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Fandangle practices to get started on Monday

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By Donnie A. Lucas

The call is being sounded for any members of the community who would like to be part of the 85th anniversary edition of the Fort Griffin Fandangle to come to rehearsals.

The first rehearsal of the season is set for Monday, Feb. 27 at the Aztec Theater starting at 7:30 p.m.

“Everyone is welcome to come be a part of the show,” artistic director Lorna Ayers said. “And it’s not all about being able to sing. We have many things for people to do in addition to singing. If you want to be in the show, we will find you a spot.”

The group will meet again on Monday, March 6 at the Aztec before taking a week off for spring break.

“After spring break we will have rehearsals on Mondays and Thursdays at the Prairie Theater,” Ayers said. “We need everyone who wants to be in the show to come to rehearsals – not just the singers.”

As is tradition, the cast and crew will perform a shortened version of the summer show just for the membership.

“The membership Sampler will again be at Rey­nolds Bend this year,” she said. “That is a real treat to be able to use the actual homesite of one of the main pioneer families portrayed in the show.”

Last year was the first time in 20 years that the Sampler was held at Rey­nolds Bend on the historic Lambshead Ranch.

Rehearsals for the Sampler will continue into the second week in April.

The Sampler is set for Saturday, April 15, with the gate opening at 6:00 p.m.

Ayers also reported that she has finished writing the script for the 85th anniversary show and is now pulling out selected scenes to feature at the Sampler.

“We really need everyone to start coming to rehearsals now so we can assign parts,” she said.

Tickets & Memberships

Tickets are already on sale to the public for the summer performances of the Fandangle set for June 16 and 17, and June 23 and 24.

Letters were mailed in January to previous members of the association, and invitations to the Sampler are being mailed daily as new or renewal memberships are received.

Membership is available to anyone at the following donation levels: Pioneer $25, Longhorn $75, Patron $175, Bronze $250 Silver $500, Gold $1,000, Platinum $2,500, and Diamond $5,000.

Anyone interested in joining or renewing memberships for the 85th anniversary season can do so by going  online at www.fortgriffinfandangle.org or by calling the Fandangle office at 325-762-3838.

Tickets are also available to be purchased on the website or can be purchased by calling the office.

Only members of the association are invited to attend the Sampler, dinner and dance at Reynolds Bend.

This is the earliest that ticket sales have been opened to the public.

“The board opted to open up ticket sales to the public early since this is an anniversary year,” office manager Jamie Parsons said. “However, box seat sections of four or six are reserved for members only to purchase.”

The Sampler is open free of charge to the membership, but a catered steak dinner will be available at a cost of $50 per plate, and a dance will follow the performance.

The anniversary show will be packed with crowd favorites from past shows, with historical events woven in between, according to Ayers.

The Fandangle is the Oldest Outdoor Musical in Texas, involving as many as 300 cast and crew members each summer for the four performances at the Prairie Theater.

The show was originally written by Albany playwright Robert Nail as a senior class play in 1938, but quickly was expanded to include members of the community. Nail called the production a true “People’s Theater” since it included non-professional and unpaid singers, dancers and actors from all walks of life.

First produced at the football stadium, the show moved to its own outdoor theater in 1965. Nail died unexpectedly in 1968, but the community rallied to continue the show yearly since 1970, except for 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Almost all of the music and song lyrics are original, written by past musical or artistic directors for particular show themes in the past.

Audience members will notice major improvements at the Prairie Theater this season, with the entire seating area reconstructed using limestone block to provide a more secure experience rather than the tiered rows supported by utility poles.

The sound system is also being replaced for the 2023 show, a major upgrade over the 30-year-old system that was in place.

Through a capital improvement fundraising effort, several other major renovations are also in the works including the steam-powered calliope, rest rooms and walkways, and sets, props, and costumes.

For more information, contact the Fandangle office at 325-762-3838 or log on to the website: www.fortgriffinfandangle.org.