen Moon, 919-962-8595

Nation's Third-Oldest Outdoor Drama, 'Horn in the West,' to Celebrate 50th Year

by L.J. Toler (UNC News Services)

May 15, 2001

CHAPEL HILL -"Horn in the West," the nation's third-oldest outdoor historical drama, will celebrate its 50th anniversary with special activities throughout the 2001 season, June 22 through August 11 in Boone, NC.

Staged at 8 p.m. nightly except Mondays in the Daniel Boone Amphitheater, the drama portrays actual events of the American Revolution through a tale of a fictional family in northwest North Carolina during that time, according to the Institute of Outdoor Drama at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Daniel Boone, who frequented the town that bears his name, is one of several true-to-history characters in the play, which also offers plenty of song, dance and pyrotechnics.

Although Boone still is immortalized locally through his bronze statue at nearby Appalachian State University, things have changed at "Horn" since that first season in 1952, said Curtis Smalling, the drama's general manager since 1990 and an employee for 20 years.

"There weren't a lot of male dancers around," he said. "So that first year, they used a bunch of football players from Appalachian. We have pictures. The dancers that year looked pretty big."

Those pictures and others spanning the drama's 50 years will be reprinted in souvenir programs this year, as well as a tribute to the recently deceased Kermit Hunter, author of this outdoor drama, "Unto These Hills" in Cherokee and others.

Nightly 7 p.m. pre-shows this year at "Horn" will begin with patriotic songs by the 82nd Airborne All-American Chorus on opening night June 22.

Besides the drama, the "Horn" complex offers numerous related activities, providing a textbook example of an approach the institute now advocates for all 120 dramas nationwide, said institute director Scott Parker. In recent consumer research, the institute found that audiences crave museums, talks, tours and other activities that help them understand people and periods in the dramas.

"Horn" ticket prices are $12 for adults and $6 for children, with discounts for seniors and groups. Most activities are covered by that price. For tickets or information, call or write the theater at 828-264-2120 or toll-free 888-825-6747, P.O. Box 295, Boone, N.C. 28607, or visit the World Wide Web site www.highcountryhost.com and click "Attractions."

Weekly updates and schedules will be posted on the Web site, Smalling said. Also, a calendar of events, with specifics on what special guests will perform or speak and when, will be available to those who call. Highlights this year will include:

A reunion July 26-29 to which more than 3,000 "Horn" alumni actors and staff are invited, including Barry Corbin and Stan Karsch of the late "Northern Exposure" and "Highlander" TV shows. Most activities will be open to alumni only, but visitors may spot them picnicking or watching the evening drama. Alumni also will enjoy a production of "A Midsummer Night's Dream" at 3 p.m. and a tinsmith demonstration on July 27; a square-dancing performance at 1 p.m. July 28; and a 10 a.m. memorial service on July 29 for deceased alumni -- including Glenn Causey of Arlington, Va., who died in the past year. Causey was with "Horn" for 45 years and played Daniel Boone for 41.
The Hickory Ridge Homestead, open May through October. This cluster of log buildings and gardens replicates a western N.C. homestead in the late 18th century, with a main home, a woodshed and weaving and spinning houses. Guides dressed in garb of the period explain and demonstrate activities typical of the times, including spinning, weaving, cooking on the hearth and dipping candles. This year the museum store will highlight "Horn" alumni products and activities. The museum also has a library of local history and other titles related to the drama, which visitors may borrow.
Group rates and group dinner packages, with meals of country cooking catered by Boone's Dan'l Boone Inn, each joined by a costumed main character from the drama.
Performing Artists Series: 7 p.m. pre-shows on Saturdays June 23-Aug. 11 will feature storytellers, singers and more.
Master Craftsmen Series: 7 p.m. pre-shows Fridays June 22 through Aug. 10 will be demonstrations by leather workers, tinsmiths, woodworkers and more.
Early American Skills Workshops at 1 p.m. Saturdays June 23-Aug. 11 with craftsmen who have demonstrated their work the night before. One of the few on-site activities charging an extra fee. Visitors may register the day of the workshop.
Other 7 p.m. pre-shows will feature the local Horn of Freedom Quartet performing Revolution-era songs.
Author Series, 5-8 p.m. in a covered porch near the theater. Local and regional artists will discuss their work. Many specialize in Appalachian history.
Late-night plays staged after "Horn," from about 11 p.m. to 1 a.m. in the adjacent PowderHorn Theater. This year's "Horn" cast will plan the plays there once they arrive in Boone, but Smalling said one play they will present will be "A Midsummer Night's Dream."
Children's Theater in the PowderHorn at 11 a.m. Wednesdays and Saturdays in July, this year with showings of "Shannon and the Magician" and "Mountain Dreamer."
The Watauga Farmers' Market, 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturdays May through October, and Wednesdays in July and August.
Eleven weeklong day camps for children, each with different themes including creativity, young pioneers and outdoor adventures. New this year: Farm Heritage Camp and American Indian Experience Camp.
Educational programs for children year-round, including after-school crafts and heritage projects with schools in Avery, Caldwell, Wilkes and Watauga counties.
Annual events including a sale of donated books on Sept. 29 to benefit the drama and an apple festival Oct. 27.
A Fourth of July celebration typical of the 1780’s and '90’s in North Carolina, in which the Declaration of Independence is read aloud and the audience toasts with apple cider, reminiscent of the Toasts of Halifax in 1789. Given the drama's Revolutionary theme, celebrants also hear a eulogy for King George III while he -- that is, his dummy -- is burned in effigy.

Photos: To download photos of North Carolina outdoor dramas, visit http://www.unc.edu/depts/outdoor/ncpress/

Contact: Curtis Smalling (General Manager, Horn in the West) 828-264-2120

Outdoor Dramas Provided $63 Million Boost to State Tourism Industry in 1999

CHAPEL HILL -- Eleven outdoor dramas across North Carolina added $63.7 million to the state's tourism industry in 1999 according to a recent economic impact study commissioned by the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill’s Institute for Outdoor Drama. This marks a 5 percent increase over numbers from the last economic impact study conducted in 1997.

"Seventy-eight percent of 1999’s economic impact, $49.8 million, comes directly from out-of-state tourists," says Dr. Larry Gustke, director of the study, conducted at N.C. State University’s Office of Park and Tourism Research.

