OH Grant-Funded Programs

Event Details

The 2024 Chautauqua explores the historical and cultural significance of five characters who reflect the “Anything Goes” essence of the 1920s. Historical portrails examine the lives of (1) Bessie Smith, a well-known blues singer who freely expressed her views through music; (2) Zane Grey, a best-selling novelist who shaped the way European colonization and settlement of the American West was idealized in the first two-thirds of the 20th century; (3) Zitkala-Ša, perhaps today a lesser known name, but as a writer, composer, educator, and political activist for Native American rights she is considered one of the most influential activists of the 20th century; (4) Al Capone, at once a gangster with an infamous career, but also a non-political public figure and astute businessman who captured and capitalized on the post WWI Prohibition Era to satisfy the seemingly insatiable thirst for bootleg spirits, wild living, and decadence, and (5) Mae West, an enduring name in the entertainment world who was an accomplished playwright, producer, and actress but also a complex woman who perfected her use of well-worded innuendos to overcome prejudice and censorship as she addressed social issues. 

Educational workshops take place daily at 10:30 a.m. and noon.

Evening performances take place at 7:30 p.m.