Snow Camp Outdoor Theatre facts for kids

The Snow Camp Theatre is a special theater company in Snow Camp, North Carolina. It's like a time machine! This theater brings old stories to life. It helps people today understand history better. They do this by putting on exciting plays. These plays are about important events from the past. People from all over the world come to watch them.

For many years, the Snow Camp Theatre has shown two main plays. These are Pathway to Freedom (first shown in 1994) and The Sword of Peace (first shown in 1973). Both plays tell stories about the Quakers in the area. Quakers are a religious group known for their peaceful beliefs. The plays focus on their role in big events. These include the American Revolutionary War and the Underground Railroad. The stories happen near the Cane Creek Friends Meeting. This is a Quaker church started in 1751. It is very close to the theater's outdoor stage.

Pathway to Freedom: A Story of Freedom

Pathway to Freedom is a play about Quakers who helped fight against slavery. It also shows their work with the Underground Railroad. This play was written by Mark R. Sumner. It has been performed at Snow Camp since 1994.

The play tells an exciting story from the 1840s and 1850s. It's about the struggles of people on the Underground Railroad. This was a secret network. It helped enslaved people escape from North Carolina to places like Indiana and Ohio. Many people broke the law to help. They believed it was the right thing to do. The play shows how brave people helped others find freedom.

While the story is mostly fictional, it's based on real events. Some characters, like Levi Coffin and Frederick Douglass, were real historical figures. The main character, George Vestal, is fictional. He is the son of a family that owned slaves. The play shows how he gets involved in helping enslaved families. He helps them find freedom and respect. The music in the play is from that time. It helps to show the strong feelings in the story.

The writer, Mark Sumner, wanted to share an important message. He believes that working together and being kind helps human freedom. He thinks this is better than using violence or seeking revenge.

In 1994, Ms. Myrick became a director for the theater. She was the first woman and the first African American to direct a historical outdoor play in America. Her production of Pathway to Freedom was a big success. It won awards and was praised by critics. The show has been very popular for almost 25 years.

The Sword of Peace: Quakers and the Revolution

The Sword of Peace is a play about the American Revolutionary War. It shows the challenges faced by the peaceful Quakers during this time. Two days after the Battle of Guilford Court House, the British army moved south. Some soldiers stopped in Snow Camp. They took over the house of Simon Dixon. He was an important leader in the Quaker community. This play was first performed in 1973.

The play's author was William Hardy. He was an actor and a writer. He also taught at the University of North Carolina. For many years, he directed another famous outdoor play. This play was called Unto These Hills. It tells the story of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians. That play is performed every summer in Cherokee, North Carolina.

See also

• The Lost Colony
• Unto These Hills
• Roots: The Saga of an American Family