On November 15, 1894, Fairhope founder Ernest Gaston encouraged his followers to “stop talking and start acting,” by meeting him and other true believers on the Eastern Shore of Mobile Bay on what he called “Round Up Day,” to found their new town “with only a fair hope of success.”
This year the Fairhope Museum will celebrate Fairhope’s 121st birthday by producing the 4th annual Round Up Play, which will take place at the Colony Cemetery on November 14, 2015, at 11:00 am and again at 2:00 pm. People attending can park at the Fairhope Civic Center and the $10 tickets can be purchased at the gate.
The story of Fairhope’s founding and struggle to survive the first few years is in the voices of many of the founders, as portrayed by current-day residents dressed in early-1900s attire and standing alongside their character’s grave. Performers use wireless mics so the performance is easy to hear.
“It is a moving account of early Fairhope that I think brings a great respect and admiration for our early citizens who worked so hard to make Fairhope a great success,” said Museum Director and playwright Donnie Barrett. “Some of the stories are surprising. You’ll learn a lot about the important characters who contributed so much to our city as well as some interesting “firsts,” such as the first resident, marriage, birth, doctor, hotel builder, car owner, blacksmith, librarian, sea captain, postmaster, newspaper editor, and first national hero.”
The play is produced by volunteers and staff of the museum as an educational tool for telling the Fairhope story. “Our participants have studied these parts for several years and have a close understanding of the people they portray,” Barrett said. “They have done research on their own and worked on their costumes to accurately portray their character. Our performers take a great pride in staging this Fairhope play.”
News for this year is that the production is expected to be filmed by a movie maker from San Diego who saw last year’s production and wants to return to film this year’s. “We’re thrilled by this news. We hope that you will soon be able to buy a copy on a disc at our gift shop,” Barrett said.
For more information about the performance visit the Fairhope Museum of History at 24 No. Section Street, call 251-929-1471, or visit the Friends of the Fairhope Museum of History Facebook page atwww.facebook.com/FairhopeMuseumofHistoryFriends.
