George Washington to Speak at Chautauqua

Mount Vernon – Now that Summer is nearly over and school is starting up, what better way to relax then to listen to our first President speak at the next Chautauqua, presented on a donation basis, on Thursday August 27 at 7 PM at ThePlace@TheWoodward [120 S. Main Street in downtown Mount Vernon, Ohio].

Ken Hammontree, a veteran Chautauqua portrayer will be doing the honors. Ken has portrayed Washington in the past but as General Washington at Valley Forge. Now we get the only man who was elected by unanimous vote in the Electoral College, a man who wisely walked away after two terms and sadly had to see the rise of two major opposing parties in the United States.

Opening the program will be Tim Noble, an amazing young pianist. The doors open at 6 PM, Tim will play from 7 to 7:30 and then our President will speak at 7:45, followed by a question and answer period with the audience.

The Chautauqua Series, now in its 9th season, is organized by the members of the musical group Elixir and supported in part by the Ariel Foundation and the Knox County CVB and is presented at ThePlace@TheWoodward, a first floor theater that is accessible to those with special needs.

For more information on this program and upcoming programs in the series, visit www.elixirpresents.com, www.VisitKnoxOhio.org or call 740-392-6102. To receive a gentle reminder email on the Sunday before each program, send request to Mike Petee at elixir_petee@hotmail.com.

Chautauqua Presents Architect Frank Lloyd Wright

Mount Vernon – When I try to think of the names of famous architects, only one comes to mind, Frank Lloyd Wright. I know that he designed some amazing houses, buildings and he was a strong believer in urban development through buildings that acted in harmony with nature. I did not know that his life, including a famous fire and murder in his studio made more headlines in his lifetime than did his designs.

If you’re like me, I’m looking forward to learning more about a man I’ve heard about but really don’t know very much about. On Thursday August 20 at ThePlace@TheWoodward [120 S. Main Street in downtown Mount Vernon, Ohio] Dayne Baughman will portray Wright in a first person living person presentation.

The Chautauqua Series, now in its 9th year, presents entertaining, educational and family friendly programs of historical figures telling their stories, bringing out many fascinating facets of their experiences in their time and place. It is a donation basis, so you have your ticket for admission and they are brought to you by the members of Elixir and sponsored in part by a grant from The Ariel Foundation.

Doors open at 6 PM at this first floor facility and at 7 PM Joe Rollin Porter will entertain you with music that sets to mood for the Frank Lloyd Wright era, followed by Dayne Baughman as Wright at approximately 7:45 and then after the presentation, the audience is encouraged to ask questions of the character and then the performer.

For more information on this and future programs in the series, visit www.elixirpresents.com, www.VisitKnoxOhio.org or call 740-392-6102. If you’d like a gentle reminder of each program on the Sunday before each program, contact Mike Petee at elixir_petee@hotmail.com. 

Dan Emmett (portrayed by Carl Young) - Celebrating the 200th anniversary of Dan Emmett's birth, portrayed by Carl Young, Dan Emmett is the namesake of this music and arts festival, the father of minstrelsy along with his fellow Virginia Minstrels and the author of Dixie, Old Dan Tucker, Turkey in the Straw and Blue Tail Fly among 100's of others. Carl Young portrayed Emmett in Mike Petee's play about Emmett called "With Pen in Hand - The Dan Emmett Story" and the play with music from Emmett appears to be heading back to the stage in 2016.

Red Skelton (portrayed by Ken Barnett) - An amazing comedian, mime, author, and showman whose television show ran from 1951 through 1971.  Red Skelton will be portrayed by another amazing showman, Ken Barnett.  Ken will take you through mimes and stand up comedy as only Red could present it, highlighted by talking with the audience as he puts on his Freddy the Freeloader make up and presenting Red's patriotic presentation of the Pledge of Allegiance.

Woody Hayes (portrayed by Jim Stoner) - If you think of Ohio State Football, the first name that comes to mind is Woody Hayes.  Winner of 13 Big Ten titles and 5 national championships, many don't realize that he also was the host of a Columbus-based television presentation of six WWII movies and showcased his knowledge of the war.  Portrayed by Jim Stoner, Hayes was presented as the first program at the new location for the Chautauqua Series in November, 2014.  Woody Hayes's live-in nurse, who cared for Hayes and his wife until their deaths, was at the program and commented that when Jim came on stage, she thought she was seeing the real man . . . and she should know.