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THE UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA
Al
CHAPEL HILI
The University. of North Carolina at
CB# 3240, NCNB Plaza
Chapel Hill, N.C. 27899-3240
October 12, 1990
Mr. James Cooper
The Holiday Inn Cherokee
Box 648
Cherokee, NC 28/719
Dear Jim:
This is to let you know how grateful we all for your fine hospitality
last week hosting the annual conference for the Institute. Everyone
we came in contact with was just as helpful and outgoing as they
could be. And Butch and Stephanie were right in there every
step of the way, pitching in with each job to be done and giving
it personal supvision. We never felt ignored; in fact, quite
the contrary.
Our registration figures indicate that we had 23 professional outdoor
dramas represented from 21 states: from California to upper New
York state, from North Dakota to Florida and many points inbetween.
We're not a lagre group as conferences go, but we do cover the
nation fairly well. So, the good word about Cherokee has now
spread even further and they are positive words to be sure.
If we left any lose ends up there, please let us know. And, of course,
if we can ever do anything for you, we stand ready to jump to it.
Please give our thanks to everyone involved in making our stay such
ott J. Parker
Director
THE UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA
AT
CHAPEL HILI
October 12, 1990
Mr. Wilbur Paul
Cherokee High School
Cherokee, NC 28719
Dear Mr. Paul:
This is to let you know how much we appreciate your support
of our recent conference in Cherokee last week. Certainly,
one of the highlights was the performance in the high school
by the folks from The Reach of Song. They tell me that your
folks could not have been more hospitable and helpful to them
as they set up and researsed.
Please tell everyone involved how grateful we are for providing
the auditorium and the support staff. Our only other choice
for a performance space was the Holiday Inn, which has no real
performance space to speak of. The high school is a mighty
handsome space and everyone felt very fortunate to be allowed
to use it.
If we can ever do anything for you way down here, please let us
Director
THE UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA
AT
CHAPEL HII
The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
(B# 3240, NCNB Plaza
October 12, 1990
Mr. Pete Raby, President
Omni Stage Lighting
P.O. Box 2249
Raleigh, NC 27602
Dear Pete:
Well, my friend, we can't thank you enough for your support of
the Cherokee conference. It was a wonderful success, thanks in
large measure to you and Mark. We're all very grateful to you.
Overall, the numbers look good: 23 professional companies were
represented from 21 states and we had 4-6 planning groups. We
aren't a big group as you know, but there were managers from as
far away as California to upper New York and from North Dakota
to Florida. All of them make the purchasing decisions, so I
hope you and Mark realize some business out of the connection.
We don't know where we'll be meeting next year, but we have
invitations from The Shepherd of the Hills in Branson, MO,
and The Great Passion Play in Euraka Springs, AR. A "fer piece"
to travel, but both very large operations which are still in
production in early October, so if we were to go there for the
conference, I suspect attendance would be somewhat greater than
that at Cherokee. Are you ready to go?
So, thanks again Pete. We are most appreciative to you for
your support. If you have industry news you feel the companies
at, please let me know and we will include it in the
cott «J. Parker
Director
THE UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA
AT
CHAPEL HILI
The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
CB? 3240, NCNB Plaza
Chapel Hill, N.C. 27899-3241
October 12, 1990
Mr. Mark Lynch, President
Quality Sound and Video
833 Bragg Boulevard
Fayetteville, NC 28301
Dear Mark:
The Cherokee conference for outdoor historical dramas was an
unqualified success in large measure thanks to you and Pete.
We've still got our fingers crossed that the meeting will at
least break even; but as for other numbers, there is no question
the event proved a hit: there were representatives from 23
professional companies attending from 21 states and 4-6 planning
groups. Overall, there were slightly more than 90 people at
the conference, but they covered the country from California to
upper New York, from North Dakota to Florida. The good thing
about it was, all those people make purchasing decisions. So,
I hope you and Pete realize some business from your support.
I don't know where we'll be meeting next year, but we have
invitations from Shepherd of the Hills in Branson, MO, and
The Great Passion Play in Euraka Springs, AR. Ready to Go?
We can't thank you enough for your support of the conference.
As you have business news you feel the companies should know
of throughout the year, please let us know and we will include
it in the quarterly newsletter, US Outdoor Drama.
Thanks agajn.