"These dramas help bring in people from all over the country who eat in local restaurants, sleep in hotels and visit other tourist attractions during their stay," said Gustke, professor of tourism management at N.C. State.

The overall economic impact was calculated using the Minnesota IMPLAN Group's economic impact model -- originally developed with the U.S. Forest Service -- which incorporates 580 individual sectors of the economy, each with its own 'multiplier,' a figure used to gauge the number of times a dollar circulates before passing out of a community.

Tourism demographics show that what Americans traveling both in-state and nationally want most are educational, historical excursions and natural, scenic beauty -- "hallmarks of outdoor drama," says Scott Parker, director of the Institute of Outdoor Drama, a public service agency of UNC-Chapel Hill and sponsor of the economic impact study. "Outdoor dramas play a major role in helping attract these kinds of tourists to North Carolina, and it's important to remember what that means to the economies in those local communities, too."

Parker said that affordable ticket prices are only one reason the outdoor drama movement has continued to grow since the first play, "The Lost Colony" in Manteo, N.C., debuted in 1937. Other reasons include history brought vividly to life for audiences of all ages; the dramas’ proximity to resorts and sites where events portrayed actually occurred; and the support of new generations of parents, who recall being educated and delighted by the plays as children and now bring their own youngsters.

"Outdoor dramas help to cultivate an appreciation of the music, heritage, history and culture of our state," says Lynn Minges, deputy director of the North Carolina Division of Tourism, Film and Sports Development. "The dramas are located in unique venues, in quaint towns and villages all across the state and enhance the travel experience of visitors to North Carolina."

Elsewhere in North Carolina, the birthplace of outdoor historical drama, highlights this year will include two free Shakespeare Festivals: Cape Fear Shakespeare, performing "Pericles" June 2-July 2 in Wilmington and the Montford Park Players, with "A Winter’s Tale" and "Macbeth" June 2-Aug. 13 in Asheville.

Each weekend from mid-June to mid-September, on the North Carolina coast in Swansboro, "Worthy is the Lamb" dramatizes the life of Jesus Christ. In Snow Camp, in central North Carolina, "Pathway to Freedom" will again alternate nights with "The Sword of Peace." "Pathway," one of the nation’s two predominantly black outdoor dramas, tells the story of hundreds who helped escaped slaves flee north before the Civil War. "Sword" profiles peaceful Quakers during the Revolutionary War.

The other African-American-centered outdoor drama is also in North Carolina: Raleigh’s "Amistad Saga: Reflections" tells how a boat of captured Africans fight for their freedom against slavery and how their plight helped create opportunities for others across the country and here in North Carolina.

For a 2000 Directory of Outdoor Drama in America, send $5 to the Institute of Outdoor Drama, UNC-Chapel Hill, CB 3240, Chapel Hill, N.C. 27599-3240. The directory includes a locator map for 121 theaters nationwide, plot summaries, performance dates, theater addresses and phone numbers.

Below is a list of North Carolina outdoor dramas, plots, places and dates, also available on the institute's World Wide Web site, www.unc.edu/depts/outdoor/ or from the institute at 919-962-1328.

NORTH CAROLINA OUTDOOR DRAMAS - 2000

"Amistad Saga: Reflections," Ann Hunt-Smith, playwright. African American Cultural Complex Amphitheatre, Raleigh. A mutiny aboard a slave ship that marked the beginning of the end of slavery in the United States is brought to life through powerful speeches, song and dance. Thursdays and Sundays, July 20-July 20. African American Cultural Complex, 119 Sunnybrook Road, Raleigh, NC 27610. 919-212-3598.

Cape Fear Shakespeare, Greenfield Lake Amphitheatre, Wilmington. "Pericles," Fridays-Sundays, June 2-July 2. Free. 227 Oakleaf Dr., Wilmington, NC 28403. 910-392-7474.

"Duplin Voices," Frank Trimble, playwright. Hampton D. Williams Amphitheatre, Kenansville. This outdoor drama tells the history of Duplin County, over two hundred and fifty years, including the American Revolution and the Civil War; the pageant, first written in 1949, has been updated to the modern day. Thursdays and Sundays, July 20-July 20. Duplin Outdoor Drama, PO Box 956, Kenansville, NC 28349. Box office, 800-793-3726, management, 910-296-2345.

"First for Freedom," Max B. Williams, playwright. Joseph Montford Amphitheatre, Halifax. Celebrates events leading to the signing on April 12, 1776, of the Halifax Resolves, the first formal declaration of independence from Great Britain by an American colony. Thursdays-Saturdays, June 29-July 15 and July 4. Eastern Stage Inc., P.O. Box 21, Halifax, NC 27839. 252-583-3011.

"From This Day Forward," Fred Cranford, playwright. Old Colony Amphitheatre, Valdese. Story of the Waldenses, a religious sect that arose in southeast France in the 1100s, their struggle to survive persecution in their homeland and their eventual arrival in North Carolina to establish a colony in 1893 at Valdese. Includes music and dance. Fridays-Sundays July 21-Aug. 18. Old Colony Players, P.O. Box 112, Valdese, NC 28690. Box office, 800-743-8398; management, 828-874-0176.

"Horn in the West," Kermit Hunter, playwright; Peter MacBeth, composer. Hickory Ridge Homestead, Boone. In North Carolina's southern Appalachians during the American Revolution, frontiersman Daniel Boone and his settlers struggle against the British militia. Museum and homestead on site. Tuesdays-Sundays, June 16-Aug. 12. Southern Appalachian Historical Association, P.O. Box 295, Boone, NC 28607. Box office, 888-825-6747; management, 828-264-2120.

"Listen and Remember," Dare Harris Steele, playwright; Eleanor Niven McLaughlin, composer. Waxhaw Amphitheatre, Waxhaw. Celebrates Waxhaw's early pioneers, including the family of Andrew Jackson, who learns from adversity and builds character to help him serve as president. Fridays and Saturdays, June 2-July 1. Waxhaw Historical Festival and Drama Association, P.O. Box 1776, Waxhaw, NC 28173. 704-764-7159.

