Onstage under the stars

Southern Living, May 2002 by Butler, Wanda

SOUTHWEST

Join us as we take in three of the best outdoor shows in the South.

the stars really shine at night this time of year-human stars, that is. Constellations of singers, dancers, and actors illuminate stages with music, laughter, and history. Outdoor dramas have long been part of the Southern landscape, some for more than half a century. Join us as we visit a canyon, a coast, and a fort-settings as different as the states they represent and host to three of the best shows in the South.

Pioneer Spirit-Texas

The bottom drops out from under the road almost without warning. Predictable flatland suddenly becomes concave to form a huge scooped-out bowl that is Palo Duro Canyon, located in the Texas Panhandle.

This is the setting where TEXAS, A Musical Drama has played for 37 years, giving audiences an emotional glimpse of the area's early settlers. It's a dramatic backdrop that only the Lone Star State could conjure.

I come early to this official play of the State of Texas to admire the scenery, sample the barbecue buffet, and enjoy the preshow entertainment. Couples two-step to tunes played by a local band, bringing a down-home, welcoming atmosphere to theatergoers.

What's even more inviting-and stirring-is the beginning of the show. A lone rider appears at the top of the canyon. He gallops along the rim, carrying a billowing Texas flag. That's the way this drama has always begun, and it still draws cheers and applause.

Green shrubs grow in and around the canyon walls. More riders on horseback make their way down, and a covered wagon rolls across the stage. A great bowl of sky above meets a huge crater of rock below. Dancers kick up their heels with a hoedown, and the character Quanah Parker is introduced.

The end of Act I brings a special effects rainstorm and lightning bolt that makes me jump. The fireworks at show's end are truly Texas size, lighting the canyon with blazes of color.

Unsolved Mystery-- North Carolina

It was one of the first mysteries of the New World. A whole colony of English settlers-17 men, women, and children-disappeared from the North Carolina coast in 1587 after living there for four years.

The country's longest running outdoor drama takes place on the same spot where those early settlers vanished. The town of Manteo on Roanoke Island, North Carolina, provides the coastal backdrop for The Lost Colony, now in its 65th season.

Pre-performance entertainment consists of singers in early colonial dress singing a cappella. A harmonious rendition of "Greensleeves" echoes in the dimming light.

The sets are also impressive, ranging from an Indian village on Roanoke to Queen Elizabeth's garden in London. We meet Sir Walter Raleigh; watch a ship as it sails from Plymouth back to England; and see the colonists struggle with hunger, weather, and isolation.

And does the audience find out what happened to the lost settlers? You must go and learn for yourself.

A Fan of Dan-Kentucky

I approach the Old Fort Harrod State Park amphitheater with anticipation. Harrodsburg, Kentucky's first permanent settlement, is the setting for Daniel Boone-The Man and the Legend, which has been performed here under a summer sky for almost 40 years.

Soon I hear singing. Costumed cast members gather at the theater entrance, serenading guests as they find their seats. A good beginning.

And it only gets better as the story of Daniel Boone's explorations into Kentucky in 1775 comes to life onstage. The production features fine acting by both settlers and Shawnee Indians, and the plot gives equal time to both parties.

Along with first-rate acting, singing, and dancing, exciting special effects add plenty of sizzle to the action. Staged pyrotechnics include a burning fort, flaming arrows zipping through the air, and frighteningly realistic handto-hand combat.

I learn some history too. Capt. James Harrod founded Harrodsburg in 1774. Here at the state park, theatergoers can visit the reconstructed fort that replicates his original bastion.

Beneath all the buckskin and war paint, legend comes to life on a starry night in Kentucky. The cast is available after each performance and thanks the audience for coming. But the thanks are all mine.