MOUNT VERNON – Due to the continued safety risks and recent spike in cases in Ohio, we are going to cancel the November Chautauquas:

Nov 5 – Roy Rogers/Dale Evans (Jim & Amy K. Stoner)
Nov 19 – Red Skelton (Ken Barnett).  

We plan to bring the entire 2020 Chautauqua schedule back to Knox County when it is safe to do so and we keep you up to date as to plans as they become available. 

In the meantime – this year FOOD FOR THE HUNGRY campaign is needed more than ever before for our community. We are planning to go ahead with a concert that everyone can enjoy as well as help our needy neighbors. If we are unable to have an in person concert we are looking at a Facebook Live or Facebook videotaped presentation in partnership with Food For The Hungry so donations can be collected on-line and you can enjoy area musicians giving what they have to give – their talent. 

When a decision has been made as to the format, we will announce it. For more news on the Chautauqua Series please visit: www.elixirpresents.com

​Ladies and Gentlemen,

With the virus still active and schools just trying to get back in order- it is still too soon to try bringing back the Chautauqua's. I will be working with the Ariel Foundation, KPAC and the Grand Hotel to honor all the shows we scheduled for 2020 that have had to be cancelled and re-schedule in 2021 when it is safe for our audiences. I hear from many of you that you miss the programs and so do I. AND I miss our wonderful audiences the most but we have to be careful with this pandemic and for now we must protect everyone as best as we can and to be thankful for all those essential workers who are risking their lives for us.

Oct 8 – James Garfield and the United States Government* (Benjamin Frayser) - * denotes a program which can be made to be appropriate for children/young adults studying American History, Citizenship, or Government. Serving two years in the state legislature, 18 more in Congress, a Senator-elect, and President; makes for a remarkable resume to explain how, and why, the government of the United States works as it does. 
Opener - FolkTails 
 
Oct 22 – Jane Austen (Raylene Hlavaty) - Jane Austen was an English novelist known primarily for her six major novels, which interpret, critique and comment upon the British landed gentry at the end of the 18th century. 
Opener - Meg Litteral 


Although I haven't canceled the November shows - I'm hopeful and keeping fingers crossed that maybe we can still have those but the decision will be made around mid-October.

Thank You,

Mike Petee

​September Chautauqua’s Canceled 
 
As much as we need to enjoy a good Chautauqua, I’m afraid the Covid-19 pandemic is still too much of a risk to having next month. I’m worried about the school openings so let's see what happens in September. I hope they are more successful then the various major sports have been. I do not want any of our audience members to be exposed to Covid-19. 
We plan to reschedule all the lost Chautauqua when it is safe to do so – so do not fret – Chautauqua’s listed for 2020 will be held as soon as it is safe. In the meantime, please say thank you to all those who are protecting us and please wear masks. It is such a simple thing to ask and you wouldn’t think of going into a store without shoes or clothes, same goes for masks. It’s a little thing that will help us get back to normal sooner. 
The following shows are canceled for now: 
Sep 10 – Amelia Earhart (Amy K. Stoner) - Amelia Mary Earhart was an American aviation pioneer and author. Earhart was the first female aviator to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean. She set many other records, wrote best-selling books about her flying experiences. 
Opener - Joe Rollin Porter 
 
Sep 24 – Phillis Wheatley (Sandra Quick) - was the first African-American woman to publish a book of poetry. Born in West Africa, sold into slavery at the age of seven and met George Washington in the White House.  
Opener – Bob Ford  
 
Thank You, 
Mike Petee 

Chautauqua Series Cancels August Programs
A message from Mike Petee -  As much as I wish I could wave my magic wand and make the Covid-19 virus go away, such is not the case. And especially with the increase in cases not only in Ohio but Knox County, for the safety of our audience and community, we are canceling the August programs and will review about mid-August to see if September shows can be allowed.
Please wear masks when out and about and please, please, please be safe.

CANCELED - Aug 13 – Middle School Students History Day Projects ​

CANCELED - Aug 27 – Jackie Kennedy (Mary Spence) - Jacqueline Lee Kennedy Onassis was First Lady of the United States during the presidency of John F. Kennedy and was regarded then and afterward as an international icon of style and culture.
Opener - Lowell Borchers

​We are going to cancel the Chautauqua’s for the end of June and all of July. We are still very concerned with the spread of the Covid-19 virus and it is still not safe to have large audiences and our audience is much too important to take the risk. We will see how July goes as far as the re-openings of small businesses and see if the rates go down, but as of now the rates are not going down. We are really getting cabin fever but we realize it is better to be safe than sorry. We have been approached to possibly do some programs outside but feel it is too difficult to coordinate and make convenient enough for our audience members. Hang in there – we will be back when it is safe.
Thank You,
Mike Petee

Hello - hope this gentle reminder finds you healthy and safe.