"The Lost Colony," Paul Green, playwright. Waterside Theatre, Manteo. Original symphonic drama, in its 63nd year, on the mysterious disappearance of the first English colony to settle in America after its arrival on Roanoke Island in 1587. Sundays-Fridays, June 2-Aug. 25. Roanoke Island Historical Association Inc., 1409 Hwy 64/264, Manteo, NC 27954. Box office, 800-488-5012, management, 252-473-2127.

Montford Park Players, Hazel Robinson Amphitheatre, Asheville: "A Winter’s Tale" and "Macbeth," Fridays and Sundays, June2-Aug.13. Montford Park Players, 246 Cumberland Ave., Asheville, NC 28801. Box office, 828-254-5146; management, 828-254-4540.

"Ripple in the River," Anson County Writers Club, playwrights. Helen Goodman Amphitheatre, Polkton. The Anson County Writers' Club's story of Snedysborough, N.C., a small, bustling port at the headwaters of the Pee Dee River, which thrived from the late 1790s until just before the Civil War. Thursdays-Saturdays, June 1-10. "Ripple in the River," c/o Sneydsborough Project Committee, 104 Lakeview, Wadesboro, NC 28135. Box office, 704-694-4181; management, 704-654-5211.

"The Sword of Peace," "Pathway to Freedom," Snow Camp Historic Amphitheatre, Snow Camp. "Sword," William Hardy, playwright: during the Revolution, Cane Creek Society of Friends defends belief in non-violence; "Pathway," Mark Sumner, playwright: slavery opponents and free blacks help hundreds of escaped slaves flee north before the Civil War. On alternating nights Wednesdays-Saturdays, June 16-Aug. 26. For schedule, call or write Snow Camp Outdoor Theatre, P.O. Box 535, Snow Camp, NC 27349-0535. Box office, 800-726-5115; management, 336-376-6948.

"Unto These Hills," Kermit Hunter, playwright; Jack F. Kilpatrick and McCrae Hardy, composers. Mountainside Theatre, Cherokee. The Eastern Band of the Cherokee from arrival of Spanish explorer Hernando DeSoto in 1540 to removal to Oklahoma on the tragic "Trail of Tears." Cherokee leaders Junaluska, Tsali and Sequoyah fight for the tribe's survival. Mondays-Saturdays, June 14-Aug. 26. Cherokee Historical Association, P.O. Box 398, Cherokee, NC 28719. 828-497-2111.

"Worthy is the Lamb," J.T. Adams, playwright. Crystal Coast Amphitheatre, Swansboro. The White Oak River is the backdrop for this passion play beginning with John the Baptist's arrival in Jerusalem. The recorded soundtrack features more than 150 Shakespearean actors in speaking roles and a symphony orchestra. Thursdays-Saturdays, June 30-Aug. 26 and Fridays and Saturdays, Aug. 27-Sept. 16. Crystal Coast Amphitheatre, Inc., P.O. Box 1004, Swansboro, NC 28584. Box office, 800-662-5960; management, 252-393-8373.

Photos: To download photos of N.C. outdoor dramas, visit http://www.unc.edu/depts/outdoor/ncpress/

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 bordring 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-six 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 heritage theatre is available by contacting the Institute of Outdoor Drama at (919) 962-1328 or online at http://www.unc.edu/depts/outdoor.

In Love With Shakespeare Under the Stars

If the growing number of outdoor Shakespeare festivals is any indication, Shakespeare is more popular than ever. Over sixty festivals in 32 states will be producing at least one of the Bard’s works under the stars this summer. From Oregon to North Carolina, to Maine to Florida and even Alaska, actors and audiences alike come together to see and hear the work of the greatest English playwright. And, there’s simply no better way to experience Shakespeare than in the open-air settings of the nation’s outdoor Shakespeare festivals.

These festivals range in size from the Oregon Shakespeare Festival (Ashland, OR), the nation’s largest repertory company which plays to over 300,000 people each year, to one-weekend festivals across the country that may play to just a few hundred folks. Many festivals present their plays free to the public, so audiences from every background can attend. Larger festivals offer an array of plays, including some by modern playwrights, to give audiences a multitude of choices and opportunities. Traditionally, these outdoor festivals encourage picnic dinners before the show, so families can come, relax and enjoy the natural splendor prior to the play.

It is common to find well-known television and movie actors and actresses returning to their stage roots in a summer Shakespeare festival. In the past few years, notables such as John Goodman, Patrick Stewart, Kelly McGillis, David Birney, Kristen Scott Thomas, Morgan Freeman, Tracey Ulman and more have performed in outdoor Shakespeare festivals in New York, Washington, DC, and other cities around the US. At smaller festivals, it is regional actors who hone their craft, producing some of the finest theatre anywhere for families on vacation.

The diversity of plays being offered provides an intrepid traveler the opportunity to see three-quarters of Shakespeare’s entire canon. Outdoor Shakespeare festival companies will produce 28 of 38 total plays, including King Lear, Hamlet, The Merchant of Venice, A Midsummer Night’s Dream and other lesser-known works such as Cymbeline, King John and Two Noble Kinsman.

There is no question that attending one of the country’s sixty-four outdoor Shakespeare festivals this summer is to see Shakespeare the way it was originally performed – in the great outdoors. For more information, contact the Institute of Outdoor Drama at (919) 962-1328 or online at http://www.unc.edu/depts/outdoor.

The Greatest Stories Ever Told . . . Outdoors

Seeing is believing. For many people involved in producing outdoor religious drama each summer, that motto holds special meaning. By portraying the life of Christ, these dramas not only celebrate the story of Jesus, but also witness to hundreds of thousands of visitors every year.

Besides passion plays, which dramatize the final days of Jesus’ life, are Mormon plays. These dramas celebrate major events in the Mormon faith, including the delivery of metal plates to Joseph Smith by an angel as well as the struggles of the faithful in the face of growing hostility in the early years of Mormonism.

Beginning with the Black Hills Passion Play (Spearfish, SD) in 1938, outdoor religious dramas have continued to grow and thrive across the country. Appealing to large tour groups, spiritual individuals and families alike, these plays take the written word of the Bible and well-known characters from its stories and bring them to life on stage under the stars. Located in spectacular settings – the Ozarks of Arkansas, nearby the mighty Missippi River and the Manti Temple Hill in Utah for example – these incorporate stirring music – much of it original composition or a combination with traditional hymns – as well as period costumes, chariots, horses, camels and elaborate sets so as to make their message more appealing and more powerful to audiences in attendance.

