The winter of 1880-1881 in Dakota Territory, the main setting for Laura Ingalls Wilder’s sixth Little House novel, is now notorious for its length and severity. In De Smet, a blizzard fell hard and early in October. By late December, snow had accumulated to such great heights trains were unable to deliver food and fuel. April brought more blizzards; ice gorges, snowmelt, and rain flooded the Missouri and tributaries, to great devastation.
New to the area, Pa Ingalls heeded harsh winter warnings issued by more local residents and in October moved the family from their isolated claim shanty into downtown De Smet. But bereft of rail-transported supplies, the Ingalls and townspeople burned twisted hay for heat and faced starvation.
Jennifer Rudebusch, who co-directs this year’s pageant performance with her husband Adam, says the context of the play is particularly apt. “We’ve used the Laura Ingalls Wilder Memorial Society archives to research and ground our play in the historical events of 1880, a terribly hard winter that stopped the trains and kept the pioneers of De Smet stuck in their houses for weeks at a time—a particularly apropos show for this year.”
This is Adam’s first year with the pageant, but Jennifer joined as an eight-year-old actor and also directed the pageant for 10 years. As COVID concerns grew, they explored options, including a drive-in performance. “We’ve had to completely change the format and get creative,” says Jennifer. “In Laura’s pioneering spirit, we’ve persevered. Out of concern for the health and safety of our performers and audience, the decision was made not to have a live performance.”
“It’s working out perfectly, given the circumstances,” says Adam. “We have a significantly smaller cast, and we’re able to hold our rehearsals over Zoom. When we do have to get together in-person for our dress rehearsals and the actual performance, we’ll be able to space-out actors and their mics onstage, limiting the number of people on the stage to the specific scene being performed.”
Jennifer says that in figuring out the radio play format, she discovered that the first pageant, held 49 years ago, was based on a radio adaptation of The Long Winter. De Smet historian Marian Cramer is advising the production, sharing interviews she conducted with De Smet residents who knew the Ingalls and also experienced that winter’s cold and deprivation.
Despite the setting, the program brings hope and levity. “Audiences can expect a fun show that feels a bit old-timey, with a bit of the flavor of A Prairie Home Companion,” says Jennifer. “We have a foley artist for sound effects, a wonderful band to play between scenes, and a talented troupe of actors. COVID has really thrown everybody for a loop this year, and although it has presented us with some challenges this year, we’re excited for this opportunity to work with SDPB to keep Laura Ingalls Wilder and the town of De Smet in people’s hearts and minds during this summer.”
The Laura Ingalls Wilder Pageant 2020: The Long Winter
Live video stream on SDPB.org: Saturday, July 11, 7pm (6 MT)
Rebroadcast on SDPB Radio: Friday, July 17, Noon (11am MT) & Saturday, July 18, 7pm (6 MT)