Chautauqua Institution

Taize' and Tea Meditation Worship
2025-08-04 19:00, 2025-08-11 19:00, 2025-08-18 19:00 (America/New_York) | Randell Chapel, UCC Headquarters

Houston Ballet II with Students from Chautauqua School of Dance
2025-08-04 20:15 | Amphitheater, Amphitheater
Houston Ballet II is the second company of Houston Ballet, America’s fourth-largest ballet company. Comprised of a stellar array of ballet students from around the world, Houston Ballet II members perform a diverse range of works, including excerpts from classics like The Sleeping Beauty, Swan Lake, and The Nutcracker, Balanchine ballets, and contemporary works by Houston Ballet Artistic Director, Stanton Welch AM, and others.
Under the direction of Julie Kent and Stanton Welch AM, Artistic Directors, and Jennifer Sommers, Director of the Academy, Houston Ballet II dancers are led by internationally acclaimed coach and teacher Claudio Muñoz, Ballet Master for Houston Ballet II and Houston Ballet’s artistic staff. Houston Ballet II tours nationally and internationally. Most recently, they performed along the East Coast in a multi-city tour presenting classical and contemporary work.

SOUNDTRACK TO A COUP D'ETAT
2025-08-04 20:30 | Chautauqua Cinema, Chautauqua Cinema
United Nations, 1960: the Global South ignites a political earthquake, jazz musicians Abbey Lincoln and Max Roach crash the Security Council, Nikita Khrushchev bangs his shoe, and the U.S. State Department sends Louis Armstrong to Congo to deflect attention from a CIA-backed coup. Director Johan Grimonprez’s magnificent essay film captures the moment when African politics and American jazz collided. “A mind-blowingly rich tapestry of research, music, and the jazziest history lesson imaginable, with freewheeling beats and riffs echoing into today with urgent purpose.” -Tomris Laffly, Harper’s Bazaar “Riveting and propulsive!” -Lovia Gyarkye,Hollywood Reporter (NR, 150m)

CHQ Mystic Heart: Kainat Felicia Norton & Muinuddin Charles Smith
2025-08-05 07:45, 2025-08-07 07:45, 2025-08-08 07:45 | Presbyterian Chapel
: Kainat Felicia Norton and Muinuddin Charles Smith are senior Sufi teachers, retreat guides, and interfaith ministers within the Inayati Sufi Order. Together they founded and facilitate the Light of Guidance Center for Sufi Studies in New York City. Charles teaches leadership and sustainability studies at Hofstra University and Felicia teaches at the United Nations International School. They are married and live in New York City. Felicia has been touring the solo dance/theatre piece ‘NOOR’, depicting the life of Noor Inayat Khan, Sufi WW2 heroine, in London, Edinburgh, UK, France, and NYC. Together Felicia and Charles co-authored the book, ‘An Emerald Earth–Cultivating a Natural Spirituality and Serving Creative Beauty in Our World.’ Their book offers basic practices, poetry, and wisdom teachings from the Sufi tradition with the theme of joining inner cultivation and sacred ecology. They travel and offer retreats and workshops throughout the US, Canada, Asia, and Europe.

Episcopal Holy Eucharist
2025-08-05 07:45, 2025-08-06 07:45, 2025-08-07 07:45, 2025-08-08 07:45, 2025-08-10 09:00, 2025-08-11 07:45, 2025-08-12 07:45, 2025-08-13 07:45 and 9 more dates | Chapel of the Good Shepherd, Chapel of the Good Shepherd

Daily Word Meditation
2025-08-05 08:00, 2025-08-06 08:00, 2025-08-07 08:00, 2025-08-08 08:00, 2025-08-11 08:00, 2025-08-12 08:00, 2025-08-13 08:00, 2025-08-14 08:00 and 7 more dates | Hall of Missions, Hall of Missions
(Programmed by Unity of Chautauqua)

Catholic Mass
2025-08-05 08:45, 2025-08-06 08:45, 2025-08-07 08:45, 2025-08-08 08:45, 2025-08-11 08:45, 2025-08-12 08:45, 2025-08-13 08:45, 2025-08-14 08:45 and 6 more dates | Chapel of the Good Shepherd, Chapel of the Good Shepherd

Chautauqua Prays for Peace though Compassion
2025-08-05 08:55, 2025-08-06 08:55, 2025-08-07 08:55, 2025-08-08 08:55, 2025-08-11 08:55, 2025-08-12 08:55, 2025-08-13 08:55, 2025-08-14 08:55 and 6 more dates | Hall of Philosophy Grove

Sister Teresa Maya
2025-08-05 09:15, 2025-08-06 09:15, 2025-08-07 09:15, 2025-08-08 09:15 | Amphitheater, Amphitheater
Sister Teresa Maya is a member of the Congregation of the Sisters of Charity of the Incarnate Word, San Antonio. She has served as teacher, history professor, administrator, leader, facilitator and speaker. She is passionate about forming ministers committed to transforming Church and society . She believes in life-long learning and has a strong conviction in the future of consecrated life.
Sister Teresa got her B.A. at Yale University, her M.A. at the Graduate Theological Union at Berkeley and the Ph.D. in El Colegio de Mexico in Mexico City. She served fourteen years in the leadership of her religious institute and on the Leadership Conference of Women Religious (LCWR) presidency from 2016-19. She accompanies other religious congregations as facilitator and consultant.
She is currently serving as Senior Director for Theology and Sponsorship in the Catholic Health Association (USA).

Children's School Old First Night Sing Along
2025-08-05 10:00 | Smith Wilkes Hall, Smith Wilkes Hall

Service of Blessing and Healing
2025-08-05 10:15, 2025-08-06 10:15, 2025-08-07 10:15, 2025-08-08 10:15, 2025-08-11 10:15, 2025-08-12 10:15, 2025-08-13 10:15, 2025-08-14 10:15 and 6 more dates | Randell Chapel, UCC Headquarters