In Worthy is the Lamb (Swansboro, NC), Jesus and the Apostles ride boats on the theatre’s water stage while other characters herd live sheep, goats and a camel across the rest of the stage. The use of animals, colorful costumes and an expansive stage all serve to recreate the various settings portrayed: Bethlehem, Galilee, Jerusalem and others. Over 150 Shakespearean actors provide the vocal soundtrack for the drama alongside the full symphonic orchestral score and spectacular lighting effects help portray the crucifixion, emergence from the tomb and final ascension of Jesus. These are no amateur church dramas; they are designed to tell their story as effectively and powerfully as modern theatre technology will allow.

Outdoor religious dramas are located across the country, from South Carolina to South Dakota, from Utah to Ohio and many points in-between. For more information about any of the country’s eleven outdoor religious dramas, contact the Institute of Outdoor Drama at (919) 962-1328 or online at http://www.unc.edu/depts/outdoor.

Outdoor Drama Companies to Recruit at UNC-CH for This Summer's Shows

February 3, 2000

CHAPEL HILL -- Actors, singers, dancers, and theater technicians and designers should apply soon if they wish to seek summer jobs through the nation's largest combined audition for outdoor historical dramas.

Set for March 18 at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, the auditions will be a major recruiting tool for as many as 16 outdoor historical drama companies from Alabama, Kentucky, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Texas, Virginia and West Virginia.

About 350 jobs available through the auditions will last nine to 14 weeks, June through August, and are open to anyone 18 years or older with theater experience. Applications must be obtained, completed and returned by March 13.

The Institute of Outdoor Drama, a UNC-CH public service agency, hosts the auditions annually. Nationwide, outdoor dramas employ more than 3,000 actors, singers, dancers and technicians each summer. Shows range from "Black River Traders" in Farmington, N.M., to North Carolina's "The Lost Colony" on Roanoke Island and "Unto These Hills" in Cherokee. Cast sizes range from 30 actors and singers up to 180.

Actors and singers must communicate emotion clearly and, because most productions do not use microphones or vocal reinforcement, to project their voices with ease and versatility. Auditions will require each actor to deliver a one-minute monologue; each singer, a prepared number no longer than a minute, with piano accompaniment. Dancers will follow a choreographer in combinations using modern, ballet and folk styles. Technicians will be interviewed.

Besides performers, theatres need stunt and combat professionals, pyrotechnicians, horseback riders and staff skilled in design, installation and maintenance of equipment for sound, voice reinforcement, special effects and lighting.

Auditions will be in Memorial Auditorium on Cameron Avenue, between South Columbia and Raleigh streets. Check-in will be from 7:30-9 a.m.; all auditions and call-backs will be completed that day.

Applications, instructions and directions may be obtained on the institute's World Wide Web site at http://www.unc.edu/depts/outdoor/ or by sending a self-addressed, business-size, stamped envelope to Auditions Director, Institute of Outdoor Drama, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, CB 3240, Chapel Hill, N.C. 27599-3240.

Applications, due March 13, each require a $30 non-refundable application fee, a photo and a statement of support from a teacher or director.

For more information, call the institute from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. EST weekdays at 919-962-1328 or e-mail outdoor@unc.edu.

Outdoor Dramas Honor Hardy

October 21, 1999

CHAPEL HILL, NC -- William M. Hardy, long-time production director of the outdoor historical drama Unto These Hills in Cherokee, NC, was honored with the 1999 Mark R. Sumner Award for distinguished achievement in the U.S. outdoor drama movement at a ceremony on October 9, 1999, at the National Conference on Outdoor Drama in Farmington, NM.

The Sumner Award, the only national award recognizing excellence in outdoor drama, is presented by the Institute of Outdoor Drama, a public service agency of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, with a constituency of more than 115 theatres across the country.

In presenting the award, institute director Scott Parker noted that 'Bill Hardy is the consumate theatre professional, and he personifies the true spirit of the outdoor drama movement. His guidance of Unto These Hills, the nation's second-oldest outdoor historical drama, will ensure that its and his legacy will continue for another 50 years.'

Hardy's career spans over four decades, with involement in numerous outdoor dramas, film, television and script and novel writing. He has eight novels to his credit and is the author of three outdoor dramas, including The Sword of Peace (Snow Camp, NC) which celebrated its 26th season this summer.

Hardy guided Unto These Hills for 30 years as production director before stepping down in August, entertaining over 3.5 million patrons over the course of his tenure and seeing the drama through its 50th anniversary season in 1999. Hardy and his wife, Martha Nell Hardy, who performed in the drama for that same 30 years, live in Chapel Hill, NC, and continue to pursue theatre interests.

The Mark R. Sumner Award was established in 1990 to honor the director emeritus of the Institute of Outdoor Drama and his lifetime contribution to the outdoor drama movement.

Marketing, Public Perception, National Award and Fundraising Highlight Drama Conference

October 10, 1999

FARMINGTON, NM Over foru dozen outdoor drama producers, managers and playwrights came from across the country October 6-9, when the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill's Institute of Outdoor Drama hosted its 37th annual National Conference on Outdoor Drama in the picturesque high desert of the Four Corners area in Farmington, NM.

Participants toured the Lions Wilderness Park Amphitheatre, home of the host historical drama Black River Traders, and discussed the unique relationship the production company, Sandstone Productions, has with the city of Farmington.

Attendees also visited the city's Civic Center; Salmon Ruins, an eleventh-century Puebloan settlement; Hogback Trading Company, a family-owned trading post in operation since 1871; and the new Gateway Museum Visitors Center.

Conference attendees also participated in workshops on "Marketing with Co-op Display Ads," "Successful and Not-So-Successful Options for Employee Housing" and "How to Find the BIG Gifts." Additionally, experts from North Carolina State University's Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism Management and the Actors' Equity Association led discussions on public perceptions of outdoor drama and working with professional actors and stage managers, respectively.

