Medora Musical
Medora | |
---|---|
The Medora Musical at the Burning Hills Amphitheater in June 2014. | |
Music | Burning Hills Singers Coal Diggers Band |
Setting | Medora, North Dakota; Theodore Roosevelt National Park |
Basis | Life and travels of President Theodore Roosevelt in the Dakota Territory |
Premiere | Summer 1965: Burning Hills Amphitheater |
The Medora Musical is a musical revue produced each summer at the open-air Burning Hills Amphitheater near Medora, North Dakota.[1] The musical is a look back at the "Wild West" days of the region and includes references to Theodore Roosevelt, who spent time in western North Dakota, including in the nearby Theodore Roosevelt National Park.[2]
The musical premiered at the amphitheater in the summer of 1965 and is the successor to earlier shows about Roosevelt.[3][4]
History
The Burning Hills Amphitheater was built in 1958 one mile west of Medora, for the production of Old Four-Eyes, to help celebrate Theodore Roosevelt's 100th birthday. Thirty of the thirty-three performances were sold out.[5]
Following its first season, 'Old Four-Eyes' experienced declining interest, leading to its closure in 1964. The show was replaced by 'Teddy Roosevelt Rides Again' for the 1963 and 1964 seasons.
In 1965, businessman Harold Schafer[5] purchased the amphitheater, marking a new era for the venue. Under Schafer's ownership, the amphitheater underwent renovations, including an expansion of the stage and seating area, in preparation for the launch of the Medora Musical in the same year.
In 1986 the Schafer family and the Gold Seal company donated their share in Medora to the Theodore Roosevelt Medora Foundation (TRMF). The foundation maintains the amphitheater and historical properties and other projects.[6]
From its inception in 1965, the Medora Musical was produced by Al Sheehan Productions under the direction of Harold Schafer. This partnership continued until 1991 when Curt Wollan and StageWest Entertainment [7] assumed the role of producer.[2] Starting in 2024, RWS Global will take over the production of the Medora Musical.[8]
Burning Hills Amphitheater
The amphitheater was carved out of the side of the badlands in Burning Gulch by local volunteers, cast members and boys from the Home on the Range Ranch. The original theater seated between 1,000, and 1,200 people. It was constructed of wooden benches on the hillside with rustic buildings that formed a set around the stage. The natural acoustics of the hillside meant that no sound system would be needed.
In 1991, the amphitheater received a $4.1 million facelift which enlarged the seating to 2,863,[9] built new stage,[citation needed] installed escalators,[10] and a wheelchair ramp.[citation needed] The new Burning Hills Amphitheater was completed in 1992 with the installation of new seats.[10] Additional construction was completed in 1997.[citation needed]
In 2005 another major renovation was made to the sets and the stage, resulting in the modernized appearance and functionality of the amphitheater as it stands today.[11]
A high-capacity elevator was added to the amphitheater in 2022 to improve accessibility and access to the venue.[12]
Former show names
- Ol’ Four Eyes 1958-1962
- Teddy Roosevelt Rides Again 1963, 1964
- Medora Musical 1965–present
See also
External links
- Medora Musical website
- North Dakota tourism website
References
- ^ "Medora Musical". North Dakota Tourism. North Dakota: North Dakota Tourism Division. 2022. Retrieved 8 July 2022.
- ^ a b Collins-hughes, Laura (2017-08-23). "A Star-Spangled Revue Kicks Up Its Heels in the Badlands". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2017-09-09.
- ^ Baumgarten, April (May 31, 2015). "N.D. singers ready to set foot on Burning Hills Amphitheatre for 50th celebration of Medora Musical". Grand Forks Herald. Grand Forks, North Dakota. Retrieved Oct 30, 2015.
- ^ "Medora History". Medora. Medora, North Dakota: City of Medora. Retrieved 8 July 2022.
- ^ a b "Medora's Burning Hills Amphitheatre marks 50 years". Bismarck Tribune. Retrieved 2017-09-09.
- ^ EPLER, ANDREW L. "Bully For Medora!". www.fmcmagazine.com. Retrieved 2017-09-09.
- ^ Scope, Thomas A. Kvamme, The. "Wollan is mastermind behind Medora Musical". Williston Herald. Retrieved 2017-09-09.
{{cite news}}
: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^ "Medora Musical faces transformative partnership as new company takes the reins". Dickinson Press. 2023-09-27. Retrieved 2023-10-04.
- ^ Conrad, Kent (2000). "Medora Musical".
- ^ a b Herald, Thomas Kvamme For the Willison. "Medora Musical turns 50 years old on July 1". Williston Herald. Retrieved 2017-09-09.
