Wrangell may get to experience a bit of old-time entertainment this June, when the New Old Time Chautauqua plans to stop through on its summer tour of Southeast Alaska.
But what is a Chautauqua, you might ask?
“It's a movement to do community building through education and entertainment,” explained Paul Magid, who paid a visit to Wrangell on behalf of the Chautauqua group last week.
The New Old Time Chautauqua was founded in 1981 by a group of performers, health care practitioners and educators as a vehicle for reviving the spirit of the old Chautauquas—a brand of entertainment once widely popular in the rural United States prior to the Great Depression.
“We are the last one left,” he explained. A group of around 50 performers, the Chautauquas travel around the country to provide entertainment and education to different towns, while promoting civic values and a sense of community.
This includes incorporating the interests and talents of the locals the Chautauqua visits. Group members also take time to lend their many hands to community projects.
“We've been doing this for 34 years,” Magid explained. “It's kind of what this country is about. 'It's the most American thing in America,'” he said, quoting Theodore Roosevelt.
It will be the group's first visit to Southeast in 23 years, and during their regional tour from June 16 to July 17, the Chautauquas have scheduled a stop in Wrangell from June 24-27, Magid said.
The event will revolve around a three-day cycle: Day one will feature a community potluck, with music by the Chautauqua's 25-piece band and performances by any local musicians who would like to play.
Magid explained the next day would be spent on a community service project, with members of the group available to assist with local projects. This could vary from building a house or producing a community garden to visiting the assisted living center; whatever the individual community would like to get done.
Finally, the third day caps things off with a big show and parade, with local groups invited to participate in and produce floats and routines of their own.
“It's for everybody to come,” Magid said. “We support people being involved on any level.”
Throughout their stay the Chautauqua members will set up a couple dozen workshops, either to enlighten or pass on skills. The troupe brings together a diverse set of performers with a wide range of backgrounds. Adding to this, locals are invited to participate as well.
While in Wrangell, Magid met with representatives of the Nolan Center, Chamber of Commerce (CoC), Parks Department, Borough government and other groups to explore the possibility of having his group make the island a stop during its tour.
At the moment, Wrangell's CoC has indicated it will likely be preoccupied with preparations for July 4, but Magid said the event is largely self-organized. The group is also largely financed through donations and plans to come whether or not it can recoup its travel costs.
“We do it because we love doing it,” he explained. Magid will return in mid-May to prepare and schedule, as well as to set up an information exhibit at the museum to describe what the Chautauqua is and where it comes from.
“It sounds like it would be a wonderful thing to have come here,” commented Wrangell's museum director, Terri Henson.
For further information on the group and how to participate, Magid can be reached at pauldmagid@gmail.com. Additional information is also available on the Chautauqua's website at http://www.chautauqua.org.
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