The management and marketing team from the popular religious drama The Promise (Glen Rose, TX) led the Paul Green Seminar on Effective Marketing, sponsored the Paul Green Foundation in Chapel Hill, NC. Leaders of the drama demonstrated how they market to the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex and overcome obstacles such as limited overnight accommodations and a 1-2 hour drive-time to the drama.

The conference was capped by the annual awards banquet where William Hardy was given the 1999 Mark R. Sumner Award for outstanding contribution to the outdoor drama movement.

The Institute of Outdoor Drama, created in 1963, is a public service agency of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and serves as the only organization to provide national leadership and guidance in fostering artistic and managerial excellence and the expansion of the outdoor drama movement.

National Outdoor Drama Directory Available

May 10, 1999

Here is your personal copy of the 1999 Directory of Outdoor Drama in America, a listing of 114 outdoor theatres in 38 states and the District of Columbia that will offer theatre under the stars to over 2.5 million people this summer.

Since 1937, outdoor dramas have been performed in scenic amphitheatres and beautiful natural settings across the country against such backdrops as mountains, forests, canyons, lakes, prairielands and rivers.

Dramatic history, music, dance and spectacle performed by large casts on expansive stages are the hallmarks of these outdoor theatres which include 42 historical dramas, based on significant events and performed on or near the site where those events actually occurred; 59 Shakespeare festivals, many of which offer modern as well as classical plays; and 12 religious plays, including passion plays and Mormon pageants.

This year's Directory includes a locator map for the 114 theatres, plot summaries, performance dates, addresses and telephone numbers as well as photographs of some of the many theatres listed.

The Directory is available by sending $5.00 (check or money order) to the Institute of Outdoor Drama, CB# 3240, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-3240.

Lights, Camera, Audition!

January 29, 1999

CHAPEL HILL -- Looking for a unique way to spend your summer? How about acting, singing, or dancing in front of 75,000 people? Or, working behind the scenes bringing to life the stories of Daniel Boone, Tecumseh, Queen Elizabeth, Sir Walter Raleigh, Sequoyah and other historic characters? Well, here's your chance!

The nation's largest combined audition for outdoor historical dramas will be held Saturday, March 20, on the campus of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Fourteen outdoor historical drama companies from Kentucky, North Carolina, Ohio, Texas, New Mexico, Virginia and West Virginia will recruit for approximately 350 jobs at the auditions, sponsored by the Institute of Outdoor Drama, a public service agency of UNC-CH.

Nationwide, outdoor dramas employ more than 3,000 actors, singers, dancers and technicians each summer. Shows range from 'Black River Traders' in Farmington, NM, to 'The Lost Colony' on Roanoke Island, NC and 'Unto These Hills' in Cherokee, NC. Cast sizes can range anywhere from 30 actors and singers up to 180.

Jobs from the March 20 auditions will last nine to 14 weeks, including two weeks of rehearsal, from June through August and are open to anyone 18 years or older with theater experience.

Actors and singers are expected to be able to communicate emotion clearly and, as most productions do not use microphones or vocal reinforcement, to project their voices with ease and versatility. Auditions will require each actor to deliver a one-minute monologue; each singer, a prepared number no longer than a minute. Dancers will follow a choreographer in combinations using modern, ballet and folk styles. Technicians will be interviewed.

Audition check-in will be from 7:30-9 a.m. March 20 in the Frank Porter Graham Student Union, and all auditions and call-backs will be completed on that Saturday. Applications and instructions may be obtained from the institute's web site at http://www.unc.edu/depts/outdoor/ or by sending a self-addressed, business-size, stamped envelope to Auditions Director, Institute of Outdoor Drama, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, CB# 3240, 1700 Airport Road, Chapel Hill, N.C. 27599-3240.

Applications, due March 15, require a $30 non-refundable application fee, a photo and a statement of support from a teacher or director.

For more information, call the institute during business hours at 919-962-1328, email at outdoor@unc.edu or consult the institute's home page.

Outdoor Dramas Honor Adams

October 25, 1998

Chapel Hill, NC -- Fred C. Adams, founder and executive producer of the Utah Shakespearean Festival in Cedar City, UT, was honored with the 1998 Mark R. Sumner Award for distinguished achievement in the U.S. outdoor drama movement at a ceremony on October 24, 1998, at the National Conference on Outdoor Drama in Fairborn, OH.

The Sumner Award, the only one of its kind to recognize excellence in outdoor drama, is presented by the Institute of Outdoor Drama, a public service agency of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill with a constituency of more than 100 theatres across the nation.

In presenting the award, Institute Director Scott Parker cited Adams as "a visionary extraordinaire whose enduring influence and guidance have impacted the American Shakespeare festival movement like no one else."

As founder and overseer of the Utah Shakespearean Festival for the past thirty-eight years, Adams is widely recognized as the primary reason the Festival is one of the most prestigious repertory theatres in the U.S. Under his tutelage, the Festival has grown from a budget of $1,000 and 3,276 admissions in 1961 to a 1998 budget of $3.9 million, more than 350 employees and attendance of 154,000 from all over the world.

The Mark R. Sumner Award was established in 1990 to honor the director emeritus of the Institute of Outdoor Drama and his lifetime contribution to the outdoor drama movement.

Institute of Outdoor Drama news contact: Todd M Lidh -- 919-962-1328; outdoor@unc.edu
http://www.unc.edu/depts/outdoor

Utah Shakespearean Festival contact: Donna Law - 435-586-1968
http://www.bard.org

Pyrotechnics, Horsemanship Demonstrations to Mark Outdoor Drama Conference in Fairborn

October 9, 1998

By TODD M. LIDH, UNC-CH Institute of Outdoor Drama

CHAPEL HILL -- Just how do they stage those fancy battle scenes in outdoor dramas?

Theatre pros will demonstrate the pyrotechnics (gunfire, explosions, fireworks), horsemanship and stage combat executed in the Xenia, Ohio, production "Blue Jacket" during the 36th annual National Conference on Outdoor Drama Oct. 21-24.

The demonstrations, open only to conference participants and the media, are set for 3 :30-5 p.m. Oct. 22 at the three-acre site of"Blue Jacket," near conference headquarters at the Holiday Inn in Fairborn, Ohio.

