Lifestyles

Leeuna Foster/The Beacon

Joe Greene, Buffy Greene, Joseph Greene and Alyssa Kennedy at Sycamore Shoals Historic Site waiting for rehearsal of the outdoor drama Liberty! These four Unicoi County residents will play leading roles in the drama.

Unicoi County residents lead in Liberty

By Leeuna Foster

July 09, 2008

As the saga of Sycamore Shoals unfolds this July 12-28, four residents from Unicoi County will play leading roles in the outdoor drama Liberty!

Liberty! tells the story of The Watauga Association which was formed in 1772, and was later described by President Roosevelt as "the first free and independent government on the continent established by white men of American birth."

The drama includes a re-enactment of the attack on Fort Watauga by the Cherokee Indians who were encouraged by the British in one of the first battles of the Revolutionary War west of the mountains. There is also a stylized re-enactment of the legendary "Battle of King's Mountain".

Joe and Buffy Greene will play the roles of Mr. & Mrs. John Carter, their son Joseph Greene will play the very young Landon Carter, and Alyssa Kennedy will play the role of the legendary Bonny Kate, Tennessee's future first "first lady".

Joe Greene has been involved with the show for five years and his wife Buffy Greene has been participating for three years. Alyssa Kennedy has performed with the outdoor drama for nearly 10 years.

According to Joe Greene, it all began when they became part of a performance group at their home church, Unicoi United Methodist.

"That's how we became involved with Jim and Kim Kennedy, Alyssa and her sister Lauren," Joe said. "We just all became real good friends and the Kennedys invited us over to see Liberty! the outdoor drama they were involved in."

"Also, John Ruetz, the director of Liberty! came over to our church just to kind of help us out, give a little directing advice. He was such a great guy, we got to know him and he just came up and said, ‘Hey, why don't you come over and do this thing we do in Elizabethton.’" Joe said.

Joe participated in the show the first year. "I came over the first year and played the role of the "town drunk". It was a lot of fun. I got to know a lot of the people and I got to cut up and just be silly. It made it easy to get to know the people," he said.

The next year Joe played the part of Landon Carter, son of John Carter. "Each year I just kept moving up," Joe said. "Last year John [Ruetz ] asked Buffy and me if we would do the two leading roles of John and Elizabeth Carter."

The Greenes say the show completely changed last year. It went from what people had seen for 5-10 years to being brand new. It was more of a dueling role with the characters "John and Elizabeth". They sort of played off that and Buffy (Elizabeth Carter) was able to show the important role the women played in history, while Joe (John Carter) portrayed the importance of the men's role. They added a little comedy where they bicker back and forth, they made it more realistic, showing the more human side of the characters they play.

Buffy says that last year was a little more nerve wracking because it was their first time in leading roles, but they say they are really looking forward to the actual performance this year.

Alyssa Kennedy, who is also from Unicoi County, plays the legendary "Bonnie Kate" Catherine Sherrill, who would later become Tennessee's very first "First Lady". In one scene, she runs screaming from the woods, fleeing from the attacking Indians and is lifted to safety over the wall of the fort by a young lieutenant named John Sevier. Later the young lieutenant and Bonny Kate will marry and he will go on to become Tennessee's first governor.

Alyssa, who is now 16, has been connected to the Sycamore Shoals Outdoor Drama for nearly 10 years. Her family moved to Unicoi County when she was 6 years old and her father Jim Kennedy was involved with Liberty! for six years before his death in 2004. He played various parts in the drama from John Carter, John Sevier, and an Indian Chief, to the town drunk. He also did a lot of the special effects for the play. Alyssa's mother Kim Kennedy played the role of Mrs. Carter for several years.

"The first part that John [Ruetz] gave me in the play was a part where I run and scream," Alyssa said, laughing. "I must have been good at it because that's what I'm still doing as the character Bonny Kate."

Alyssa is a student at Unicoi County High School. She is a cheerleader, involved in the German Club, Pep Club, and is treasurer for the Theater Arts Club. She hopes to attend ETSU or Milligan College after graduation. She plans to study nursing.

Liberty! will be presented Thursdays-Saturdays, July 12-28, in the Fort Watauga Amphitheater at Sycamore Shoals State Historic Area in Elizabethton. Gates will open at 6:30. Special pre-show entertainment featuring performers from throughout the region begins each evening at 6:45.

Tickets are $10 for adults; $9 for senior citizens; $8 for students; and children under 5 will be admitted free. For more information, call the park at 423-543-5808.