Amphitheater Design Concept

The Amphitheater design will incoporate elements from Washington Irving's famous home in the Hudson Valley, Sunnyside.  Our design replicates the front elevation of the beautiful Sunnyside mansion including its vast, wrap around veranda (porch) which will serve as the amphitheater stage.

To further authenticate the project, we propose a life size statue of Washington Irving, sitting in his easy chair on the porch amphitheater stage.  The following is an excerpt from the book VISIONS OF WASHINGTON IRVING: "The veranda was often the scene of family gatherings, and Irving himself liked to pull his favorite chair outside to sit and enjoy the view of the Tappan Zee," the river which flowed in front of Sunnyside.  In our case he will be looking out over the Arkansas River.

It is our belief that this innovative design will serve the Bixby community by establishing the park as a tourist attraction where people can see and be photographed with America's first great writer, Washington Irving, sitting in his chair on the veranda of his historic home.

Other ideas include:

• Washington Irving's history and literary works could be exhibited on panels located on the veranda.

• Life size statues of his two most famous characters, Rip Van Winkle with his walking stick, and the Headless Horseman on the back of his running horse, could be placed among the trees along the side of the stage.