The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill's Institute of Outdoor Drama -- a resource, educational and professional development organization for some 100 theatres in 34 states and the District of Columbia -- will sponsor the national conference.

"This is the one opportunity each year that people from every aspect of outdoor drama have to come together, share ideas and learn from one another," says Scott Parker, institute director. "In addition to information sessions, our conference participants get hands-on exposure to nearly every facet of outdoor drama production and management."

Additional conference highlights will include a presentation on secrets to success of"The Lost Colony," the nation's first outdoor historical drama, in Manteo, N.C. The drama, written by UNC-CH's Paul Green and first performed in 1937, covers events leading to the mysterious disappearance of the first English colony to settle in America, on North Carolina's Roanoke Island in 1587. Presenters at the 9 a.m. to noon session Oct. 24 will include Marsha Warren of the Paul Green Foundation in Chapel Hill, "The Lost Colony" producer Thomas White and members of the Roanoke Island Historical Association.

The Mark R. Sumner Award, the only national award to recognize significant contributions of an individual to a drama or the outdoor drama movement as a whole, will be presented during a conference-closing banquet, at about 8:30 p.m. Oct. 24. Afterward, local artist, storyteller and balladeer Bob Ford will recreate colorful Ohio River characters, celebrating the humor and heritage of Buckeye State pioneers.

Representatives from nearly 40 outdoor theatres, Shakespearean festivals and communities planning the development of an outdoor drama are expected to attend the conference, the only national event solely devoted to outdoor drama. Seminars will include "Vocal Reinforcement: Yes or No?," "Revitalizing and Reinvigorating Board-Staff Relations," and "Crises and Disasters On-Site and Off."

For more information about the conference and the Institute of Outdoor Drama, visit the institute's World Wide Web site: http://www.unc.edu/depts/outdoor/

Institute of Outdoor Drama contact: Todd M Lidh, (919) 962-1328 (outdoor@unc.edu); after Oct. 21, at the Holiday Inn, Fairmont, Ohio, (937) 426-7800.

UNC-CH News Services contact: L.J. Toler, (919) 962-8589

Outdoor Dramas in North Carolina Appeal to National and International Visitors

August 10, 1998

CHAPEL HILL - The summer may be winding down for many folks around the state, but North Carolina's outdoor dramas continue to offer "theater under the stars" throughout the month of August and even into September. For over 60 years, North Carolina has been the center of outdoor historical drama, beginning with Roanoke Island's "The Lost Colony" in 1937 and continuing with "Unto These Hills" in Cherokee (1949), Boone's "Horn in the West" (1951) and even up to one of the state's youngest dramas, "Pathway to Freedom" which premiered in 1994 in Snow Camp.

North Carolina's outdoor drama audiences aren't limited to people from inside the state, however; each year, thousands of out-of-state visitors are swept away by the majestic and spectacular stories dramatizing the state's history. "What's exciting," said Betsy Buford, North Carolina's Deputy Secretary of Cultural Resources, "is that people learn something and go away entertained - it's a terrific combination."

This year alone, outdoor dramas have hosted residents of Virginia, South Carolina, Tennessee, Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey, Missouri, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, Washington, California, Oregon and even Alaska. International travelers have come from as far away as Japan, France, Norway, Sweden, Korea, Germany, Spain, Belgium and England and as "close" as Canada and Mexico.

According to James Wilson, general manger of the Snow Camp Historical Society outdoor dramas "Sword of Peace" and "Pathway to Freedom," "people are driving from as far away as Alabama, Ohio and Indiana just to see our shows." This follows an apparent trend for this year's outdoor drama season: an influx of audience members from outside North Carolina and surrounding states. "We've had quite a bit more visitation from north of the Mason-Dixon line this year," says Barry Hipps, general manager of "Unto These Hills," whose comments echo those of "The Lost Colony" general manager, Dennis Madden: "I can't walk down a row of forty cars in our parking lot without seeing at least ten different state license plates every night." Deputy Secretary Buford adds, "I think outdoor dramas are one of the most successful vehicles for telling different aspects of the state's history to visitors from all over the world."

Institute of Outdoor Drama: Todd M. Lidh, (919) 962-1328; email: outdoor@unc.edu

North Carolina Outdoor Dramas Make Significant Contribution to State Tourism Industry in 1997

July 1998

CHAPEL HILL -- Eleven outdoor dramas across North Carolina added over $60 million to the state's tourism industry in 1997, according to a recent economic impact study conducted by the Office of Park and Tourism Research at N.C. State University in Raleigh. Seventy percent of that money, or $40 million, comes directly from out-of-state tourists says Dr. Larry Gutske, director of the study. The overall economic impact was calculated using the Minnesota IMPLAN Group's economic impact model -- originally developed with the U.S. Forest Service -- which incorporates 580 individual sectors of the economy, each with its own 'multiplier,' a figure used to gauge the number of times a dollar circulates before passing out of a community.

The study, the first since 1993, was commissioned by the Institute of Outdoor Drama, a public setvice agency of UNC-Chapel Hill founded in 1963, and indicates that outdoor dramas play an integral part in North Carolina's growing heritage tourism industry. Ten of the eleven dramas bear witness to the great things North Carolinians have accomplished by focusing on significant events and famous individuals that make up the rich tapestry of the state's history. The eleventh drama, "Worthy is the Lamb" in Swansboro, is a passion play which dramatizes the last seven days in the life of Christ.

Outdoor historical dramas are original plays, often with music and dance, performed in amphitheatres located at the site or close to where historical events occurred.

Since Paul Green's "The Lost Colony" premiered in 1937 on Roanoke Island, North Carolina has led the nation in outdoor historical drama production; this year, the Institute of Outdoor Drama included another historical drama ("Ripple in the River" in Polkton) and a Shakespeare festival ("Cape Fear Shakespeare Festival" in Wilmington), bringing the total of outdoor dramas in the state to 13, the single highest total for any state. These "dramas under the stars" are located throughout North Carolina, from Manteo ("The Lost Colony") to Boone ("Hom in the West"), from Snow Camp ("Sword of Peace"/"Pathway to Freedom") to Valdese ("From This Day Forward").

