MOUNT VERNON - Most people in Knox County do not know the name Miranda Bricker.  Most people in Knox County do not know of the Maplehurst Mansion that once stood near the intersection of East Gambier and Division streets in Mount Vernon. But it was at the Maplehurst Mansion on Sunday April 23, 1905, that the body of Miranda Bricker was found, the victim of a murder that was never solved and remains unsolved to this day.

Being an investigative reporter, historian, playwright and someone with a great fascination in discovering the truth of a matter, Mark Sebastian Jordan will provide the Chautauqua audience the findings of his investigation at the Grand Hotel (12 Public Square in downtown Mount Vernon) on Thursday October 31 at 7 PM.

The Chautauqua Series brings donation based programs of living history and historical interest monthly by Elixir Presents with the support of the Grand Hotel and a grant from the Ariel Foundation that is managed by KPAC. For 13 years the series has provided students, families and all those interested in exploring history through entertaining presentations at a cost that all can afford. The series is also recognized by the Ohio Humanities Council as being the only year round Chautauqua Series in the United States and a local treasure for the community to learn from people who do extensive research to put together programs that a fact based and go well beyond the history books.

Opening the program at 7 PM will be Joshua Hlavaty, a singer and guitarist from the Ashland area. Then Mark Jordan will present his findings as only Mark Jordan can, in a well-structured, entertaining and fascinating manner at 7:40 PM, followed by a question and answer period immediately following his program.
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For more information about this program and upcoming presentations, please visit www.elixirpresents.com or call 740-392-3018. To receive a “Gentle Reminder” email on the Sunday before each program, contact Mike Petee at elixir_petee@hotmail.com.
 

MOUNT VERNON – Name the author, who has been outsold by only the Bible and Shakespeare. That author has written 66 detective novels and 14 short story collections that have sold over 2 billion copies worldwide and also owns the record for the longest running play in one theater, from 1952 to 2012. The answer is Agatha Christie.
This coming Thursday, October 17, Tammy Souhrada will bring Agatha Christie to the Chautauqua stage at The Grand Hotel. Tammy will bring Christie to life in first person living history. Tammy has portrayed a wide range of characters over the years and Agatha will be a special treat to those who enjoy mystery novels and fictional characters like Miss Marple and Hercule Poirot, TV or film adaptations like “Murder on the Orient Express” and “Death on the Nile” or just sitting back and enjoying a good old fashioned mystery novel.
 
Opening the program and making their first Chautauqua appearance will be the Chapeux, an a cappella quartet, comprised of Scott Johnson, Ted Starcher, Jim Stoner and Tadd Sponseller.
 
The Chautauqua’s are presented in the lower level at the Grand Hotel (12 Public Square in downtown Mount Vernon).The facility is accessible for those with special needs such as walkers, wheel chairs or strollers. Doors open at 6 PM and program begins at 7 PM.
 
The Chautauqua Series is organized and brought to you by Elixir Presents, the Grand Hotel and supported in part by a generous grant provided by the Ariel Foundation. These programs bring year round living history to our community and are presented on a donation basis. All donations go to the performers.
 
For more information about this and upcoming presentations, please visit www.elixirpresents.com, www.VisitKnoxOhio.org or call 740-392-3018. To receive a “Gentle Reminder” email on the Sunday before each program, contact Mike Petee at elixir_petee@hotmail.com.
 
For those wondering, the name of the longest running play that was mentioned in the first paragraph is “The Mousetrap” with over 25,000 performances in its first run from 1952-2012.

Chautauqua Welcomes Ida B. Wells
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MOUNT VERNON – “I think Ida B. Wells should be remembered as an African-American woman who battled both racism and sexism at a time when it was extremely dangerous to speak out… She used her gift of writing, speaking and organizing to help shed light on injustice.  She was extremely brave and held steadfast to her convictions despite being criticized, ostracized and marginalized by her contemporaries.” -Michelle Duster, great-great granddaughter of Ida B. Wells.
This coming Thursday, September 26, Sandra Quick will portray Ida B. Wells, an investigative journalist, educator, and an early leader in the civil rights movement, who was one of the founders of the NAACP and who fought for equality for African Americans, especially women. Sandra has portrayed several characters in the Chautauqua Series, most notably, Phyllis Wheatley.
 
