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PNC Returns As Presenting Sponsor

The Roanoke Island Historical Association (RIHA) is proud to announce tickets for the 88th season of The Lost Colony are now on sale. The season will begin May 29 and run through Aug. 23, 2025. For the eighth year, PNC Bank returns as the presenting sponsor of The Lost Colony.

“Any production that has been as successful for as long as The Lost Colony has its champions to thank, and for the last eight years, PNC Bank has been one of ours as our presenting sponsor,” said Chuck Still, executive director of RIHA. “We are grateful for their generosity and commitment to supporting The Lost Colony once again in 2025.”

The popular Native Pre-Show, a Native American cultural presentation, will also return for 2025. This free performance by Indigenous members of The Lost Colony cast takes place at 8:00 p.m., Tuesdays, Fridays and Saturdays.

“The Lost Colony represents a powerful vehicle for driving tourism and creating economic impact for the Outer Banks and our state,” said Jim Hansen, PNC regional president for Eastern Carolinas and Southeast territory executive. “All of us at PNC look forward to helping bring this unique educational and cultural experience to audiences.” 

About PNC Bank

PNC Bank, National Association, is a member of The PNC Financial Services Group, Inc. (NYSE: PNC). PNC is one of the largest diversified financial services institutions in the United States, organized around its customers and communities for strong relationships and local delivery of retail and business banking including a full range of lending products; specialized services for corporations and government entities, including corporate banking, real estate finance and asset-based lending; wealth management and asset management. For information about PNC, visit www.pnc.com.

American Indian Heritage Month

Native American Heritage Month

What started at the turn of the century as an effort to gain a day of recognition for the significant contributions the first Americans made to the establishment and growth of the U.S., has resulted in a whole month being designated for that purpose.
In 1990, President George H. W. Bush approved a joint resolution designating November as “National American Indian Heritage Month.” Similar proclamations, under variants on the name (including)
“Native American Heritage Month” and “National American Indian and Alaska Native Heritage Month” have been issued each year since 1994.

Learn More about American Indian Heritage Month Here

John Walker Remembered

The Lost Colony is deeply saddened by the passing of highly regarded alumni, John Walker. John came to The Lost Colony in 1964 with a desire to dance and thru the years, he became an important part of the production.  He was a dancer, performer, choreographer, supporter, teacher and mentor and each of those parts of him will be remembered and missed by many.  

Those having the pleasure of spending any time with him will fondly remember his smile and quick wit. He was a light in the world and a true Keeper of the Dream.  Rest in peace, John.  Good job, faithful servant of life.

The Meekins Anchorage Gifted to RIHA

The Roanoke Island Historical Association is thankful for the recent gift of the Meekins Anchorage.

As per the wishes of Roger Meekins, the Meekins Anchorage, located on the Croatan Sound in the Sunnyside section of Roanoke Island, has been gifted to the Roanoke Island Historical Association (RIHA). The Anchorage includes one of the oldest residences on Roanoke Island and several out-buildings including a smokehouse that was listed in a 2003 architectural survey as the oldest surviving out building on Roanoke Island. The house itself served as a hospital during the Civil War and a dormitory for teachers to the Freedmen’s Colony which was also located on the northern end of the island. 

Besides being a philanthropist, Mr. Meekins served in the Air Force flying in the Strategic Air Command and was awarded 3 Distinguished Flying Crosses, 7 Air Medals and 37 other decorations and recognitions including the unusual distinction of being awarded a command pilot rating in the air forces of three different nations: the United States, the Republic of Vietnam and the Republic of the Philippines. He also served in the State Department as Assistant Air Force Attache on the staff of the US Embassy in Manila.

When Mr. Meekins returned home to Dare County, he operated a woodworking furniture business using the out-buildings at the Anchorage as his factory. Later he would develop Mirlo Beach Subdivision in Rodanthe. 

The Board of the Roanoke Island Historical Association is honored by this gift from Mr. Meekins and his family and are dedicated to preserving this exceptional property as they explore ways to use this gift to advance the mission of the Association, producers of The Lost Colony. 

