MANTEO, N.C. — An Outer Banks play has returned for its 86th season. "The Lost Colony" is back at the Waterside Theatre at the Fort Raleigh historic site in Manteo.

In 2021 director Jeff Whiting and his team reimagined a version of the historical drama about the first English settlers — with new music and special effects — and included Indigenous performers for the first time.

This year they’ve continued to enhance the show with new elements.

“We tried to figure out what words, what sentences would fit the story about how these characters felt, such as Wanchese and many in the Native American ensemble. And we tried to find certain parts of our languages, the Algonquin, and Iroquois languages, that would fit this time period,” said Ethan Oxendine, a cast member and member of the Lumbee and Tuscarora tribes.

He says performing at Waterside Theatre, where his Native American ancestors lived, makes the show even more special.

“Even as a Native American person, this knowing that my ancestors were here and I stood on this land, that is what makes it so meaningful to me” Oxendine said.

But more authentic storytelling isn’t the only thing that continues to evolve. 

Seven-year veteran Joey Casella says the show looks and sounds better than ever. 

“The lighting creates a rich and beautiful environment for the actors to play in. And the sound just rocks the whole theater. … I have such a love for this, this place and a knowledge from my years of being here and getting to not only experience the newness, but also being able to bring back some things that I know and love,” Casella said.

The cast and crew say it’s the mystery and opportunity to relive history in the place it happened that brings back audiences year after year.

The play runs six nights a week through Aug. 26. You can catch a special Native-American pre-show at 8 p.m. Tuesday, Friday and Saturday. 

For more information and tickets, visit lostcolony.org.