Last year, 225,000 individuals (residents and non-residents) attended North Carolina's outdoor dramas, employing almost 1,600 actors, technicians, designers and other theatre professionals. According to the Travel Industry Association of America, North Carolina ranks as the 7th-most popular travel destination for U. S. households and 12th in total traveler spending. Additionally, cultural and historic tourists are more likely to spend more money, stay in hotels, visit more destinations and travel for entertainment purposes than any other type of traveler.

Tourism demographics show that what Americans traveling both in-state and nationally want most are educational, historical excursions and natural, scenic beauty - "hallmarks of outdoor drama," says Scott Parker, Director of the Institute of Outdoor Drama. "Outdoor dramas play a major role in helping attract these kinds of tourists to North Carolina, and it's important to remember what that means to the economies in those local communities, too."

Institute of Outdoor Drama: Todd M Lidh, (919) 962-1328; email: outdoor@unc.edu

Outdoor Dramas to Bring History to Life This Summer

May 12, 1998

By LAURA J. TOLER, UNC-CH News Services

CHAPEL HILL -- Again this summer, with Croatan Sound lapping near Roanoke Island's historic Waterside Theatre, the first English colony that tried to settle in America will mysteriously disappear.

Brave chieftains Junaluska, Tsali and Sequoyah will fight for the survival of the Eastern Band of the Cherokee Indians in modern-day Cherokee's Mountainside Theatre.

Indeed, if summer is on its way, then so are North Carolina's 11 outdoor historical dramas.They include the all-time favorites above, "The Lost Colony" in Manteo and "Unto These Hills" in Cherokee, which most years draw 85,000 to 90,000 and 95,000 to 100,000 people, respectively.

Since "The Lost Colony" debuted in 1937 as the nation's first outdoor historical drama, the movement has grown to 51 history plays across the country, 12 religious dramas and 42 Shakespeare festivals -- more than 100 classical plays in 34 states and the District of Columbia. The historical dramas have come to be defined as plays performed on or near sites where the historical events occurred.

The movement's growth stems from several factors, says Scott Parker, director of the Institute of Outdoor Drama at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, the nation's only advisory and research organization for outdoor dramas.

"These dramas are delightful family entertainment and at the same time teach us about our heritage," he said. In North Carolina, the cradle of outdoor drama, "we hear from public school teachers all the time, and from their students as well, about how much they've learned about North Carolina history through the dramas. They reinforce what students learn in class; they make history come alive."

Parker often hears from young adults, whose parents took them to the dramas when they were children, who now are taking their children. Designed to appeal to all ages, the dramas typically attract vacationing families who also usually visit resort or historic sites nearby, he said. With ticket prices ranging from $4 to $14, dramas remain affordable, even for large families.

Their visits brought North Carolina $40.4 million new dollars last year, according to a study for the institute by N.C. State University's department of parks, recreation and tourism management.

"One purpose of cultural heritage tourism is to bring money into rural counties," Parker said. "All but two of North Carolina's outdoor dramas are located in rural counties as deterrnined by the state commerce department."

Last year, 230,000 people attended the 11 dramas, said Dr. Larry Gustke, who conducted the study. Attendees spent $57.3 million, accounting for $2.3 million and $1.15 million, respectively, in state and local tax revenue. Gustke said goods and services produced to meet outdoor drama visitors' demands totaled $69.8 million. N.C. employees and business owners earned $35.9 million as a result of visitors' spending. The dramas provided 1,534 jobs.

This year's performances will begin in June.and include the 25th anniversary season of "The Sword of Peace" in Snow Camp. The drama details conflict faced by the Cane Creek Society of Friends during the Revolutionary War when the peaceful Quakers sought to defend their belief in non-violence.

On July 4, the anniversary date ofthe play's opening, the town of Snow Camp's day-long Independence Day festivities will lead to a 7 p.m. re-creation of the original dedication ceremony, said James Wilson, the drama's general manager, who started the show 25 years ago. Dignitaries from the first ceremony, including former N.C. governors Bob Scott and Jim Holshouser, have been invited, as have all former cast members. The ceremony will lead to pre-show entertainment and the show at 8 p.m.

In 25 years, Wilson said, the cast has grown from about 20 to 60 or 70, and the number of historic buildings on site, which replicate a Quaker village, from a couple to more than 30 -- including a museum.

The Snow Camp Historic Amphitheatre also stages "Pathway to Freedom," the nation's only predominantly black outdoor drama, which tells the tale of anti-slavery North Carolinians and free blacks helping hundreds of slaves flee north before the Civil War. The shows alternate nights.

New to the institute this year is affiliation of the Cape Fear Shakespeare in Wilmington, which will present "Othello" and "The Comedy of Errors" in its sixth season.

For a 1998 Directory of Outdoor Drama in America, send $5 to the Institute of Outdoor Drama, UNC-Chapel Hill, CB# 3240, NationsBank Plaza, Chapel Hill, N.C. 27599-3240. The directory includes a locator map for 101 theaters nationwide, plot summaries, performance dates, theater addresses and phone numbers.

A list of dramas, plots, places and dates follows and is available on the institute's World Wide Web site, http://www.unc.edu./depts/outdoor/, or from the institute at 919-962-1328.

National Outdoor Drama Directory Available

March 1998

This summer 101 outdoor theatres in 34 states and the District of Columbia will offer theatre under the stars to 2.5 million people, most of whom are vacationing families. Popular since 1937, outdoor dramas are performed in scenic amphitheatres across our nation against backdrops of majestic mountains, pine forests, oceans, rivers and prairielands.

Action-packed history, music, dance and spectacle performed by large casts on expansive stages are the hallmarks of these outdoor dramas which include 51 history plays, based on significant events and performed at or near sites where the events occurred; 41 Shakespeare festivals, many of which offer modern as well as classical plays; and 12 religious dramas, including passion plays and Mormon pageants.

The 1998 Directory of Outdoor Drama in America which includes a locator map for the 101 theatres, plot summaries, performance dates, addresses and phone numbers is available by sending $5.00 to: Institute of Outdoor Drama, UNC-Chapel Hill, CB#3240, NationsBank Plaza, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599-3240; (919) 962-1328.

Auditions for Outdoor Dramas Set for March 21 at UNC-CH

February 1998

By LAURA J. TOLER, UNC-CH News Services

CHAPEL HILL -- Can you sing? Dance? Act?

