ASHLAND — Nationally known Chautauqua scholars are coming to town for Ashland Chautauqua’s 26th year of free programming for the community. This year’s theme is Breaking Barriers, and the dates are July 15-19.
Chautauqua scholars are known for their evening performances at Brookside Park. They also offer free daytime workshops throughout the week—for youth (ages 6 and up) and for adults—offering insights into the lives and times of the characters.
The characters this year are Lucille Ball, TV comedian and studio owner; Frances Perkins, first woman to serve in a presidential cabinet; Wernher von Braun, aerospace engineer and space architect; Annie Sullivan, teacher and companion to Helen Keller; and Steve Jobs, technology inventor and co-founder of Apple. Inc.
There will be Coffee with the Scholars on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday mornings at 9 a.m. While not technically workshops, attendees have a chance to meet the scholars and the planning committee members for a free-ranging discussion of behind-the-scenes Chautauqua. These sessions are held in the Community Room of the Ashland Board of Realtors at 107 East Main Street.
All workshops and Coffee with the Scholars sessions are sensory-friendly and held in accessible locations with convenient parking.
All evening performances are at 8:00 p.m. in the Guy C. Myers Memorial Band Shell, which is also accessible with convenient parking. An opening musical act begins each evening at 7 p.m.
All events are free and open to the public.
Tuesday
First on the week’s schedule at 1 p.m. Tuesday, scholar Leslie Goddard will lead a youth workshop entitled “We Love Lucy!” acquainting the younger generation with the zany fun of Lucille Ball’s comedy, so timeless it is sure to please every generation. Grown-ups are welcome too. The workshop will be at the Freer Home, 1260 Center Street in Ashland. Lucille Ball is also the featured character at the Band Shell on Tuesday evening, definitely making Tuesday Lucille Ball Day in Ashland.
Also on Tuesday afternoon, at 3:00 p.m., scholar Deleasa Randall-Griffiths will lead an adult workshop entitled “Frances Perkins & the Roosevelts: From New York to Washington, DC” at Mill Run Place. Frances Perkins, first woman member of a President’s cabinet, will be the Wednesday evening performance at the Band Shell.
Wednesday
Wednesday’s workshop schedule starts with an adult workshop with fun quizzes entitled “Tell the Truth with Annie Sullivan” led by scholar Anne Pasquale, who will portray Annie Sullivan, teacher and companion to Helen Keller, on Friday evening. This 10 a.m. workshop is hosted by the Golden Center at the Loudonville Public Library. Note: Friday evening’s performance in Ashland will include American Sign Language interpretation, funded by the Ashland County Community Foundation.
At 1 p.m. on Wednesday, scholar Larry Bounds will lead an adult workshop entitled “Inspiring the Dream of Space Travel” to expand the context of Wernher von Braun’s pioneering work in rocket and space travel science. The workshop location is the Ashland County Council on Aging. Bounds will portray von Braun on Thursday evening.
On Wednesday at 2:30 p.m., Leslie Goddard will lead an adult workshop on “The Best Sitcoms of the 1950s,” a decade when TV was new to living rooms across America and sitcoms were very popular. Some audience members may remember them! The workshop location is the Ashland Public Library.
Thursday
Thursday, July 17, will feature three workshops in Ashland. At 1 p.m., scholar Deleasa Randall-Griffiths will engage youth in the audience at the Kroc Center in artistic work reminiscent of “The WPA Federal Art Project.” Scholar Anne Pasquale will lead a youth workshop, “Storytelling: From Stage to Page and Back Again,” at 2:30 p.m. at the Ashland Public Library. This will be an hour of fun with games and improv.
Scholar Jeremy Meier will conduct an adult workshop entitled “What’s Wrong with this Thing?” at 4 p.m. Thursday at the Ashland County Senior Citizens Center. He will focus on products that do not work quite right and could be improved by creative thinking and design. Meier will portray Steve Jobs on Saturday evening, closing out the week of Chautauqua activities.
Friday
Friday’s offerings complete the week of workshops. Scholar Jeremy Meier returns for a youth workshop entitled “New Heroes, New Bugs, New Toys!” This workshop is part of the YMCA Youth Camp and is held at the Guy C. Myers Memorial Band Shell at 10 a.m. (the rain site location is the YMCA). Children who are not enrolled in the Youth Camp are welcome and encouraged to attend.
The final workshop is also a youth workshop, held at the Ashland Public Library at 2:30 p.m. Scholar Larry Bounds will instruct participants in “How to Make a Rocket Fly.” Activities are designed with safety in mind, so parents can feel secure about allowing their children to join in this educational fun.
For more information about Ashland Chautauqua and the complete schedule of events, check out the website: ashlandchautauqua.org.
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