Opening the program will be Bob Ford, bringing his own brand of music and entertainment to set the stage for special night, with a special lady.
 
The Chautauqua will be held in the lower level at the Grand Hotel (12 Public Square in downtown Mount Vernon).The facility is accessible for those with special needs. Doors open at 6 PM and program begins at 7 PM.
 
The Chautauqua Series is organized and brought to you by Elixir Presents, the Grand Hotel and supported in part by a generous grant provided by the Ariel Foundation. These programs bring year round living history to our community and are presented on a donation basis. All donations go to the performers.
 
For more information about this and upcoming presentations, please visit www.elixirpresents.com, www.VisitKnoxOhio.org or call 740-392-3018. To receive a “Gentle Reminder” email on the Sunday before each program, contact Mike Petee at elixir_petee@hotmail.com.

Chautauqua Series Welcomes Natalie Wood
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MOUNT VERNON – The name Natalia Nikolaevna Zakharenko doesn’t roll off the tongue very well, but Natalie Wood sure does and from the age of 4, RKO Pictures chose that name to promote the acting career of their youngest star. Natalie was the daughter of Russian immigrants. She received 3 Academy Award nominations before the age of 25 and to this day, there is an ongoing investigation into her mysterious death by, as the coroner stated, “… drowning and other undetermined factors.”

On Thursday, September 12, Mary Spence will present a living history presentation as Natalie Wood, discussing her life and acting, family and maybe even answer some of the questions surrounding her last boat ride. The event will be held in The Grand Hotel     (12 Public Square in downtown Mount Vernon) at 7 PM.

The Chautauqua Series is brought to you by Elixir Presents, sponsored in part by the Ariel Foundation, KPAC and the Grand Hotel, bringing year round living history to our community. The Series a donation based, so you, your family, students and friends learn about history that goes well beyond what you read in books. All donations go directly to the performers who bring historical people to life and the opening act that sets the mood for the program. At the end of each presentation the presenter will answer questions from the audience.

Opening the program will be Desmond Wall playing acoustic music of the era. The program is held in the lower level of the Grand Hotel and doors open at 6 PM to accommodate those with special needs.

For more information about this program and upcoming presentations, please visit www.elixirpresents.com, www.VisitKnoxOhio.org or call 740-392-3018. To receive a “Gentle Reminder” email on the Sunday before each program, contact Mike Petee at elixir_petee@hotmail.com.

​MOUNT VERNON – Ever wonder how Civil War spies passed along information on the actions and plans of the enemy? The South used what is called Vigenere Cipher. An example is shown below:
 
To send a message in the cipher, you write the letters of the key word under the letters of the message, repeated as many times as necessary, to the end of the sentence. A new sentence repeats the process. If the message is “The North will attack. Send help.” and the key word is “Greenhow,” this would appear as:
 
The  North     will     attack.      Send   help.
Gre  enhow   Gree   nhowGr    Gree   nhow
 
On Thursday, August 29 the Chautauqua Series invites southern spy Rose O’Neal Greenhow (portrayed by Raylene Hlavaty) to discuss her life and perils during the Civil War and she will explain how she used the cipher system to get her messages to the Confederate government and the audience will receive a handout so you can learn how they were used.
 
Raylene has presented several characters over the years including Beatrix Potter, Abigail Adams and Katarina Luther, wife of Martin Luther. Raylene spends up to a year preparing her characters and the audience is in store for a wonderful evening of entertainment, education and fellowship.
 
Opening the program will be Steve Ball, playing and explaining music of the Civil War, performed on authentic instruments of the era.
 
The Chautauqua Series is held in the lower level conference room at the Grand Hotel (12 Public Square, Mount Vernon).The facility is accessible to those with special needs such as walkers, wheel chairs, service dogs and strollers. Doors open at 6 PM and program starts with Steve Ball at 7 PM with Rose O’Neal Greenhow at 7:45 PM, with a Q&A with the audience immediately after her presentation.
 
This living history series is organized by Elixir Presents with the assistance of the Grand Hotel and supported in part by a generous grant from the Ariel Foundation. These programs bring year round entertaining historical programming to our community and presented on a donation basis. All donations go directly to the performers.
 
