After a three-year absence, TEXAS, the outdoor musical drama produced from 1966 through 2002, is returning to its magnificent stage in Palo Duro Canyon State Park. This classic story of the settling the Texas Panhandle is back thanks to popular demand, with preview performances on June 2, 3, 6, 7 and 8 and the season debut on June 9.

"We are very excited to have this icon of the Texas Panhandle return. I can't think of a better way to spend a cool, star-filled evening in Palo Duro Canyon than watching this production, which is an official play of the State of Texas," Jerry Holt, Vice President of the Amarillo Convention & Visitor Council, says.

"It became very obvious that our customers were clamoring for the return of TEXAS. This timeless story about the determination of the people who settled in the Texas Panhandle still delivers a lot of entertainment punch. Now, we get to introduce a new generation to this saga," Joe Groves, Executive Director of TEXAS, says.

And the play returns to the Pioneer Amphitheatre in Palo Duro Canyon State Park, one of the most magnificent settings ever created for the theater. The play sprawls across a 600 foot cliff behind the stage, adding some very special effects that enhance the play's entertainment value. More than 3 million visitors enjoyed TEXAS in its previous 37-year run, when the outdoor musical drama was regularly listed as one of the top 100 events by the American Bus Association.

All the favorite characters will be back: cattle rancher Uncle Henry and his wife Aunt Anna; star-crossed sodbuster Calvin Armstrong; Henry and Anna's beautiful niece Elsie McLean; drifting gold prospector and crowd favorite Tucker Yelldell; sassy and bold former entertainer Kate Lucas; straight-shooting and hard-working ranch foreman Dave Newberry and prissy Panhandle girl Parmalee Flynn. They will be joined by a cast of singers and dancers and a band of top-notch musicians.

Former TEXAS cast member and longtime TEXAS enthusiast David Yirak, drama teacher at Canyon H.S., will be artistic director of the classic show.

This season of TEXAS, the 41st  season of musical drama in Palo Duro Canyon State Park, will run from June 2 through August 19. TEXAS will be performed Tuesday through Saturday nights. Reservations can be made by phone (806- 655-2181), on-line (www.heritageent.com) or through the mail (1514 5th Ave., Canyon, TX, 79015).

Ticket prices will range from $7-25, depending on the seat location and age of the visitor. Tickets during preview week (June 2, 3, 6, 7, and 8) will be discounted 25%. A barbecue dinner is available nightly from 6-8 p.m. for $8.50 per person ($7 for children 11 and under).  A special family pack, including dinner and the show for a family of four, will be offered for $99 and for a family of six at $139.

TEXAS is produced by the Texas Panhandle Heritage Foundation, which owns all rights to the outdoor musical drama TEXAS. From 2003-5, TPHF produced a parallel show, Texas Legacies.