The coastland times. [volume] (Mnateo [i.e. Manteo], N.C.) 1947-1959, 1953-06-26
''LOST COLONY OPENING FOR
ITS 18TH SEASON Tomorrow
NIGHT AT OLD FORT RALEIGH
Longest Running Outdoor Drama in Ameri-
ca, Written by Author Paul Green, Expect.
ed to Maintain It's Best Season Through
July and August Manager Dick Jordan
Believes. 9-- 1870.
BY AYcocK BROWN

The Lost Colony, now America
longest-lived outdoor production
is all set for gala premiere in
Waterside Theatre here on Sat
urday night at 8:15 o'clock. The
performance on Saturday night
will be the 593rd since the drama
! started on its long run, July 4,
1887.
North Cardinals secretary of
state, Thad Eure, will make a
brief curtain speech as the 1858
season begins. He will be repre-
senting Governor William B.
Umstead who had to cancel plans
he had made to be at the open
| ing due to his recent illness.
The production schedule this
year calls for performances each
night, except Mondays, through
September 6. It will be one of the
longest summer seasons in the
history of the drama.
Under the management of r.
E. Jordan several new policies
have been adopted for the drama
this year, the principal one be-
ing that ticket prices are now
within an easy to pay range of
everyone.
The show this year has been
directed by Clifton Britton in
cooperation with Samuel Selden,
supervisory director. There are
approximately 200 persons in
The Lost Colony Company in
Guiding large group of techni-
clans and the famous Lost Col
ony Chorus made up of Westmin-
ster Choir College voices under
the direction of Ralph Burrier.
Most of the principal actors
are veterans of the cast. Eleanor
Dare is played by Barbara E.
Griffith; John Borden by Robert
Armstrong; Sir Walter Raleigh
will again be Andrew Griffith
and the, dazzling Queen Eliza
beth is again Lillian Prince.
Fred Young, popular Old Tom
Harris, of the cast will be seen
in that role again this year.
More than 100000 persons have
paid admission to see The Lost
Colony since its original prem
iere in 1887.
Since Paul Green wrote THE
LOST COLONY during the mid
Thirties to be presented in its
premiere at Waterside Theatre in
1887, he has been very pleased
with every phase of the drama,
except the finale. The finale
which Green planned was one
which would produce during the
final marchoff from the great
Waterside Theatre stage the eff
feet of angelic voices coming
from the Heavens in pity and
solitude. Until this year, des-
pite Green's planning with cleo
tronics engineers failed to pro-
duce the dream of the Pulitzer
Prize-winning play writer.
Now, the effect that Green had
planned for the worlds original
symphonic drama has been
worked out to perfection, and no
electronics are involved. Credit
for the sensational and dramatic
finale goes to Ralph Burrier, dir
ector of Lost Colony Chorus
made up of voices from West
minister Choir College, Princeton
N. J. and Clifton Britton, dir
ector of The Lost Colony.
Samuel Selden, the supervising
director of THE LOST COLONY
heard this singing finale on Sun
day night upon his arrival from
/, the mountains where he is also
director of Kermit Hunters
"Horn in the West" at Boone"
,, The finale, when first present
ed during a rehearsal on the
week end brought tears to the
eyes of Lillian Prince, who in
The Lost Colony for many years
has played the role Of hard
boiled Queen Elizabeth the first,
Samuel Selden, supervisory
director of. the drama, when he
heard the finale for the first
time on Sunday night was spell
bound. Paul Green, the dramas
author, now enroute to Denver
for an engagement on FRIDAY
night heard Of the finale that
Burrier and Britton have worked
ont and his reaction was this
IF there is place in DenveI
that will get me to Norfolk il
time for someone to meet me OF
Saturday night in Norfolk, I vii
be there for the premiere Of III,
Lost Colony to hear the extra
ordinary finale our technicians