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THE UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA
AT
CHAPEL HILI

utdoor Drama Phe University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
1328 CB# 3240, NCNB Plaza

Chapel Hill. N.C. 27599-3240
August 1, 1990

Mr. Billy Edd Wheeler
P.O. Box 7
Swannanoa, NC 28778

Dear Mr. Wheeler:

Good to talk with you on the phone yesterday. I was
delighted to hear that there is a possibility of your
coming to Cherokee to participate in the Institute�?Ts
Annual Managers, Directors and Promoters Conference,
October 5-7.

As I mentioned, we plan to move the Conference around the

�?ocountry from time to time, giving everyone an Opportunity to
explore the different amphitheatres and support facilities of
the various dramas. Going to Cherokee will allow us to look
at a fine example of an older facility which has been
maintained in excellent condition.

Each year, there are a number of individuals attending the
Conference who are in the business of planning new outdoor
dramas. They come to the meeting armed with specific
questions about how to put together a production. They want
to talk with playwrights, directors, managers, composers,
architects and designers. So, with that in mind, were
organizing a blue ribbon panel that will address many
questions from these planning groups. The panel is
tentatively titled: "Open Forum: The Planning and
Development of a New Outdoor Historical Drama."

Bob Britton, director of Trumpet in the Land, will serve as
moderator of the panel. Others on the panel will be Carl
Hayden from Mark Twain (Elmira, New York), Melanie Patterson
from The Life and Times of Jesse James (Smithville, Missouri)
and Don Baker from Stonewall Country (Lexington, Virginia).
I�?ove suggested to Bob that he ask each panel member to
briefly give some background on his or her involvement in
outdoor drama, say a few words on a specific aspect of
planning, and then to leave the bulk of the meeting open for
questions from the floor.

You are obviously well-qualified to address story-line
development, playwrighting and composition of the musical
score, and we would be very grateful if you would join us for
the session, scheduled for Saturday, October 6, from 1:30pm
until 3:00pm.

Of course, there will be other panels, workshops, facility
tours, performances and informal social gatherings, and as
soon as the printed program is off the press, I will be sure
you receive a copy. In the meantime, I am enclosing page
proofs from the forthcoming issue of U.S. Outdoor Drama (in
press) which gives a brief synopsis of the meeting.

As with all things, it seems, we are on the fast track in
putting together the program and anticipate going to press
with the brochure very soon. I am sure your schedule is
complex and travel plans effect many others in your life.
We would be most appreciative to hear from you on this as
soon as possible. If you are unable to attend, we will
certainly understand and hope to meet another time.

I hope all went well for you in Nashville.

/
Sincerely,

Scott J. Parker
Director