Ada Calhoun & Kwame Alexander
2025-08-05 10:45 | Amphitheater, Amphitheater
Ada Calhoun’s career, the Village Voice noted in 2015, “can seem as though it were cobbled together from the resumés of three ambitious journalists.” Calhoun is a reporter, essayist, memoirist, ghostwriter and — as of this year — novelist; now, she will make her Chautauqua Lecture Series debut in conversation with Kwame Alexander, discussing the passions and opportunities that have shaped her life.
Ada Calhoun is the author of, most recently, Crush — her debut novel released in 2025. Other works include Also a Poet: Frank O’Hara, My Father, and Me, which was longlisted for an Andrew Carnegie Medal for Nonfiction; Why We Can’t Sleep: Women’s New Midlife Crisis; St. Marks Is Dead: The Many Lives of America’s Hippest Street; and the memoir Wedding Toasts I’ll Never Give.
Throughout her career, Calhoun has been a crime reporter for the New York Post, frequent contributor to The New York Times Book Review, and theater listings editor for New York magazine. She is an A‑list ghostwriter, having anonymously collaborated on 30 major nonfiction books in the past dozen years, including several No. 1 New York Times bestsellers. She has written for Time, National Geographic Traveler, the Times Literary Supplement, the New Republic, Billboard, Cosmopolitan, The Washington Post and Redbook.
Calhoun’s national news reporting has won several awards, including a USC-Annenberg National Health Journalism Fellowship, a Kiplinger fellowship, a CCF Media Award (for her New York Times Magazine work on a legal challenge in Alabama), a Croly Award, and an Alicia Patterson Foundation fellowship. She received a MacDowell colony stay in 2013 for St. Marks Is Dead and has been granted several residencies in the New York Public Library’s scholars’ rooms, including in 2023–24. In 2023 she was a fellow at the Hawthornden Castle in Scotland.
Kwame Alexander is a poet, educator, producer and No. 1 New York Times bestselling author of 40 books, including Why Fathers Cry at Night, An American Story, The Door of No Return, Becoming Muhammad Ali (co-authored with James Patterson), Rebound, which was shortlisted for the prestigious UK Carnegie Medal, and The Undefeated — the National Book Award nominee, Newbery Honor, and Caldecott Medal-winning picture book illustrated by Kadir Nelson.
The Michael I. Rudell Artistic Director of Literary Arts and Inaugural Writer-in-Residence at Chautauqua Institution, Alexander is the recipient of numerous awards, including The Lee Bennett Hopkins Poetry Award, The Coretta Scott King Author Honor, three NAACP Image Award nominations and the 2017 Inaugural Pat Conroy Legacy Award. In 2018, he opened the Barbara E. Alexander Memorial Library and Health Clinic in Ghana, as a part of LEAP for Ghana, an international literacy program he co-founded. Alexander is executive producer, showrunner, and Emmy-winning writer of “The Crossover” TV series, which premiered on Disney+ in April 2023. “The Crossover” was produced in partnership with LeBron James’ SpringHill Company and Big Sea Entertainment, Alexander’s production company where he serves as CEO and co-founder, dedicated to creating innovative, highly original children’s and family entertainment.
His mission is to change the world, one word at a time.

BTG Brownbag. Marcus Rosten, Western NY Land Conservancy: Animal Tracking for Wildlife Corridors
2025-08-05 12:15 | Smith Wilkes Hall, Smith Wilkes Hall
Marcus Rosten is the WNY Wildway Director at the Western New York Land Conservancy. He’s served as an interpretive park ranger in our national parks and forests, led environmental education programs and stewardship projects with local non-profit organizations, and worked as a fish and wildlife technician conducting wildlife surveys and managing habitats for state and federal agencies. Marcus is a 30 Under 30 Awardee (2020) from the North American Association for Environmental Education and has been featured nationally in Scholastic News, the Nike Journal, NPR’s BirdNote, and on PBS Nature. His talk at Chautauqua will focus on Animal Tracking for Wildlife Corridors.

CHQ Mystic Heart: Kainat Felicia Norton and Muinuddin Charles Smith
2025-08-05 12:30, 2025-08-07 12:30 | Hall of Missions, Hall of Missions

CHQ Dialogues
2025-08-05 12:30, 2025-08-06 12:30, 2025-08-12 12:30, 2025-08-13 12:30, 2025-08-19 12:30, 2025-08-20 12:30 | Presbyterian House, Presbyterian House

Marie Griffith
2025-08-05 14:00 | Hall of Philosophy, Hall of Philosophy
Marie Griffith is the John C. Danforth Distinguished Professor in the Humanities at Washington University in St. Louis. She served for 12 years (2011-2023) as the director of the John C. Danforth Center on Religion and Politics and the editor of the Center’s journal, Religion & Politics. Her research focuses on American Christianity, including the changing profile of American evangelicals and ongoing conflicts over gender, sexuality, and marriage.
Professor Griffith obtained her undergraduate degree at the University of Virginia in Political and Social Thought and her Ph.D. in the study of religion from Harvard University. Before moving to Washington University in 2011, she served as professor of religion and director of the women and gender studies program at Princeton University, where she was awarded the President’s Award for Distinguished Teaching; and later as the John A. Bartlett Professor of New England Church History at Harvard. In 2015 she was appointed a Distinguished Lecturer for the Organization of American Historians.
Griffith is the author or editor of seven books. Her first, God’s Daughters: Evangelical Women and the Power of Submission (University of California Press, 1997), examines the practices and perceptions of contemporary evangelical women. Her next book, Born Again Bodies: Flesh and Spirit in American Christianity (University of California Press, 2004), explores the history of Christian-influenced attitudes and practices related to embodiment in modern America; while Moral Combat: How Sex Divided American Christians and Fractured American Politics (Basic Books, 2017) traces conflicts over sexual morality, feminism, and gender in American religion and politics. Her latest book, Making the World Over: Confronting Racism, Misogyny, and Xenophobia in U.S. History (UVA Press, 2021), urges a re-reading of the nation’s history that opens up greater complexity than our stock narratives. These books, along with her three edited volumes—Women and Religion in the African Diaspora: Knowledge, Power, and Performance (co-edited with Barbara Dianne Savage, Johns Hopkins University Press, 2006), Religion and Politics in the Contemporary United States (co-edited with Melani McAlister, Johns Hopkins University Press, 2008), and American Religions: A Documentary History (Oxford University Press, 2007)—exhibit Griffith’s varied research interests. In addition to her books, Professor Griffith has published numerous scholarly articles, book chapters, and essays.
Griffith is a frequent media commentator and public speaker on current issues pertaining to religion and politics. She is currently writing the first in-depth comparative history of the clergy sexual abuse crises within American Christianity, focusing on the U.S. Catholic Church and evangelical groups such as the Southern Baptist Convention.

SACRAMENTO
2025-08-05 15:00, 2025-08-06 18:00, 2025-08-07 20:45 | Chautauqua Cinema, Chautauqua Cinema
Following the death of his father, energetic and free-spirited Rickey (Michael Angarano) convinces long-time friend Glenn (Michael Cera) to go on an impromptu road trip from Los Angeles to Sacramento. In the worn yellow seats of Glenn’s old college convertible, the two men confront their anxiety-ridden lives, addressing past mistakes and questioning what their futures hold. “The prickly comedy of male-pattern personality collapse gives way to wisdom, something that Sacramento has in abundance.” -Robert Abele, Los Angeles Times (R, 89m)

Social Hour at Denominational Houses
2025-08-05 15:15, 2025-08-12 15:15, 2025-08-19 15:15 | Denominational Houses (Selected)
Social hour at the Baptist House, Catholic House, Christian Church, Everett Jewish Life Center, Episcopal Cottage, Lutheran House, Unitarian House and United Methodist House

Heritage Lecture Series: Jonathan D. Schmitz
2025-08-05 15:30 | Hall of Philosophy, Hall of Philosophy
As part of the Oliver Archives Center’s Heritage Lecture Series, Chautauqua Institution Archives and Historian, Jonathan D. Schmitz will present “Three Noteworthy Chautauquans”.

Play CHQ: Crafting by the Water
2025-08-05 16:00, 2025-08-12 16:00, 2025-08-19 16:00 | Miller Park, Miller Park
Play CHQ invites families to discover, create, and play together all season long! Enjoy a variety of engaging activities including games, crafts, STEM experiments, and more at pop-up locations throughout the Chautauqua grounds.
In case of inclement weather, all Play CHQ events will be relocated to Sheldon Hall of Education, Room 202.

School of Music Faculty Spotlight Series: Hornapalooza!
2025-08-05 16:15 | Elizabeth S. Lenna Hall, Elizabeth S. Lenna Hall
Closing out our series, we proudly present the venerable Horn Section of the Chautauqua Symphony Orchestra (Roger Kaza, Bill Bernatis, Donna Dolson, Daniel Kerdelwicz and Mark Robbins)! Prepare to be captivated by a stirring program featuring the timeless works of Hindemith, Faure, and Shaw. Each piece promises to showcase the majestic sound and artistry of the horn section in a way you won’t want to miss. Join us for a celebration of music that will resonate long after the final note.