J. Parker
Director
THE UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA
Al
CHAPEL HILI
The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
YG2.12? Pr Seer it
Ton 9X CB# 3240, NCNB Plaza
Chapel Hill, NuC. 27899-3244
Oct be�?T 12, 1990
Dr. Ed Henson, Chairman of the Board
Cherokee Historical Association
Box 398
Cherokee, NC 28719
Dear Ed:
Well, the Cherokee meeting was an unqualified success thanks to
CHA and Barry. We shall always be grateful for the tremendous
Support everyone gave the conference.
As you know, as conferences go, we'll fairly small and so is our
budget. We could not have possibly been able to offer participants
all they received were it not for CHA's active involvement on
every front. Every time I ran into a problem, Barry was right
there offering to take the lead. His imagination and solid
judgements were the single most important element in the conference.
But, had you not given him the "go-ahead" to work with us, it
certainly would have never come off at all. In fact, we would have
had to stay at home.
So, please know of our appreciation to you and CHA for everything
involved in making the meeting such a pleasant experience. There
are now a very small but vocal group from coast to coast to loudly
sing the praises of Cherokee, Unto These Hills and CHA. As Old Tom
says in The Lost Colony: " Ye too shall be remembered."
re next in Chapel College, plese give me a call and let
ome of the hospitality.
When you
me return
et 1 eater
Director
THE UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA
Al
CHAPEL AHA
The i NiVETSITA ot North { arolina at ¢ hapel iif}
CB# 3240, NCNB Plaza
Chapel Hill, N.C. 27£99-3240
October 12, 1990
Mr. William Hardy
330 Tenney Circle
Chapel Hill, NC 27514
Dear Bill:
Carolina best Wake Forest, basketball practice has begun and
the IOD conference in Cherokee was a wonderful success. God must
be in his heaven. I know I didn't do anything to deserve all that
good news. You must be living right.
Of course, the truth of it is you and Barry and all the staff made
it all happen and the Institute has a nice shine to it today thanks
to you all. I'm very grateful my friend.
It will be a while before we know how we came out financially, but
other numbers indicate that the meeting was a success: 23 companies
were represented from 21 states and we had 4 planning groups. Overall,
there were 61 people registered (paid that is), but well over 90
people attended. Thats a dramatic increase over conferences in
recent memory. We had folks from California to upstate New York,
from North Dakota to Florida and many points inbetween. Your fame
continues to spread.
Don't know where we'll go next year, but based on the Cherokee
experience, I'm convinced we should continue to meet at amphitheatre
sites. The Mountainside Theatre tour was the highlight of a decade
of conferences as far as I'm concerned.
Oh, I played the audio tape announcing the Sumner Award to Mark the
other day and he was obviously very moved. Now, all I've got to
do is pull it off every year or so.
Thanks again for helping so much to make the conference happen. We
owe you a great deal.
Love to Martha Nell. Hope the show in Atlanta went well.
Sincerely,
THE UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA
AT
CHAPEL HILL
October 12, 1990
Ms. Margie Douthit, Administrative Manager
Unto These Hills
Box 398
Cherokee, NC 28/719
Dear Margie:
We can't thank you enough for all you did to help make the
annual conference such a wonderful event. You, Barry and
the many others really did yourselves proud and in the bargin,
surely made the Institute look mighty good. We're all very
grateful to you and stand ready to help you guys out at any
time, at the drop of a hat.
Hope your annual meeting goes without a hitch and that you then
have a little time to enjoy life before beginning next season.
Thanks again.
Sincerely,
Scott J. Parker
Director
PS: I thought you would enjoy this story about collecting unpaid
bills in light of the outstanding account you told me about at
the Holiday Inn.
THE UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA
AT
CHAPEL HILL]
Institute of Outdoor Drama The University of North Car
(919) 962-1328
Chapel Hill, N.C. 27§99.3240
October 12, 1990
Ms. Jessica Andrews, Director
Theatre Program
National Endowment for the Arts
1100 Pennsylvania Avanue, NW
Washington, DC 20506
Dear Jessica:
I feel very bad that you had to spend so much time on the
road to get to and from Cherokee, but very grateful that
you were willing to do it. I only wish you had had enough
time to stay with us so that we could show you the hospitality
of the outdoor historical drama people. In a few months I
will have been in the job for a year and should be informed
enough not to plan a conference on such short notice; which
means that I should be able to invite you next time in a
more civilized manner.
Enclosed is a little news of the senate race down here. I
wish the news was better; but to tell you the truth, there
are days when I'm overjoyed its as close a race as it
apparantly is. We're all doing all we can to turn things
around. If Gantt wins, that will be our gift to you in
partial payment for your contribution to the outdoor drama
conference.
