Humanities Nebraska (HN, humanitiesnebraska.org) has announced that the Stuhr Museum of Grand Island will host a special edition of Nebraska Chautauqua July 21-22 in celebration of HN’s 50th anniversary year. Popular Chautauqua scholars from previous events will return to the traditional big tent to explore the theme, “What Connects Us.” This festival will include family-friendly events, engaging workshops and Chautauqua-style presentations that allow audience members to interact with historic figures. All events are free and open to the public.
On Friday evening, July 21, Warren Brown will appear as American humorist and author Mark Twain as he did in 2012-2015’s Nebraska Chautauqua, “Free Land? 1862 and the Shaping of Modern America.” Karen Vuranch will join him as author Edith Wharton, whom she portrayed in “World War One: Legacies of a Forgotten War” from 2016-2018. Saturday evening, July 22, will see the return of Becky Stone as Civil Rights activist Rosa Parks from 2019-2022’s “The Fifties in Focus.” She will be joined by Taylor Keen, reprising his portrayal of Chief Standing Bear from the “Free Land?” Chautauqua.
During the day on Saturday, all four scholars will conduct workshops at Grand Island Public Library. A complete schedule of all speakers and community events during and prior to the 2023 Nebraska Chautauqua will be posted online at www.NebraskaChautauqua.org.
Humanities Nebraska is a statewide nonprofit that is celebrating 50 years of helping people explore what connects us and makes us human. HN is funded in part by the National Endowment for the Humanities, an appropriation from the Nebraska Legislature, private donations and the Nebraska Cultural Endowment. Visit humanitiesnebraska.org for more information.