Do you have technical experience in theater that could benefit any of 91 outdoor dramas to be produced nationwide this summer?

Then consider applying for the nation's largest combined audition for outdoor historical dramas, set for Saturday, March 21, at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Twelve to 15 outdoor historical drama companies from Kentucky, North Carolina, Ohio, Texas, Virginia and West Virginia will recruit for approximately 350 jobs in the auditions, sponsored by the Institute of Outdoor Drama, a public service agency of UNC-CH.

Nationwide, outdoor dramas employ about 3,000 actors, singers, dancers and technicians each sumrner. Shows range from "Oregon Fever!" in Oregon City, OR, to "The Lost Colony" on Roanoke Island, NC, and "Unto These Hills" in Cherokee, NC. Cast sizes range from 50 to 180.

Jobs from the March 21 auditions will last nine to 14 weeks, June through August, and are open to anyone 18 or older with theater experience. Most jobs are non-union, but some companies hire union actors and offer contracts through the Actor's Equity Association Membership Candidacy Program.

Actors and singers are expected to be able to communicate emotion clearly and, as most productions don't use microphones, to project their voices with ease and versatility. Auditions will require each actor to deliver a one-minute monologue; each singer, a prepared number no longer than a minute. Dancers will follow a choreographer in combinations using modern, ballet and folk styles. Technicians will be interviewed.

Besides performers, shows need stunt and combat professionals, pyrotechnicians, horseback riders and staff skilled in design, installation and maintenance of equipment for sound, voice reinforcement, special effects and lighting.

Audition check-in will be from 7:30-9 a.m. March 21 in the Frank Porter Graham Student Union. Applications may be obtained by sending a self-addressed, business-size, stamped envelope to Auditions Director, Institute of Outdoor Drama, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, CB 3240, NationsBank Plaza, Chapel Hill, N.C. 27599-3240. Applications, due March 16, require a $25 non-refundable application fee, a photo and a statement of support from a teacher or director.

For more information, call the institute at 919-962-1328 or consult the institute's home page at http://www.unc.edu/depts/outdoor/.

Institute of Outdoor Drama contact: Audrey Tolar, 919-962-1328

News Services contacts: Laura J. Toler, print, 919-962-8589; Karen Moon, broadcast, 919-962-8595

Patriotism, economy seen as pluses for this year’s outdoor drama season

CHAPEL HILL—Daniel Boone and his settlers in western North Carolina struggle against the British militia during the American Revolution; in the early 1800s, Cherokee leaders fight for the tribe’s survival in North Carolina before the tragic Trail of Tears; and slavery opponents in Alamance County help blacks flee to freedom in the North before the Civil War.

Across the state and the nation, managers of outdoor dramas that bring these historic events to life believe that this year’s surge in patriotism will bring them big audiences this summer--patriotism, plus the sort of economic downturn that usually means more people take shorter, cheaper vacations closer to home.

The latter trend could, in turn, help the economy in communities where North Carolina’s 13 outdoor dramas are performed, said Scott Parker, director of the Institute for Outdoor Drama, a public service agency of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

“One purpose of heritage tourism is to bring money into rural counties,” said Parker, citing tourism, at $12 billion, as one of the state’s largest industries. “All but two of North Carolina’s outdoor dramas are located in rural counties.”

Of the 13, nine are history plays, three, Shakespeare festivals and one a religious drama. Last year, 222,000 attended North Carolina’s dramas. Ticket prices average $11, a bargain compared with the cost of may activities.

Nationwide, 122 theatres affiliated with the institute operate in 37 states, performing 45 history plays, 66 Shakespeare festivals and 11 religious dramas. All are described, with performance dates, locator maps and contact information, on the institute’s World Wide Web site, www.unc.edu/depts/outdoor.

Theatre managers believe also that the tenor of the times will help fill their parking lots, probably with plenty of Stars ‘n’ Stripes bumper stickers.

“Given recent events, this story of the price of freedom takes on a modern relevance,” said Curtis Smalling, general manager of “Horn in the West” in Boone, now planning its 51^st season. “The Choices of that first generation of Americans in their struggle for freedom can give us hope and solace as we make decisions regarding our own freedoms in the face of a new tyranny of terrorism.”

So far, trends look good. The nation’s oldest outdoor drama, “The Lost Colony” in Manteo, had the same number of advance reservations on May 31 as two weeks later last summer, said executive manager, Scott Dowd: “I think a lot of vacationers will drive this year, and that bodes well for this area.”

Leisure travel—for pleasure, not business—may be up 6 percent nationwide this year, according to a recent survey by a Florida marketing and advertising firm.

“Pre-season inquiries have been much higher than in the past,” said James Wilson, general manager of the dramas “The Sword of Peace” and “Pathway to Freedom” in Snow Camp, the Alamance County theatre. “Advance reservations are up 10 percent, and group sales inquiries are up.”

Parker, of the drama institute, points to a graph of the Consumer Confidence Index and outdoor drama attendance nationwide through the years. Always, when the first drops, the second goes up, and the index is low these days. Long hours for those left on the job after others are laid off is another factor.

“The day of the two-week vacation is gone,” Parker said. “People are taking more four and five-day vacations. That will play well for outdoor dramas, especially in North Carolina.”

The news is not all good. State budget cuts have forced “First for Freedom” in Halifax to cancel its season this year. The show portrays events leading up to the April 12, 1776, signing of the Halifax Resolves, the first formal declaration of independence from Great Britain by and American colony.

Also closed this summer is “Listen and Remember” in Waxhaw, for construction of a multipurpose building on the site. The play is expected to resume next year.

The state budget short fall also forced cancellation of the East Carolina University/Loessin Summer Theatre season in Greenville, leaving 125 people out of work. The institute helped them get jobs at other dramas nationwide, Parker said.

No matter what the health of the economy, outdoor dramas always can bank on one selling point: the appeal of low-cost, educational dramas performed on or near sites where historic events took place.

“These dramas are delightful family entertainment and at the same time teach us about our heritage,” Parker said. “We hear from public school teachers all the time, and from their students about how much they’ve learned about North Carolina history through the dramas. They reinforce what students learn in class.