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Print Contact: Liz Lucas

Broadcast Contact: Barbara Thompson
Writer: Judy Via

Release Number: 354

UUUU NEWS

University S0° Bureau The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill CB#6210 210 Pittsboro Street Chapel Hill, N.C. 27599-6210
74} , Wes Lefler, Director (919) 962-2091

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

NATIONAL CONFERENCE ON "THEATRE
UNDER THE STARS" SET OCT. 5-7

CHAPEL HILL -- It often is said that the United States has made
two original contributions to the theory and practice of world
theater: the American musical and outdoor historical drama like that
Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Paul Green created with "The Lost
Colony."

On Oct. 5-7, outdoor drama professionals from across the country
will gather on the Federal Indian Reservation in Cherokee to discuss
their brand of "Theatre Under the Stars" at the 28th Annual Managers,
Directors and Promoters Conference. The conference is sponsored by the
Institute of Outdoor Drama at the University of North Carolina at
Chapel Hill.

Outdoor drama brings to life historical events that took place at
or near the sites where the plays are performed. This strong sense of
place, along with the larger-than-life portrayals and generous
portions of song and dance -- often supplemented by spectacular
special effects -- combine to create a unique form of theatrical
entertainment viewed by more than 2 million people last year.

The annual meeting of theater professionals traditionally draws
representatives from more than 70 outdoor historical drama companies
in 30 states, from Kodiak Island, Alaska, to St. Augustine, Fla.

Together,. they produce historical plays, Shakespeare festivals,
religious dramas and pageants that, in 1989, generated a $6 billion

impact for the travel industry. Creating more than 4,500 jobs each

year, outdoor historical drama is one of the largest employers in the

American theater.

(More)

The First State University to Open Its Doors - 1795

Page 2-2-2 CONFERENCE ON �?TTHEATRE UNDER THE STARS�?T SET (354)

A three-hour tour of the Mountainside Theatre, home of Kermit
Hunter�?Ts long-running drama "Unto These Hills," will highlight this
year�?Ts conference. Built in 1949 and extensively renovated in the late
1980s, the Mountainside Theatre is an outstanding example of an older
facility that has been maintained in excellent condition.

The tour will include front-of-the-house and backstage areas,
company housing, the dining area, canteen theater and the new
administration building, which houses exhibits of the Cherokee
Historical Association.

The three-day meeting also features panel discussions and
workshops interspersed with tours of local historic attractions, an
evening of live theater, an authentic Indian feast and informal social
events throughout the weekend.

Delegates may tour the adjacent Oconaluftee Indian Village, a
recreated early 18th-century community featuring Cherokee in authentic
costume demonstrating an ancient way of life, and the Museum of the
Cherokee, which portrays 300 years of tribal history.

The Cherokee Historical Association, producers of "Unto These
Hills," will serve as local host for the conference. The Holiday Inn
in Cherokee is the conference hotel and will host meetings and meals.

The registration deadline for the conference is Sept. 25. To
receive a registration brochure, write to the Institute of Outdoor
Drama, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, CB# 3240, NCNB
Plaza, Chapel Hill, N.C. 27599-3240, or call (919) 962-1328.

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