‘The Gentleman from the Cane’ Brings Davy Crockett’s Lawrence County Story Back to the Stage

As the nation celebrates its 250th anniversary, Lawrenceburg Community Theatre is bringing a piece of local history back to the stage with its 50th anniversary production of The Gentleman from the Cane.

The play will be presented July 6-7 and July 9-12 at the Crockett Theatre in downtown Lawrenceburg.

Written by Dolly Leighton in honor of the nation’s Bicentennial in 1976, the musical tells the story of Davy Crockett’s years in what would become Lawrence County. It follows Crockett’s early political career, his role as one of the county’s first commissioners, and the debate over the location of the Lawrence County seat.

According to the production’s organizers, all of the characters portrayed in the play are based on real people, and much of the language and many of the expressions come directly from Crockett’s autobiography.

The production was originally staged at David Crockett State Park in 1976, 1977, and 1978 before moving to the park amphitheater for later performances. It was later presented at the Crockett Theatre in 2006 and 2011, with an abbreviated performance marking Lawrence County’s bicentennial in 2017. This year’s production marks the first full staging of the play in 15 years.

Original cast member Ronnie Bonner returns for the 2026 production. Patrick Hughes stars as Davy Crockett, joining a list of past actors who have portrayed the frontiersman, including Paul Plant, Tim Pettus, Nathan Crawford, Ken Brewer, Kenneth Coultas, and Chad Franklin.

Lawrenceburg Community Theatre is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year and continues to produce a variety of performances while providing opportunities for local actors of all ages to participate in community theatre.

Tickets for The Gentleman from the Cane are available online at https://secure.ticketsage.net/websales.aspx?u=lawrenceburg.