At this time we are going to cancel the 
June 11 – D Day Girls - the spies who armed the Resistance, sabotaged the Nazis and helped win WWII (Chris Petee).

Although the state is starting to allow small businesses to open, we still feel even with social distancing and masks, we want to see how the partial opening goes and how the virus containment is going before having our audiences take a chance. 

You guys are FAR TOO IMPORTANT to take any risks of opening too soon and although I think most of us are experiencing cabin fever, it is far better than to experience covid-19 fever.

Hang in there,

​Mike Petee

To Our Wonderful Chautauqua Audience and Those Who Help Us Spread the Word,

As all of you know, we are currently asked to stay at home and to not meet in crowd sizes over 10. How long that will last is anybody’s guess. We at the Chautauqua Series are taking it month to month and will only start up again when it is safe to do so.


I know it’s no fun being cooped up but hopefully you are getting a lot of home projects finished. I was looking forward to my Woodstock program on April 30th but when it is safe we will re-schedule it along with those already canceled if at all possible.

And to all of you, I miss you and treasure the time we’ve already spent together and together we will weather this storm as well. I will send a notice each month updating you on the status of the Chautauqua’s. At this time I would have to say as it stands, it appears the May Chautauqua’s will be canceled as well as the April shows as I don’t see us being able to congregate and uphold social distancing.

Stay safe, be kind and make being at home a sanctuary.
​
Mike Petee

As much as we'd like to get back to normal it does not look like that will happen soon. So at this time we plan to cancel the Chautauqua's on April 16 and April 30 and see how it goes in May with COVID-19. Let's all stay at home, stay healthy, stay safe, please go out ONLY to do vital needs and place a WHITE RIBBON on our homes to honor our brave Hospital Workers and do our part - whatever that may be - from praying to donating whatever we can.

Thank You,

Mike Petee 

To our wonderful Chautauqua patrons:

During the coronavirus pandemic we must safeguard everyone's health and well being. I know we are all afraid of what's here and coming and in these times of stress and not knowing what the future will bring, I'm reminded our a calming quote from Kahlil Gibran....

"Sadness is but a wall between two gardens." coronavirus is the wall but when this is over we will enjoy a new garden and I look forward to seeing all of you as soon as it is safe for all of us.

​Mike Petee

​Union Spy to Speak at Chautauqua
 
MOUNT VERNON – On Thursday March 12, the Chautauqua Series welcomes Valerie Hamill Miss Major Cushman. Valerie is making her first appearance for the Chautauqua Series but is no stranger to the living history format, having performed Major Cushman for many years around Ohio.  This donation based program will be presented at the Grand Hotel (12 Public Square) at 7 PM.  Doors open at 6 PM. The Grand Hotel is fully accessible for those with special needs such as wheelchairs, walkers or strollers.
 
Pauline Cushman was a spy for the Union during the Civil War, eventually promoted to the rank of Major. Born Harriet Wood in New Orleans, she was raised in Grand Rapids, Michigan, became a highly successful stage actress using the name Pauline Cushman. After the Civil War broke out, Pauline was in a traveling stage troupe and while in Louisville, Kentucky, many paroled Confederates asked her to make a toast to Jefferson Davis. She accepted and at the same time offered her services to the U.S. to spy on the Confederacy. She was captured and sentenced to death as a Federal spy, and was rescued at Shelbyville by the Union Army under Gen. Rosecrans. After the War, General Garfield bestowed on her the title of Major.
 
Opening the program will be FolkTails, playing songs of the era. FolkTails consists of Chris and Mike Petee and they use comedy and music arrangements similar to those they used as part of the group Elixir.
 
The Chautauqua Series presents monthly first person living history programs on a year round basis, the only programming of this kind in the United States. The programs are donation based so that all may attend, enjoy and learn. The series is organized by Elixir Presents and made possible in part by a grant from the Ariel Foundation and KPAC and supported in part by the Grand Hotel. The programs are presented on a donation basis, with all proceeds going to the performers.
 
For more information on this program and future programs in the series, visit www.elixirpresents.com or www.VisitKnoxOhio.org or call 740-392-3018. If you would like to receive a gentle reminder by email on the Sunday before each program, please send a request to Mike Petee at elixir_petee@hotmail.com.