By Chastain Spiller
The 2024 Fort Griffin Fandangle takes place in Albany, Texas, June 21-22 and June 28-29. Learn more and purchase your tickets here.
The buzz in the clear Texas night air is not just a cicada song, but an excitement felt by everyone in the open amphitheater. A herd of Texas Longhorns bursts through the brush and rolls down the hill onto the open flat that makes up the stage of Prairie Theater, as cowboys whoop and holler from their horses behind them. The voices of two lifelong residents of Shackleford County narrate, pausing as the lead actor begins a song of cowboy prayer set to music from a working steam calliope.
This classic scene just scratches the surface of the story unfolding known as the Fort Griffin Fandangle, which paints a clear picture of the heritage this musical epic commemorates. It is a glimpse into history and one that the community takes great pride in preserving.
For 86 years the town of Albany, Texas has hosted, directed and performed the oldest outdoor musical in Texas. During the last two weekends of June, the town comes to life as the entire population pitches in to help with the parade and musical, bringing thousands of visitors from all over the world every year.
The word musical is hardly worthy of describing the legendary production put on by the citizen actors of Shackleford County, though. With a cast of over 300 people, young, old and in between, all with ties to Shackleford County, the Fandangle tells the history of the region “from the heads of the old timers.” A cattleman and his wife recall the history of the area around the Clear Fork of the Brazos and Fort Griffin as the cast acts out their memories on the stage. Choreographed singing and dancing give life to the characters on the one-acre outdoor amphitheater filled with vibrant sets and costumes.
While the Fandangle shares the history of the region, the history of the Fandangle itself is evidence of the commitment this community has for history and each other. It all began as a high school senior play entitled “Dr. Shackleford’s Paradise,” written and directed by Albany playwright and English teacher Robert Nail Jr. with the help of local music teacher Alice Reynolds.
As it grew in popularity, the play expanded to include community volunteers and moved to the football field, but it didn’t stop there. Cliff Teinert, who spent 50 years performing in the Fandangle–and 40 as the lead male singer—served mightily in transitioning the Fandangle from the original founders to the present-day production it has become. Teinert worked in Albany as a young man and became dear friends with several early founders of the Fandangle including James Ball, who wrote many of the classic songs still used in the show today, and Watt Matthews, who leased out the land to build the Prairie Theater and spent years providing teams of horses and mules to the show. Together, and with the town’s help, they built the impressive amphitheater that houses the Fandangle today.
“Without my participation in the Fandangle I wouldn’t be where I am today because I got to meet up with Watt Matthews,” says Teinert. “He was like my second dad and we had lots of fun times together.” After Matthews passing in 1997, Teinert took up the role of providing teams for the musical, along with several wagons, all of which he continues to provide and drive today.
Though the musical today still closely resembles the original play, the storyline changes a bit every year. Artistic Director Lorna Ayers has taken to digging deeper into the rich history of the surrounding area to add to the storyline of the show, wanting to ensure that people know and remember their past. Ayers, who has performed in the Fandangle for over 30 years–even singing with Teinert several times–took over as director in 2017 with passion and drive to make the show even greater. She tells the story of Fort Griffin itself, built in 1867 as a military installation after the Civil War, and the town that grew around it.
The likes of Doc Holliday and Wyatt Earp even grace the stage some years, just as when they met in the town all those years ago. This story is not all shootouts and saloons, though. It also tells the story of the local Matthews and Reynolds families that still run cattle operations in Texas, battles with Native American tribes, and hardships that the locals’ ancestors went through in their pursuit of a new life. Nothing brings a community together quite like honoring shared heritage.
“There is a wealth of talent in this town.” says Ayers “Everybody has a place in the Fandangle, that’s what’s cool too.”
Deeper than their dedication to the production is the idea of passing their history on to their children and the generations to come after.
“We are just proud, tough people, and we are super proud of our heritage and we get to go out there and showcase it,” Ayers says.
The Fandangle honors the sacrifices made by early settlers in search of a better life on the wild plains. Lives were lost, towns were built and abandoned, and ranches flourished only to become nothing more than names in history books when droughts, rustlers, or the changes of the modern world forced them to leave their way of life behind. Yet traditions like this keep their memory alive.
Though the days of stagecoach chases, Wild West lawmen, and the great open ranges of the prairie may be long over, the bold spirit of Texas and the brave people who made it their home lives in the hearts of all Texans. Undoubtedly so in those of the Fandanglers of Shackelford County. ★
This article appears in the Winter 2023 issue of the Ranch Record. Would you like to read more stories about NRHC and ranching life? When you become a member of the Ranching Heritage Association, you’ll receive the award-winning Ranch Record magazine and more while supporting the legacy and preservation of our ranching heritage. Become a member today.