The Medora Musical

Tonight we had the privilege of seeing the Medora Musical, which seems synonymous with visiting this national park. The Theodore Roosevelt Medora Foundation has put this on every summer since 1965. They also own many stores in town and hire workers from all over to come during the summers. 

Well, the kids really enjoyed their first big musical experience. 

Apparently people buy seats way in advance when they plan their vacations here. But we don't do "in advance" or plans so we got to sit a little ways back. But no one complained. (: When I went online yesterday to get tickets, we found out kids go free this Sunday, so we got a great deal only paying for Scott and me! Woo hoo! (But it was still over $75- small town, big prices.) 

We had beautiful views as the sun set. 

The Burning Hills Amphitheater has an incredible backdrop!

Part of the musical celebrates the national park service. 

They invite all the kids down to the stage to take an oath to protect and conserve, and then give them a free pin. 

An hour into the show there is an intermission, then they set up for the "variety act" which is rotated through the summer. 

We were here for the BMX freestyle variety show. The boys loved it. 

So back to Teddy Roosevelt... There were horses going up the ridge behind the stage and this part was especially dramatic tonight because there was a ton of lightning behind them the whole time they were climbing to the top of the hill. 

Finally hey had a remake of the Battle of San Juan Hill - where Roosevelt and the Rough Riders fought to help Cubans toward independence. 

Here's the boys with the BMX riders. 

And Ky with some of the singers and dancers. 

This is the amphitheater. The gentleman of older couple that sat next to us had been here many years ago and recalled benches and lots of stairs. Now there are individual seats and escalators. And they've added lots of stage lighting and larger sets. 

Pretty awesome that we got to go!