THE LAST RANGER
2025-08-05 17:30 | Chautauqua Cinema, Chautauqua Cinema
Meet the Filmmaker Special Event! Free Admission! 2025 Oscar Nominated Live Action Short Film. When young Litha is introduced to the magic of a game reserve by the last remaining ranger, they are ambushed by poachers. In the ensuing battle to save the rhinos, Litha discovers a terrible secret. Actor/Writer and Executive Producer, David S. Lee, will host discussion to follow. (NR, 28m)

Old First Night
2025-08-05 18:00 | Amphitheater, Amphitheater
Old First Night is Chautauqua’s birthday party, and all are invited!
In the early years of Chautauqua, the season’s first night was not in late June but early August. Therefore, Old First Night (OFN) is a celebration of the original first night of the season at Chautauqua.
This event begins with music from Thursday Morning Brass at 6 p.m., followed by vespers and a traditional Chautauqua salute called the Drooping of the Lilies, which honors Chautauquans who are no longer with us. The program continues with music and audience participation events, and all generations are involved, including Children’s School and Boys’ and Girls’ Club. The program concludes with a rousing rendition of “Happy Birthday” accompanied by the Massey Memorial Organ.

Labyrinth History and Meditation
2025-08-05 18:30, 2025-08-12 18:30, 2025-08-19 18:30 | Turner (Outside of Building)
Bring gate pass. Adjacent to Turner Community Center

The Acrobats of Cirque-Tacular
2025-08-05 19:30 | Amphitheater, Amphitheater
Get ready for a circus like no other! With breathtaking acrobatics, world-class talent, and heart-stopping feats, our award-winning production has dazzled audiences in over 70 countries. Honored with the New York Parents’ Choice Award, we celebrate the spirit of American circus—bold, brilliant, and brimming with joy. Mind-boggling artistry and athleticism ignite the imagination of the young and the young in spirit alike!

LIZA: A TRULY TERRIFIC ABSOLUTELY TRUE STORY
2025-08-05 20:15, 2025-08-06 20:30, 2025-08-07 15:15, 2025-08-07 18:00 | Chautauqua Cinema, Chautauqua Cinema
This star-studded tribute brings into focus the dazzling, complex period of Liza Minnelli’s life just after the tragic death of her mother Judy Garland, as she confronts personal and professional challenges on the way to becoming a bona fide legend. “A creation story in a minor key, it traces how the only child of two film immortals beat the odds, survived terrible loss, weathered unfortunate relationships and became an international star in her own right.” -Manohla Dargis’ New York Times “A lovely film. I loved it completely.” -Tim Cogshell, FilmWeek (NR, 104m)

CHQ Mystic Heart: Kainat Felicia Norton and Muinuddin Charles Smith
2025-08-06 07:45 | Presbyterian Chapel

Movement and Meditation with Monte Thompson
2025-08-06 08:30, 2025-08-08 08:30, 2025-08-11 08:30, 2025-08-13 08:30, 2025-08-15 08:30, 2025-08-18 08:30, 2025-08-20 08:30, 2025-08-22 08:30 | Hall of Philosophy Grove
Monte Thompson was a professional dancer, and also spent years as a restauranteur. His life was spent on his feet. Now retired, he is interested in continuing to be able to move easily and gracefully while using breathing and stretching techniques to help quiet his mind and prepare him to face each day with purpose and joy.

CLSC Recognition Day
2025-08-06 09:00 | Hall of Philosophy, Hall of Philosophy

Carla Hall & Kwame Alexander
2025-08-06 10:45 | Amphitheater, Amphitheater
In the midst of a week dedicated to finding one’s passions, seizing opportunities and changing the world, chef and author Carla Hall joins Kwame Alexander in conversation to discuss her work and the philosophy at the heart of it: Always cook with love.
Carla Hall first won over audiences when she competed on Bravo’s “Top Chef” and “Top Chef: All Stars.” A trained chef who has worked in several professional restaurant kitchens in and around the Washington, D.C. area, Hall believes food connects us all — a belief she strives to convey through her work, her cooking, and in her daily interactions with others.
Known for her work as a judge on Food Network competition shows like “Harry Potter: The Wizards of Baking” and the many iterations (summer, holiday and Halloween) “Baking Championships,” Hall spent seven years co-hosting ABC’s Emmy Award-winning, popular lifestyle series “The Chew,” and is currently featured as the host of “Chasing Flavors” on Max.
Her most recent cookbook, Carla Hall’s Soul Food: Everyday and Celebration, was published in 2018, landing on annual “Best Cookbook” lists across the country and receiving an NAACP Image Awards nomination. Her debut picture book, Carla and the Christmas Cornbread, was published in November 2021 with Denene Millner Books, an imprint of Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing. Illustrated by Cherise Harris, Carla and the Christmas Cornbread is loosely based on Hall’s childhood growing up in Nashville and celebrates family traditions, old and new. Her second children’s book, Carla and the Tin Can Cake, will be available October 2025.
The culinary ambassador chef at the Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of African American History and Culture, in 2024 Hall was honored by Les Dames d’Escoffier as Grande Dame, a lifetime achievement award and honorary title is given to members in recognition of extraordinary contributions within the fields of food, beverage and hospitality.
Kwame Alexander is a poet, educator, producer and No. 1 New York Times bestselling author of 40 books, including Why Fathers Cry at Night, An American Story, The Door of No Return, Becoming Muhammad Ali (co-authored with James Patterson), Rebound, which was shortlisted for the prestigious UK Carnegie Medal, and The Undefeated — the National Book Award nominee, Newbery Honor, and Caldecott Medal-winning picture book illustrated by Kadir Nelson.
The Michael I. Rudell Artistic Director of Literary Arts and Inaugural Writer-in-Residence at Chautauqua Institution, Alexander is the recipient of numerous awards, including The Lee Bennett Hopkins Poetry Award, The Coretta Scott King Author Honor, three NAACP Image Award nominations and the 2017 Inaugural Pat Conroy Legacy Award. In 2018, he opened the Barbara E. Alexander Memorial Library and Health Clinic in Ghana, as a part of LEAP for Ghana, an international literacy program he co-founded. Alexander is executive producer, showrunner, and Emmy-winning writer of “The Crossover” TV series, which premiered on Disney+ in April 2023. “The Crossover” was produced in partnership with LeBron James’ SpringHill Company and Big Sea Entertainment, Alexander’s production company where he serves as CEO and co-founder, dedicated to creating innovative, highly original children’s and family entertainment.
His mission is to change the world, one word at a time.

Organ Recitals
2025-08-06 12:15, 2025-08-13 12:15, 2025-08-20 12:15 | Amphitheater, Amphitheater

Climate Science and Disaster Preparedness in a Post-DOGE world
2025-08-06 12:15 | Smith Wilkes Hall, Smith Wilkes Hall
Tom Di Libert is a former Public Affairs Specialist and Climate Scientist at NOAA and currently directs communications for the nonprofit Climate Central. Tom was forced out of NOAA during the “Department of Government Efficiency” federal agency purges in 2025. Tom will speak to the importance of federal climate science, in particular the weather and climate researching and forecasting led by NOAA.

