This fall I had the pleasure of experiencing a historical re-enactment during my city’s Chatauqua: History Comes Alive! festival in Greenville, SC. Described as “a nonprofit, experiential oral tradition that brings history to life through interactive theater and compelling discussion aimed at stimulating critical thinking” (What is Chautauqua?, 2021), Chautauqua, pronounced “Shuh-TALK-wa” originated from an upstate NY Sunday school teacher education program in 1874 which grew to include family outdoor recreation and education (History & Vision, 2021). Celebrated across America since its inception in permanent locales and traveling settings, Chatauqua’s Greenville SC summer festival that I visited has been held annually for the past two plus decades (History & Vision, 2021).
I had been curious to bring my kids to see one of these free(!) shows based on their engaging advertisements ever since I moved to this area a handful of years ago; we could be entertained while we learn about history out in nature and screen-free, all for no cost - yes, please!
(Uberman, 2021)
Held outside on a beautiful cool morning in September at Mauldin Cultural Arts Center we watched the reenactment of Nikola Tesla, who “spark[ed] the electrical revolution” (Nikola Tesla, 2021) and is “credited with inventing everything from radar to the microwave oven – including alternating current, the Tesla coil, and wireless transmission” (Nikola Tesla, 2021). Professional actor, Ian Ruskin, did an amazing job of bringing Tesla’s life to, well, life. From his accent, to his period dress, to the music and props (he first walked out onstage holding an umbrella as sounds of rain played while he described the storm that occurred the night of his birth), all of these elements worked together to create an engaging interactive storytelling experience. My experiences in this storytelling class have given me a new respect for what I imagine to be the effort involved in creating Tesla’s character. Knowing the amount of time and re-takes I performed in just recording my first storytelling experience where I simply read the book aloud only magnifies the amount of preparation Mr. Ruskin must have did to portray Mr. Tesla, from memory, for 30 minutes straight.
(Nikola Tesla, 2021)
After the performance, Mr. Ruskin answered questions from the audience first in character (keeping the answers relevant to the time period, meaning he wouldn't talk about the internet because it didn't exist when he was alive) then out of character. This was an amazing experience for all ages and I look forward to seeing additional performers during Chatauqua’s festival next summer.
On a different note, here are the parables I have read recently:
The Parable of the Wise and Foolish Builder
Blessed Are…
The Parable of the Lost Sheep
The Parable of the Lost Son
References
Greenville Chautauqua. (n.d.). Greenville Chautauqua [Video]. YouTube. https://youtu.be/aJltfsLQEpk
History Comes Alive. (2021). What is Chautauqua? http://historycomesalive.org/about/greenville-chautauqua/
History Comes Alive. (2021). History & Vision. http://historycomesalive.org/about/history-vision/
History Comes Alive. (2021). Past Festival (September 2021). http://historycomesalive.org/performances/festival/
Nikola Tesla. (2021). Nikola Tesla. http://historycomesalive.org/performances/festival/nikola-telsa-shows/
Uberman, H. (2021). Mother and son [Photograph].
Michelle,
ReplyDeleteThis blog post was so much fun to read and certainly very engaging. I loved learning about the Chatauqua "History Comes Alive" festival in Greenville. It looks like an incredibly successful venture into education through storytelling. I too have found such a respect for tellers who can share extended stories while taking this class. And you're right, being in character adds to that!
It's so neat to see that storytelling is still relevant and that people of all ages can learn something new and enjoy interacting with stories. Your blog has inspired me and makes me want to see if Columbia, SC has anything similar going on. If not, I'd love to make the drive to Greenville to check out next year's event. :)
Ashley Hutto