NORTH CAROLINA GENERAL ASSEMBLY

1979 SESSION

 

 

CHAPTER 962

SENATE BILL 915

 

 

AN ACT TO APPROPRIATE FUNDS TO PROMOTE PRODUCTION OF THE OUTDOOR DRAMA "FROM THIS DAY FORWARD".

 

Whereas, the Waldenses of Italy were persecuted during the Middle Ages because of their religious convictions which were in conflict with the established church; and

Whereas, the Waldenses fled into the small valleys of the rugged Cottian Alps between Italy and France to escape persecution; and

Whereas, Charles Albert, King of Sardinia, granted religious freedom to the Waldenses on February 17, 1848, thereby suspending persecution and restraint; and

Whereas, the Waldenses outgrew the small valleys which they inhabited and cultivated; and

Whereas, in 1893, a group of Waldenses purchased 15,000 acres of land in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina; and

Whereas, the Waldenses have been a significant part of our North Carolina history and its people; and

Whereas, the outdoor drama "From This Day Forward" which is produced by the Old Colony Players, tells the story of these settlers in Valdese, North Carolina, who sacrificed for principle and who struggled to overcome poverty; and

Whereas, the drama "From This Day Forward" is entering its tenth season, attracting tourists from other states and nations; and

Whereas, the producers of this drama need financial assistance from the State in order to continue production of same; Now, therefore,

 

The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:

 

Section 1.  There is hereby appropriated from the General Fund to Old Colony Players, producers of the outdoor drama "From This Day Forward", the sum of five thousand dollars ($5,000) for the fiscal year 1979-80 and five thousand dollars ($5,000) for the fiscal year 1980-81. In addition, the Governor and Council of State, in the event additional State aid is reasonably necessary for the production of said drama, are authorized and empowered to allot a sum not exceeding five thousand dollars ($5,000) a year from the Contingency and Emergency Fund to aid in the production of said drama, such allotment, however, to be made only upon evidence submitted to the Governor and Council of State by the producers of said outdoor drama that during the immediately preceding season of production, because of inclement weather or other circumstances of factors beyond the control of the producers, said outdoor drama was operated at a deficit.

Sec. 2.  This act shall become effective July 1, 1979.

In the General Assembly read three times and ratified, this the 8th day of June, 1979.