Twelve Step Meeting
2025-08-06 12:15, 2025-08-08 12:15, 2025-08-10 12:15, 2025-08-13 12:15, 2025-08-15 12:15, 2025-08-17 12:15, 2025-08-20 12:15, 2025-08-22 12:15 and 1 more date | Hurlbut Marion Lawrance

Women in Ministry
2025-08-06 12:15, 2025-08-13 12:15, 2025-08-20 12:15 | Hall of Missions, Hall of Missions

Homeboys group talk
2025-08-06 12:15 | Randell Chapel, UCC Headquarters

CHQ Dialogue
2025-08-06 12:30, 2025-08-20 12:30 | Catholic House, Catholic House

Lisa Fishbayn Joffe
2025-08-06 14:00 | Hall of Philosophy, Hall of Philosophy
Dr. Lisa Fishbayn Joffe is the Shulamit Reinharz Director of the Hadassah-Brandeis Institute at Brandeis University, where she teaches in the department of Near Eastern and Judaic Studies.
She is an expert on women’s rights under Jewish family law and on the intersection between secular and religious family law. Her publications include Gender, Religion and Family Law: Theorizing Conflicts Between Women’s Rights and Cultural Traditions (2012); The Polygamy Question (2015); Women’s Rights and Religious Law, (2016) and a special issue of Nashim: A Journal of Jewish Women’s Studies and Gender Issues on New Historical and Legal Perspectives on Jewish Divorce (Volume 31, 2017). She is editor of the Brandeis University Press Series on Gender, Culture, Religion and the Law, and of the HBI Series on Jewish Women.
She is a co-founder of the Boston Agunah Task Force, devoted to research, education and advocacy for women under Jewish family law. She holds law degrees, from Osgoode Hall Law School and Harvard Law School, served as law clerk to Justice Iacobucci of the Supreme Court of Canada, and was called to the bar of the Law Society of Upper Canada. Before coming to Brandeis, she taught English law and comparative law at the Faculty of Laws, University College, London.

WYNTON MARSALIS' ALL RISE
2025-08-06 15:00 | Chautauqua Cinema, Chautauqua Cinema
Special Program Event! Free Admission with Gate Pass! Recorded live at the Chautauqua Amphitheater in 2024 this is Wynton Marsalis’s massive jazz symphony All Rise performed in it’s entirety featuring the Music School Festival Orchestra and the Buffalo Philharmonic Chorus. (NR, 115m)

African American Heritage House Lecture: The Rev. Shavon Arline-Bradley
2025-08-06 15:30 | Hall of Philosophy, Hall of Philosophy
The Rev. Shavon Arline-Bradley is the president and chief executive officer for National Council of Negro Women and brings 21 years of experience in healthcare; diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI); government affairs; and executive leadership. She is also the founding principal and CEO of R.E.A.C.H. Beyond Solutions, a public health, advocacy, and executive leadership firm.
Prior to starting R.E.A.C.H., Arline-Bradley served as senior adviser and director of external engagement during the Obama Administration in the Department of Health & Human Services for the 19th U.S. Surgeon General, Vivek H. Murthy. Prior to that, she served as executive vice president of strategic planning and partnerships, as well as former chief of staff, at the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People. In 2024, Arline-Bradley became the youngest person ever to keynote the Martin Luther King, Jr. Beloved Community Commemorative Service, the annual celebration of King’s birthday organized by the King Center.
Arline-Bradley earned her undergraduate degree in exercise science and master’s in public health from Tulane University and graduated from the Samuel Dewitt Proctor School of Theology at Virginia Union University with a Master of Divinity, where she too became an ordained minister.

CHQ Dialogues
2025-08-06 15:30, 2025-08-13 15:30, 2025-08-20 15:30 | Catholic House, Catholic House

Play CHQ: STEM by the Water
2025-08-06 16:00, 2025-08-13 16:00, 2025-08-20 16:00 | Miller Park, Miller Park

CHQ Mystic Heart: Therapeutic Gong Meditation with Kim Hehr
2025-08-06 16:45, 2025-08-13 16:45, 2025-08-20 16:45 | Hurlbut Church sanctuary, Hurlbut Church sanctuary
Kim Hehr is a lifelong Chautauquan and a certified level 2 teacher of Kundalini Yoga and Meditation. She has been a yoga and meditation practitioner for 30 years and has been teaching Kundalini Yoga and Meditation for 25 years. A retired hospice nurse, she is presently the coordinator of the CHQ Mystic Heart Meditation Program. Kim specializes in healing addictive patterns through yogic technology. Passionate about teaching meditation, performing Gong Baths, and pranayama (breath work), her objective is to help others with their anxiety and everyday stress. Her goal is to facilitate bringing more peace and self-acceptance into people’s lives.

Operalogue: Puccini's La bohème
2025-08-06 17:00 | Smith Wilkes Hall, Smith Wilkes Hall
Join us for an operalogue to learn more about the music, with performances by young artists.

Men's Softball League
2025-08-06 17:00, 2025-08-08 17:00 | Sharpe Field, Sharpe Field
Interested in playing slow pitch softball? Contact co-commissioner Wes Delancey
at markernalt21@gmail.com to be added to a team roster. Fee per team for league play.

CVA Lecture Series: Luis Sahagun Nuño
2025-08-06 18:30 | Hultquist 101, Hultquist 101
CVA Lecture Series: CVA Galleries exhibiting artist
Luis Sahagun Nuño
Luis Sahagún Nuño is an interdisciplinary artist whose practice transforms drawing into ceremony and art into medicine. Born in Guadalajara, Jalisco, México, and raised in Chicago’s Southland, his practice is grounded in curanderismo, the traditional healing practices of Latin America. His work reimagines Mexica and Yucatec Maya rituals within contemporary art. Incorporating limpias (energetic cleansings) and soul retrievals, his practice functions as both offering and ritual, acts of reclamation, reconnecting lost energies, and weaving fragmented memories back into wholeness.
Sahagún received a BFA from Southern Illinois University-Carbondale and an MFA from Northern Illinois University. His work is part of the permanent collections of Fidelity, AltaMed, and the Anderson Museum of Contemporary Art, as well as private collections including Amir Shariat, Carmen Rita Wong, Nick Cave, and many others. He has exhibited globally, including at the Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago, The Bronx Museum of Art, Roswell Museum of Art, DePaul Museum, Freeport Art Museum, Charlie James Gallery, The Chicago Cultural Center, Arvika Konsthall (Sweden), The National Museum of Mexican Art in Chicago, EXPO Chicago, Untitled Miami, NADA Art Fair, and the University of Virginia, among others. He has been featured in Artforum, Hyperallergic, Los Angeles Times, Chicago Tribune, Univision, FOX, NBC, NPR, and The Latinx Project in NYC: Sahagún has received the 3Arts Award and the United States Artist Fellowship.

CHQ Dialogues
2025-08-06 18:30, 2025-08-08 12:30, 2025-08-13 18:30, 2025-08-15 12:30, 2025-08-20 18:30, 2025-08-22 12:30 | Lutheran House, Lutheran House

Chautauqua Opera Company presents Puccini's La bohème
2025-08-06 20:15 | Amphitheater, Amphitheater
Giacomo Puccini’s lush and ravishing score returns to Chautauqua for the first time since 2003. Stage Director Keturah Stickann (LA TRAVIATA, L’ORFEO, THE MOTHER OF US ALL, and HANSEL AND GRETEL) tells this tragic tale through the eyes of an older and affluent Rodolfo, as the poet is haunted by the ghost of Mimì, and the memory of his fellow bohemians. With a full orchestra in the pit, and a strikingly reimagined chamber chorus framing the central characters on stage, this surprisingly intimate LA BOHÈME brings the grand emotions of Italian opera back to Chautauqua’s Amphitheater.