- ^ Herald, Harry LipsieaSidney. "Singing in the Wild West". Sidney Herald. Retrieved 2017-09-09.
- ^ Berlinger, Sara (2022-04-09). "Medora Musical's new elevator expected to be complete by June". www.kfyrtv.com. Retrieved 2023-10-10.
- v
- t
- e
- 26th President of the United States (1901–1909)
- 25th Vice President of the United States (1901)
- 33rd Governor of New York (1899–1900)
- Assistant Secretary of the Navy (1897–1898)
- New York City Police Commissioner (1895–1897)
(timeline)
- First inauguration
- Second inauguration
- Foreign policy
- "Square Deal"
- Booker T. Washington dinner
- Conservation
- Northern Securities Company breakup
- Coal strike of 1902
- Pure Food and Drug Act
- Meat Inspection Act
- Expediting Act
- Elkins Act
- Hepburn Act
- Aldrich–Vreeland Act
- Tillman Act of 1907
- Federal Employers Liability Act
- Kinkaid Act
- Big stick ideology
- Hay–Bunau-Varilla Treaty
- Venezuelan crisis
- Occupation of Cuba
- Russo-Japanese War
- Army War College
- Roosevelt Hall
- College football meetings
- Bureau of Investigation
- Department of Commerce and Labor
- Keep Commission
- Inland Waterways Commission
- Bureau of the Census
- Great White Fleet
- Perdicaris affair
- Cabinet
- White House West Wing
- State of the Union Address, 1901
- 1906
- 1908
- White House desk
- Federal judiciary appointments
events
homes
and speeches
- Theodore Roosevelt bibliography
- The Naval War of 1812 (1882 book)
- "The Strenuous Life" (1899 speech)
- League to Enforce Peace
- "Citizenship in a Republic" (1910 speech)
- "Progressive Cause Greater Than Any Individual" (1912 post-assassination-attempt speech)
- Theodore Roosevelt: An Autobiography (1913 book)
- The Forum magazine articles
- Theodore Roosevelt Cyclopedia
- Archival collections
- Bibliography
- Mount Rushmore
- Theodore Roosevelt Center and Digital Library
- White House Roosevelt Room
- Theodore Roosevelt National Park
- Theodore Roosevelt Island
- Roosevelt National Forest
- Roosevelt Park (San Antonio)
- Roosevelt Study Center
- Theodore Roosevelt Association
- Mount Rushmore Anniversary coins
- Statues
- New York City
- Portland, Oregon
- Theodore Roosevelt Memorial Park
- Theodore Roosevelt Monument
- Roosevelt Memorial, Portland, Oregon
- Proposed presidential library
- Theodore Roosevelt United States Courthouse
- Roosevelt River
- Theodore Roosevelt Bridge
- Theodore Roosevelt Memorial Bridge
- Theodore Roosevelt Award
- USS Theodore Roosevelt (1906, 1961, 1984)
- Roosevelt Road
- U.S. postage stamps
culture
- Teddy bear
- "Speak softly, and carry a big stick"
- Books
- Films
- Terrible Teddy, the Grizzly King, 1901 film
- Roosevelt in Africa, 1910 documentary
- The Rough Riders, 1927 film
- Teddy, the Rough Rider, 1940 film
- Rough Riders, 1997 miniseries
- The Roosevelts, 2014 documentary
- Theodore Roosevelt, 2022 miniseries
- Elkhorn, 2024 series
- Alice Hathaway Lee (first wife)
- Edith Kermit Carow (second wife)
- Alice Lee Roosevelt (daughter)
- Theodore Roosevelt III (son)
- Kermit Roosevelt (son)
- Ethel Carow Roosevelt (daughter)
- Archibald Roosevelt (son)
- Quentin Roosevelt (son)
- Theodore Roosevelt IV (grandson)
- Cornelius V. S. Roosevelt III (grandson)
- Quentin Roosevelt II (grandson)
- Kermit Roosevelt Jr. (grandson)
- Joseph Willard Roosevelt (grandson)
- Edith Roosevelt Derby (granddaughter)
- Theodora Roosevelt (granddaughter)
- Theodore Roosevelt Sr. (father)
- Martha Bulloch Roosevelt (mother)
- Anna "Bamie" Roosevelt (sister)
- Elliott Bulloch Roosevelt (brother)
- Corinne Roosevelt (sister)
- Cornelius Roosevelt (grandfather)
- James Stephens Bulloch (grandfather)
- James Alfred Roosevelt (uncle)
- Robert Barnhill Roosevelt
- Anna Eleanor Roosevelt (niece)
- Gracie Hall Roosevelt (nephew)
- Pete (dog)
46°54′52″N 103°32′44″W / 46.91444°N 103.54556°W / 46.91444; -103.54556