TEXAS: The Musical Drama
Every summer since 1966, as the sun sets over Palo Duro Canyon, a cast of singers and dancers has performed 'TEXAS,' an outdoor musical drama about the settling of the Texas Panhandle. The Pioneer Amphitheatre sits carved into the canyon wall, its 1,742 seats facing a stage backed by 600-foot red cliffs that turn crimson in the evening light. The show features horses, wagons, fireworks, and a thunderstorm created with 20,000 gallons of recycled water - all set to a score that mixes Broadway ambition with West Texas sentiment. Over five million people have attended since the premiere, making it one of the longest-running outdoor musical dramas in America. The canyon itself is the second-largest in North America, carved over millions of years by the Prairie Dog Town Fork of the Red River. The Spanish called it 'palo duro' - hard wood - for the juniper trees that line its walls. Now it's where Texas celebrates itself, every night from June to August.
The Canyon
Palo Duro Canyon is 120 miles long, up to 20 miles wide, and 800 feet deep - the second-largest canyon in America after the Grand Canyon. The Prairie Dog Town Fork of the Red River carved it over millions of years, exposing 250 million years of geological history in layers of red, yellow, and orange rock. Comanche and Kiowa bands used the canyon as winter camps, protected from the brutal Panhandle winds. In 1874, the U.S. Army attacked a combined encampment in the canyon, capturing and destroying over 1,000 horses - effectively ending Native resistance on the southern plains. Rancher Charles Goodnight then established the JA Ranch in the canyon, beginning the era of cattle the musical celebrates.
The Show
'TEXAS' was written by Paul Green, a Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright from North Carolina who specialized in outdoor historical dramas. The show premiered on July 1, 1966, and has run every summer since, making it one of the most performed productions in American theatrical history. The story follows the Turner family and their neighbors through drought, windstorm, love, and conflict with ranchers - a sanitized but entertaining version of Panhandle history. The cast of 60 performs on a stage that covers three acres, using horses, wagons, and pyrotechnics. The finale features fireworks launched from the canyon rim while the entire cast waves Texas flags.
The Amphitheatre
The Pioneer Amphitheatre was built in 1965-66, its seats carved into the sloping canyon floor. The stage is backed by the canyon's red cliffs, which provide a natural proscenium arch. As the sun sets during the first act, the rocks shift from orange to red to purple - a light show no theatrical designer could match. The sound system has been upgraded repeatedly, but the acoustics remain challenging; canyon wind is unpredictable. The theatre seats 1,742, and performances frequently sell out. A pre-show barbecue dinner is available in the parking area. The experience is as much about the setting as the show - watching musical theatre against 250-million-year-old geology.
The Tradition
'TEXAS' has become a Panhandle institution - families who saw the show as children bring their grandchildren. The cast includes local talent and college students from across the country; performing in 'TEXAS' is a resume builder for young actors. The show has evolved over decades, updating music and costumes while keeping the core story. Critics occasionally note the old-fashioned sentimentality, but audiences don't seem to mind. Over five million people have attended since 1966. For many, it's a summer ritual as important as fireworks on the Fourth of July. The canyon, the sunset, the fireworks - it's Texas celebrating Texas, and that's exactly what the audience wants.
Visiting TEXAS
'TEXAS' performs Tuesday through Sunday from early June through mid-August at the Pioneer Amphitheatre in Palo Duro Canyon State Park. Admission to the show is charged; tickets should be purchased in advance. The park itself requires a separate entrance fee. Gates open at 6 PM; the show starts at 8:30 PM. Bring a jacket - canyon temperatures drop quickly after sunset. The optional barbecue dinner begins at 6:30 PM. Palo Duro Canyon State Park is 25 miles south of Amarillo via Highway 217. Amarillo International Airport (Rick Husband) has commercial service. The park offers camping, hiking, and horseback riding beyond the show. Allow time to explore the canyon before the performance.
From the Air
Located at 34.94°N, 101.66°W in Palo Duro Canyon, 25 miles south of Amarillo, Texas. From altitude, Palo Duro Canyon is dramatically visible - a massive gash in the otherwise flat High Plains, its red walls contrasting with the surrounding brown grassland. The amphitheatre is in the canyon's northern section. Amarillo sprawls to the north. The canyon extends for over 100 miles to the southeast. Rick Husband Amarillo International Airport is 30 miles north. The terrain is classic Texas Panhandle - flat until it suddenly isn't, with the canyon appearing almost without warning from ground level.