Battle of Tippecanoe Outdoor Drama
Encyclopedia
The Battle of Tippecanoe
Outdoor Drama (BOTOD) was a Summer outdoor historical drama held in Battle Ground, IN in the Summers of 1989 and 1990. The drama was held at a outdoor amphitheater specially constructed for the drama, renamed the Tippecanoe County Amphitheater after the drama folded in 1991. The amphitheater is located just north of West Lafayette, IN on 166 acres on State Route 43 near the Wabash River, within walking distance of the actual Tippecanoe Battlefield Park
.
Theatre Faculty Emeritus Dr. Dale E. Miller and Dr. Sam Smiley, a Columbus, IN native, feature film
writer and former Dramatic Writing head at the University of Arizona
. Miller was Artistic Director
both summers it played. Miller began conceiving the drama in 1982 by touring outdoor theatres across the country. Miller's program bio states that he began working on the drama in 1979.
composed the sound design, creating an 8-channel surround audio using a Yamaha Rev7 to master the mix. Thomas' participation was supported by the Indiana Arts Commission and the National Endowment for the Arts
.
, an Indiana folk music composer, wrote an original composition, Sounds of the Morning, for the production, played as a prologue and as patrons left the amphitheater. Sounds of the Morning was included in Newcomer's CD "Visions and Dreams," released in 1995.
For the second season, the script was revised to eliminate sterotypical portrayals of Native Americans
and more special effects were included.
Characters in the drama included General and Governor William Henry Harrison
, The Prophet, Tecumseh
, Harrison's family, townspeople, scouts, Indiana Militia
and Dragoons, Kentucky Militia and Dragoons, United States
Infantry, both Pro and anti American Indians, and British troops.
The Battle of Tippecanoe Outdoor drama, with over 90 character portrayals, is not just the story of a battle. It is the story of a conflict between men of different backgrounds: a conflict of cultures. It is the story of one people trying to grow and prosper, and another trying to preserve tradition and the past.
This is your chance to travel back in time nearly 180 years. Hear the blasts of musket
s firing; the pounding of horses' hooves; the chanting songs of Indiana braves. Breathe deeply of the evening air filled with the sharp scent of gunpowder. Enjoy the breeze of a star-studded Indian
a night.
Outdoor drama is unlike any other stage production because it appeals to all of the senses as it transports the audience into the action."
According to the Pharos Tribune in Logansport, IN, tickets were $12 for adults and $6 for children. The Battle was presented Tuesday through Sunday both summers.
The amphitheatre seats 1511 people and includes concession stands, gift shop and restroom facilities under a rain shelter behind the seating area. Performers arriving onstage for Act 2 of the drama could hear a sea of popcorn-crunching from audiences that had visited the concession stand.
The 1990 program description of the drama addressed the response to this dissent: "Certain artistic liberties have been taken for the sake of providing dramatic impact and in an honest effort to condense a historic period of five years into a two-hour presentation. It is the sincere wish of the authors and producers that we can be historically accurate and authentic in re-enacting this important piece of American history as dramatic and theatrical guidelines will allow. We are honored to add Nita Bruce, Hawk Clan Mother, Upper Kispoko
Band, Shawnee Nation of Indiana, and a descendant of Pocahontas
, as a consultant to (the drama). Revisions in the script for the drama were made this year following meetings with representatives of the Upper Kispoko Band, Shawnee Nation of Indiana. The changes involve an honest attempt to eliminate stereotypical portrayal of Native Americans
."
In Spring of 1991, after the 2nd season, the drama board voted to dissolve the operation. The amphitheater is used today for concerts and other community events.
The authors of the 2005 book Creating Historical Drama: A Guide for Communities, Theatre Groups, and Playwrights interviewed Miller to understand what had happened, and teach from what Miller learned from the laborious project in Lafayette: "When a cooperative community effort has been lacking, historical drama frequently fails. In the summer of 1989, near Lafayette, Indiana, the outdoor historical drama The Battle of Tippecanoe opens, but almost immediately there is a public controversy over the historical accuracy of the script. Local critics object to what they say is sufficient manipulation of history that the play ought to be labeled fiction. Author Dale Miller responds that the drama is 'a selective look at history,' but the objections grew, the public is cautious, and the drama struggles to find an audience until, in 1991, it closes after having played to only 19 percent capacity that summer. To make matters worse, the county of Tippecanoe built the $3 million theatre used for the production with a 3 percent local hotel-occupancy tax. The Wall Street Journal
reports on March 14, 1991 that 'hotel guests will be paying off the bonds for the theatre until 1999.' Public sentiment for this play is at first strong, but it fails by opening night. It dooms the entire operation.”
