Organizers hope novelty a draw for Chautauqua

~ Scholars will impersonate historical figures and speak at various places in Cape Girardeau.

When Chautauqua rolls into town in about two weeks, organizers hope the weeklong event will hold a special appeal for area residents.

"We hope the sheer novelty of it will really draw people," said Dr. Joel Rhodes, Southeast Missouri State University history professor and member of the local Chautauqua organizing committee.

And they hope that novelty will encourage parents to bring their school-age children out to see the nightly events.

"It's been since 1924 since one was around," Rhodes said, "so very few people are going to have memories of Chautauqua. It may very well be a once-in-a-lifetime type of event."

Throughout each day Chautauqua scholars will impersonate historic figures and speak at various places in Cape Girardeau.

Rhodes said that, while the committee would like to have some sort of outreach to schools to bring in students, the end of school has created a problem. There is no initiative to get schools involved, he said.

School administrators in Cape Girardeau said they could see a clear benefit students could derive from Chautauqua events, but getting the word out during the summer would be difficult.

Frank Ellis, principal of Central Middle School, said his school may consider sending letters home with parents of students enrolled in summer school.

However, about 200 black students from elementary to college age will be involved with part of the Chautauqua programming. Organizers have tentatively scheduled Paxton Williams, who portrays George Washington Carver, to speak to those students on June 24. The location of the presentation is still not confirmed.

The students will be in town for a student-church conference of the African Methodist Episcopal Church's Missouri Fifth Episcopal District, hosted by St. James AME Church.

The district includes churches from St. Louis south to the Bootheel.

"This is a once-in-a-lifetime experience," said the Rev. Debbie Thornton St. James.

Thornton said she was excited about having this kind of opportunity to introduce these students to Cape Girardeau with a special event. The church will also play host to a presentation by Williams at 10 a.m. June 20.

Both appearances are part of a slate of daytime activities for the community to interact with the Chautauqua performers who will portray Carver, Theodore Roosevelt, Mary Elizabeth Lease and fast-food pioneer Fred Harvey during the week.

The Cape Girardeau Public Library, Red House Interpretive Center and Show Me Center are just a few of the places that will play host to daytime events during the week.

"This is the only time since I've been living here that we've had this, and I think it's really exciting" said Cape Girardeau librarian Rhonda Cole. "We're grateful that the performers are taking time to go out into the community."

Some businesses will also host daytime programs. Barry Robinson's Cup 'N' Cork cafe will open the week of daytime activities at 8 a.m. June 19 with Doug Mishler, who portrays Roosevelt.

Robinson said the event should be good for business, but is exciting for other reasons as well.

"I like the idea of hosting things in conjunction with community events," Robinson said. "And if somebody shows up in costume, that's even better. That's part of creating that laid-back coffeehouse atmosphere, without just a bunch of people in suits and ties."

Chautauqua will begin at 6 p.m. June 19 with a community tent raising at the Osage Community Centre, where the event will take place through June 24 each day at 7 p.m.

msanders@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 182

Schedule of events

June 19

8 a.m. -- Doug Mishler as Theodore Roosevelt at Cup 'N' Cork

6 p.m. -- Community tent raising at the Osage Community Centre

June 20

10 a.m. -- Paxton Williams as George Washington Carver at St. James AME Church

2 p.m. -- Richard Johnson as John James Audubon at the Cape Girardeau Public Library

2 p.m. -- Glenna J. Wallace as Mary Elizabeth Lease at Chateau Girardeau

7 p.m. -- Mishler as Roosevelt with entertainment by the Cape Girardeau Municipal Band at the Osage Community Centre

June 21

7 a.m. -- Misheler as Roosevelt at Denny's Diner

2 p.m. -- William Worley as Fred Harvey at the Cape Girardeau Public Library

7 p.m. -- Johnson as Audubon with entertainment by Dennis Stroughmatt at the Osage Center

June 22

8 a.m. -- Worley as Harvey at Grace Cafe

10 a.m. -- Johnson as Audubon at the Red House Interpretive Center

noon -- Mishler as Roosevelt at the Show Me Center

noon -- Williams as Carver at the Family Resource Center

7 p.m. -- Glenna J. Wallace as Mary Elizabeth Lease with entertainment by Shade Tree Folk Company at the Osage Center

June 23

10 a.m. -- Williams as Carver, site to be determined

10 a.m. -- Wallace as Lease at the Cape River Heritage Museum

7 p.m. -- Worley as Harvey with entertainment by The Jerry Ford Dixieland Band at the Osage Center

June 24

7 p.m. -- Williams as Carver with entertainment by Vintage Strings at the Osage Center