Amna Nawaz
2025-08-07 10:45 | Amphitheater, Amphitheater
Amna Nawaz serves as co-anchor of the PBS News Hour, for which she has reported across the country and around the world on a range of topics including politics, immigration, foreign affairs, education, gun violence, criminal justice reform, the climate, culture and sports. She joins the Chautauqua Lecture Series during the “Kwame Alexander and Friends” week to share stories from her reporting career that showcase the best in human values, highlighting our capacity for strength, resilience, love and inspiration.
Nawaz has also received four Peabody Awards for News Hour team coverage of some of the biggest stories of our time: in 2024 reporting from Israel after the Hamas Oct. 7 attack; in 2023, reporting from Uvalde, Texas, after the mass school shooting, as part of a gun violence series; in 2021, reporting from outside the U.S. Capitol during live coverage of the Jan. 6 insurrection; and in 2019, for an in-depth look at our global plastic pollution problem. Prior to joining PBS News Hour in April 2018, Nawaz was an anchor and correspondent at ABC News; prior to that, she served as foreign correspondent and Islamabad Bureau Chief at NBC News. She is also the founder and former managing editor of NBC’s Asian America platform.
In 2024, Nawaz was the recipient of the Diversity Woman Media’s Pioneer Award, as well as the Women’s Foreign Policy Group’s Breaking Barriers in Journalism Award. In 2023, she was named an A100 honoree by Gold House. She was the recipient of the Asian Pacific American Institute for Congressional Studies’ Vision Award and the Media Award from the Muslim Affairs Public Council’s Media Award in 2022. Nawaz earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of Pennsylvania, and her master’s degree from the London School of Economics.

CTC Theater Chats
2025-08-07 12:15, 2025-08-14 12:15, 2025-08-21 12:15 | Smith Wilkes Hall, Smith Wilkes Hall
Theater Chats (formerly known as Brown Bags)
On selected Thursdays at 12:15 p.m., bring lunch to Smith Wilkes Hall and join special guests, including actors, designers, playwrights and more, for a look at our upcoming productions and discussions on the craft of theater-making. Free and open to the public.

CHQ Dialogue
2025-08-07 12:30, 2025-08-14 12:30, 2025-08-21 12:30 | Everett Jewish Life Center, Everett Jewish Life Center

Duplicate Bridge
2025-08-07 12:45, 2025-08-14 12:45, 2025-08-21 12:45 | Sports Club, Sports Club
Don’t have a partner? One will be provided. Game managed by Shelley Dahlie. $10/person.

"Inside/Outside: Open CVA Members Exhibition 2025" - August 7–21
2025-08-07 13:00 | Fowler-Kellogg Art Center: 1st Floor
“Inside/Outside: Open CVA Members Exhibition 2025” runs August 7–21.
Each year we highlight the exceptional work of our CVA Exhibiting Members who work in a wide range of materials and techniques. From lush landscapes to cozy interiors, this year’s exhibition is inspired by the theme “Inside/Outside”. These artists take time to consider the spaces we inhabit, dream about, and take care of.

Mary Anne Case
2025-08-07 14:00 | Hall of Philosophy, Hall of Philosophy
Mary Anne Case is the Arnold I. Shure Professor of Law at the University of Chicago Law School. A graduate of Yale College and the Harvard Law School, Mary Anne Case studied at the University of Munich; litigated for Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison; and was professor of law and Class of 1966 Research Professor at the University of Virginia before joining the Law School faculty. She also served as a visiting professor at New York University in 1996-97 and in 1999, a Bosch Public Policy Fellow at the American Academy in Berlin in 2004, a Crane Fellow in Law and Public Affairs at Princeton University in 2006-07, a Samuel Rubin Visiting Professor at Columbia Law School in 2013, a Fernand Braudel Fellow at the European University Institute in 2016, and a Guest Professor at Goethe University Frankfurt in 2018.
Subjects Case has taught include feminist jurisprudence, constitutional law, regulation of sexuality, marriage, family law, sex discrimination, religious freedom, and European legal systems. She is the convener of the Workshop on Regulating Family, Sex, and Gender and board member of the Center for the Study of Gender and Sexuality. While diverse research interests include German contract law, theological anthropology, and the First Amendment, her scholarship to date has concentrated on the regulation of sex, gender, sexuality, religion, and family; and the early history of feminism.

"Inside/Outside: Open CVA Members Exhibition" Exhibition Opening Reception
2025-08-07 15:00 | Fowler-Kellogg Art Center: 1st Floor
Exhibition runs August 7–21. Each year we highlight the exceptional work of our CVA Exhibiting Members who work in a wide range of materials and techniques. From lush landscapes to cozy interiors, this year’s exhibition is inspired by the theme “Inside/Outside”. These artists take time to consider the spaces we inhabit, dream about, and take care of.

Chautauqua Opera Company presents An Afternoon of Song
2025-08-07 15:15 | Fletcher Music Hall, Fletcher Music Hall
Join us for an afternoon of song, featuring our 2025 Young Artists.

Kevin Nguyen
2025-08-07 15:30 | Hall of Philosophy, Hall of Philosophy
Chautauqua Literary and Scientific Circle Presentation — Mỹ Documents: A Novel by Kevin Nguyen
Ursula, Alvin, Jen, and Duncan grew up as cousins in the sprawling Nguyen family. As young adults, they’re on the precipice of new ventures: Ursula as a budding journalist in Manhattan, Alvin as an engineering intern for Google, Jen as a naïve freshman at NYU, and Duncan as a promising newcomer on his high school football team. Their lives are upended when a series of violent, senseless attacks across America creates a national panic, prompting a government policy that pushes Vietnamese Americans into internment camps. Jen and Duncan are sent with their mother to Camp Tacoma while Ursula and Alvin receive exemptions.
Cut off entirely from the outside world, forced to work jobs they hate, Jen and Duncan try to withstand long, dusty days in camp and acclimate to life without the internet. That is, until Jen discovers a way to get messages to the outside. Her first instinct is to reach out to Ursula, who sees this connection as a chance to tell the world about the horrors of camp—and as an opportunity to bolster her own reporting career in the process.
Informed by real-life events, from Japanese incarceration to the Vietnam War and modern-day immigrant detention, Kevin Nguyen’s novel gives us a version of reality only a few degrees away from our own. Moving and finely attuned to both the brutalities and mundanities of racism, Mỹ Documents is a strangely funny and touching portrait of American ambition, fear, and family. The story of the Nguyens is one of resilience and how we return to one another, and to ourselves, after tragedy.
Kevin Nguyen is the author of the novel New Waves. He is the features editor at The Verge and was previously a senior editor at GQ. He lives in Brooklyn.
Nguyen will replace the previously announced Chautauqua Literary and Scientific Circle author Angie Thomas, who was originally scheduled for August 7. Her book, Blackout, remains a 2025 CLSC selection.