For more information about this and upcoming presentations, please visit www.elixirpresents.com, www.VisitKnoxOhio.org or call 740-392-3018. To receive a “Gentle Reminder” email on the Sunday before each program, contact Mike Petee at elixir_petee@hotmail.com.
 

​F. Scott and Zelda Fitzgerald to Speak at Chautauqua
MOUNT VERNON - On Thursday, August 15 the Chautauqua Series, now in its 13th season, continues with F. Scott and Zelda Fitzgerald. To speak of this famous couple is to invoke the Jazz Age, romance, and outrageous early success with all its attendant perils. Their names summon flappers, reckless spending, gleaming hotel lobbies, smoky speakeasies, ocean journeys, white suits, smart dresses, and nostalgia for lost innocence. In spite of leading short, nomadic lives they defined an era and left an abundance of artistic achievements.
 
The couple will be portrayed by Jim and Amy K. Stoner, veterans of the Chautauqua stage, having presented more 20 characters between them.
Opening the program will be Joe Rollin Porter from Cleveland, Ohio. Joe is a blues guitarist specializing in music from the early 1900’s and has been receiving acclaim for his most recent CD, “Take This Hammer” and charted in the top ten for independent blues station play lists.
 
The Chautauqua Series is held in the lower level at the Grand Hotel (12 Public Square in downtown Mount Vernon).The facility is accessible to those with special needs such as walkers, wheel chairs, service dogs and strollers. Doors open at 6 PM and program will start at 7 PM with F. Scott and Zelda coming on at 7:45 PM, with a Q&A with the audience immediately after the Fitzgerald’s program.
 
The Chautauqua Series is organized and brought to you by Elixir Presents, the Grand Hotel and supported in part by a generous grant from the Ariel Foundation. These programs bring year round living history to our community and are presented on a donation basis. All donations go directly to the performers.
 
For more information about this and upcoming presentations, please visit www.elixirpresents.com, www.VisitKnoxOhio.org or call 740-392-3018. To receive a “Gentle Reminder” email on the Sunday before each program, contact Mike Petee at elixir_petee@hotmail.com.

​MOUNT VERNON - On Thursday, August 8 from 7 to 8 PM, the Chautauqua Series is extremely proud to have three of this year’s History Day students from the Middle School as they present their projects to our audience.
 
The program includes Cora McFadden, who will present George Muller and his work with the Orphans of Bristol, England. Cora went to the National competition at the University of Maryland this past June. Rylee Jarosz, a competitive athlete will discuss the trials and tribulations of the Olympic Gold Medalist, track and field athlete Wilma Rudolph. Being she wishes to work with exotic animals, especially primates as a career Brooklyn Ellis will portray Jane Goodall, a great role model for young women.
 
The Chautauqua Series is held in the lower level at the Grand Hotel (12 Public Square in downtown Mount Vernon).The facility is accessible to those with special needs such as walkers, wheel chairs, service dogs and strollers. Doors open at 6 PM and program will be presented from 7 to 8 PM. There will not be an opening act for this Chautauqua.
 
The Series, now in its 13th season, is organized and brought to you by Elixir Presents, the Grand Hotel and supported in part by a generous grant from the Ariel Foundation. These programs bring year round living history to our community and are presented on a donation basis. All donations go directly to the performers.
 
For more information about this and upcoming presentations, please visit www.elixirpresents.com, www.VisitKnoxOhio.org or call 740-392-3018. To receive a “Gentle Reminder” email on the Sunday before each program, contact Mike Petee at elixir_petee@hotmail.com.

 
MOUNT VERNON –  “HOW....DEE!!!”  That familiar greeting you might have enjoyed if you watched the “Hee-Haw” television program that first ran on CBS from 1969-1971 and has been in syndication ever since. The woman behind that greeting, wearing a hat the still had the $1.98 price tag on it, was none other than Minnie Pearl, comedienne, storyteller and a sort of singer. What started out as a character she created after attending acting school, it became a lifelong role she portrayed for over 27 years.
 
On Thursday, July 25, the Chautauqua Series invites Minnie Pearl portrayed by Chris Petee, one of the founding members of the Chautauqua Series. Chris will bring Minnie Pearl to life, entertain you, tell about her life and so much more you didn’t know about the woman you saw from time to time on television, the Grand Old Opry and constant touring around the country.
 
