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tion, technology and innovation,
producing and administration.

�?oWhile we hope to present
the award annually,�?� noted
Parker, �?oto ensure its place as the
highest national recognition in
our profession, the Sumner
Award will be presented only
when, in the opinion of the
Institute�?Ts Administrative Board,
a nominee warrants such prestig-
ious recognition.�?�

Nominations for the Sumner
Award are open and can be made
by individuals or organizations.
Each nomination should include
a statement of rationale and ap-
propriate supporting materials.
Nominations submitted for
consideration in 199] must be
postmarked no later than Mon-
day, August 5, 1991. The 1991
Sumner Award will be presented
at the annual conference of
outdoor historical dramas in
October. 1

a

Outdoor dramas

featured in
Southern Theatre

The summer issue of Southern
Theatre, the quarterly magazine
of the Southeastern Theatre
Conference, featured an inter-
view with Mark Sumner, direc-
tor emeritus of the Institute of
Outdoor Drama, in which he
reflected on the growth of the
outdoor historical drama move-
ment in the U.S. over the last 25
years.

The front cover of the maga-
zine (circulation 3,300) sports a
production photo from Mark
Twain (Elmira, NY), and the
interview was illustrated with
photos of the Oregon Shake-
speare Festival (Ashland, OR),
Stonewall Country (Lexington,
VA), The Lost Colony (Manteo,
NC), Trumpet in the Land (New
Philadelphia, OH), Unto These
Hills (Cherokee, NC), The Lone
Star (Galveston, TX), and Texas!
(Canyon, TX).

The Southeastern Theatre
Conference is the nation�?Ts largest
regional theatre organization
and is based in Greensboro, NC;
919-272-3645. C

|

U.S. Outdoor Drama 3

Auditions continued from page 1 a

performers and technicians is $15.

DNEWS

The Special Trust Fund is
supported by voluntary annual
contributions from outdoor

Applicants must be 18 years of age
and have had previous theatre training or credits.
Applications will be available in late January and
the deadline for registration to audition is March
18, 1991. To receive an application, send a
stamped, self-addressed envelope to: Auditions
Director, Institute of Outdoor Drama, CB 3240
NCNB Plaza, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-3240; 919-
962-1328.

Institute names new board member
Thomas L. McKeon, director of the Division of
Continuing Education and the William and Ida
Friday Continuing Education Center at the Uni-
versity of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, has been
named to the Administrative Board of the Institute
of Outdoor Drama. McKeon came to Chapel Hill
in January from Charlottesville, VA, where he
served as associate dean for administration and
associate professor in the Division of Continuing
Education at the University of Virginia. He re-
places Edgar Marston, former program coordina-
tor for the UNC Division of Continuing Educa-
tion, who is currently director of Continuing
Education and Professional Development at North
Carolina State University in Raleigh.

Job openings to be published

Outdoor historical dramas and planning groups
involved in developing dramas are welcome to
submit brief listings of available senior level jobs
for publication in U.S. Outdoor Drama. Listings
must be limited to 50 words or less for each or-
ganization and will be published without charge.
Deadlines for the four 1991 issues of U.S. Outdoor
Drama are as follows:

Newsletter
mailed:

Copy must be

Issue: received by:

March 15
June 14
September 13
December 13

Spring
Summer
Fall
Winter

February 11
May 13
August 12
November 18

Companies support Special Trust Fund

Contributions to the 1990-91 Special Trust Fund
of the Institute of Outdoor Drama totaled $2,896
by mid-November. Among the outdoor drama
companies contributing to the fund so far this year
are: The Aracoma Story (Logan, WV), Black Hills
Passion Play (Spearfish, SD), Hatfields and McCoys
(Beckley, WV), Hill Cumorah Pageant (Palmyra,
NY), Incident at Looney�?Ts Tavern (Double Springs,
AL), The Living Word (Cambridge, OH), Oregon
Shakespeare Festival (Ashland, OR), Ramona
(Hemet, CA), The Reach of Song (Hiawassee, GA),
The Stephen Foster Story ( Bardstown, KY), Te-

| cumseh! (Chillicothe, OH), Texas! (Canyon, TX),

and Unto These Hills (Cherokee, NC).

historical drama companies and
individuals interested in supporting outdoor
drama. The Institute relies on its Special Trust
Fund to cover the cost of travel, research, publica-
tion of U.S. Outdoor Drama, responding to com-
pany inquiries, promoting outdoor drama, and
maintaining membership in national theatre and
travel/tourism professional organizations. Contri-
butions to the Fund are tax deductible.

Conference delegates from 23 outdoor dramas and
six planning groups assemble prior to a tour of the
new administrative facilities of Unto These Hills
during the annual conference of the Institute of
Outdoor Drama in Cherokee, NC.

Annual Conference draws nationwide
Representatives of outdoor historical drama com-
panies from 21 states coast to coast gathered re-
cently in Cherokee, North Carolina for the 28th
Annual Conference of the Institute of Outdoor
Drama, the only national meeting for those in-
volved in the planning, production and manage-
ment of outdoor historical dramas in the U.S.

Also in attendance were representatives from
communities in Alabama, Mississippi, Tennessee,
Pennsylvania, and the U.S. Virgin Islands, all of
whom are currently planning the production of
new outdoor historical dramas. Together with
general managers, directors and playwrights, they
participated in three days of panel discussions and
workshops interspersed with social events and
tours of local historic attractions.

Co-hosted by the Cherokee Historical Associa-
tion, the 1990 conference featured an inside look
at the amphitheatre and support facilities of one of
the nation�?Ts premiere outdoor historical dramas,
Kermit Hunter�?Ts Unto These Hills.

A special event this year was the evening of
theatre presented by members of the cast of The
Reach of Song, the official historic drama of the
state of Georgia. Written by playwright/producer
Tom DeTitta, the musical drama celebrates in
music, song and dance the heritage of Appalachian
Georgia through the lifestory of mountain poet
Byron Herbert Reece. 1