Fort Griffin Fandangle

FORT GRIFFIN FANDANGLE: THREE PERSPECTIVES ON PERFORMING HISTORY ON THE TEXAS PLAINS by Kathryn Martin Beck APPROVED BY SUPERVISORY COMMITTEE: ___________________________________________ Thomas Riccio, Chair ___________________________________________ Rick Brettell, Co-Chair ___________________________________________ Jessica C. Murphy ___________________________________________ Eric Schlereth Copyright 2017 Kathryn Martin Beck All Rights Reserved I dedicate this work to my family. My daughters TaylorMarie and Jaclyn Beck have been an unending source of love, encouragement, and support, and they always keep me giggling. My parents, Wyatt and Barbara Martin, have encouraged me throughout my life, valued my education, and I truly appreciate their financial support. Although my Mom is not physically with us any longer, I know she is proudly by my side. FORT GRIFFIN FANDANGLE: THREE PERSPECTIVES ON PERFORMING HISTORY ON THE TEXAS PLAINS by KATHRYN MARTIN BECK, BA, MS DISSERTATION Presented to the Faculty of The University of Texas at Dallas in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY IN HUMANITIES THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT DALLAS May 2017 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS I would like to thank a few people in Albany, TX who were so kind and welcoming to me as well as helpful in my research: Margaret Blagg, Susan and Steve Waller, Nancy Green, Molly Sauder, Mike and Cheryl Whitmore, Randy Bacon, Lu Ann George, and Jane Lenoir at the Fort Griffin State Historical Site. I am equally grateful to my friend Elsa Williams, a previous Albany resident and Fandangle participant, who attended the Sampler with me and provided great insight throughout the weekend and the project. Of course the project itself would not have occurred without the initial direction and subsequent contacts given by my professor Rick Brettell, and for that I am extremely appreciative. Finally I want to thank the members of my committee including Thomas Riccio, Rick Brettell, Eric Schlereth, and Jessica C. Murphy, for their time and energy as well as their continued guidance and support. In particular I want to thank Thomas Riccio for countless hours devoted to my project and his welcomed guidance every step of the way. February 2017 v FORT GRIFFIN FANDANGLE: THREE PERSPECTIVES ON PERFORMING HISTORY ON THE TEXAS PLAINS Kathryn Martin Beck, PhD The University of Texas at Dallas, 2017 ABSTRACT Supervising Professor: Thomas Riccio The 2013 75th Anniversary Fort Griffin Fandangle, an outdoor historical performance depicting late 19th century Texas, tells of the progression of the Fort Griffin area from prairie land to military fort to a town called The Flat. Although not completely historically accurate nor culturally inclusive, the author, directors, and local participants skillfully depict early Texas history through the Fandangle. The Fandangle is further shaped by social and cultural American and Texas narratives including southern and western narratives. The performance is placed within current outdoor historical performance, public history, and secondary education disciplines. This came about through a reissued 1966 Outdoor Theatre survey administered to current Outdoor Theatre members, through a reissued 1998 Rosenzweig and Thelen public history survey administered to Fandangle participants, and through a discussion on the potential use of the performance within secondary education. It is proposed that the Fandangle has a place within academic studies—it provides insight into created myths and memory, collective Texas history, ways to study and learn history, and community identity and cohesiveness, all while preserving a perceived cultural identity of the community. vi TABLE OF CONTENTS ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ............................................................................................ v ABSTRACT .................................................................................................................. vi LIST OF FIGURES ...................................................................................................... ix PREFACE ..................................................................................................................... xii INTRODUCTION ........................................................................................................ 1 CHAPTER 1 THE FORT GRIFFIN FANDANGLE ................................................... 16 History ............................................................................................................... 16 75th Anniversary Performance .......................................................................... 34 CHAPTER 2 HISTORICAL PERFORMANCE .......................................................... 75 Discipline .......................................................................................................... 76 Key Performance Concepts ............................................................................... 81 Modern Parallel ................................................................................................. 102 Performance Placement within Discipline ........................................................ 104 CHAPTER 3 PUBLIC HISTORY ................................................................................ 109 Discipline .......................................................................................................... 111 Museums/Memorials ......................................................................................... 115 Performance Placement within Discipline ........................................................ 118 CHAPTER 4 MYTH, MEMORY, AND SECONDARY EDUCATION ..................... 137 American Narrative/Patriotism ......................................................................... 137 Southern or Western ......................................................................................... 141 Secondary Education ........................................................................................ 147 APPENDIX A FANDANGLE SYNOPSIS .................................................................. 175 APPENDIX B REISSUED 1966 SURVEY TO INSTITUTE MEMBERS- OUTDOOR THEATRE .................................................................................... 177 APPENDIX C REISSUED 1998 SURVEY TO FANDANGLE PARTICIPANTS .... 179 APPENDIX D TABLES ............................................................................................... 185 TABLE 1 1965 and 2013 THEATRE COMPARISON ................................... 185 vii TABLE 2 RESULTS OF 2013 REISSUED OUTDOOR THEATRE 1965 SURVEY TO OUTDOOR INSITUTE OF DRAMA MEMBERS ........ 190 TABLE 3 RESULTS OF 2013 REISSUED 1998 SURVEY TO FANDANGLE PARTICIPANTS ........................................................... 198 BIBLIOGRAPHY ......................................................................................................... 241 BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH ........................................................................................ 254 CURRICULUM VITAE ............................................................................................... 256 viii LIST OF FIGURES Figure 1.1 Fandangle parade of flags ............................................................................ 16 Figure 1.2 Original program stored in the Old Jail Art Center ..................................... 18 Figure 1.3 Groundbreaking for Prairie Theatre ............................................................ 22 Figure 1.4 Building of Prairie Theatre .......................................................................... 23 Figure 1.5 Bob Nail at Prairie Theatre .......................................................................... 24 Figure 1.6 Parade horsemen .......................................................................................... 40 Figure 1.7 Parade Hereford float .................................................................................. 40 Figure 1.8 Parade fire truck .......................................................................................... 40 Figure 1.9 Parade horseman with lone flag .................................................................. 41 Figure 1.10 Parade horseman with US and TX flags .................................................... 41 Figure 1.11 Parade horseman with flags ....................................................................... 42 Figure 1.12 Parade with flags flown over Texas .......................................................... 42 Figure 1.13 Parade with Texas flag .............................................................................. 42 Figure 1.14 Parade with Texas flag 2 ........................................................................... 42 Figure 1.15 Stagecoach in parade ................................................................................. 43 Figure 1.16 Buffalo hides on display in parade ............................................................ 43 Figure 1.17 Covered wagon in parade .......................................................................... 43 Figure 1.18 Train in parade ........................................................................................... 44 Figure 1.19 Children in train in parade ......................................................................... 44 Figure 1.20 Fandangle program .................................................................................... 45 Figure 1.21 Insert of Fandangle program ....................................................................

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