''Cross and Sword'' was a 1965

play Play most commonly refers to: * Play (activity), an activity done for enjoyment * Play (theatre), a work of drama Play may refer also to: Computers and technology * Google Play, a digital content service * Play Framework, a Java framework * P ...

by American playwright Paul Green created to honor the 400th anniversary of the settlement of St. Augustine. It was

Florida Florida is a state located in the Southeastern region of the United States. Florida is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the northwest by Alabama, to the north by Georgia, to the east by the Bahamas and Atlantic Ocean, and to ...

's official state play, having received the designation by the

Florida Senate The Florida Senate is the upper house of the Florida Legislature, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Florida, the Florida House of Representatives being the lower house. Article III, Section 1 of the Constitution of Florida, adopted in ...

in 1973.Florida State Symbols - The State Play: Cross and Sword
It was performed for ten weeks every summer in St. Augustine for more than 30 years, closing in 1996.

Beginning

The Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Paul Green created a play in 1937 about

Walter Raleigh Sir Walter Raleigh (; – 29 October 1618) was an English statesman, soldier, writer and explorer. One of the most notable figures of the Elizabethan era, he played a leading part in English colonisation of North America, suppressed rebelli ...

's Roanoke Colony entitled ''

Lost Colony The establishment of the Roanoke Colony ( ) was an attempt by Sir Walter Raleigh to found the first permanent English settlement in North America. The English, led by Sir Humphrey Gilbert, had briefly claimed St. John's, Newfoundland, in ...

''. It was written as a "symphonic drama" blending music, dance,

pantomime Pantomime (; informally panto) is a type of musical comedy stage production designed for family entertainment. It was developed in England and is performed throughout the United Kingdom, Ireland and (to a lesser extent) in other English-speaking ...

, and poetic dialogue into a larger-than-life historical play. In 1965 Green was commissioned to write a play commemorating the 400th anniversary of the founding of St. Augustine. St. Augustine Amphitheatre - Venue - Specs
The play was to be performed at the newly constructed, 2,000 seat St. Augustine Amphitheatre. The result was ''Cross and Sword: A Symphonic Drama of the Spanish Settlement of Florida''.Paul Green Bibliography
/ref> The play is a musical reenactment depicting Florida's early history at St. Augustine, especially its colonization by Spaniard Pedro Menéndez de Avilés and his settlers' bloody conflicts with French

Huguenot The Huguenots ( , also , ) were a religious group of French Protestants who held to the Reformed, or Calvinist, tradition of Protestantism. The term, which may be derived from the name of a Swiss political leader, the Genevan burgomaster Be ...

s at

Fort Caroline Fort Caroline was an attempted French colonial settlement in Florida, located on the banks of the St. Johns River in present-day Duval County. It was established under the leadership of René Goulaine de Laudonnière on 22 June, 1564, follow ...

in present-day

Jacksonville Jacksonville is a city located on the Atlantic coast of northeast Florida, the most populous city proper in the state and is the List of United States cities by area, largest city by area in the contiguous United States as of 2020. It is the co ...

End

Production for ''Cross and Sword'', with its large cast and elaborate costumes and props, was expensive.Florida's Lost Tourist Attractions: Cross and Sword
/ref> For many years, costs were partially subsidized by the state. However, changes to state rules led to a decrease in funding. Faced with a decreased budget and an aging theater in need of renovation, ''Cross and Sword'' lobbied for $27,000 from the state Division of Cultural Affairs in 1997, but the proposal was rejected. After the 1996 season, the production closed. In 2002, St. Johns County acquired and renovated the amphitheater, turning it into a concert venue.

References

{{Reflist 1965 plays Plays by Paul Green Florida culture Plays set in Florida Colonial United States (Spanish) Plays set in the 16th century Plays based on actual events Cultural depictions of Walter Raleigh St. Augustine, Florida