VIDEO: Winona Preserves History Through Plays About Town Residents

WINONA, Miss. (WCBI)- There are various ways our local history can be preserved.

Museums are one way we’re used to, but in Winona community leaders are taking to another angle- play writing.

This is something new for the Mississippi, as this local theatre seems to be the only one within the state lines that’s taking on this concept.

They research the lives of people who lived in the area and take their stories to the stage.

Finding that song in any music store or website is impossible.

Why?

Because it’s an original, written for the Hillfire Folk Life Play in Winona.

“It’s locally written. It’s written about local people, and the songs are all original,” says Executive Director Paula Mccaulla.

Since 2003, taking local stories and turning them to playwrights is what the Montgomery County Arts Council has been doing.

Directors see the importance of telling local stories to younger generations.

“It preserves our history. That’s the main thing that it does. We have to learn from our ancestors, and if we don’t learn from them we’re going to make the same mistakes they made,” says Director Elizabeth Eldridge.

“We’ve done plays from nearly every era since Montgomery County came into existence, but I think preserving the history and teaching the younger people on the importance of the stories of our lives,” says Mccaulla.

This year’s play revolves around the childhood of a local resident.

“This year the name of the play is ‘Knee-Deep.’ It’s based on the stories and memories of Arnold Dyre,” says Eldridge.

What makes this play particularly special is that Dyre himself was involved with these very productions.

Unfortunately, Dyre would not be able to see the play come to completion.

“He had a massive heart attack while driving from Oxford to Madison,” says Mccaulla.

“Arnold died the second week of June, and I never got to tell him that I planned on using his stories for the show,” says Eldridge.

With this play, performers and directors hope to honor the man who they performed beside.

“I’m hoping it’s a wonderful tribute to him. I’m hoping that’s how people are seeing him. I think it is,” says Mccaulla.

The Fall productions of ‘Knee Deep’ are finished, but if you’d like to catch it Hillfire will be performing the same play next year in the Spring.