The performance will be at the Grand Hotel in Mount Vernon, Ohio, located at 12 Public Square. Elixir Presents brings these year round Chautauqua programs to you on a donation basis with the assistance of a grant from the Ariel Foundation and, with support from The Grand Hotel.
 
Opening the program will be Gerry Rensel bringing the type of music Minnie Pearl loved and enjoyed to set the mood for the featured performer.
 
The doors open at 6 PM for the program to accommodate those with special needs such as wheel chairs, walkers or strollers. The program begins at 7 PM with 30 minutes of music presented by Gerry Rensel, followed shortly thereafter by Minnie Pearl and then a question and answer period with the audience and Minnie.
 
For more information about this and upcoming programs in the Chautauqua Series, visit www.elixirpresents.com or call 740-392-3018. If you’d like to receive a gentle reminder email on the Sunday before each program, send request to Mike Petee at elixir_petee@hotmail.com 

 
MOUNT VERNON – Here are a few facts about Woodrow Wilson Guthrie. His son Arlo headlined the Dan Emmett Music & Arts Festival in 1992, songwriters from Bob Dylan to Harry Chapin to Johnny Cash to Bruce Springsteen acknowledge him as a major influence on their writing. You may not recognize his name  but you most likely will recognize his most famous song, “This Land is Your Land.”
 
This coming Thursday, July 11, Jeff Putnam will present a living history appearance as Woody Guthrie, talking about his life, adventures during the Dust Bowl era and performing some of his songs, including the story of the origin of the song “This Land is Your Land.”
 
The program will be held at the Grand Hotel (12 Public Square) in downtown Mount Vernon. The presentation is donation based with all donations going to the performers. Doors open at 6 PM and program starts at 7 PM with no opening act this time due to the fact that the program will include musical performances. Immediately after the show there will be a question and answer period with Woody.
 
The Chautauqua Series is organized and brought to you by Elixir Presents bringing year round living history to our community along with the support of The Grand Hotel and a generous grant provided by the Ariel Foundation. All donations collected go directly to the performers for their research, writing and bringing a wide variety of historical figures to life.
 
For more information about this program and upcoming presentations, please visit www.elixirpresents.com or call 740-392-3018. To receive a “Gentle Reminder” email on the Sunday before each program, contact Mike Petee at elixir_petee@hotmail.com.
 

MOUNT VERNON – According to noted historian and author John Ellis, “On July 3, 1776, John Adams wrote two letters to his beloved Abigail exuberantly reporting that history had been made: One day earlier, the Continental Congress had voted to declare American independence from the British Empire. Henceforth, Adams predicted, July 2 would be celebrated by every generation with parades, speeches, songs and what he called "illuminations." He got everything right, even the fireworks. But he got the date wrong.
 
Or perhaps we get the date wrong. The widespread assumption is that the Fourth of July is the day the Declaration of Independence was signed, the actual moment the founders pledged their lives, fortunes and sacred honor to the Great Question of Independence. So why do we celebrate the Fourth? Because that is the day the declaration was sent to the printer, who then put that date on the top of the document, copies of which were distributed throughout the colonies and beyond. It became the date that readers then and Americans ever since, recognized as the anniversary of American independence, even though nothing of historical significance actually occurred on that day.
 
So what was John Adams like? This coming Thursday, June 27, just in time to celebrate whichever date is the birthday of America, Chautauqua veteran, Greg Patterson will portray Founding Father, 2nd President of the United States and co-writer of the Declaration of Independence, John Adams. The program is held at the Grand Hotel (12 Public Square) in downtown Mount Vernon. Doors open for this donation event at 6 PM and the facility is accessible to those with special needs.
 
The program will start with music of the 1700’s provided by Meg Litteral and the group The Skeptikells with John Adams starting at about 7:45 PM with a questions and answers period with the President immediately following his address.
 
The Chautauqua Series is organized and provided by Elixir Presents with the support of the Ariel Foundation and the Grand Hotel. For more information about this and future programs in the series, please visit www.elixirpresents.com, www.VisitKnoxOhio.org or call 740-392-3018. To receive a “gentle reminder” email on the Sunday before each program, contact Mike Petee at elixir_petee@hotmail.com.