Texas State Plays

"The Lone Star," "Texas," Beyond Sundown," and "Fandangle" was adopted as Texas State Plays when Governor William P. Clements signed Senate Bill No. 93 into law on June 6, 1979.

Texas State Plays:
"The Lone Star," "Texas, " Beyond Sundown," and "Fandangle"

The play, "The Lone Star," by Paul Green, documents the battles at Goliad, the Alamo, and the San Jacinto River, that led to Texas independence from Mexico. It was produced from 1977-1989.

Texas," also by Paul Green, portrays the lives of early settlers on the Texas Panhandle. Except for a three year hiatus (2003-2005) it has been produced annually since 1967.

(3) Beyond the Sundown presented at the Alabama-Coushatta Indian Reservation; and

"Beyond the Sundown," by Kermit Hunter, concerns itself with the relationships between early East Texas settlers and the Alabama-Coushatta Indians. It was produced from 1975-1983.

The founding of Fort Griffen and the lives of the settlers of Shackleford County, and Albany, Texas, during the 1870s and the 1880s, provide the subject matter for "Fandangle."

The Fort Griffin Fandangle is an annual outdoor musical drama produced in Albany, Texas, on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday evenings of the last two weeks in June. Its focus is the historical and cultural development of the area along the Clear Fork of the Brazos River in northern Shackelford County near Fort Griffin, the military outpost that from 1867 to 1881 provided protection for settlers in the region and gave rise to a community in the flat between the fort on the hill and the Clear Fork. The story is recalled through the memory of an old-timer of the region, a cattleman who sits on the porch of a ranch house to reveal the past as he remembers it. The production consists of a series of segments, each based on historical material introduced by the narrators and then interpreted by one or more songs and dancing.

The Fandangle had its inception in 1937 when C. B. Downing, superintendent of the Albany schools, asked Alice Reynolds, a local music teacher, if she would write an outdoor musical play for the senior class to present the next spring. She declined but asked another native of Albany, Robert Edward Nail, Jr.,qv who responded enthusiastically with Dr. Shackelford's Paradise, produced in 1938. The play was so well received that it was expanded to include adults in the cast and was produced that summer as the Fort Griffin Fandangle. A sponsoring organization, the Fandangle Association, was first incorporated in 1947. Nail established three rules: first, anybody with ties in Shackelford County could be in the show; second, the show would have to be publicized by word of mouth, not by paid publicity; and third, there would be no profanity in the show. Alice Reynolds was active from the beginning in writing songs, in designing sets and the numerous banners associated with the play, particularly the steer-head and fiddle emblem that represents the Fandangle, and in sketching some of the elaborate costumes. For many years she also played the organ for the performances. She died in May 1984

TEXAS Senate Bill No. 93

By: Schwartz (McLeod) S.B. No. 93

Substitute the following for S.B. No. 93.

By: Grubbs C.C.S.B. No. 93

AN ACT

relating to the designation of official state plays.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS;

SECTION 1. The legislature finds that:

(1) the historic battles of San Jacinto, Goliad, and the Alamo that led to the independence of Texas are portrayed faithfully and artistically at Galveston Island State Park in the play, The Lone Star;

(2) the lives of early settlers of the Panhandle of Texas are portrayed colorfully and creatively each year at the Palo Duro Canyon State Park in the play, Texas;

(3) the relationship between early settlers of East Texas, especially General Sam Houston and the Alabama-Coushatta Indians, is portrayed historically and excitingly at the Alabama-Coushatta Indian Reservation in the play Beyond the Sundown; and

(4) the founding of Fort Griffin and the lived of the settlers of Shackleford County and Albany, Texas, during the 1870s and 1880s are depicted during the last two weeks in June annually in Shackleford County in the play Fandangle.

SECTION 2. The Lone Star, presented in Galveston Island State Park, Texas presented in Palo Duro Canyon State Park, Beyond the Sundown, presented at the Alabama-Coushatta Indian Reservation, and Fandangle, presented in Shackleford County, are designated official plays of the State of Texas.

SECTION 3. The importance of this legislation and the crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create and emergency and an imperative public necessity that the constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several days in each house be suspended, and the rule is hereby suspended, and that this Act tack effect and be in force from and after its passage, and it is so enacted.

Texas Law

The law designating the official Texas state plays is found in the Texas Statutes: Government Code, Title 11, Subtitle A, Chapter 3101, Section 3101.011.

TITLE 11. STATE SYMBOLS AND HONORS; PRESERVATION
SUBTITLE A. STATE SYMBOLS AND HONORS
CHAPTER 3101. STATE SYMBOLS
Sec. 3101.011. STATE PLAYS.

Sec. 3101.009. STATE PLAYS. The following plays are official state plays of Texas:

(1) The Lone Star presented in Galveston Island State Park;

(2) Texas presented in the Palo Duro Canyon State Park;

(3) Beyond the Sundown presented at the Alabama-Coushatta Indian Reservation; and

(4) Fandangle presented in Shackelford County.

Added by Acts 2001, 77th Leg., ch. 1420, Sec. 7.001, eff. Sept. 1, 2001.

Texas State

US State Symbols

Texas Symbols

Texas State Plays

"The Lone Star," "Texas," Beyond Sundown," and "Fandangle"

Adopted on June 6, 1979.