| Joplin is one of the host cities for the 2009 Missouri Humanities council Chautauqua to be held June 17-20, 2009. Chautauqua offers performances by well-researched scholars that portray historical figures.
"It is uniquely powerful because it combines the 'suspension of disbelief' of theatrical experience with interaction between the audience and the performer," says Cameo Gerdes, Joplin Convention & Visitor's Bureau representative. "A skilled Chautauqua performer takes you out of the present and into a previous era – they allow the audience to actually engage in discussion with a person from the past."
This year’s theme for Chautauqua is “That’s Entertainment” and will include performances by scholars portraying P.T. Barnum, Thomas Edison, Walt Disney and Margaret Mitchell. All performances are free to attend and will be proceeded by additional entertainment.
The evening performances are:
- Wednesday, June 17 at 7:45 p.m. – Jeffery Smith as P.T. Barnum. Smith's performance will be preceded at 7 p.m. by a special musical presentation. Webster Auditorium, Missouri Southern State University.
- Thursday, June 18 at at 7 p.m. - Paxton Williams as George Washington Carver and 7:45 p.m. – Hank Fincken as Thomas Edison. Memorial Hall, 212 W. 8th St. (Parking between Wall and Joplin)
- Friday, June 19 at 7:45 – William Worley as Walt Disney. Worley's performance will be preceded at 7 p.m. by cartoonist Amber Stone. Memorial Hall.
- Saturday, June at 4 p.m. – Debra Conner as Margaret Mitchell. Following Conner's performance will be a special movie presentation at 5 p.m. Central Christian Center, entrance on Main St. between 4-5th Streets.
Daytime performances will take place from Tuesday, June 16 until Saturday, June 20 at various local museum locations and the Joplin Public Library. Fincken's performance of "Edison: The Past at Present" will take place at noon in Spiva Park for the Lunch Bunch crowd. For a complete schedule go here.
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