Horn in the West

Horn in the West, by Kermit Hunter, is an outdoor drama produced every summer since 1952 in the Daniel Boone Amphitheatre in Boone, North Carolina . The show, the oldest revolutionary war drama in the United States, is about the life and times of the first people to settle the mountains of western North Carolina and eastern Tennessee. It covers a time period during the American Revolution between the Battle of Alamance in 1771 and the Battle of King's Mountain in 1780. The story follows the family of Dr. Geoffrey Stuart, a British loyalist, who is forced to flee the lower colony due to the actions of his son during the Battle of Alamance. Led into the mountain country by frontiersman Daniel Boone, Stuart must come to terms with his own loyalties, which are divided between his country and his son.

There have been hundreds, possibly thousands, of cast members in the show's long history, but the three roles most often noted are those of Dr. Stuart, Daniel Boone, and Rev. Isaiah Sims, an itinerant Baptist circuit-riding preacher who befriends Stuart during his time in the mountains. Dr. Stuart has been portrayed by a great many actors over the years. William Ross originated the role of Dr. Stuart. James Maddux, next acted the role for several years; then came Mark Allen Woodard, who portrayed Dr. Stuart from 2003 until 2007; and Andrew Dylan Ray, the most current performer in the role. The original performer cast as Daniel Boone in the show was Ned Austin, and he was followed by Glenn Causey, who donned Boone's raccoon-skin cap for forty-one years until shortly before his death (and is still commonly associated with the role in the Boone area); and the current "Dan'l," Wesley Martin, who has assumed the role of the rugged frontiersman since 1998. The role of Preacher Sims was written into the show in 1956 for Charles C. Elledge, an original cast member who went on to portray Rev. Sims until 1983. After Mr. Elledge left the role shortly before his death, the role went through a succession of actors. The current Rev. Sims, Darrell King, has been in the role since 1993.

Ned Austin met his wife, Roberta, in the first season of the show. She was in the cast of the 1952 production. The following year their son David joined the cast, aged three weeks. Ned died in February, 2007.

Horn in the West has become a summer tradition in the North Carolina Appalachian region. Kai Jurgensen was the first director of the show, followed by George McCalmon, Edgar Loessin, William Ross,David French, Gene Wilson, Ward Haarbauer and Richard Ayers. Ed Pilkington took over as Artistic Director in 1971 and directed until 1991. Succeeding directors have included A. Lynn Lockrow, Dewey "Bud" Mayes, Michael Scialabba, and Cherie Elledge-Grapes, daughter of Charlie (Rev. Sims) Elledge. Julie A. Richardson was named Artistic Director in 2008. She has continued to direct the show since, and will again direct the production in 2011.

Traditionally beginning in mid-June and ending in mid-August, the Horn will observe its 60th consecutive production season in the summer of 2011.

The Daniel Boone Theater shares a 35-acre (140,000 m²) park in the center of the town of Boone with Hickory Ridge Living History Museum and the Daniel Boone Native Gardens.

Principal Characters (2011)

Role	Actor
Daniel Boone	Wes Martin
Rev. Isaiah Sims	Darrell King
Dr. Geoffrey Stuart	Andrew Dylan Ray
Jack Stuart	Ryan Harr
Martha Stuart	Karlee McGuire Dunham
Widow Howard	Jenny Cole
Mary Greene	Andrea Graves
Capt. MacKenzie	Jason Tate
Nancy Ward	Suzanna Ziko
Fire Dancer	Jeff Hatley
Medicine Man	L.B. Brown
Dragging Canoe	Matthew Bass
Gov. Tryon	Jeff Hatley
Toby Miller	Ben Porch
Attakula	Chris Tamez

Understudies (2011)

Role	Actor
Daniel Boone	Matthew Schmidt
Rev. Isaiah Sims	Andrew Cogswell
Dr. Geoffrey Stuart	Matthew Bass
Jack Stuart	LB Brown
Martha Stuart	Vandi Enzor
Widow Howard	Lauren Longyear
Mary Greene	Brianna Case
Capt. MacKenzie	Jon Meyer
Nancy Ward	Shannon Hatley
Fire Dancer
Medicine Man
Dragging Canoe/Gov. Tryon	Timothy Whitson
Toby Miller	Jon Meyer
Attakula	Robert Aronowitz

External links

• Official Web Site
• http://www.horninthewest.com/crew.htm