Another large Indiana event has taken the demise of BOTOD to heart: In 2006, nearby Cass County's 'Chief Logan's Port of Living History Festival at France Park' was struggling in its second year. "Cass County parks officials deserve credit for pushing this concept forward and committing to it for at least another year. That is not always an easy thing to do. In Tippecanoe County, a much larger community built the Battle of Tippecanoe Outdoor Drama Theater to tell the story of the era portrayed here this weekend. It flopped. That facility is now used for more modern purposes." The Cass County festival is still in operation in 2011.
Battle of Tippecanoe
The Battle of Tippecanoe was fought on November 7, 1811, between United States forces led by Governor William Henry Harrison of the Indiana Territory and Native American warriors associated with the Shawnee leader Tecumseh. Tecumseh and his brother Tenskwatawa were leaders of a confederacy of...
Outdoor Drama (BOTOD) was a Summer outdoor historical drama held in Battle Ground, IN in the Summers of 1989 and 1990. The drama was held at a outdoor amphitheater specially constructed for the drama, renamed the Tippecanoe County Amphitheater after the drama folded in 1991. The amphitheater is located just north of West Lafayette, IN on 166 acres on State Route 43 near the Wabash River, within walking distance of the actual Tippecanoe Battlefield Park
Tippecanoe Battlefield Park
The Tippecanoe Battlefield Park preserves the location of the Battle of Tippecanoe fought on November 7, 1811.The site of the battle was deeded to the State of Indiana by John Tipton, a veteran of the fight, on November 7, 1836, the twenty-fifth anniversary of the battle...
.
Creation
The drama was written by Purdue UniversityPurdue University
Purdue University, located in West Lafayette, Indiana, U.S., is the flagship university of the six-campus Purdue University system. Purdue was founded on May 6, 1869, as a land-grant university when the Indiana General Assembly, taking advantage of the Morrill Act, accepted a donation of land and...
Theatre Faculty Emeritus Dr. Dale E. Miller and Dr. Sam Smiley, a Columbus, IN native, feature film
Film
A film, also called a movie or motion picture, is a series of still or moving images. It is produced by recording photographic images with cameras, or by creating images using animation techniques or visual effects...
writer and former Dramatic Writing head at the University of Arizona
University of Arizona
The University of Arizona is a land-grant and space-grant public institution of higher education and research located in Tucson, Arizona, United States. The University of Arizona was the first university in the state of Arizona, founded in 1885...
. Miller was Artistic Director
Artistic director
An artistic director is the executive of an arts organization, particularly in a theatre company, that handles the organization's artistic direction. He or she is generally a producer and director, but not in the sense of a mogul, since the organization is generally a non-profit organization...
both summers it played. Miller began conceiving the drama in 1982 by touring outdoor theatres across the country. Miller's program bio states that he began working on the drama in 1979.
Sound Design
Purdue professor Rick ThomasRick Thomas
ST1TCH is American sampler for Mushroomhead and Ventana. It has been stated that Thomas was originally called "Stick", due to his slim build, but someone mistakenly called him Stitch and the name stuck. ST1TCH can be identified by his pair of wire "headphones" and stitched forehead...
composed the sound design, creating an 8-channel surround audio using a Yamaha Rev7 to master the mix. Thomas' participation was supported by the Indiana Arts Commission and the National Endowment for the Arts
National Endowment for the Arts
The National Endowment for the Arts is an independent agency of the United States federal government that offers support and funding for projects exhibiting artistic excellence. It was created by an act of the U.S. Congress in 1965 as an independent agency of the federal government. Its current...
.
Sounds of the Morning
Carrie NewcomerCarrie Newcomer
Carrie Newcomer is an American singer and songwriter.-Early life and education:Carrie Newcomer was born in Dowagiac, Michigan, and raised in Elkhart, Indiana. She attended Goshen College and received a B.A...
