Trumpet in the Land hopes for successful 2020 season
A scene from “Trumpet in the Land.” The show has thrilled audiences for 50 years, and organizers hope the show will go on this summer as scheduled.
While we’ve all been sitting at home missing some of our favorite activities and people, “Trumpet in the Land” organizers are still hoping the show goes on as normal this summer following an extremely difficult year in 2019.
“We suffered 12 rainouts when we usually only experience four,” general manager Margaret Bonamico said. “However, the 50th anniversary production was remarkable. It was amazing to see alumni from as many as 30 years ago come back and perform their roles with the same precision as if they had done it yesterday. It was a great anniversary full of good friends, good performances and good times.”
“Trumpet in the Land” tells the story of Moravian missionary David Zeisberger and his Christian Indian followers as they struggled to preserve their peaceful settlement of Schoenbrunn amid the growing violence of the Revolutionary War.
Bonamico credits the dedication and hard work of many loyal individuals, organizations and businesses to allow the outdoor drama to remain a fixture in the community for 50 years. It’s going to take more of the same for the show to continue.
“Everyone knows how hard it is to keep a nonprofit afloat, especially in these difficult times, but when necessary, we tighten our belts and try to make it work,” Bonamico said.
Trumpet’s existence keeps area history alive, adds to the economic development of the county and the state through tourism, and provides employment for more than 50 artists each summer.
The show partners with the Tuscarawas County Convention and Visitors Bureau to bring bus tours to the area and cooperates with other tour operators.
“We track our audience on a nightly basis. Last year our audience came from 74 Ohio counties, 42 of the 50 states and 13 foreign countries,” Bonamico said.
Besides Trumpet’s incredible story, the attraction is unique.
“I think what makes the amphitheater different from any other theater in the area is that nature is our backdrop, that we are able to use the great outdoors as our scenery and the sunset and star-filled nights as part of our special effects,” Bonamico said.
Look forward to those beautiful evenings beginning on the scheduled opening night on June 19, a date Bonamico is hoping not to have to change. The show is scheduled to run through Aug. 15.
For those who can’t wait to get out of the house again to do something fun, Trumpet also has scheduled some special shows including Disney’s “Beauty & The Beast” on July 11, 17, 25 and 31 and Aug. 8; “Breaking Up Is Hard to Do” on July 30 and Aug. 6; and “The Marvelous Wonderettes” on Aug. 21 and 22. More information on these shows can be found on the website at www.trumpetintheland.com.
The show’s off-season is spent attending various auditions. “This year, to find talent for our summer season, we traveled to Kentucky, North Carolina and Southern Ohio, in addition to spending a multitude of hours viewing hundreds of video auditions sent from all over the country,” Bonamico said.
Other off-season tasks include organizing an annual fund campaign and sponsoring a variety of fundraisers to supplement the box office income. After all the rainouts last year, it is a bad time to have fundraising events in doubt.
“Unfortunately we have already had to cancel one of our fundraisers due to the pandemic, and there is a large possibility that we will have to cancel two others,” Bonamico said. “This could be detrimental to our summer season, but we can only hope and pray, not only for Trumpet, but for every other business that is suffering the same hardships.”
There are many ways to help ensure the 51st season of Trumpet is a successful one. Any contributions would be most appreciated. People can send contributions to Trumpet in the Land, P.O. Box 450, New Philadelphia, OH 44663.
Businesses, organizations or even individuals also can sponsor a night at Trumpet in the Land for $1,000. This will entitle them to 100 tickets for their employees and/or customers. For more information and sponsorship benefit details, call 330-364-5111.
Volunteers are needed to help with a variety of jobs including carpenters, electricians, landscapers, grounds maintenance and custodial workers, ushers, parking attendants, and concession workers. Volunteers also are needed to help fundraise, especially this year.
Trumpet also will accept donations of materials and/or labor for a variety of projects including repair of the light towers.
“We are fortunate to have received a grant from The Rosenberry Foundation to partially fund this project, but we will need additional funding to complete it,” Bonamico said.
Other projects for volunteers include power wash and paint the dressing rooms and costume shop; help with structural repair to the mountain and turntable staging areas; repair and replace costumes; replace the entrance door on the scene shop; and provide lumber, hardware, tools, paint, sewing machines, notions, laundry detergent, horse supplies, and supplies for the restrooms and concession stand.
Bonamico has been working from home throughout the crisis to continue preparations for the upcoming season while keeping the community in her thoughts.
“As we struggle to get through this very difficult time, I am reminded of the terrible hardships that David Zeisberger and his followers suffered when settling this territory,” she said. “I pray that we all can come through this unprecedented situation with the same faith, dignity and courage as these brave people.”