BAILEY BUGLL, BAILl^Y, NQRTK CAROLIM, OCTOBrJ., 1952
My~^rr)rner In Che:-Q cee . . ; .
PAGE 16
BY BEN ETHERIDGS
(Ben Etheridge, v^ho was this summer a member of the cast of "Unto These Hills"
relates in this article his experiences of the summer. He is the son of iv.r. and
lirs. T. J. Etheridge.)
A three-month's vacation with pay, flavored with show business, fireside ^;ct—
to-gethers, and long mountain hikes^made this’ past summer in Cherokee my most ex
citing in years. Immediately one would ask, ''How was it possible to arrange such
a wonderful vacation vath pay?" And I would answer that actually my trip to .Chero
kee v;as to work with the famous outdoor drama, "Unto These Hills," but that I do
not consider any job in the theatre as work if one is an ardent lover of drama,
i'erhaps the interogator would not agree, but I am certain that this is true,
I received the job with the dram last winter when the technical director of
the Carolina Playmakers asked me if I would like to go to Cherokee and vfork v."ith
"Unto These Hills" as a. scenery technician and actor. I accepted gratefully and in
a few days signed a contract..as technician and actor. I v/as enrolled in his ■ coui'se
in technical laboratory at the time* I studied the complete functions of the the
atre and spent twenty hours a week constructing scenery for forthcoming plays.
As early as grammar school days I have always been interested in dramatics,
Laf-erly, I used every opportunity to participate in community and school dramatics,
though opportunities were fevf. V/hen I ■ reached the twelfth grade, I played '.the
En.,:-ll part of an English professor irl our senior play. After this performance I
became entranced by the povfer of drama and decided to make dramatics my life's pro-
f^jssion.
Two days after my third college year had ended, I left for Cherokee. iEuring
the month of June I assisted in assembling the heavy outdoor scenery. Rehearsals
v;3re also held during this period, andlwas called to tryout for the leading role in
Gcere five, the storekeeper, and John Ross, the Principal Chief of the Cherokee^ A
f-^w days later I was infornied that I had received both prrts—the storekeeper .as,..
ed aj principal role and John Ross, as SeccpA. rcle, ’^T^en opening night caine
on J’:'.ne 26th, I had also boen appointed to play in scera one the part of a Spanish
soldier in De Soto's array; in scene nine I became a square dancer, and in scene t;n
and twelve I received orders from l&jor Davis as a sergeant in the United States
Army, When I was not on stage as an actor, I was shifting scenery as a technician,
chanrring into a different costume, singing in the choirheard five times during
the performance.
These various jobs at the theatre occupied time from seven until ten forty-^
five every evening except I'ondays. Every night after the show the actors' ''can'tepin
was open. Here was provided our own music for dancing and a concession counter 'for
those who enjoy a late snack. On Saturday night the members of the cast gave flo.or
shovTc, consisting of sc'^-nory designed by the actors, tal;e-offs on outstand...ng
p‘--0ple, musical skits, one act plays, and Cherokees and whit9S.iaiikfe£flookfeddfi.'’~in
all parts of the resorvr,tion to §ee them. On Lond-iy nxghts (our night off) I
usually vrent to Ashevj lie or a movie or a visit to a ■.;ight"Pi.';'b, ’
To keep the actors and ;;rr-u members content in afte.i'noons, the Cherokee his
torical Association, sponsor of "Unto These Hills," provided -free classes for the
cast. Such classes as weaving, pottery, drawing, and painting, ballet and ■ mod.^rn
dance, film study, wrought iron, vfoodwork, jevv-elry, speech, acting, and playwrit.ing
Vvcre usually filled not only by the members of the cast but also by the Cherokoes.
Thase interesting classes were taught by older members of the cast who had attained
lai df "roes in dramatic art. Cherokees and white residents of Cherokee also wei'e
instrue tors,
'Ii'ips to Asheville and long hikes, through the mountains were only a few of the
ir/»nv tilings I did for entertainment. To Clingmom's Dome , the second highest peak
p-ast of tJ^e Mi f'l-ir-aippi Rlrer, I once visited with a small group of the cast to see
(See €Ijp.i'okpe p>age I'f')