Evening star., 1937-08-01
BY Kay and A. Bernard

~ AUL GREEN, Pulitzer prize
l. winning playwright. has writ
ten and various cooperating
4 organizations have staged and
produced on Roanoke Island a mag
nif1cent symphonic drama Of Sir Wal
ter Raleigh's Lost Colony" with
the result that the artistic world
has made a beaten track to the little
fishing village of Manteo, N. C.
Through this play, the romantic
story of Sir Walters dream of a new
nation and the heart rt-breaking strug-
gle Of those courageous men and
women who were the first English
settlers in America is for the first
time adequately and convincingly told.
History and historians have either
noted this first of American folk
dramas in very sighting and dep
recatory way or ignored the mat
ter entirely. History's emphasis has
been laid on the jamestown, Va. set
tlement OF 1907 or the Plymouth Rock
adventure of 1920, principally because
these settlements of this New World
y,
In every other phase of life. nothing
succeeds like success But what was
overlooked or ignored by the historians
the stark suffering. the high pur-
pose, the drama of life. of love, of
JOY, of sorrow and death-the play
wright has revlvified and brought to
life in a moving prodution. and Amer
lean life and art has been greatly
enriched.
Let us imagine, for the moment,
that We have entered the old Fort
Raleigh on Roanoke Island, the land
ing place Of those intrepid souls who
sought to hold for England a new
empire. The Works Progress Admin
tstration, through its various aeen-
cies, In cooperation with the Roa-
poke Island Historical Association and
the North Carolina Historical Com
mission, has restored the old fort, with
Its rough, wooden palisades and block
houses, its church and thatched rooted
log homes, with remarkable and con-
vlncine fidelity. AS we pass through
the fort toward the waters of Roa-
noke Sound. We come to a natural
amphitheater capable of seating 3 900
persons. Three times each week until
September 6, on Friday, Saturday and
Sunday, just at dusk, the play is
produced.
Let us sit for moment in the
crowd that has come for the show
and see the prologue of this unusual
drama.
THE last light of day fades slowly,
and just in front of us, in the rear
OF the stage, the waters of Roanoke
Sound turn into darkening purple
Across the waters of this inland sea.
. man-made star, Americas tribute TO
Orville and Wilbur Wright, who flew
from that spot the first heavier than
air craft. twinkles alieht.
Suddenly the amphitheater is flooded
with light from the powerful electric
hoodlights that hang from high towers
on both sides. Then the lights begin
to fade very slowly and with their pass
ing you become conscious of the
steady tapping Of tiny waves upon
sandy shore and the first soft breath
Ing OF the notes of an organ, bringing
an overtone Of melody into the SYM
phony Of sight and sound which is the
night. Then it is dark-save for the
light OF the stars-utterly dark. AS the
notes of the organ swell out into the
night. soft spotlight throws into
shaded relief a gray-robed choir as it
slowly files into its stalls.
With change of cadanca by the
organ, the choir begins to sing an old
English hymn. and when the song is
ended bright spotlight in the CEN
ter Of the stage reveals ar English
clergyman, in the robes of his holy
Office, who offers a beautiful PRAYER,
Then the dark comes again. and music
OF the organ and the voices of the
Westminstertr trained choir blend again
tn another old English hymn While
the last notes of the song linger a
spotlight again seeks the center of
the stage, and young man steps for
ward to tell the audience something of
the play they are about to witness.
This in the prologue
From this point the historian, Mr..
Lee, presents in an impressive manner,
between each scene or, shall we say,
leach shift of light" the connection
between the events depicted as well as
the historical data so essential to an
understanding of the succeeding scene.
IN the first scene is shown an Indian
village on Roanoke Island in 1894
The Indians are in the midst of the
celebration of festival of the corn
harvest. 1t is here that pantomime
takes its rightful place in the drama,
and We are given an earnest exhibition
OF the artistic merit Of the scenes that
are to follow in the dancing of Fred
Howard as Oppowac, an Indian medi-
cine man. Howard a former Carolina
Playmaker, is student of Ted Shawn
and gives a finished and satisfactory
performance. His supporting cast of
Civilian Conservation CorDs hoys who