The Local Legends of The Lost Colony
Every summer, on a sandy stage on Roanoke Island, The Lost Colony bursts to life. Since 1937, the epic production has told the story of America’s oldest mystery — the disappearance of the Roanoke Colony. But behind the spectacle is a dedicated community of local supporters who breathe life into the story, allowing it to continue year after year: keeping the dream, as we say at The Lost Colony. In its first year in 1937, almost the entire cast and crew was composed of locals from Manteo, NC and the surrounding Outer Banks. Today, performers and technicians come from all over the United States to bring The Lost Colony to life, but one thing has stayed the same: the locals remain the beating heart of the production.
There are over 25 locals (11 adults and 14 youth) in the company this year, and we sat down with a few of them to talk about their experience with The Lost Colony. They all have different stories to tell – a lifelong fan, years-long returners, and a baby Virginia Dare, now grown up and in the Adult Ensemble – but they all shared one thing: a real love for the show and its presence in their community.
Many of those interviewed told stories about seeing the production as children. John Adams first saw The Lost Colony when he was just seven years old, and he says it was something he knew he’d never forget. “I was floored. I just couldn’t believe it,” he says, recalling that first experience with a reverent grin. “It was one of those moments in your life when your whole perspective shifts.” John went on to see the show 68 more times over the years and began an incredible personal collection of souvenir programs from the show, including a 1937 original discovered in a local antique shop. This year, John is living a dream come true: he’s joined the cast himself. Having retired from his first career, John will spend the summer on The Lost Colony stage for the very first time, playing a role in the same production that had such an impact on him as a child. “To have the chance to be here is a thrill,” he says. “I walk around, you know, backstage here and during the scenes and everything, and sometimes I just can’t help smiling. I just love it.”
Emily Thigpen, a member of the Female Ensemble, also remembers a dream of performing in The Lost Colony from her childhood. “I grew up hearing about it in elementary school—it’s such a big part of our state’s history,” she says. “When I was nine, my parents took me and my sister to the Outer Banks, and we actually saw the show right here. I promised myself that one day I’d be on that stage.” And she is – back in 2025 for her third year in the cast. However, The Lost Colony isn’t just a big part of her life: it’s made a lasting impression on her family, too. “My mother saw the show when she was a kid, back in the 1950s, and she remembers the ship. She got goosebumps seeing it then—and she still gets goosebumps today.” The generational impact of The Lost Colony is a recurring theme in these conversations, and everyone from the surrounding community seems to have a family story about the show.
For the Bender siblings, Abbie and Micah, the family connection to The Lost Colony began before they were even born: their parents met while their father was working on the show in the 1990s. He later returned to give gun-safety lessons to the cast during rehearsal periods, and Micah would tag along, inspiring him to come back and audition as an adult. In 2005, Abbie Bender took The Lost Colony stage before she could walk, when she appeared onstage as baby Virginia Dare, the first English child born in the New World. Now, 19 years later, Abbie and Micah are both back for their second year in the cast, as a featured soloist and Captain Amadas, respectively. Abbie talks about how much she’s enjoyed seeing the show grow with the community under different directors: “It’s been amazing to see how the show changes with the times,” she says. “It stays true to its roots, but it’s updated in a way that keeps it fresh for new audiences.”
Many company members have been inspired to go onto careers in theatre, boosted by the experience they gained working on The Lost Colony. Charlotte Chappelle is beginning her third year in the cast, and she’s learned a lot. “It’s been such a great experience getting to work with a bunch of professionals, Jeff Whiting [the director] and all the choreographers,” she says. “I get more and more experience every year, and it’s a great way to spend your summer.” For Holly Peele, working in the wardrobe department this year, it’s a chance to see the show from a different perspective. Having grown up seeing The Lost Colony on high school field trips, working backstage is a kind of full-circle moment. “You see the ins and outs of the show that you don’t experience as a performer,” says Holly.
Most of all, there’s a resounding opinion that the connections made through The Lost Colony are like no other.“That’s my favorite part—is the community. Living and working at The Grove with like-minded people all summer, I’ve made some of the best friends I’ve ever had,” said Micah Bender as I closed out the interview, and this sentiment was echoed by every member of the company I spoke to. There’s a reason The Lost Colony has just begun its 88th season – it has an impact on people. Families, careers, and friendships have been shaped by the Colony for 88 years as people come together every year to honor the stories of the 117 brave colonists who ventured here all those years ago. And at the heart of it all, undoubtedly, remains the connection between The Lost Colony and the local community of Roanoke and the surrounding area. The support of the community and the talent of the incredible individuals who take part in the cast and crew are what allow The Lost Colony to continue to keep that dream alive, and to touch so many people in stories like those shared above.
[Pictured: John Adams (Father Martin), Sandy Doucette (Female Ensemble), Charlotte Chappelle (Female Ensemble), Abbie Bender (Female Ensemble), Micah Bender (Capt. Amadas; Male Ensemble]
