Kissin’ Kin
By Donnie A. Lucas
With two rehearsals now under their belts, the cast and crew of the Fort Griffin Fandangle will take a week off for spring break before resuming practices for the Membership Sampler slated for April 15 at Reynolds Bend on the Matthews family’s historic Lambshead Ranch.
The initial two rehearsals for the show were held at the Aztec Theater over the past two weeks, but the cast will move outside at the Prairie Theater for practices on Mondays and Thursdays through April 13. All rehearsals will start at 7:30 p.m. at the theater.
The show will be moved to Reynolds Bend for a 7:00 p.m. rehearsal on Friday, April 14 and a final run-through at 2:00 p.m. on Saturday, April 15.
The gates at Reynolds Bend will open at 5:00 p.m., with the show starting at 6:00 p.m. A catered steak dinner for those who reserve and pay in advance will follow the performance, along with a dance.
The cast and crew will perform a shortened version of the summer show just for the membership of the Fandangle Association, giving members a taste of what will be included in the 85th anniversary performances in June.
“We have had a good turnout during the first two practices, but we still need more people to come join us,” director Lorna Ayers said. “We are looking forward to moving outside at the theater and putting the show together.”
She stressed that it isn’t too late to join the group rehearsing for the Sampler.
“Everyone is welcome,” she said. “We need you, and we really enjoy when new people come to take part in the experience of being in the Fandangle.”
Ayers said that construction work in the audience area at the theater is basically complete. However, there is still some concrete work being finished on the walkways leading from the entrance to the seating area.
“We need everyone coming to rehearsals to use the cast parking lot even for rehearsals,” she said. “There is safe access to the stage from that parking lot, but we don’t want to take a chance with people attempting to come to the stage through the front entrance since it isn’t finished yet.”
Tickets, Memberships
Tickets are already on sale to the public for the summer performances of the Fandangle set for June 16, 17, 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.
Only association members are invited to attend the Sampler, dinner, and dance at Reynolds Bend.
“There was an RSVP card in the Sampler invitation to send back, along with a place to sign up for the meal which is $50 per person,” office manager Jamie Parsons said. “You can send back a check with the RSVP for the meal or call the office, and we can do it over the phone.”
Tickets for the summer performances are also available for purchase on the website or can be purchased by calling the office.
This is the earliest that ticket sales have been opened to the public.
“Tickets have been selling like hotcakes,” Parsons said. “We have been using some new marketing on Facebook and Instagram, and ticket sales have increased 10 times over last year for the same week.”
The anniversary show will be packed with crowd favorites from past shows and 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 for four performances at the Prairie Theater.
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 pandemic.
The Prairie Theater is undergoing major renovations, including the entire seating area being reconstructed using limestone blocks to provide a more secure experience rather than the tiered rows supported by utility poles. The control tower and some prop areas are also receiving a facelift. The sound system is being replaced for 2023, a major upgrade over a 30-year-old system.
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.
Anyone wanting to donate to assist with the renovations can contact the Fandangle office or board president Henry Musselman.
