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"Cross-Ties" premiered in October, 1999, in the Red Oak Church at the panhandle Pioneer Settlement in Blountstown, Florida, as part of the Goat Day celebration. Because the little church could only seat a hundred people, eager audience members were literally hanging in the windows to catch a glimpse of their friends and neighbors performing in this unique celebration of their community. The play featured ten actors and three musicians who told stories and sang original songs based on the personal experiences of Calhoun County natives.
The goal from the beginning was to reach deep into the different geographic, economic, and racial areas of the county and to capture on tape the personal narratives of the older generation before they passed on. The tapes are archived at the County Library, where they are an important part of the historical legacy of the county.
A Community Committee (or "ComCom") was formed to advise and support the Cross-Ties Project. The ComCom is a broad-based informal group whose purpose is to keep the Project connected to, and serving all elements of the community. The ComCom also provides a pool of actors, interviewers, and interviewees to sustain the Project. From the ComCom, a workgroup has formed to carry the Cross-Ties Project to the next level, a self-sustaining, incorporated, non-profit theater that celebrates the community and provides economic stimulus through cultural tourism.
In the Spring of 2000, "Cross-Ties" went on a mini-tour, performing at two sites in Gulf County and on River Street, Blountstown's traditionally African-American community. The next spring saw the presentation of an all new script, "Movin' Toward the Light: Cross-Ties II." This production, also featuring original songs by Sam Morgan, was performed on the porch of the hundred year old Well's Cabin. There were twenty people in the cast - ranging in age from eight to eighty-six - and over five hundred people in the audience. In the Fall of 2001, the ComCom produced a version of the play, including a float in the Goat Day parade. Spring, 2002, will see the fourth production, "Cross-Ties III," featuring both new and old stories and songs. With over twenty cast members, the audience goal for this production is 1,000. This will mark the first time admission will be charged for the play, with the proceeds being split with the Pioneer Settlement.