August 2017 - The Lost Colony

Megan Glover accepting the Cora Mae Basnight Award from Associate Producer, Lance Culpepper (left) and CEO, Bill Coleman (right). Picture taken by Busy B Photography (www.busybphotography.com).

The Lost Colony 2017 Company Awards

On Friday, August 18, The Lost Colony celebrated the 430^th birthday of the first English child born in the new world, Virginia Dare. The Lost Colony commemorated the occasion with Virginia Dare Baby Night and an award ceremony honoring the talents of their company members by awarding scholarships based on artistic and professional merit.

The first of the five company members to receive awards was Old Tom, Robert Hooghkirk, who received the Bob Knowles Award. This award is given in honor of Robert “Bob” Knowles who dedicated 25 years to The Lost Colony as production coordinator, associate producer, and general manager.

Several of the company awards bestowed were named in honor of local performers in the long-running drama. The Cora Mae Basnight Award given this year to choir member, Megan Glover (pictured above), is presented to a company member who exhibits distinction in music. This award’s namesake is the late Cora Mae Basnight, a Roanoke Island native, gifted pianist and one of The Lost Colony’s most beloved Agonas.

The Bob Midgette Award is named for Robert “Bob” Midgette, a Dare County native who, for 34 years performed in The Lost Colony, 26 of those in the role of Chief Manteo. Midgette continues to be involved with The Lost Colony as its Fight Director and this was his 45^th season with the production. Master Electrician, Bri Weintraub, was presented The Bob Midgette Award due to her overall excellence in professionalism and dedication to The Lost Colony production.

The Evelyn Russell Layton Award is presented to a company member to recognize and reward his or her promising theatrical talent and to assist the recipient while beginning a professional career. Assistant Costume Shop Manager, Jeri Meador, received the 2017 Evelyn Russel Layton Award. The Bradford Fearing Producers Award honors D. Bradford Fearing who chaired a committee that organized “The Pageant of Roanoke” which later became The Lost Colony. A local merchant and politican, Fearing oversaw the production its inaugural year and served as producer and general manager for many years until his death. Technical Director, John Underwood, received the 2017 Bradford Fearing Producers Award. This is Underwood’s 30^th season with the production.

The 80^th Anniversary Season of The Lost Colony closed on August 19^th.

The 80^th Anniversary Season of America’s longest-running symphonic drama closed on Saturday, August 19^th and the cast and crew extends a generous thank you to the Outer Banks community for their continued support and hospitality. There was 15% increase in revenue and an attendance increase of 11% over last season. The Lost Colony maintained the TripAdvisor #1 Attraction on Roanoke Island for 2017. Rave reviews on the site included, “The play was very well done. We’ve been to several outdoor plays and this one ranks at the top. The costumes and sets were just as good as a Broadway play. You won’t go wrong going to this show.”

In addition to the main performance, popular events throughout the year included: Comedy Tonight!, Children’s Show: Jingle ARRGH the Way!, Character Dinners, Backstage Tours, Virginia Dare Faire, The Mystery of The Lost Colony, and many others.

In September, The Lost Colony debuts The Lost Colony Wine & Culinary Festival. The festival opens with a Vintner’s Dinner featuring Virginia Dare Wines at the Duck Woods Country Club in Southern Shores on Friday, September 29^th. The highlight of the festival is the Grand Tasting on Saturday, September 30^th. Attendees will taste wines from around the world, discover local craft beer, sample savory local fare and enjoy live entertainment. To purchase tickets or for more information please visit our website, www.tlcwinefest.com, or call (252) 473-2127. The festival is generously funded by the Outer Banks Visitors Bureau and the Virginia Dare Winery and is sponsored by several local partners including First National Bank as the Noble Sponsor.

The Outer Banks Community Foundation granted The Lost Colony $5,000 for much needed theatre audio equipment this season. Pictured, left to right, Outer Banks Community Foundation Board Members Teresa Osborne and Chris Seawell, OBCF Executive Director Lorelei Costa, and Roanoke Island Historical Association CEO Bill Coleman.

The Roanoke Island Historical Association is grateful to the Outer Banks Community Foundation for funding the purchase of new audio equipment and digital technology upgrades for the Waterside Theatre this season with a $5,000 grant. This equipment included an additional 12 microphone transmitters and receivers for key characters in the performance, digital antennas, and the replacement of a digital signal processor.

Funding from the Outer Banks Community Foundation helped the Roanoke Island Historical Association complete the Sound Project at the Waterside Theatre, a three-year project begun in 2014. The new digital sound and audio equipment has produced amazing results which include clearer audio and realistic and exciting sound effects through-out the performance. If you have not attended a performance this year, we urge you to come out and enjoy a night at the Waterside Theatre before the 80^th Anniversary Season ends on August 19^th.

