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70 Years of Horn in the West
Horn in the West by the Numbers at 70 Years . . . and Counting! By Keith Martin
This year marks the 70th season for Horn in the West, the outdoor drama produced by the Southern Appalachian Historical Association (SAHA) in the Daniel Boone Amphitheatre in Boone, NC. Opening this summer on July 1, the critically-acclaimed show brings to life the famous frontiersman Daniel Boone and the heroic mountain settlers of this region in their struggle to preserve their freedom during the turbulent years before and during the war for independence.
Carolina Mountain Life has reported frequently on this beloved cultural asset in previous editions, all of which are available online in the archives section of our website: www.CMLmagazine.online (click on “Read Back Issues”). To mark their 70th anniversary season, we thought it might be fun and interesting to look at Horn in the West by the numbers. Here are just a few: 1 – the longest running Revolutionary War outdoor drama in the country. 3 – the third oldest outdoor drama in America (1952), trailing only The Lost Colony (1937) in Manteo, NC, and Unto These Hills (1950) in Cherokee, NC. 10 – the number of outdoor theatres that have been produced in North Carolina; in addition to the three listed above, there is First for Freedom in Halifax, From This Day Forward in Valdese, Liberty Mountain (featured in our spring 2022 issue) in Kings Mountain, Montford Park Players in Asheville, Pathway to Freedom and The Sword of Peace, both in Snow Camp, and Tom Dooley: A Wilkes County Legend in Wilkesboro. 13 – the number of volleys fired in military salute from the show’s black powder rifles during the annual Fourth of July celebration at Hickory Ridge Living History Museum, one shot for each of the original colonies. During this ceremony, the Declaration of Independence is read aloud. 18 – the number of directors who have staged the drama since its inception. Ed Pilkington had the longest tenure at the helm, 21 years from 1971-91, while the current director, Shauna Godwin, is beginning her second season. Boone native Godwin got her first paid job as a dancer in the production before playing a leading role, becoming choreographer, and now director. 31 – the number of consecutive seasons (1953-83) that the late Charlie Elledge played Reverend Sims, one of eleven actors to play the role in 70 years; there also have been only eleven Daniel Boones. 38 – the number of performances scheduled during the current season, which begin at 8 p.m. every day of the week, except Mondays, through August 13, 2022.
41 – the anniversary year of SAHA’s Hickory Ridge Living History Museum adjacent to the theatre, consisting of six historic cabin structures open to audience members, visitors, and school groups. 41 – the number of consecutive seasons (1956-96) during which the late Glenn Causey portrayed the role of Daniel Boone without missing a single performance. His iconic image is the basis for many depictions seen in the area today, including the painting displayed in the Daniel Boone exhibit at Grandfather Mountain.
43 – the number of outdoor dramas written by Horn in the West playwright Kermit Hunter, by far the most prolific contributor to the art form. Unto These Hills in Cherokee, NC, was his master’s thesis at UNC-Chapel Hill, where Hunter studied under Dr. Paul Greene, author of the very first outdoor drama, The Lost Colony.
House Raising Dance
Infinitily Priceless – Kermit Hunter bequeathed ownership of the script for Horn in the West, the only play that was gifted to its producing organization after his death. According to Kermit’s widow, Honey, the rights were given because it was his favorite script and “SAHA was always good to him.” 120 – the running time of the show in minutes, including two acts and one intermission, although pre-show entertainment begins at 7:30 p.m., thirty minutes prior to curtain.
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HORN: continued from previous page
246 – the number of outdoor theatres in the United States, as listed on the website of the Institute of Outdoor Theatre, a service organization based in Greensboro at the Southeastern Theatre Conference.
431 – the number of known outdoor theatres in the world, including Shakespeare festivals, musical theatre, religious and historical plays and all other forms of outdoor productions, according to the Institute of Outdoor Theatre, 57 percent of which are located in the U.S.
1952 – the year that Horn in the West opened in the Daniel Boone Amphitheatre, an outdoor venue designed by John Lippard and four students from the N.C. State University School of Design; it was built in just three months on 35 acres of rugged Watauga County terrain. 1963 – the founding date of the Institute of Outdoor Drama in Chapel Hill, NC. It is dedicated “to the intrepid devotees of theatre who have gathered under the open sky for story, dance and song since the dawn of history.” It was later renamed Institute of Outdoor Theatre.
2,500 – the number of seats originally designed to accommodate patrons in the Daniel Boone Amphitheatre; the current seating capacity is approximately 1,000. 3,044 – the number of performances of the show given to audience members as of the start of the current 2022 season.
4,510 – the approximate number of performers who have graced the stage of the Daniel Boone Amphitheatre, including Barry Corbin of television’s Northern Exposure, Broadway veteran and Tony Award-nominee David Furr, and William Hauptman, author of the critically-acclaimed musical Big River. 220,000 – the estimated number of gunshots fired by actors over the past 69 seasons. 1,550,000 – the total number of audience members who have seen Horn in the West… and counting!
For additional information about Horn in the West or to buy tickets, call 828-264-2120 or visit their website at www.HornInTheWest.com.
