Horn In The West" Auditions for the 2025 Season Are Announced

For those who like to combine an interest in history with the theater, the 2025 auditions for the delightful revolutionary war era drama, "Horn In The West", that is held annually in Boone, North Carolina have been announced. The in-person live auditions will be held on January 25th, 2025 at a location to be announced. And aspiring actors can send in their virtual auditions to horninthewesthickoryridge@gmail.com.

For the virtual auditions, actors are encouraged to send a recent photo taken in a neutral background from the chest-up. A monologue must be prepared and memorized. Or auditionees can recite a favorite passage from their favorite book or poem. Those who wish to audition for the chorus must sing a traditional 18th century song or hymn. And auditionees are encouraged to include a resume of past work.

The show dates for this year's performances of "Horn In The West" are from July 10th through August 02nd, 2025. And this year's "Horn In The West" will be directed by Clarinda Ross, a professional actor, director, and playwright with local ties to the Boone, North Carolina area. Also a feature of this year's production of "Horn In The West" is that it will take place at the HIckory Ridge History Museum cabins due to renovations that are being completed at the Daniel Boone Amphitheater. Local Western North Carolina Hill Country talent is being sought for the 2025 production of "Horn In The West". As the theme for this year's production is rebuilding the production and organization, recovering the sense of local community, and returning to the pioneer roots that is centrical to the play.

Written by the American playwright Dr. Kermit Hunter, who wrote more than forty historical productions, "Horn In The West" centers around Dr. Geoffrey Stuart, a prominent British physician, who comes to the colony of North Carolina with his family to study the effects of smallpox, a terrible disease of that time period. And one from which George Washington suffered when he was nineteen on a trip to Barbados. With General Washington later describing it in a letter in 1777 as a potentially greater threat "than. . . the sword of the enemy."

Based on the history of Daniel Boone, a local folk hero in Boone, North Carolina, and the mountain settlers of the Blue Ridge Mountains and their struggles for freedom before and during the American War for Independence, "Horn In The West", focuses on Dr. Stuart and his family as they become connected with the pioneer North Carolina community and they develop sympathy for the Regulators and their fight for American Independence. However, the Stuarts are still loyal British subjects and struggle with their loyalty to the king and their loyalty to their newfound Appalachian community.

Billed as the nation's longest running outdoor Revolutionary War drama, "Horn In The West" features an impressive Cherokee fire dance that auditionees can select to sign up for. And those interested in auditioning for the play can sign up for an audition here: 2025 Horn in the West Audition Sign-Up: Boone, NC

Luisa Reyes is an attorney in Tuscaloosa with a bachelor's degree in mathematics from Judson, a master's degree in library science, and a law degree from Samford's Cumberland School of Law. She is also a piano instructor and vocalist.