CHQ Dialogues
2025-08-07 15:30, 2025-08-14 15:30, 2025-08-21 15:30 | United Methodist House, United Methodist House

CHQ Dialogues
2025-08-07 15:30, 2025-08-14 15:30, 2025-08-21 15:30 | Baptist House, Baptist House

CHQ Dialogues
2025-08-07 16:00, 2025-08-14 16:00, 2025-08-21 16:00 | AAHH African American Heritage House
The Dialogue is devoted to the AAHH Lecture on Wednesday at 3:30pm

Play CHQ: Get your Game On!
2025-08-07 16:00, 2025-08-14 16:00, 2025-08-21 16:00 | Miller Park, Miller Park

Beach-to-Beach Color Sprint
2025-08-07 16:30 | Sports Club, Sports Club
Ages 6+ are invited to run the color sprint. $13 fee includes white t-shirt. Powdered paint tossed at participants as they run from the children’s beach to Heinz beach.Great photo opp at the end! Questions? contact sportsclub@chq.org

CHQ Dialogues
2025-08-07 18:30, 2025-08-14 18:30, 2025-08-21 18:30 | Disciples of Christ House, Disciples of Christ House

Chautauqua Symphony Orchestra: Legend and Triumph
2025-08-07 20:15 | Amphitheater, Amphitheater
Timothy Muffitt, conductor
Conductor Timothy Muffitt joins the Chautauqua Symphony Orchestra for a captivating evening of orchestral storytelling and symphonic brilliance. Fauré’s Pelléas et Mélisande Suite weaves a tale of mystery and romance with its lush, impressionistic beauty, setting the stage for Prokofiev’s powerful Symphony No. 5, a triumphant and deeply expressive work of grandeur. Experience an unforgettable night where delicate lyricism meets bold, heroic energy in a concert that will leave you spellbound!
Program:
Gabriel Faure: Pelleas et Melisande Suite, Op. 80
Sergei Prokofiev: Symphony No. 5 in B-flat major, Op. 100

Christopher Jackson & Kwame Alexander
2025-08-08 10:45 | Amphitheater, Amphitheater
Closing a week of conversations and presentations about finding one’s passions, seizing opportunities and, ultimately, changing the world, Kwame Alexander welcomes award-winning songwriter, composer, vocalist and actor Christopher Jackson to the Amphitheater stage. Jackson rose to fame portraying George Washington in Hamilton, and together the poet and the president will discuss Jackson’s personal journey — and the journey of America — through the soundtrack of our country.
Christopher Jackson is a Tony Award nominated actor, as well as a Grammy and Emmy Award-winning songwriter/composer best known for starring as George Washington in the critically acclaimed, award-winning musical Hamilton on Broadway and Disney+. Jackson starred in the hit CBS drama “Bull,” which ran for six seasons, and he can now be seen on HBO Max’s series “And Just Like That …”
In early 2021, Jackson starred in Freestyle Love Supreme on Broadway alongside Lin-Manuel Miranda. Additionally, he starred in Ava DuVernay’s Netflix mini-series, “When They See Us.” In December 2018, “One Last Time (44 Remix)” was released as a part of the Hamildrop series which featured Jackson alongside President Barack Obama and BeBe Winans. His Broadway credits include Holler if Ya Hear Me, After Midnight, The Bronx Bombers, In the Heights, Memphis and The Lion King (Simba). Off Broadway credits include Bronx Bombers (Primary Stages); The Jammer (Atlantic Theater Co.); Lonely, I’m Not (Second Stage); In the Heights (37 Arts), and Cotton Club Parade (ENCORES at City Center).
Additional TV and film credits include “Freestyle Love Supreme,” “Person of Interest,” “A Gifted Man,” “Fringe,” “Gossip Girl,” “Tracers,” “Afterlife” and the 2021 film adaptation of “In the Heights.” Jackson voiced “Where You Are” for the Disney film “Moana,” and served as composer/songwriter for “Sesame Street” (garnering seven Emmy nominations and one win), and co-music supervisor and writer for “The Electric Company” (PBS). Jackson won an Emmy Award for his song with Will.I.Am, “What I Am,” and he’ll release his second studio album later this year.
Jackson has performed sold-out concerts all over the United States, including Carnegie Hall and Kennedy Center, and a command performance at the White House in 2023.
Kwame Alexander is a poet, educator, producer and No. 1 New York Times bestselling author of 40 books, including Why Fathers Cry at Night, An American Story, The Door of No Return, Becoming Muhammad Ali (co-authored with James Patterson), Rebound, which was shortlisted for the prestigious UK Carnegie Medal, and The Undefeated — the National Book Award nominee, Newbery Honor, and Caldecott Medal-winning picture book illustrated by Kadir Nelson.
The Michael I. Rudell Artistic Director of Literary Arts and Inaugural Writer-in-Residence at Chautauqua Institution, Alexander is the recipient of numerous awards, including The Lee Bennett Hopkins Poetry Award, The Coretta Scott King Author Honor, three NAACP Image Award nominations and the 2017 Inaugural Pat Conroy Legacy Award. In 2018, he opened the Barbara E. Alexander Memorial Library and Health Clinic in Ghana, as a part of LEAP for Ghana, an international literacy program he co-founded. Alexander is executive producer, showrunner, and Emmy-winning writer of “The Crossover” TV series, which premiered on Disney+ in April 2023. “The Crossover” was produced in partnership with LeBron James’ SpringHill Company and Big Sea Entertainment, Alexander’s production company where he serves as CEO and co-founder, dedicated to creating innovative, highly original children’s and family entertainment.
His mission is to change the world, one word at a time.

LGBTQ+ & Friends at Chautauqua: Book Bans: Fighting Censorship and Celebrating our Diversity
2025-08-08 12:15 | Smith Wilkes Hall, Smith Wilkes Hall

Summer on the Steps: A Brick Walk Book Talk
2025-08-08 12:15 | Alumni Hall Porch, Alumni Hall Porch
Join us to hear from Chautauquan and local authors: Fred Zirm, Chris Flanders, John Brantingham, Karen J. Weyant

Introduction to Jumu'ah Muslim Prayer
2025-08-08 12:30, 2025-08-15 12:30 | Hall of Christ: Sanctuary
Jumu’ah introduction for visitors is at 12:30 PM. Jumu’ah Service is at 1:05 PM

Asha Dahya
2025-08-08 14:00 | Hall of Philosophy, Hall of Philosophy
Asha Dahya is an Emmy-nominated Producer, writer, TEDx speaker and storyteller. Asha was born in the UK, raised in Australia, and now resides in Los Angeles, California. She has spent the last 20 years creating, producing and hosting content for networks and organizations such as MTV, MSN.com, Disney, ABC, Nickelodeon, Fox, the ACLU, Supermajority, Snapchat, Nine Network Australia and more.
Asha is the director and producer of an award-winning short documentary about later abortion called Someone You Know. She created, Executive Produced and co-hosted an audio and video series about Latin America’s Green Wave abortion rights movement called Green Tide Rising, which was nominated for a Webby Award in the U.S., and a One World Media award in the UK, both in 2025.
In 2024, she was nominated for an Emmy Award for her work producing the short film My Name Is Siri, an autism awareness documentary that premiered on PBS.
Asha is the founder of a daily feminist digital magazine called GirlTalkHQ.com, which spawned a book deal in 2018. She is the author of ‘Today’s Wonder Women: Everyday Superheroes Who Are Changing The World’, featuring inspirational stories of 50 women and girls.
Passionate about advocacy, she is also the Board Chair of the national non-profit Religious Community for Reproductive Choice (RCRC.org) and has been involved with the organization since 2021.
She lives in Los Angeles with her husband and two children.