2024 Company Awards

On August 17th, 2024, The Lost Colony Annual Company Awards Ceremony took place. Congrats to all who made the 87th season of The Lost Colony such a success!

Cora Mae Basnight Memorial Scholarship-Cameron Bryant & Chloe Whitesparrow

Bob Knowles Award-Nicole Peckens & Michael Joseph

Evelyn Russell Layton Award-Caroline Belangia 

Jane McCulloch Memorial Award-Jack Lloyd 

A Lynn Lockrow Backstage Award-Sarah Robbins & Wendy Darling

Robert Midgette Alumni Association Award-Ashleigh Ponder

Bradford Fearing Producers Award-David Boyd

Copper earring provides new clue about Sir Walter Raleigh’s Lost Colony

Story shared from (WNCN) — The full story of the Lost Colony of Roanoke Island continues to evade historians. A new piece of their story was recently unearthed by archaeologists.

Scientific test results show a copper earring unearthed by First Colony Foundation archaeologists at Roanoke Island’s Elizabethan Gardens was almost certainly traded, or gifted, to local Native Americans by Sir Walter Raleigh’s explorers, the Foundation reports.

An analysis conducted by Madison Accelerator Laboratory at James Madison University in Harrisonburg, Virginia, found that the copper used to make the ring was of European origin, rather than from a North American source.

The First Colony Foundation believes this is significant because neither the French nor the Spanish, England’s rivals in exploring and settling the “New World”, ventured as far north as Roanoke Island to trade.

“This is an amazing find – with an intriguing story to tell,” said Eric Klingelhofer, First Colony Foundation’s vice president for research, who led the Elizabethan Gardens dig.

“After laying hidden in the ground for more than four centuries, this piece of copper now confirms that we have indeed located the site of Roanoac, the Algonquian village that welcomed the first English explorers in 1584.”

During that first contact, the wife of the village chief treated English explorers Philip Amadas and Arthur Barlowe to a lavish woodland feast. “We were entertained with all love and kindness,” Barlowe wrote in his journal, “and with as much bounty, after their manner, as they could possibly devise.”

“Which makes you wonder,” Klingelhofer says: “Was their hospitality later repaid with a gift of this copper earring, jewelry to adorn a chieftain’s wife or her ladies? There’s no way to be sure, of course, but it’s an intriguing possibility, isn’t it?”

Roanoac village was abandoned in 1586. The First Colony Foundation believes the earring must have been presented as a gift or exchanged in trade before then. This happened either during the 1584 visit by Amadas and Barlowe or the 1585 military outpost under Ralph Lane, rather than during Sir Walter Raleigh’s final effort, the 1587 civilian settlement led by artist John White.

White returned to England for more supplies shortly after establishing the settlement in what is now North Carolina. He returned to the settlement in 1590 to find the 117 colonists had abandoned the site. Where those colonists went has never been confirmed.

The original article can be found here.

Virginia Dare Nights 2024

August 18th, 2024 Marks the 437th Birthday of Virginia Dare
August 16th and August 17th, 2024 The Lost Colony will celebrate Virginia Dare Nights

The Roanoke Island Historical Association (RIHA)is proud to announce the annual Virginia Dare Nights on Friday August 16th and Saturday, August 17th, 2024.  Virginia Dare Nights commemorate the  437th anniversary of the birth of Virginia Dare, the first English child born in the New World to colonist Eleanor Dare. The Lost Colony continues its long-celebrated tradition of using real babies during the August 16th and August 17th performances. Being a “Virginia Dare Baby” is a coveted role in the community that many local citizens have had the opportunity of being a part of. For Virginia Dare Nights only, the prop baby swaddled in blankets, is replaced with these special guests. Virginia Dare Nights are generously sponsored by First National Bank. 

 “My first experience with Baby Night was in 2022 and I admit my first thought was, ‘this is gonna be hokey.’ And then I saw it. There is something incredibly moving about seeing a real baby onstage. I can’t explain it. It’s my favorite night of the summer. If you haven’t been you really should. And remember locals get a discount.”-Chuck Still, Executive Director.

