beachbites Under Stars and Scrub Oaks The Prodigal Hermit By HENRY LIVERMAN & SUSAN MILLER Photography by ALLISON POTTER In Carolina Beach, his gravestone reads, “He made people think.” Now, 42 years after his death, theater goers can buy a ticket to learn the philosophy taught in his School of Common Sense. The story of Robert Harrill, told in the stage show “The Hermit of Fort Fisher” by David Wright, will be per-formed in southeastern North Carolina for the first time in September, produced by Big Dawg Productions and directed by Steve Vernon. The play spawned from Wright’s fascination with the life of the man who sought to live as a recluse, yet report-edly became one of the Cape Eben French Mastin will portray Robert Harrill in Big Dawg Production’s “The Hermit of Fort Fisher” for three weekends in September. Fear region’s most popular attractions, welcoming more than 100,000 visitors from all 50 states and 20 different countries to the abandoned WWII Army bunker he called home for 17 years. Wright spent years poring over letters and correspondences between Harrill and his fans and family to pen the script. After attending a sold-out production of the show in Burlington, NC, Vernon says he was fascinated by the story and wanted to produce it for the Wilmington community of which the hermit was a member. “There’s a curiosity factor as to what kind of individual could remove himself from society and not just survive, but thrive,” Vernon says. “He had such pity on the rest of us for not doing what he could do. It’s an amazing mindset to get a glimpse inside of.” The first directorial challenge, Vernon CAMERON ART MUSEUM CAM Café 910.777.2363 16 WBM september 2014 says, was finding a performer flexible enough to portray Harrill through three decades, a task accomplished by actor Eben French Mastin. The second was transforming the 54-seat Cape Fear Playhouse into an accu-rate depiction of the hermit’s bunker, complete with sand and flora. “It’s going to look like you’re seeing something taking place outdoors,” Vernon says. “It’s a very intimate space. The audi-ence will be close enough to the set that they can see the grains of sand on the floor.” “The Hermit of Fort Fisher” will open at the Cape Fear Playhouse, 613 Castle Street, September 4-7. The run continues September 11-14, and September 18-21. Thursday, Friday and Saturday shows are at 8 p.m.; Sunday matinees are at 3 p.m. Wednesday Tapas 5 to 9pm Cheeseboard with Handcrafted Cheeses Stuffed Figs with Prosciutto Truffles and Sherry & More 3201 SOUTH SEVENTEENTH STREET | WILMINGTON, NC 28412
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