Is your family a patron of the theater? Do you feel like you seen every major Broadway production at least once? Do you sometimes find yourself looking for something different on the stage? Are you ready for something different than the longest running shows that you have seen every time relatives come to town? If so, you might be interested in researching, and yes, watching, the drama of “The Lost Colony.”
If you are not familiar with this story, you might at first think it is a ghost story invented by local historians. Upon further investigation, however, you will find that for hundreds of years archeologists have been trying to unearth evidence of England’s attempts to set up a colony on Roanoke Island in 1587. For some, The Lost Colony story begins and ends with the more than 100 men, women, and children left on the island who were never heard from again. For others, The Lost Colony is a lifelong research project.
Luckily, if you are a theater fan you can enjoy the spectacle, authentic costumes, battle scenes, and historical portrayals of the native Americans and the English colonists who have become a part of North Carolina history. Far from the Broadway and off-Broadway performances that you have become accustomed to, you can decide for yourself the merits of this intriguing part of early American history. The Lost Colony, which was written and performed to commemorate the original colonists, is actually the second longest running outdoor drama in america. This beautiful and authentic outdoor theater acts as a cultural focal point for much of the Outer Banks.
If seeing the performance for the first time really piques your interest you can also chose to enjoy many other related experiences. Character dinners, back stage tours, and children’s shows are just the beginning of the the extra activities available. You can also attempt to survive making PsychoPath, the Outer Banks’ number one haunted attraction.
If your young family actors and actresses are also interested in history they will especially enjoy learning about geographical findings that support this modern day ghost search. In fact, tree rings indicate that the settlement of Roanoke Island, the supposed location of The Lost Colony, coincided with the worst three-year drought of the past 800 years.
If you want to experience a truly unique theatrical and historical experience, you will love learning more about the colonists who supposedly disappeared after supplies from England were delayed for three years. The ongoing mystery of The Lost Colony continues to be a treasure hunt for historians and theater lovers alike!
