Chautauqua History Comes Alive Festival
Chautauqua’s 2019 History Comes Alive Festival is a ten-day, two-weekend festival which offers non-stop live history and fun for the whole family. It includes 30 shows and more performed in costume by nationally acclaimed historical interpreters. And the shows are FREE! This year the Chautauqua returns to Pelzer at 2 pm on Sat., June 22 featuring Larry Bounds of Greer, SC as Andrew Jackson. The free show will be held in the Pelzer Auditorium.
Since 1973, Bounds has appeared as a professional magician – including eight years with Ripley’s Believe It or Not!, three years on the stage of a Kentucky theme park, as well as, manager of magic shops in Atlanta and presenter of thousands of public performances. Since 1988 he has magically made English interesting for high school students and is known as one of Greenville’s most influential educators. Since 2002 Bounds has magically transformed himself into different figures from American history for the Greenville Chautauqua stage. He has been Einstein, Churchill, Disney, Davy Crockett, and, of course, Harry Houdini. He holds a BA in Theater and an MS in Education from University of Tennessee.
During the Chautauqua festival, nationally acclaimed historical interpreters dressed in costume will bring each character to life and to speak in the character’s own words. The audience will then question the character, delving more deeply into the issues that have been raised. The replies will be historically authentic, based on research using letters, diaries, journals, and published writings. Finally, the interpreter will step out of character and answer audience questions from a critical, modern perspective.
This week Greenville Tech will host shows under the Big Chautauqua Tent – Chairs provided or bring lawn seating beginning at 7:30 Fri., Jun. 21, Sat., Jun. 22, and Sun., Jun. 23.
Other shows will be held at Falls Park, Greenville Technical College, Centre Stage, The Phillis Wheatley Center, The Kroc Center, Upcountry History Museum, CCES Hartness Performing Arts Center, and Greenville Downtown Airport, in Fountain Inn at the Younts Center for Performing & Visual Arts and Travelers Rest at the Trailblazer Park Amphitheater
Interpreters include Alexander Hamilton (Ian Rose, Philadelphia, PA) – Andrew Jackson (Larry Bounds, Greer, SC) – Malcolm X (Darrick Johnson, Capitol Heights, MD) –Jackie Kennedy (Leslie Goddard, Chicago, IL) – Hamilton’s Women, the Schuyler Sisters (Leslie Goddard, Chicago, IL)
For more information on all the shows go to their website at HistoryComesAlive.org
For more information on all the shows go to their website at HistoryComesAlive.org