Chautauqua Opera Company workshops: Ida by Lamplight and Sitcom
2025-08-08 15:15 | Elizabeth S. Lenna Hall, Elizabeth S. Lenna Hall
IDA BY LAMPLIGHT
IDA BY LAMPLIGHT is the third chamber opera to be realized from Jerre Dye’s anthology libretto THE SUMMER PLACE, commissioned by the Chautauqua Opera Guild, which captures Chautauqua Institution’s history from its founding through today. Jeremy Gill, Chautauqua Opera Company’s 2016 composer-in-residence, will set the 20-minute score. IDA BY LAMPLIGHT invites the audience into the office of THE CHAUTAUQUAN, late one night in 1886. Ida Tarbell, managing editor of THE CHAUTAUQUAN, and Kate Kimball, an early leader of the Chautauqua Literary and Scientific Circle (CLSC) read and answer letters to the nascent CLSC as they survey the profound effect their work is having on thousands of readers across the United States. Commissioned by Chautauqua Opera Company to celebrate The 150th anniversary of Chautauquan Daily in 2026, IDA BY LAMPLIGHT will be given a one-week workshop, capped by a public reading with piano accompaniment.
SITCOM
The neo-baroque comic chamber opera SITCOM, with music by Luke Styles and libretto by Alan McKendrick, was developed in collaboration with Opera Philadelphia and Producing Fund Partner Andrew Martin Weber. Sitcom will receive a ten-day workshop with harpsichord accompaniment at Chautauqua. As in classic television sitcoms, the opera’s four main characters are delightfully trapped in the eternal present of their own worlds. Conceived as four 30-minute “episodes,” each episode will take Max, Bettina, Joan and Vendetta on hugely transformative journeys, but crucially return each of them to their status quo for the beginning of the next episode. Chautauqua Opera will workshop 60 minutes of the score, with a public presentation to wrap up the final week of the 2025 season.

CHQ Dialogues
2025-08-08 15:30, 2025-08-15 15:30, 2025-08-22 15:30 | Unitarian Universalist Fellowship

CHQ Dialogues
2025-08-08 15:30, 2025-08-15 15:30, 2025-08-22 15:30 | Episcopal Cottage, Episcopal Cottage

Hebrew Congregation Evening Kabbalat Shabbat Service
2025-08-08 17:00, 2025-08-15 17:00, 2025-08-22 17:00 | Miller Park, Miller Park

BAD SHABBOS
2025-08-08 17:30, 2025-08-09 20:50, 2025-08-10 15:05, 2025-08-10 20:50, 2025-08-11 18:00 | Chautauqua Cinema, Chautauqua Cinema
An engaged interfaith couple are about to have their parents meet for the first time over a Shabbat dinner when an accidental death gets in the way, in director Daniel Robbins situational comedy. “A strong ensemble cast nails the tasty dialogue and increasingly frantic action without falling into shtick.” -Alissa Simon, Variety “Neither too “oy vey” nor Weekend at Bernie’s but steeped in the best aspects of both Jewish and black comedy, Bad Shabbos is a treat any night of the week.” -Bob Strauss, San Francisco Chronicle (NR, 84m)

Mary Chapin Carpenter | Brandy Clark
2025-08-08 19:30 | Amphitheater, Amphitheater
One of music’s “most reliable and empathetic songwriters” (Pitchfork), Mary Chapin Carpenter has sold over 16 million records over the course of her renowned career. With hits like “Passionate Kisses” and “He Thinks He’ll Keep Her,” she has won five Grammy Awards (with 18 nominations), two CMA Awards, two ACM Awards and is one of only fifteen female members of the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame. Carpenter’s record “One Night Lonely” was nominated for Best Folk Album at the 65th Annual Grammy Awards, and in 2023 the songwriter was awarded the Poet’s Award at the ACM Honors, recognizing outstanding and longstanding musical and lyrical contributions throughout her career. Most recently, Carpenter unveiled her new podcast, “Hope is a Muscle,” which finds her in conversation with people from all walks of life. During its run, the podcast was in the top five music podcasts on both Apple and Spotify Platforms. In early 2025 the album “Looking For The Thread,” a collaborative recording with Scottish Singer-Songwriters Karine Polwart and Julie Fowlis, was released worldwide. Of the album, The Arts Desk wrote, “It’s only January but this is an album of the year.”
The 2025 tour will feature songs from Mary Chapin’s entire catalog and her new album set for early summer release.
A GRAMMY, CMA and Americana Award-winner, Brandy Clark is one of her generation’s most esteemed songwriters and musicians. In the midst of a landmark year, Clark won Best Americana Performance at the 66th GRAMMY Awards and Song of the Year at the 2024 Americana Honors & Awards with her acclaimed song, “Dear Insecurity,” featuring 11x Grammy-winner Brandi Carlile. The track is from Clark’s self-titled album, which was produced by Carlile and features her most personal songwriting to date. Released to overwhelming praise, Forbes calls the record “an Americana Masterpiece,” while Variety proclaims it “further clarifies that she’s one of America’s treasures” and Billboard declares, “Clark continues to convey her inexorable talents as both a song-crafter and vocal interpreter.” In addition to her work as a solo artist, Clark has written songs such as “A Beautiful Noise,” the GRAMMY-nominated duet performed by Brandi Carlile and Alicia Keys, and Kacey Musgraves’ “Follow Your Arrow.” She also composed the music for the hit musical comedy, Shucked, alongside her longtime collaborator, Shane McAnally. With the show, Clark won Outstanding Music at the 67th Drama Desk Awards and was nominated for Best Original Score at the 76th Tony Awards, with Shucked receiving nine Tony nominations overall last year.

A Service of Compline
2025-08-08 19:30, 2025-08-15 19:30, 2025-08-22 19:30 | Episcopal Chapel

A COMPLETE UNKNOWN
2025-08-08 20:00, 2025-08-09 17:30, 2025-08-10 17:30, 2025-08-11 20:00 | Chautauqua Cinema, Chautauqua Cinema
Timothée Chalamet stars and sings as Bob Dylan in James Mangold’s compelling biopic, the electric true story behind the rise of one of the most iconic singer-songwriters in history. Co-stars Edward Norton and Elle Fanning. “Utterly fascinating, capturing a moment in time when songs had weight, when they could move the culture–even if the singer who made them was as puzzling as a rolling stone.” -Mark Kennedy, Associated Press “The performances are fantastic, all of them.” -Bill Goodykoontz, Arizona Republic (R, 141m)

CHQ Mystic Heart Meditation: Carol McKiernan
2025-08-09 07:15, 2025-08-16 07:15, 2025-08-23 07:15 | Hall of Philosophy, Hall of Philosophy
Carol McKiernan grew up at Chautauqua and says that her love of mystical practices began here on the grounds. She was formally introduced to meditation many years ago at an off-season yoga and meditation retreat led by Subagh Singh Khalsa and has been practicing Centering Prayer daily ever since. She has attended many seminars, workshops, and retreats offered by Contemplative Outreach, founded by the late Father Thomas Keating, a Trappist Monk who was instrumental in the creation of Centering Prayer. Carol practices Centering Prayer with weekly groups in Campus Ministry at Villanova University and at St. David’s Episcopal Church outside of Philadelphia. She has led and participated in many Centering Prayer workshops and groups in the areas surrounding her hometown of Philadelphia. She is a member of the Augustinian Affiliates, the lay order of the Augustinian Friars and volunteers for the Friars in the Villanova Province. Carol is a past board member and treasurer of the Chautauqua Catholic Community.