The 2024 Virginia Dare babies that will make their debut on Friday, August 16th and Saturday, August 17th are: Finn Grubbs-Newman (Parents Caitlin Grubbs & Darrell Newman), Kittie Elizabeth McKenny (Parents Joshua and Bethany McKenny), Shiloh Powell (Parents Whitney Holt & John Powell), Catelyn Kreiser (Parents Carime & Chris Kreiser), Magnolia Elizabeth Bridges (Parents Sara & Jordan Bridges), Indiana Aurora Foglia (Parents Jennifer & Robbie Foglia), Maverick Harrell (Parents Gretchen Montague), Carlton Rose (Parents Kelsey & Holt Rose).

On August 17th, 2024, there will be an awards ceremony starting at 8:20, which will begin with the presentation of the 2024 Virginia Dare babies and their families. The Lost Colony performance will begin shortly after the awards ceremony concludes. 

McKenny Family and their 6th Virginia Dare Baby

Virginia Dare Auditions & 5000th Show

Virginia Dare Baby Auditions

Saturday, July 27th was one of the most exciting days in recent memory for The Lost Colony. The day started with Virginia Dare Baby auditions. Eight families arrived to the administrative offices of The Lost Colony to try out for the chance to have their child portray Virginia Dare during the Virginia Dare celebration on August 16th and 17th.

5000th Performance

Later that evening, The Lost Colony celebrated it’s 5,000th performance. The evening started with a speech by Malcom Fearing, the great-nephew of Bradford Fearing, one of the original producers of The Lost Colony. Mr. Fearing’s speech highlighted the history and importance of the production and the Roanoke Island Historical Association. He dedicated the show to our supporters, which included alumni, community members, and state and local officials. Those in attedance included; Robert Outen, Dare County Manager, Dare County Commissioners Steve House, Bob Woodard, and Bea Basnight, Manteo Mayor Sherry Wickstrom, Kill Devil Hills Mayor John Windley, Senator Bobby Hanig, and Representative Keith Kidwell. A special guest who also attended the show-Dorita Balance, who was a cast member in the original 1937 production. 

The beautiful weather of the evening brought with it an exceptional performance of The Lost Colony, put on and made possible by a wonderful cast and crew. Immediately following the performance, a special presentation utilizing The Lost Colony’s 3D mapping technology showcased the production’s 87 year history. View the presentation here.

Cake was served to all audience members and all were invited down to the stage to celebrate.

The Playmaker: The Story of Paul Green

This documentary takes a deep dive into the life, creative work and social justice advocacy of the Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Paul Green. A native son of North Carolina and a champion for racial equality, Green went to Broadway and back with a dream that someday he could write a new ending for the Old South.

Watch the documentary here.

WITN News Feature The Lost Colony

Native American cast members Ethan Oxendine and Noah Sage Anselmo joined the WITN News team this morning to discuss the 87th Season of The Lost Colony as well as this weekend’s 5000th performance.

Watch the segment here.

The 5000th Performance of The Lost Colony

July 27th, 2024 Marks the 5000th Performance of the Historic Drama

The Roanoke Island Historical Association (RIHA) is proud to celebrate the 5000th performance of The Lost Colony production on July 27th, 2024.

This milestone performance will include a special presentation from 87 years of the production, put together by Projection Designer Christopher Ash and Sound Designer Ashton Corey. In addition, all The Lost Colony alumni in attendance will receive a “Keeper of The Dream” Medallions in honor of their contribution to the outdoor drama. 

The original script was written by Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Paul Green and The Lost Colony made its debut on July 4th, 1937. Originally intended for one season, the drama was produced again the following year and has become the longest-running outdoor symphonic drama in the United States. During the 87 years, only five seasons have been canceled: 4 seasons due to WWII and the 2020 season was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The production received a special Honors for Excellence in Theatre Tony Award in 2013 and has become an Outer Banks and North Carolina tradition.  Since opening, more than four million The Lost Colony attendees have visited  Waterside Theatre, located within Fort Raleigh National Park, on Roanoke Island, NC.