Pictured is Kinslee Grace Davis held by Henson Milam as Eleanor Dare

Virginia Dare Babies Announced!

Virginia Dare is one of the most influential historical figures to the Outer Banks. Dare County and Virginia Dare Trail are named in her honor. As the first English child born in the New World, her name is found in history books across America. In celebration of her 430^th birthday, The Lost Colony continues its beloved tradition of casting local infants in the performance. On August 18th, five babies perform throughout evening appearing in different scenes. Virginia Dare Night is sponsored by First National Bank.

This year we will feature four boys and only one girl as Virginia Dare! The five babies that will make their debut in the 80^th anniversary season of The Lost Colony on August 18^th, are: Asher William Michael Wilson (3 weeks) son of Michael and Emily Adams Wilson of Cary, NC; Charles “Charlie” Jenkins (1 month) son of Rob and Chelsea Jenkins of Kill Devil Hills, NC; Kinslee Grace Davis (10 months) daughter of Willie Davis and Katlin Snapp of Manteo, NC; Oliver Northrop (9 months) son of Paul and Margaret Northrop of Raleigh, NC; and John Sprague Silver (4.5 months) of Duncan and Alice Silver of Wanchese, NC. The 2017 Virginia Dare babies will be added to a long list of community members who participated in the historic drama at a very early age.

On Friday morning August 18^th, come celebrate Virginia Dare’s 430^th birthday at the “Virginia Dare Faire” on the grounds surrounding The Lost Colony Building within Fort Raleigh National Historic Site. Join us for games and activities from 10:00 AM – 1:00 PM, provided by company members of The Lost Colony and National Park Service, followed by cake and ice cream. The Virginia Dare Faire is free to the public and is sponsored by First National Bank.

The Lost Colony Wine & Culinary Festival debuts September 29 & 30, 2017

Exceptional wine, craft beer, savory fare and live entertainment

On Roanoke Island where history, legends and grapes intertwine, The Lost Colony Wine and Culinary Festival’s Grand Tasting debuts on Saturday, September 30^th. On the grounds of the famous outdoor drama, The Lost Colony, attendees will taste wines from around the world, discover local craft beer, sample savory local fare and enjoy live entertainment. Surrounded by breathtaking views of the Roanoke and Pamlico Sounds, there is no better way to spend a fall day on the Outer Banks. The Lost Colony Wine & Culinary Festival’s Grand Tasting event opens at 12 noon for VIP ticket holders ($75) and at 1 pm for General Admission ($50). The Family Coppola’s Virginia Dare Winery partners with the Roanoke Island Historical Association for this “don’t want to miss” festival in benefit of The Lost Colony.

Roanoke Island is the site of Queen Elizabeth I’s first attempt to establish a colony in the New World, and is the birthplace of America’s first English child, Virginia Dare. The Lost Colony, tells the story of the 1587 colony and has performed on this historic site since 1937. Roanoke Island is also home to the Mothervine, America’s oldest cultivated grapevine. The island’s history is imbedded with fabulous legends! The Virgin Queen and Sir Walter Raleigh’s dreams, the colony’s unsolved disappearance, and a love story that tells how the grapes of the Mothervine became stained red. The Lost Colony Wine & Culinary Festival celebrates Roanoke Island’s history, legends, and heritage with wine, handcrafted beer and sumptuous food.

Francis Ford Coppola is intrigued with the mystery and legends of the Lost Colony. When Virginia Dare Wines, a North Carolina winery during the 1800s, became available for purchase, The Family Coppola seized the opportunity to add its legendary wine to its portfolio of wineries and resorts. In 2015 The Family Coppola launched the revitalization of Virginia Dare Winery at its new home in Sonoma County, promoted as “American Wines Since 1835.” Crafted with grapes from the finest viticulture regions in California, Virginia Dare Winery wines are rich with characteristics befitting an American legend: Pure. Natural. Distinctive. The partnership with The Lost Colony Wine & Culinary Festival reflects The Family Coppola’s appreciation of history and storytelling, and celebrates the treasures, people and places that shaped this great country.

The Lost Colony Wine & Culinary Festival opens with a Vintner’s Dinner featuring Virginia Dare Wines at the Duck Woods Country Club in Southern Shores on Friday, September 29^th. A multi-course meal will be fabulously paired with the wines by Chef Thomas. To purchase tickets or for more information on the Vintner’s Dinner and the Grand Tasting on Saturday, September 30^thplease visit our website, www.tlcwinefest.com, or call (252) 473-2127. Vintner’s Dinner tickets and VIP tickets for the Grand Tasting are very limited and early purchase is encouraged. The festival is generously funded by the Outer Banks Visitors Bureau and is sponsored by several local partners including First National Bank as the Noble Sponsor. For a full listing of the Festival’s supporters, please see our website.

Archives for August 2017

The Lost Colony 2017 Company Awards

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Archives for August 2017

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