SAVING TSA-LA-GI: Movement is growing to restore dilapidated Cherokee Heritage Center amphitheater

Grant D. Crawford, Tahlequah Daily Press, Okla.
·4 min read

Jun. 18—A community petition has been circulating around the internet to "Save the Cherokee Heritage Center Amphitheater," also known as the Tsa-La-Gi Amphitheater, which once was an open-air venue for the arts.

The 1,800-seat amphitheater lies dormant, tucked away at the east end of the Cherokee Heritage Center and closed off to visitors, with vegetation growing through its tiered seating and the stage area largely covered in trees. But even in its condition, the old gallery is unlike anything else in the Tahlequah community, and Robert Priddy and others have signed a petition to voice concern for the hidden gem.

"The amphitheater has been part of the tribal community for a long time, and I think it needs to be restored just for cultural reasons and for our economy," Priddy said. "A lot of people have never heard about it, and I'd hate to see it go down to nothing or just be torn out. It still, from what I can tell, has a good, solid structure."

The theater — famed for being one of the few air-conditioned outdoor venues — was constructed in 1969. Since that time, area actors — often generations of family members — have portrayed the removal of the Cherokees there. The Trail of Tears drama, written by Kermit Hunter, took the stage each summer through 1997. It was also the site for a variety of acts and concerts.

When Cherokee Nation citizen Kathy Tibbits was in high school and college, the amphitheater was the place to be.

"When I was in college, I went to concerts there and I had friends who worked there," she said. "A lot of the people who went to Northeastern [State University] were extras in the Trail of Tears back in those days. It was chance for Indian kids to all hang out together while they rehearsed. It was the culture of Tahlequah. It was a pinnacle of local, artistic culture."

While in high school, Tibbits once ran the sound there for a production of "Snow White and the Seven Dwarves." Around 1997, Tony Award winner Joe Sears rewrote the Trail of Tears script and deleted the dance sequences. Then, in 2001, when the play was revived, Sears reincorporated the dance sequences and revised the story again. His version ran through 2003, and in 2002, the American Bus Association named the show one of its top 100 events in North America.

The drama was revised again by local playwright Layce Gardner in 2004, and the final version, written by Richard Fields, was produced in 2005. The final performance for the Trail of Tears drama took place in 2005, and poor attendance prompted the venue's closing. The amphitheater's lack of access for wheelchairs has also been cited as a reason for its closure, as that access is a requirement of the Americans With Disabilities Act.

Tibbits suggested a job program to spruce up the place could be the answer to fixing it, or gathering community organizations to co-op, trading labor for being able to use the space. She said it would be better than losing the theater, as she considers it an important part Tahlequah's history of performing arts.

"There's more arts development with the Cherokee Nation now than there ever was when I worked there. But it's a preservation of the beginning of modern Cherokee art culture. That's what it symbolizes to me," she said.

In September last year, the Cherokee Nation signed the Cherokee Heritage Center Act of 2020, which transferred all assets — including the iconic Cherokee Heritage Center — from the Cherokee National Historical Society organization to the tribe for ownership. At that time, a seven-member governing board was established, which includes appointments by all three branches of the CN government.

The committee then undertook a complete strategic plan last fall for the infrastructure, grounds and historical artifacts at the CHC, which includes an assessment of the amphitheater.

"We look forward to sharing the strategic plan in the near future," a Cherokee Nation spokeswoman told the Press.

As Thursday afternoon, the petition had garnered 986 signatures of the 1,000 is set out to gather. Many of the signees took time to give their reasons for signing.

"My husband and children are Cherokee, and this is very important to their heritage," wrote Kim Hammonds. "We feel this could be used for teaching the youth of the Cherokees."

Wenona Sam believes restoring the amphitheater would offer a great opportunity to teach future generations the facts and history of the Cherokee people.

"It will create jobs and bring in revenue to the tribe," Sam wrote. "It poses great opportunities for our local high schools to use for their own drama shows, plays and possibilities to host competitions of all types."

Some signees are ready to help with the effort.

"I'm a citizen of Cherokee Nation and originally from Oklahoma," wrote Joseph Cloud. "I'm coming to Tahlequah in August to pursue a degree in Cherokee Cultural Studies from Northeastern State University with a minor in drama. I have 20 years of arts administration in theater and artistic youth program design and logistics. I want to help."