Lyceum to Features the Father of the National Parks

Mount Vernon – Continuing the 8th season of Elixir’s Chautauqua/Lyceum Series, this Thursday June 26 at 7 PM, Mike Petee will lead the audience through the world, the writings and life of America’s Naturalist and Father of the National Parks, John Muir. Opening the program will be Steve Ball, noted Civil War music expert, performing the songs of Stephen Foster.

John Muir was born in Scotland but immigrated to America at the age of 11. Living in the Wisconsin, his father had him working the farm upwards of 16 hours a day and would not allow John to go to school or read any book other than the Bible. By the age of 22 John had secretly awakened early each morning to read and invent gadgets that a neighbor encouraged him to take to the state fair where he met and convinced the Dean of the University of Wisconsin to allow him to come to school. After a factory accident that left him sightless in one eye, John struck out on a lifetime of exploration and love of all of God’s wilderness that lead to his teaming with Theodore Roosevelt and convincing him to help reserve the amazing wilderness that God gave America and to preserve that beauty for all future generation to enjoy.

Come and learn about this amazing man at ThePlace@TheWoodward                 [111 S. Main Street in downtown Mount Vernon] on Thursday June 26. Doors open at this first door facility at 6 PM and program starts at 7 PM. The program is presented on a donation basis with all funds going to the performers. For more information on this program or upcoming programs in the series, visit : www.elixirpresents.com, www.VisitKnoxOhio.org or call 740-392-6102.

Knox Squares Honors Paul Lynde

He owned the “center square” on the popular TV game show Hollywood Squares from 1968 to 1981.  So what better way for his hometown of Mount Vernon to honor Paul Lynde, well known actor and comedian, than with its own version of the show.  That’s exactly what will take place on Wednesday, June 18, at 7:00, at the Memorial Theater.  Knox Squares will provide family entertainment, as eleven local personalities portray historical characters, and recreate the game show like it has never been played before.  Imagine Paul Lynde (Jim Stoner) in the center square, Mark Twain (Ken Barnett) as the game show host, W.C. Fields (Greg Patterson), Lizzie Borden (Tammy Souhrada), Wild Bill Hickok (Mike Petee), Minnie Pearl (Chris Petee), Erma Bombeck (Susan Kahrl), Janis Joplin (Amy Stoner), Orville Wright (Joe Bell), Anne Sullivan (Marty Bell) and Helen Keller (Megan Bell), all on one stage, participating in a wild & crazy game of tic-tac-toe.  And to host the GOBA (Great Ohio Bike Adventure) participants residing in Mount Vernon that day, four randomly picked GOBA members will be the game contestants.  Two games will be played, and the winner of each game will compete in a third game, resulting in the championof Knox Squares.  Admission to this unique event is $3, with all proceeds going to Relay for   Life, benefiting the American Cancer Society.  Doors open at 6:30.

Special Chautauqua Event - Paul Lynde

And Mount Vernon will continue to honor the local celebrity on Thursday, June 19, at ThePlace@TheWoodward, starting at 7:00.  A special Chautauqua series event will have Jim Stoner return from that center square, and portray Paul Lynde, in a first person, historical presentation.  Jim will depict Paul Lynde as if Paul is actually on stage, revealing a life’s story as only he could tell.  Like all Chautauqua performances, admission is on a donation basis.

The Chautauqua Beatles To Perform At GOBA Event

The Chautauqua Beatles will be presenting their popular Beatles concert presentation for the GOBA event on the public square in downtown Mount Vernon on Thursday June 19 from 7:30 to 9 PM.

The group evolved from the only year round Chautauqua Series in the United States, located in Mount Vernon, Ohio. This band of seasoned musicians consists of Desmond Wall on guitar and vocals, Roy Rush on lead guitar, Bill Miller on drums, and Mike Petee on left handed bass and vocals.  They will bring to life the experience of seeing and hearing the Beatles in concert.

As opposed to tribute bands who show the group in different phases of their career with varying costumes, this group takes on a “What If” format.  What if the Beatles would have held a reunion concert?  What if they decided to do one more live concert?  What would they sound like and what songs from their extensive career would they play?  Come to this event, open to the public, and find out for yourself.

Desmond, Roy, Bill, and Mike, have performed over 40 Beatles songs over the past several years throughout the state of Ohio, especially at the annual Food for the Hungry Benefit Concert to assist the needy of Knox County.  The group has researched the Beatles extensively to best represent the equipment, positioning of chords played, and amplifier sounds to faithfully reproduce the songs they perform live.

Some of the Beatle favorites you’ll hear Thursday night are “Back in the U.S.S.R.”, “A Hard Day’s Night”, “Help”, “Here Comes the Sun”, “Something” and “With a Little Help From My Friends”.  Don’t miss this once in a lifetime opportunity to enjoy a unique rock ’n roll experience.  Close your eyes, open your ears, and experience what it might have sounded like; if the Beatles would have re-united years ago.

For more information on these events, contact the Knox County Convention & Visitors Bureau, (740)392-6102.

CHAUTAUQUA SERIES WELCOMES JANIS JOPLIN

Mount Vernon – She was the whiskey voiced [well actually Southern Comfort] singer who inspired the movie “The Rose”, has been an inspiration for women singers from Stevie Nicks to Pink, and is a member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and the 27 club. You might recognize most of the items above except perhaps the 27 club. The 27 is for the age that several well-known artists died – Robert Johnson, Jimi Hendrix, Jim Morrison, Kurt Cobain and Amy Winehouse among others.

In the span of 4 short years, Joplin exploded on the cultural scene and like a shooting star, left a permanent brightness still felt today nearly 45 years later. What was her life like growing up in Port Arthur, Texas? What were her trials and tribulations along the way to becoming a major recording and performing artist? Find out when Amy K. Stoner, veteran of the Chautauqua stage presents her portrayal of Pearl, one of Janis Joplin’s favorite nicknames this coming Thursday June 12.

Amy will become Janis Joplin in a first person performance as part of the Chautauqua Series, organized and hosted by Elixir and supported in part by the Rolls-Royce Charities/Civis Fund and Ariel Foundation. The program will be held at 7 PM (doors open at 6 PM) at ThePlace@TheWoodward (111 S. Main Street in downtown Mount Vernon). The facility, a first floor theatre, is accessible to those with special needs.

Opening for Janis Joplin will be Desmond Wall with his own brand of acoustic guitar oriented music. The program is presented on a donation basis with all funds going to the performers who write, create, refine and rehearse their performances based on research to provide a clearer picture of the real character.

For more information on this and other upcoming programs in the Chautauqua Series, visit www.elixirpresents.com, www.VisitKnoxOhio.org or call 740-392-6102. Being there are changed from time to time it is a good idea to review the web sites from time to time for changes or if you’d like to receive a reminder on the performer on the Sunday before each program request to be added to the Friendly Reminders list at elixir_petee@hotmail.com.