As evening gives way to night, a lone horseman appears on the cliff above Pioneer Amphitheatre in Palo Duro Canyon. He carries the Texas state flag. Fireworks sparkle, the music grows, and a cast of 60 burst on the stage telling the struggles and triumphs of Panhandle settlers in the 1800s. It’s the outdoor musical “Texas”- a summer tradition in the nation’s second largest canyon for 48 years.
Two nights this week the stage was unusually dark and silent. Performances were canceled. Five members of the theatre family were killed in a fatal collision north of Amarillo Monday night. The Amarillo Globe-News has memorial page with bios of the five, in addition to Chip Chandler’s and Jon Mark Beilue’s reaction. Comments can also be left on this page.
More information about “Texas” can be found on Facebook, as well as its website. The musical will finish out the season. Performances are each evening, with the final presentation on Saturday, August 17th.
