About

What is Chautauqua?

From the late 19^th century to the first decades of the 20^th century, touring Chautauquas combined oratory and lectures about national events with literary readings and musical entertainment that entertained and informed people about political and cultural happenings.  For more information about Chautauqua, see the History of Chautauqua article in the Appendix.

What is the Kansas-Nebraska Chautauqua?

The Kansas-Nebraska Chautauqua is a partnership between the Kansas Humanities Council (KHC) and the Nebraska Humanities Council (NHC).  Two Kansas communities (Ottawa and Hesston) and two Nebraska communities (TBA November 2008) will host the Chautauqua.

National and State Support

This great event is made possible only with grants from the National Endowment for the Humanities and the state partners of the NEH in Kansas and Nebraska.

The Theme

The Chautauqua theme for the summer of 2010 is Bright Dreams, Hard Times: America in the Thirties. The Kansas-Nebraska Chautauqua offers opportunities for audiences to come together to deliberate on current issues through the historical lens of the Thirties. When the stock market crashed in 1929, America entered a decade of hard times. For many historians, the Thirties represent an era when Americans looked for ways to survive a national crisis, one characterized by extensive economic depression, devastating environmental disaster, and signs of worldwide political unrest. As part of the Chautauqua residency, five scholars will explore and discuss with your community about events from the 1930s and how those events affect Americans today.

The Chautauqua Troupe

Doug Watson presents Will Rogers, American humorist, radio and film star, and essayist who commented on American culture and politics.   A member of the Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma, Rogers was billed as the “Cherokee Kid” for stage performances and secured his stage career by performing in Ziegfield’s New York variety revue.  Writing for newspapers and magazines from 1925-1935, giving radio broadcasts, appearing in movies, and winning the admiration of American audiences, Rogers offered observations from a general, non-partisan point of view.  As moderator for each performance, Will Rogers will bring audiences into the Thirties using his authentic American voice.

Dr. Watson holds the Ph.D. from Texas Tech University and is a recently retired professor of English at Oklahoma Baptist University. A seasoned Chautauquan, Dr. Watson has performed over 300 programs across the nation as Will Rogers. He has also developed and presented over 40 “Let’s Talk About It” programs for Oklahoma and Kansas libraries.

Patrick E. McGinnis presents Franklin D. Roosevelt, the President of the United States from 1932-1945 and the leader of the New Deal to help Americans in their time of need.  In his first hundred days, FDR enacted what some viewed as frantic experimenting with a number of federal programs.  The result was a mix of new and innovative government programs that blended traditional works projects with untraditional projects for artists, writers, architects, musicians, and young people.

Dr. McGinnis holds the Ph.D. from Tulane University and for the last four years has held the rank of Emeritus Professor of History at the University of Central Oklahoma. He has published Oklahoma’s Depression Radicals: Ira M. Finley and the Veterans of Industry of America in 1991, in addition to several historical articles.

Fred Krebs presents Huey Long, the Senator from Louisiana who, unlike Roosevelt, used force and totalitarian tactics to attempt to bring aid to his constituents and Americans. As a young governor, Long cowed legislative opposition and implemented public works programs, putting Louisiana to work, all the while acting in more dictatorial ways.  In 1930, he was elected to the United States Senate. In his attempts to redistribute wealth in 1934, Long created the Share Our Wealth programs with the motto “Every Man a King.” Long’s popularity came from his powerful speeches, social reform programs, and forceful actions.

Krebs is a professor in the Social Sciences and Humanities Division at Johnson County Community College.  He received his M.A. in American History from the University of Missouri, Kansas City.  Krebs is a prolific public speaker and toured as William Allen White in the 2007 Famous Kansans Chautauqua and as Stephen Douglas in the Bleeding Kansas Chautauqua.  To date, he has done Chautauqua-style characters in eighteen states.

Tonia Compton portrays Aimee Semple McPherson, who provided relief to impoverished families in Los Angeles and who was a pioneer evangelist and pastor. The founder of publications titled “Bible Call” and “Foursquare Crusader,” McPherson established over 400 branch churches she called Lighthouses.  She was a popular preacher and an authority on religious issues, challenging the long-standing tradition of women remaining silent in church.

Compton is a history doctoral candidate at the University of Nebraska, Lincoln, and holds the M.A. from Texas A & M. Her scholarship has brought her the Huntington Library W.M. Keck Foundation Fellowship, 2006, the University of Nebraska, Department of History Stover Fellowship, 2004, and the Alpha Chi H.Y. Benedict Fellowship, 1999. Her research interest is nineteenth century women’s history.

Wanda Schell portrays Zora Neale Hurston, who worked for Federal Works Progress Administration projects collecting folklore.  She also authored works of fiction and non-fiction during the Thirties.   Hurston provided an authentic voice for African Americans through her folklore collection Men and Mules, the fictional Their Eyes Were Watching God, and her work for the Library of Congress and the Folk Arts Committee of the WPA.

Schell is an accomplished actress and writer who holds degrees in liberal arts and theatre from the Community College of Rhode Island, Rhode Island College, and has pursued graduate work at the Trinity Repertoire Conservatory.  She is also a published playwright, singer, storyteller, director, and founding of Drama is Life Productions, Inc., an educational theatre company committed to educating both children and adults about social issues and cultural topics through live theatre, video, and workshops.