, an Indiana folk music composer, wrote an original composition, Sounds of the Morning, for the production, played as a prologue and as patrons left the amphitheater. Sounds of the Morning was included in Newcomer's CD "Visions and Dreams," released in 1995.
Other Artistic credits
Purdue professor Carol Cunningham-Sigman contributed dance choreography, Kent Shelton contributed fight and stunt choreography, Stan Abbott created scenery and Julie Mack created Lighting for the production.For the second season, the script was revised to eliminate sterotypical portrayals of Native Americans
Indigenous peoples of the Americas
The indigenous peoples of the Americas are the pre-Columbian inhabitants of North and South America, their descendants and other ethnic groups who are identified with those peoples. Indigenous peoples are known in Canada as Aboriginal peoples, and in the United States as Native Americans...
and more special effects were included.
Story/Characters
Dorothy Schneider, in a 2011 Lafayette Journal and Courier article about the 200 year bicentennial, describes the story: "The fight took place near the confluence of the Tippecanoe and Wabash rivers northeast of Lafayette. Thirty-seven American soldiers and an unknown number of Native Americans died in the battle."Characters in the drama included General and Governor William Henry Harrison
William Henry Harrison
William Henry Harrison was the ninth President of the United States , an American military officer and politician, and the first president to die in office. He was 68 years, 23 days old when elected, the oldest president elected until Ronald Reagan in 1980, and last President to be born before the...
, The Prophet, Tecumseh
Tecumseh
Tecumseh was a Native American leader of the Shawnee and a large tribal confederacy which opposed the United States during Tecumseh's War and the War of 1812...
, Harrison's family, townspeople, scouts, Indiana Militia
Militia
The term militia is commonly used today to refer to a military force composed of ordinary citizens to provide defense, emergency law enforcement, or paramilitary service, in times of emergency without being paid a regular salary or committed to a fixed term of service. It is a polyseme with...
and Dragoons, Kentucky Militia and Dragoons, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
Infantry, both Pro and anti American Indians, and British troops.
Media Coverage
The Kokomo Tribune archives reveal an article written about the drama after it opened: "Campfires crackled and grey ash floated skyward among the sleeping forces of William Henry Harrison. The crisp November air whispered nothing of what would take place in the next few hours. Over 2,000 Indian warriors from different tribes had come together under Tecumseh, a Shawnee chieftain. Quietly, they maneuvered into position and then for more than two hours, the sides clashed in what would one day become known as The Battle of Tippecanoe. This is their story.The Battle of Tippecanoe Outdoor drama, with over 90 character portrayals, is not just the story of a battle. It is the story of a conflict between men of different backgrounds: a conflict of cultures. It is the story of one people trying to grow and prosper, and another trying to preserve tradition and the past.
This is your chance to travel back in time nearly 180 years. Hear the blasts of musket
Musket
A musket is a muzzle-loaded, smooth bore long gun, fired from the shoulder. Muskets were designed for use by infantry. A soldier armed with a musket had the designation musketman or musketeer....
s firing; the pounding of horses' hooves; the chanting songs of Indiana braves. Breathe deeply of the evening air filled with the sharp scent of gunpowder. Enjoy the breeze of a star-studded Indian
Indigenous peoples of the Americas
The indigenous peoples of the Americas are the pre-Columbian inhabitants of North and South America, their descendants and other ethnic groups who are identified with those peoples. Indigenous peoples are known in Canada as Aboriginal peoples, and in the United States as Native Americans...
a night.
Outdoor drama is unlike any other stage production because it appeals to all of the senses as it transports the audience into the action."
Box Office
The Lafayette Rotary Archives describe the activities of 1983-84, which included completing the box office structure: "Interested members formed a Battle of Tippecanoe Outdoor Drama Project Committee... The first project was to raise $40,000 for the box office structure, which was accomplished in a fund drive that lasted from December until April."According to the Pharos Tribune in Logansport, IN, tickets were $12 for adults and $6 for children. The Battle was presented Tuesday through Sunday both summers.
