and throughout the years played every female role — with the exception of one. Robert Midgette (fight director of The Lost Colony) has been with the show 40+ years. Actor Andy Griffith, who performed at the production's Waterside Theatre on Roanoke Island from 1947 to 1953, liked Manteo so much he decided to live there permanently. North Carolina State Senator Marc Basnight was born in Manteo; he performed in the role of a colonist child in the play. Notable alumni and artistic staff The production is often referred to as a training and proving ground for young artists, and many use their summers as a launching pad for their professional careers with success on broadway, in film, television, theme parks, and beyond. In addition to Andy Griffith, other notable alumni who got their stage legs at Waterside Theatre include Leon Rippy, Chris Elliott, Eileen Fulton, Terrence Mann, Ira David Wood III and R. G. Armstrong. Ted Tally spent a summer in the production long before winning top Academy Award honors for his screenplay of Silence of the Lambs. His niece appeared in the 2008 production. 2012 Tony Award winner Steve Kazee (Once: The Musical) played the leading role of John Borden in the 1990s. Academy Award and Tony Award-nominee Lynn Redgrave played the supporting role of Queen Elizabeth I for seven performances during the show's 2006 season. There are current artistic team members who started or nurtured their careers with The Lost Colony. This includes Production designer William Ivey Long, winner of six Tony Awards for Best Costume Design. Lighting designer Joshua C. Allen began his career at The Lost Colony in 1991, and has since designed hundreds of productions, venues, and notable themed environments around the world, while receiving numerous awards from the Illuminating Engineering Society (IES). Costume shop fire On September 11, 2007 a resident of Nags Head, North Carolina reported a fire across the sound. All fire departments north of Oregon Inlet responded to find part of the Waterside Theatre in flames. The fire crews worked to control the blaze. In spite of their efforts, the maintenance shed, Costume Shop, and a small storage building were completely destroyed. No cause has been determined. Except for a few costumes stored at the dry cleaners and others on display at the North Carolina Museum of History in Raleigh, the production's costumes suffered a total loss. The destroyed costumes include