I
recently had the opportunity to visit the Outer Banks of North Carolina and fulfill
a 40 year wish to see the production of The Lost Colony on Roanoke Island . This popular summer attraction
was first performed seventy-eight years ago, making it the oldest outdoor
symphonic drama in the country.
On the
way to the Outer Banks, I recalled my parents telling me about another drama that
took place that same summer on Roanoke Island . That event occurred seventy-eight years ago to
the day I would be attending the play.
On an
early June day in 1937, a young Naval Lieutenant stationed in Norfolk , Virginia planned on taking his sweetheart
on a picnic to propose marriage.
That couple in their mid twenties was my
parents. Whether it took my father hours to work up his courage or whether it
was his intent, they ended up driving all the way to Roanoke Island , North Carolina . A 200 mile round trip was no
small Saturday excursion in 1937. It
was also the subject of a lot of teasing over their 43 year marriage, since, at
the time, transporting a single female across a state line was a felony.
July 1937 |
So now, seventy-eight
years later, I had tickets and was on my way to see the play I’d been waiting so
long to see. The Lost Colony, a Tony award winning play was written by
Pulitzer Prize winning playwright Paul Green.
The musical
pageant is based on accounts of Sir Walter Raleigh's attempts to establish a
settlement on Roanoke
Island ,
then part of the Colony of Virginia. Early in the play we watched Raleigh lead a group of men in 1585 to Roanoke on primarily a military mission. These
settlers returned to England with two Indian leaders, Manteo
and Wanchese, because of a shortage of food and altercations they had with other
natives.
Opening Scene for "The Lost Colony" |
John
White, Governor of the new colony, led another group of 117 men, women and children
in July 1587 to the existing Roanoke Island settlement. The next month, the Governor’s
daughter, Eleanor Dare, wife of Ananias Dare gave birth to Virginia Dare, the
first English child born on American soil. Ten days later John White sailed
back to England for a fresh load of supplies. During
this time a major naval war broke out between England and Spain . Queen Elizabeth I insisted every
ship would be needed to confront the invading Spanish Armada. Governor White
was not able to return to his wife, daughter, granddaughter and other settlers at
Roanoke until August 1590. When he
arrived, no trace was found of the colony or its settlers. The only clue was
the single word “Croatoan” carved into a wooden post. In the past 428 years there
have been many scenarios speculated on what happened to these colonists, but no
one really knows. At the time the settlers did enjoy a friendlier relationship
with the local Indians, so it is possible that they joined with the friendly
Croatoan natives in order to survive.
The
Lost Colony production
was first rate and priced at $30 a ticket. It had elaborate Elizabethan
costumes, particularly for the scenes taking place in London . Watching the scene transitions was fascinating. The singing and dancing were
nothing short of a Broadway play. I was particularly moved by the Christian
emphasis in the Colonist’s hymns, prayers and dialog.
Memorial Stone to the original Roanoke Settlers |
Given
that our nation was in the midst of the Great Depression when this award
winning production was written, it is no surprise that it focuses on the ideals
of freedom, struggle and perseverance. The names of the people who lived there
so long ago are memorialized everywhere in the towns and on street signs
throughout Roanoke
Island .
Great post Janet. I love reading and and learning about our history here on Colonial Quills.
ReplyDeleteA couple weeks ago we were in the Outer Banks and did go to Roanoke Island, but did not see the Lost Colony. I do hope to see it one day.
Blessings, Tina
Thanks for stopping by Mrs. Tina. Hopefully it won't take you as long to see it. ;-)
DeleteThanks for this interesting post, Janet. I loved the story about your parents. My husband and I visited the Outer Banks to research for my two novels, Laurel (released 1/15) and Cassia (to be released 9/15), which take place there. I fell in love with the area, especially the Maritime Museum in nearby Beaufort, NC. But we didn't have an opportunity to see the Lost Colony. Will make it a point to see it on our next visit.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Susan. I'm really looking forward to reading Cassia. Loved your other two stories.
DeleteHistory is one of my most favorite topics ever! When I was 16 I was in the Youth Conservation Corp. We stayed on Campus in the dorms at Wilmington College in Ohio.. One of the perks of this was that we would be going to see the yearly production of Tecumseh at the Amphitheater in Chillicothe, Ohio. It was amazing!I am so looking forward to reading your novel! In Tecumseh there were mny references to Christianity as well.Love the story about your parents, how wonderful!
ReplyDeleteThank you, MammaG.
DeleteI didn't realize until the day of the play that it was the same day in June that my father took my mother to Roanoke. It was serendipitous.
I wonder if that production is still done in Chillicothe. I grew up near Tecumseh, MI, and was raised on that whole story. I'd love to see it!
DeleteWell THIS is going on my bucket list. Thanks. Just what I needed ... a longer bucket list! At the rate I'm going, I'll need to live to 110.
ReplyDeleteMy son got me watching the TV show Sleepy Hollow and it has a lot of early American history in it, mingled with the fiction. (Sort of like our books!) I loved the episode that included the Lost Colony of Roanoke. Fun stuff!
Pegg, if you make it to Roanoke Island, you may want to also stop by the Wright Brother's Memorial at Kill Devil Hills, the location of the Wright Brother's aviation' first flight.
DeleteGood to know - thanks!
DeleteThe play sounds wonderful! I can't remember learning about this growing up, maybe I did but I'd forgotten. It makes me wonder what did happen to them and why nothing has ever been discovered. What a great story and sad!
ReplyDeleteThanks for stopping by Terri. It's a fascinating mystery. The streets in Roanoke memorialize many of the characters as do some of the towns. And the Outer Banks is part of Dare County.
ReplyDelete