Tippecanoe County Amphitheater
The Lafayette Journal and Courier recorded the vision to create a performing venue for the drama. "In 1986, the Tippecanoe County Parks board made plans and obtained $3 million in finances to build an amphitheater for performances of the Battle of Tippecanoe Outdoor Drama.The amphitheatre seats 1511 people and includes concession stands, gift shop and restroom facilities under a rain shelter behind the seating area. Performers arriving onstage for Act 2 of the drama could hear a sea of popcorn-crunching from audiences that had visited the concession stand.
Controversy regarding dramatization
The dramatization of the events of the Battle of Tippecanoe were met with dissent by local Native Americans. A Native American elder woman joined the 1989 opening night curtain call of performers to question the truthfulness of the portrayals of Native Americans.The 1990 program description of the drama addressed the response to this dissent: "Certain artistic liberties have been taken for the sake of providing dramatic impact and in an honest effort to condense a historic period of five years into a two-hour presentation. It is the sincere wish of the authors and producers that we can be historically accurate and authentic in re-enacting this important piece of American history as dramatic and theatrical guidelines will allow. We are honored to add Nita Bruce, Hawk Clan Mother, Upper Kispoko
Kispoko
Kispoko is the name of one of the five divisions of the Shawnee, a Native American people that existed during the 18th century. The Kispoko were the smallest of the five divisions. They lived among the Creek as early at 1650, having been driven from their Ohio country homeland by the Iroquois...
Band, Shawnee Nation of Indiana, and a descendant of Pocahontas
Pocahontas
Pocahontas was a Virginia Indian notable for her association with the colonial settlement at Jamestown, Virginia. She was the daughter of Chief Powhatan, the head of a network of tributary tribal nations in Tidewater Virginia...
, as a consultant to (the drama). Revisions in the script for the drama were made this year following meetings with representatives of the Upper Kispoko Band, Shawnee Nation of Indiana. The changes involve an honest attempt to eliminate stereotypical portrayal of Native Americans
Indigenous peoples of the Americas
The indigenous peoples of the Americas are the pre-Columbian inhabitants of North and South America, their descendants and other ethnic groups who are identified with those peoples. Indigenous peoples are known in Canada as Aboriginal peoples, and in the United States as Native Americans...
."
Closing
Attendance at the amphiteater was disappointing in its short 3-year/2 season lifespan, and an infusion of tax money could not sustain the expensive project. "$178,000 in unused innkeeper tax funds (were used) to bail out the financially ailing Battle of Tippecanoe Outdoor Drama, and allow it to perform in 1990."In Spring of 1991, after the 2nd season, the drama board voted to dissolve the operation. The amphitheater is used today for concerts and other community events.
The authors of the 2005 book Creating Historical Drama: A Guide for Communities, Theatre Groups, and Playwrights interviewed Miller to understand what had happened, and teach from what Miller learned from the laborious project in Lafayette: "When a cooperative community effort has been lacking, historical drama frequently fails. In the summer of 1989, near Lafayette, Indiana, the outdoor historical drama The Battle of Tippecanoe opens, but almost immediately there is a public controversy over the historical accuracy of the script. Local critics object to what they say is sufficient manipulation of history that the play ought to be labeled fiction. Author Dale Miller responds that the drama is 'a selective look at history,' but the objections grew, the public is cautious, and the drama struggles to find an audience until, in 1991, it closes after having played to only 19 percent capacity that summer. To make matters worse, the county of Tippecanoe built the $3 million theatre used for the production with a 3 percent local hotel-occupancy tax. The Wall Street Journal
The Wall Street Journal
The Wall Street Journal is an American English-language international daily newspaper. It is published in New York City by Dow Jones & Company, a division of News Corporation, along with the Asian and European editions of the Journal....
reports on March 14, 1991 that 'hotel guests will be paying off the bonds for the theatre until 1999.' Public sentiment for this play is at first strong, but it fails by opening night. It dooms the entire operation.”
Another large Indiana event has taken the demise of BOTOD to heart: In 2006, nearby Cass County's 'Chief Logan's Port of Living History Festival at France Park' was struggling in its second year. "Cass County parks officials deserve credit for pushing this concept forward and committing to it for at least another year. That is not always an easy thing to do. In Tippecanoe County, a much larger community built the Battle of Tippecanoe Outdoor Drama Theater to tell the story of the era portrayed here this weekend. It flopped. That facility is now used for more modern purposes." The Cass County festival is still in operation in 2011.