In the meantime, I am spreading the word about the Theatre
Program guidelines. Expect a big influx of applications in
March.
Again, many thanks for your great effort to support us. We
owe you one.
Sincerely,
Scott J. Parker
Director
THE UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA
AT
CHAPEL HILI
The University of North Carolina at Chi
CB# 3240, NCNB Plaza
Chapel Hill, N.C, 27899 3240
October 12, 1990
Ms. Mollie Blankenship, Secretary
Cherokee Historical Association
Box 398
Cherokee, NC 28719
Dear Mollie:
I was delighted to finally meet you last weekend and very grateful
to you for such a fine talk you gave us Saturday night. Your
stories of the early days in the life of the drama were just what
our group needed to hear. You are obviously very proud of the
Association too and rightly so.
Whenever you are down our way, please let us know so that we can
return the kindness you and all of Cherokee showed us. We had a
splendid time and now everyone will know what a great organization
you have in CHA.
Many thanks.
Sincerely,
Scott J. Parker
Director
THE UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA
AT
CHAPEL HILI
niversity of North Carolina at Chap
CB4 3240, NCNB Piaza
Chapei Hill, N.C. 27599-3240
October 12, 1990
Mr. Barry Hipps, General Manager
Unto These Hills
Box 398
Cherokee, NC 28/719
Dear Barry:
I hadly know where to start in thanking you for such wonderful
support with the annual outdoor drama conference. Its clear,
we certainly could not have had such attention to detail, creativity
in the programing nor personal attention and warm hospitality
had you not stepped forward and been willing to offer all you
did. Quite simply, your contributions made the conference... my
first conference as director of the I0D. So, I had a personal
stake in all this too, and so you not only have the gratitude
of the Institute, but my.personal thanks as well. You made us
both look good.
We continue to get many nice comments from the folks who were in
Cherokee. All of them felt the theatre tour was the highlight of
the meeting. I think it was the highlight of a dacade of IOD
meetings. Its all going to be mighty hard to top. Perhaps I
should quit while I'm ahead.
So, the bottom line is, we are in your debt and want you to know
that we are always ready to help you guys out in any way we can.
Sincerely,
Scott J. Parker
Director
THE UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA
AT
CHAPEL HILL
The University of North Carolina at
CB# 3240, NCNB Plaza
Chapel Hill, N.C. 27899-3246
October 12, 1990
Mr. Ray Kinsland, General Manager
Cherokee Boys Club
Acquoni Road
Cherokee, NC 28719
Dear Ray:
Our meeting in Cherokee last weekend was a tremendous success and
in large measure we have you and the Boys Club to thank for that.
As you know, even though we are a group of dramas scattered all
over the country (representatives from 21 states came to Cherokee),
its a relatively small group as convention business goes. So,
our convention budget is quite limited and were it not for you
and others in the community, we certainly could not have offered
participants all that we were able to offer. So, we're most
grateful to you for the support of the Club.
We're also appreciative for your remarks Saturday night at the
Indian Feast. Your insight into the drama and the community
were exactly what our group needed to hear. I wish all the dramas
across the country had such a strong report with community leaders
as Unto These Hills obviously has.
If we can ever do anything to help you and the Club out, please
don't hesitate to let us know.
Sincerely,
Scott J. Parker
Director
THE UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA
AT
CHAPEL HILI
October 12, 1990
Mr. Tom DeTitta, Producer/Playwright
The Reach of Song
3791 Peachtree Lane
Murphy, NC 28906
Dear Tom:
When you and I first talked about the possibility of a "conceptualized
performance" of The Reach of Song at the annual outdoor drama
conference, I knew you and the company would pull it off and that
the Institute would be in your debt. I didn't realize until after
the performance that now we're all in your debt for such a fine
showing and tremendous effort.
Your play and cast are excellent examples of so much of what outdoor
historical drama is all about and your performance "on the road"
certainly proved it to the leaders of the industry. Everyone was
moved by the genuineness of the production. There is not a false
bone in the play or the people . . . anywhere. It is all so honest
and from the heart .. . rooted in place.
So, all of us attending the conference want to express our gratitude
and appreciation for not only an excellent performance, but for
the effort it took to rehearse the play again, get it back up on
its feet after several down months, and to transport it to another
strange theatre under less than ideal circumstances.
There were outdoor drama representatives from 23 professional companies
in 21 states from California to New York and North Dakota to
Florida. Your reputation has just moved up ten points and spread
across the nation. Congratulations and many thanks for making
the conference a meaningful experience for everyone.
Sincerely,
Scott J. Parker