A man who devoted his life to dance and the arts in the Texas Panhandle has died, reports Amarillo.com.Neil Hess joined the outdoor musical drama Texas in its inaugural year, serving as choreographer. He later worked his way up to directing the beloved musical, running the show from 1985 until 2001.
His friend and colleague Robert Hansen credits Hess with making Texas the best attended outdoor musical drama in the US. “He’s a giant in the arts in Amarillo,” Hansen said. Hess also founded the Lone Star Ballet in 1976. The ballet announced on Friday the establishment of the Neil Hess Memorial Scholarship Fund.
Hess and his wife Camille retired to South Carolina 10 years ago. He continued to write music and paint into his final years. Hess was 85.