“Unto These Hills” Outdoor Drama

Celebrate the 74th Anniversary of “Unto These Hills.”

Don’t miss the renowned drama, Unto These Hills. Millions of people have loved the heart-wrenching action and soaring triumph of Unto These Hills since its debut on July 1, 1950. The outdoor drama tells the triumphant story of the formation of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians from first contact with Europeans through the years following the infamous Trail of Tears.

Despite this dark and tragic episode in the lives of the Cherokee, the story is beautifully sculpted with imagery and effective emotional symmetry, symbolizing the re-emergence of a people whose spiritual fortitude, social complexities, and human courage will never be broken.

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Unto These Hills

Unto These Hills

Unto These Hills

Unto These Hills

Bring a blanket and an appetite for heart-pounding drama.

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Ages: All Ages
Duration: 2 Hours
When: May 25 – August 17, 2024, Monday-Saturday
Location: Mountainside Theatre 688 Drama Rd, Cherokee, NC
Doors Open: 7:00PM
Pre-show: 7:30PM
Main Show: 8:00PM
Show Ends: Approximately 10:00PM

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Portrait of a man wearing traditional attire from "Unto These Hills" including a red patterned hat, framed by a diamond-shaped border with green background. He appears serene and dignified.

Plan Your Visit

Step into the enchanting ambiance of the Mountainside Theatre, where the captivating drama of “Unto These Hills” unfolds beneath the starlit sky each summer. Nestled amidst nature’s embrace, our 2,100-seat amphitheater offers a truly immersive experience, allowing you to breathe in the crisp mountain air as you become immersed in the timeless tale of the Cherokee people’s trials and triumphs.

VIP Ticket	Reserved Seating for Unto, Backstage Tour, Souvenir Bag (Popcorn/Bottled Water/Poncho)	$60
Reserved Seating – Adult	Ages 12+	$45
Reserved Seating – Child	Ages 6 – 11	$35
General Admission – Adult	No reserved seating • Ages 12+	$35
General Admission – Child	No reserved seating • Ages 6 – 11	$25
Pre-Show Dinner	All Ages	$20

Please Note: The performance contains flashing lights and loud noises, including gunshots. Mountainside Theatre is an amphitheater with stairs. Those with mobility issues may find it difficult to get to the front rows. We provide free golf cart assistance from the top of the theatre to row S and back. For additional accessibility questions, please call us at 828-497-2111.

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Experience Cherokee Attractions with our Discount Packages!

Combo Tickets Available: For the Oconaluftee Indian Village and “Unto These Hills” show.

Schedules:

Unto These Hills runs Monday – Saturday.
Doors Open: 7:00 PM
Pre-show: 7:30 PM
Main Show: 8:00 PM

The Oconaluftee Indian Village is open Tuesday – Saturday.
Park Hours: Tuesday – Saturday
9:30 AM – 4:30 PM

Learn More

For group sales, call 828-497-2111 x205, email [email protected] or complete the form on the Cherokee Historical Association’s Group Sales Webpage.

For questions about memberships, please contact our Communications & Development Director, Chelsey Moore, at [email protected]

May 25 – August 17, 2024, Monday-Saturday

Duration: 2 Hours
Doors Open: 7:00PM
Pre-show: 7:30PM
Main Show: 8:00PM
Show Ends: Approximately 10:00PM

Mountainside theatre
688 Drama Rd, Cherokee, NC 28719

Get Directions

If you are traveling from Knoxville, Tennessee (approx.2 hours): Take 1-40 east into North Carolina to exit 27 (US 74, the Great Smoky Mountains expressway). Continue west on US 74 beyond Waynesville, Sylva and Dillsboro to exit 74 which is the Cherokee exit. This will put you on Hwy.441. You will turn right at the third red light and left at the next light. Our box office will be on your right just before the next light. To get to our attractions, turn left onto Drama Road at the red light between our office and the Museum of the Cherokee Indian. Follow Drama Road all the way up. The road ends at our parking area.

If you are traveling from Atlanta, Georgia (approx. 3 hours): Take I-85 north to I-985. This road will change into US 23 and then US 23/Hwy. 441. After passing through the towns of Clayton, Georgia and Franklin North Carolina; you will arrive in Dillsboro where you will continue on Hwy 441 (left lane, up the hill) west towards Cherokee and the Great Smoky Mountains Expressway. From this road you will take exit 74, which again becomes Hwy. 441 and will lead you into Cherokee where you will turn right at the third red light and left at the next light. Our box office will be on your right, just before the next light. To get to our attractions, turn left onto Drama Road at the red light between our office and the Museum of the Cherokee Indian. Follow Drama Road all the way up. The road ends at our parking area.

If you are traveling from Asheville, North Carolina (approx. 1 hour): Take I-40 west to exit 27 (Great Smoky Mountains Expressway). Continue west passing by Waynesville, Sylva and Dillsboro. Take exit 74, which is Hwy 441 towards Cherokee. At the third red light take a right and at the next light take a left. Our box office will be on your right, just before the next light. To get to our attractions, turn left onto Drama Road at the red light between our office and the Museum of the Cherokee Indian. Follow Drama Road all the way up. The road ends at our parking area.

Cherokee Historical Association

CHEROKEE HISTORICAL ASSOCIATION

The Cherokee Historical is a non-profit organization founded in 1949 to preserve Cherokee history and culture. The Vision of the Cherokee Historical Association is to be recognized as a national treasure that tells our Cherokee story through many offerings which are authentic, educational, sustainable and enhances public awareness of human rights. This is accomplished through the operation of two cultural attractions. The Oconaluftee Indian Village living history site, and the renowned outdoor drama “Unto These Hills.”

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Two indigenous men in traditional attire, one younger looking to the side and one older with a feather headband, against a stylized geometric background inspired by "Unto These Hills.

Visit Cherokee

A culture, a people, and a place that’s actually a sovereign nation, Cherokee is located right in the heart of Western North Carolina. It’s also base camp for hiking in the Great Smokies, arts and crafts shopping, native elk herd viewing, hours of fishing fun, and home to a history that spans millennia. Ready? Let’s go.

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Unto These Hills