Oklahoma Chautauqua 2013: “Anything Goes, America in the 1920s” featuring giants of the “Roaring Twenties,” Babe Ruth, Zelda Fitzgerald, Will Rogers, Bessie Evans and Henry Ford is coming to Altus. Tent performances run May 28 through June 1 on the grounds of Western Oklahoma State College. Performances begin each evening at 7 p.m. with local entertainment and the Chautauqua Living History performances beginning at 7:30 p.m. Daily workshops will be held at the Altus Public Library at 10 a.m. and at 2 p.m. All programs are free and open to the public. Schedules of the workshops are available at the library.
Just what is Chautauqua? The modern Chautauqua movement began in 1976 as a type of “tent revival” for the humanities, to generate discussion about history. The idea of Chautauqua also answered the dilemma many humanities organizations faced: how to make it possible for scholars to interact with the public in an open and accessible forum.
Scholars for Chautauqua 2013 are scholar/actor Gene Worthington as Babe Ruth. Writer, Debra Conner as Zelda Fitzgerald. Oklahoma’s own, Dr. Doug Watson portraying Oklahoma Native Son, Will Rogers. Ilene Evans, theater performer as the first African American woman aviator Bessie Coleman. And last but certainly not least, Dr. Doug Mishler as Henry Ford.
Make sure to arrive early at the tent and enjoy the local entertainment featuring local musicians, vocalists, and poetry by former Oklahoma Poet Laureate, Eddie D. Wilcoxen, each evening under the tent at 7 p.m.
Chautauqua 2013 is presented by the Arts & Humanities Council of Tulsa in association with the Oklahoma Humanities Council. Local sponsors for this year’s Chautauqua include the Shortgrass Arts and Humanities Council, the Southern Prairie Library System, Western Oklahoma State College, and Main Street Altus. For more information about Oklahoma Chautauqua 2013, contact the Altus Library at 580-477-2890 or check out our web site at www.spls.lib.ok.us. Chautauqua 2013 can also be found on facebook.com Southern Prairie Library System. Complete schedules of all activities are also available at the library.
Post a Comment
