Looking for Loss, Anticipating Absence

Abstract

Paul Green’s 1937 symphonic drama, The Lost Colony, depicts the events leading up to the historic disappearance of 115 men, women, and children from Roanoke Island. Green’s drama continues to play six nights a week every summer in Manteo, North Carolina; because of this text, many consider Green to be the father of the “outdoor drama,” a genre characterized by its extensive production materials, use of local history, yearly staging, and of course, its location in large outdoor theaters. Although one could easily quibble with several of the textual details in Green’s play, it is clear from his papers and extensive surviving archive that he conducted rigorous research when writing the script. His grasp of the mood, tenor, and implications of the Roanoke voyages mirrors those of many of the extant texts relating to the colonial expeditions, and his use of historical details and individuals have numerous archival antecedents. Of course, any staged events on Roanoke Island after John White left the 1587 colony stem entirely from Green’s imagination. Despite this creative license, almost all of Green’s characters correlate to some part of the archive. However, the only Native woman in the play, Agona, corresponds to no written historical record. In fact, she hardly even exists in Green’s script, as she offers only one line throughout the play: “Tee-hee.” So while other Native characters (Manteo, Wanchese, Wingina) and all of the English characters (Queen Elizabeth I, Walter Raleigh, John White, Simon Fernando) are based upon individuals who exist in the historical record, the Indian Agona stands as the mark of a profound absence in the archive.1 KeywordsIndigenous PeopleNative WomanOutdoor DramaHistorical ArchiveVisual ArchiveThese keywords were added by machine and not by the authors. This process is experimental and the keywords may be updated as the learning algorithm improves.