A locally-produced drama chronicling the days of the Muscogee Creek nation in eastern Elmore County will be presented once again in Tallassee, and this time around the play will be staged in the historic Mt. Vernon Theatre with three performances slated for Nov. 1, 2 and 3.
“… And One Fire Still Burns” recounts the 1811 visit of Shawnee warrior Tecumseh to the Muscogee Creek capital of Tuckabatchee which was located just south of modern-day Tallassee. It is a production of the Friends of Tuckabatchee, a nonprofit organization that has produced other local plays.
The original version of the acclaimed drama, which debuted in 2011, had been staged outdoors at the historic Patterson Cabin in east Tallassee. While that setting was unique and appropriate, the opportunity to present the production at another Tallassee landmark — without having to be concerned about possible inclement weather — is a unique prospect.
What’s more, the upcoming performances won’t be the first time “… And One Fire Still Burns” has been presented indoors.
In 2014, several hundred Muscogee Creek tribe members from Oklahoma visited east central Alabama to commemorate the 200th anniversary of the Battle of Horseshoe Bend. The play was originally scheduled to be presented at the site of the battle, but a storm front forced the producers and cast to move the performance to the Tallassee High School auditorium.
“I was concerned about how (tribe members) would feel about being shown their own heritage by modern-day Tallassee residents,” director Jeanna Kervin said, “but they loved it. That performance also showed us that we could do it indoors.
“The Muscogee have confirmed that what we are doing is authentic and historically correct,” added Liz Britt, president of the Friends of Tuckabatchee.
Revisions to “…and One Fire Still Burns” will include a native dance performed by Cherokee nation member Jack Crawford of Knoxville, Tennessee. The Nov. 1 performance will be presented for students from area schools.
The play has also been designated as an authorized 2019 event by the Alabama Bicentennial Commission.
“We want to preserve and educate,” Kervin said. “We take pride in the fact that we present the history on our soil as historically accurate as possible.”
For more information, go to www.friendsoftuckabatchee.com or call 334-313-3934.