“5000 performances of a single production don’t happen very often and this one is a testament to a town, a county and a people as well as thousands of actors, technicians and crew who made this Theatre the place to be for 87 years of Outer Banks evenings. We are excited to be able to celebrate this occasion.” – Chuck Still, Executive Director.

Virginia Dare Night Baby Auditions

The 87th Anniversary Season of The Lost Colony commemorates the 437thbirthday of Virginia Dare, the first English child born in the New World to colonist Eleanor Dare on August 18th, 1587. The Lost Colony continues its long-celebrated tradition of using real babies during the performance on Virginia Dare’s birthday. As The Lost Colony is closed on Sundays, the Virginia Dare Night Celebration in 2024 will take place on Saturday, August 17th, 2024.

Being a “Virginia Dare Baby” is a coveted role in the community that many local citizens have had the opportunity of being a part of. For Virginia Dare Night only, the prop baby swaddled in blankets, is replaced with these special guests. Virginia Dare Night is generously sponsored by First National Bank.

To be considered for the honor of appearing on stage, all babies must attend an audition meeting on Saturday, July 27th at 9:30 AM in The Lost Colony Admin Building located beside the Elizabethan Gardens within Fort Raleigh National Historic Site.  The address for The Lost Colony admin building is 1409 National Park Drive, Manteo, NC 27949. 

The casting is open to all cheerful boys and girls that are 15 pounds or less. All Virginia Dare babies must be available for several hours on the evening of August 17th for pre-show preparation and for The Lost Colony performance. All selected Virginia Dare babies will be introduced from the stage prior to the performance at 8:30 PM.

For more information, contact Matt Gabbard, 252-473-2127 or mgabbard@www.thelostcolony.org. 

2024 Photo Contest

The 2024 The Lost Colony Photo Contest is now open! Submit your best memories from your visit to Fort Raleigh and Waterside Theatre for your chance to win The Lost Colony swag bag containing The Lost Colony merchandise!

2024 The Lost Colony Photo Contest Details:

July 3rd-August 31st, 2024
Submissions can be emailed to: thelostcolonymarketing@gmail.com

All submissions agree to have their photos used in future marketing.

Remembering Jane McCulloch

On Saturday, June 8th, the theatre world and The Lost Colony lost an amazing director when Jane McCulloch passed away after a short illness.

Contributions to her memory may be mailed to :

The Jane McCulloch Memorial Fund

Towne Bank

2 Juniper Trail

Southern Shores, NC 27949

In 2006 and 2007, Jane McCulloch directed The Lost Colony. As our first English director, Lady Jane McCulloch brought not only a fresh perspective to the show but also introduced an evening of Shakespeare with her original production, Shakespeare and Love. Jane, a brilliant director and playwright, was especially focused on developing the skills and potential of the cast. She spent long hours working with cast members on interpretation, diction, and presentation. She was also focused on coordinating the rhythm of the script with the music of the show.

In honor of Jane’s achievements and contributions, we are proud to announce the creation of the Jane McCulloch Award in her memory. It will be presented by the Director to The Lost Colony company member who has demonstrated outstanding artistic skill in the theatre arts. This cash award is to be used to further training and development as the recipient works to become a professional performer in theatrical venues in America and England. Its cash value will be matched in training opportunities available through Open Jar Studios in New York City.

Opening Weekend of The Lost Colony

The opening weekend of The Lost Colony was a huge success! With close to 3000 people in attendance, over the first three nights, the 87 Anniversary season is off to an incredible start.

Dare Nights
Dare Nights, hosted by Midgett Insurance, were held May 30th and May 31st, 2024 and collected more than 3800 pounds of food. Dare Nights are historically nights when locals may come to the show and bring at least (3) non-perishable food item donations for the local food pantries, in lieu of purchasing a ticket. May 30th benefitted the Roanoke Island Food Pantry and May 31st benefitted The Beach Food Pantry. These events were open to the general public as well.

The 87th season of The Lost Colony runs May 30-August 24, 2024.
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