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Levern Hamlin scrapbook

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  • Theatre of the People HARRY DAVIS The "theatre of the people"—drama in the open air—actually was born almost 3,000 years ago. It had its conception in the great amphitheatres of ancient Greece, was nurtured in the Rome of the Caesars, and came of age during the lusky Elizabethan era of England. And then it died. But now, some 400 years later and a continent removed, the "theatre of the people" is coming alive again. It is being revived through the outdoor historical drama right here in America whose history is young. And this summer, a half million persons will sit in open-air theatres and watch the re-creation of history, much of it on the very spot where it was lived and written. Strangely enough, revival of the "theatre of the people" began in North Carolina and was instituted by a North Carolinian and produced on the very spot where the first English colony in the New World was founded. It began with the premiere of Paul Green's now-famous outdoor play, The Lost Colony, at Manteo, on Roanoke Island, N. C. In the wake of this trail-breaking play, more than a dozen other dramas, based on American history have followed, principally in the Southeast, of which Green authored six. The summer of 1950 saw the opening of Unto These Hills, a drama concerned with the impact of white settlers on the ancient civilization of the Cherokee Indians. Presented in the breath-taking sweep of Mountainside Theatre, located in the heart of the Qualla Reservation and with the immemorial peaks of the Great Smokies for a backdrop, this production, like The Lost Colony, has special significance. Written by a hitherto unknown young playwright, it marked the emergence of a new talent in the field of the historcial play, Kermit Hunter. Presented first on July 1, 1950, Unto These Hills has so far broken all attendance records for such plays, piling up a total audience count of more than 1,000,000 persons. The success of Mr. Hunter's first venture into this specialized field of playwrighting has led to his authorship of a number of other historical plays, among them Forever This Land, Horn in the West, Voice m the Wind and 'Chucky Jack. The outdoor historical drama, like the standard commercial play, must pay for itself at the box-office, and must have the fundamental theatrical quality of being, first of all, a good show. But there are many differences between the historical drama of this type and the usual indoor show, a most obvious one being that of subject matter. The Broadway play may treat of almost any conceivable theme, but the topic of the outdoor historical drama is invariably connected with actual events and personalities of the past. Another important feature of the historical play is its direct, indigenous relation to the locale in which it is staged. In nearly all instances the dramatized story, rooted in historical fact, is presented on or near the site where the real story took place. This imparts a valuable spiritual quality into the performance, since it becomes a sort of pilgrimage to holy ground. The historical matter, of course, must have a genuine and important connection with the here and now. Its overtones, its symbols, must speak the spiritual language of the present-day spectator. Inevitably the outdoor historical drama is a drama of patriotism, but its patriotism must be positive and affirmative in the finest sense; it must be a thoughtful patriotism and not a childish flag4vaving in the pep-rally tradition. Though regional in its flavor, the dramatic story must be universal in its appeal. The dry fact that George Washington once slept somewhere is un important to most of us, unless perchance he slept at Valley Forge, at Yorktown or at some other place intrinsically related to American destiny. And American destiny is not limited to yesterday, it is also a thing of today and of tomorrow. In overwhelming proportion the audiences who see these outdoor plays are made up of family tourist groups, a somewhat diiferent audience from that found in the indoor metropolitan theatre. Some are experienced theatre patrons, many are not. Children are present in all age ranges, including babies in their mother's arms. The holiday spirit is predominant, and one wonders, sitting among them, if the crowd in the great open-air theatres of ancient Greece and Rome, even the lusty Elizabethan audience, might not have been very much akin in spirit to this people's audience of our Atomic Age. The likeness to the classic Greek theatre may be carried even further, for here, too, the people are watching a re-enactment of their own past; here, too, the legendary heroes, the forefathers, the founders of the nation, striving mightly with great forces, and showing us first-hand their monumental labors, their enduring faith, their sore trials and their triumphant vision of the future. In theatre of this kind the common brotherhood of man becomes a most palpable reality. Much of the success of these plays must be credited to the dedicated and unselfish contributions of money, time, energy and knowledge given to them by community and civic leaders. Most of them are true community projects, presented by a non-profit corporation, with its top authority resting in an elected Board of Trustees composed of distinguished leaders in the community. The cost of opening a show of this kind will run well into the neighborhood of $200,000, and the weekly operating payroll for a season of three months will average from $5,000 to $10,000. In almost every case the funds to float the initial production must be raised through civic contributions, bolstered occasionally by grants from the State. The State of North Carolina has been especially generous in assisting its historical dramas, since it recognizes quite honestly their great advertising value as high-quality area attractions. In keeping with the regional flavor of these plays, the acting company is usually drawn from local sources. Experienced non-professional actors from schools and commuinty theatres are generally hired for the more difficult roles, and supporting actors and dancers are engaged largely from native residents. Salaries are moderate, but the pay scale compares favorably with the average of most summer stock companies. Unlike the summer stock practice, the emphasis is always on the group, rather than the individual, and hence the capable amateur actor is ordinarily preferred to the Broadway or Hollywood star, regardless of salary considerations. The professional actor, through no fault of his own, is frequently a problem-child, if not a dismal failure, in this type of theatre. His insistent emphasis on individual personality and talent are out of tune with the group spirit, and his subtle shadings of voice and bodily movement are likely to go for naught in the great sweep of the outdoor theatre, where bigness and simplicity are needed. The slickness and versatility so rightly admired on the Broadway stage and the Hollywood screen are not usually suited to the rugged honesty of the pioneer character, which suffuses most of the historical plays. The Carolina Playmakers of the University of North Carolina have been directly associated with the staging of many of the outdoor historical shows. The fact that this type of drama Thirty-nine
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