Fairmont State University - Mound Yearbook (Fairmont, WV)

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The Pricketts Fort Memorial Foundation pre- miered an American frontier musical play at Pricketts Fort State Park in Marion County last summer. Pricketts Fort, written by Seseen Francis and directed Ill ' s proclamation that no lands west of the Allegheny Mountains was to be settled. The premise of the play, that man must have land, lay in the first song, That ' s What Freedom Meant to Men. The play originat- director, six weeks of rehearsals six evenings a week, they produced what the Times- West Vir- ginian called a moving exper- ience, and what the Dominion Post called a celebration of the American pio- neer spirit. Smith, a british offi- cer; and Ed Smalley, as Higgenson. Three other Fair- mont Staters partici- pated, including Kelly Marie Ash, as- sistant director; Kammi Hefner, an usher and photogra- pher; and Daniel Weber from the ence is seated within the courtyard of the fort itself. The pro- duction provides an initimacy and auth- enticity no am- phitheater ever could. The charac- ters use the fort ' s own buildings as they were used ori- ginally. In this Historical play created at fort by Tom Stevick, was based on actual events concerning pioneer families at Pricketts Fort dur- ing the American Revolution. It cen- tered around one particular family, the Morgans, who struggled to settle land near the fort against King George ed in 1974, when Da- vid Jones, president of the Pricketts Foundation, asked Francis if he would write a play about the fort. After six months of research and a year and a half of writing, the script was completed in 1976. With Stevick as Among the 50 member cast were four people from Fairmont State: Sharene Sindle- decker, who por- trayed Amy; Dr. Stephen Haynes, who portrayed Zack Morgan, a military leader of the settle- ment; Don Raikes, as Lt. William FSC theater depart- ment, who assisted in set construction and lighting. The audience was very important in the success of the play as Dave Elkin- ton wrote: ' Prick- etts Fort: An Ameri- can Fronier Musical ' takes on a special quality as the audi- way, the audience became involved in the scenes before them so that they cheered when the Declaration of Inde- pendence was read and felt a true part of historical Prick- etts Fort. ♦ PLAYING TUNES from the colonial era, Larry Spi- sak, Bob Burns and Ed Smalley entertain the au- dience between scenes. ♦WITH HER HUSBAND away on an Indian cam- paign, Amy Smith, played by Sharene Sindle- decker, reminisces about their good times together. 12 Pricketts Fort

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»THE INTERNATIONAL Foods Night during Homecoming week was a festive night for students as they dressed in colorful clothing and wore leis. »MISS WEST VIRGINIA, Kelly Lea An- derson, and Athletic Director Colin Cameron wave to parade goers along the Homecoming parade route in downtown Fairmont. {TAKING A BREAK between classes, Gayl Ford relaxes on the stoop in front of Jaynes Hall.

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DURING THE TRIAL SCENE Zack Morgan, portrayed by faculty mem- ber Dr. Stephen Haynes states his case. , THE KING ' S REPRE- SENTATIVE played by Larry Keeling tells Zack Morgan that a fort must be built to protect the peo- ple. «THE NEWLY MAR- RIED Lt. Smith and Amy Morgan played by Don Raikes and Sharene Sindledecker, perform a traditional wedding dance. Pricketts Fort 13