Torah Study
2025-08-09 09:30, 2025-08-16 09:30, 2025-08-23 09:30 | Hurlbut Marion Lawrance

Chabad Jewish House, Community Shabbat Service, Rabbi Zalman Vilenken
2025-08-09 09:30, 2025-08-16 09:30, 2025-08-23 09:30 | Chabad Jewish House

Sabbath Morning Worship, Hebrew Congregation
2025-08-09 10:30, 2025-08-16 10:30, 2025-08-23 10:30 | Hurlbut Church sanctuary, Hurlbut Church sanctuary

Kiddish Luncheon
2025-08-09 11:30, 2025-08-16 11:30, 2025-08-23 11:30 | Hurlbut Truesdale

Contemporary Issues Forum: Kim Henderson, M.D.
2025-08-09 15:00 | Hall of Philosophy, Hall of Philosophy
Kim Henderson is Morgan Stanley’s Head of Wealth Management Health and Wellness Education, serving in the department of Family Office Resources as the company’s subject matter expert on multiple health- and wellness-related topics — including COVID-19, women’s health, health equity, resiliency, sleep, wellbeing and adolescent and family mental health. Previously, she served Morgan Stanley as its associate medical director, providing direct oversight of and coordination among the firm’s global medical, health and wellness services. In her Contemporary Issue Forum presentation for the Chautauqua Women’s Club, Henderson will discuss the topic “Health is Wealth.”
Prior to joining Morgan Stanley, Henderson was the senior medical director at CVS Health, where she spent 14 years supporting enterprise-wide initiatives and retail health programs, including oversight of MinuteClinic nurse practitioners. She has spent 17 years in the medical field, including as an attending emergency medicine physician at Mount Sinai Beth Israel Medical Center.
Henderson is an executive sponsor for the inaugural Morgan Stanley HBCU Scholars Program, which awards a four-year college scholarship and ongoing academic support to underprivileged youth. She has also judged the Morgan Stanley Innovation Awards program, which provides a $100,000 grant and business training to start-ups focused on child and adolescent mental health. She earned both her medical doctorate and juris doctorate from Georgetown University.

Saturday Spotlight Series: L'Histoire du soldat
2025-08-09 16:15 | Elizabeth S. Lenna Hall, Elizabeth S. Lenna Hall
L’Histoire du soldat, or Tale of the Soldier, is a literary work by the French author Jules Michelet, which delves into the essence of history and its significance in understanding humanity. The piece presents history not just as a series of events but as a living narrative shaped by human experiences, emotions, and struggles. Michelet emphasizes the importance of individual stories and the collective consciousness of society, advocating for a more personal and relatable approach to historical study. Through vivid storytelling, he invites readers to reflect on the past and its lessons for the present and future.
In this production of L’Histoire, audiences will witness a unique collaboration among talented artists from the School of Music Instrumental Program, Dance Program, and Chautauqua Theatre Conservatory. This interdisciplinary performance promises to be a rich inter-arts experience, blending music, dance, and theatrical artistry to create a captivating narrative. Attendees can expect a vibrant showcase that highlights the creativity and synergy of these diverse artistic disciplines, making it a truly one-of-a-kind event exclusive to Chautauqua.

Catholic Mass
2025-08-09 17:00, 2025-08-16 17:00 | Hall of Philosophy, Hall of Philosophy

Houston Ballet with the Chautauqua Symphony Orchestra
2025-08-09 19:30 | Amphitheater, Amphitheater
Rossen Milanov, conductor
With over 50 years of rich history, Houston Ballet has evolved into the country’s fourth-largest ballet company with a global reach, touring in renowned theaters in Dubai, London, Paris, Moscow, Spain, Montréal, Ottawa, Melbourne, New York City, Washington, D.C., Los Angeles, Tokyo and more.
Australian choreographer Stanton Welch AM has served as Artistic Director of Houston Ballet since 2003. Welch has choreographed 43 new works for Houston Ballet during his tenure while ensuring the growth of the Company’s repertoire by presenting works from George Balanchine, William Forsythe, Jiří Kylián, Sir Kenneth MacMillan, John Neumeier, and Jerome Robbins. Welch continues the legacy of Houston Ballet being a choreographic Eden by commissioning over 30 works from world-renowned choreographers including Aszure Barton, Trey McIntyre, Annabelle Lopez Ochoa and Justin Peck. Julie Kent joined Welch as Artistic Director in 2023, after serving as Artistic Director of The Washington Ballet from 2016 – 2023 and following a storied career as a Principal ballerina of American Ballet Theatre – the longest-tenured dancer in ABT’s 85-year history.
Program:
Divertissements from Act I of Giselle
Grand pas de deux from Act III of The Sleeping Beauty
Flames of Paris pas de deux
Four Last Songs

Chautauqua Theater Company presents the world premiere of The Witnesses (formerly titled Tell Me You’re Dying) (Preview)
2025-08-09 19:30, 2025-08-10 19:30, 2025-08-12 14:00, 2025-08-12 19:30 | Bratton Theater, Bratton Theater
By C.A. Johnson
Directed by Jade King Carroll
The Witnesses compels us to question not only if we can change but if we have time to do so while the world appears to be ending.
Infused with C.A. Johnson’s brutal honesty, exacting humor, and heartfelt exploration of human relationships, the story pulses with urgency, vulnerability and unexpected warmth.
While an apocalyptic plague rages, five individuals unite in their weekly support group to forge a sanctuary of care and companionship. Centering on the darkly funny and wildly magnetic Millicent and her chosen family of misfits, this play explores the undeniable physical urge for human connection.
This production is recommended for audiences ages 13 and older.

Episcopal Holy Eucharist
2025-08-10 07:45, 2025-08-17 07:45, 2025-08-24 07:45 | Chapel of the Good Shepherd, Chapel of the Good Shepherd

Song, Prayer, Communion & Meditation
2025-08-10 08:30, 2025-08-17 08:30, 2025-08-24 08:30 | Hurlbut Church sanctuary, Hurlbut Church sanctuary

United Church of Christ Worship Service
2025-08-10 09:00, 2025-08-17 09:00, 2025-08-24 09:00 | Randell Chapel, UCC Headquarters

Catholic Mass
2025-08-10 09:15, 2025-08-17 09:15 | Hall of Christ: Sanctuary

Unity Service
2025-08-10 09:30, 2025-08-17 09:30, 2025-08-24 09:30 | Hall of Missions, Hall of Missions

Quaker Worship Service
2025-08-10 09:30, 2025-08-17 09:30, 2025-08-24 09:30 | Quaker House
Quaker Worship Sevice

Unitarian Universalist Service
2025-08-10 09:30, 2025-08-17 09:30, 2025-08-24 09:30 | Hall of Philosophy, Hall of Philosophy

Sunday School
2025-08-10 10:15 | Children’s School, Children's School
Weekly Sunday School Program for Ages 3-11. Children of all faiths and no faith are welcome.

Rev. Dr. J. Peter Holmes
2025-08-10 10:45, 2025-08-11 09:15, 2025-08-12 09:15, 2025-08-13 09:15, 2025-08-14 09:15, 2025-08-15 09:15 | Amphitheater, Amphitheater
The Rev. Dr. J. Peter Holmes has served since 2001 as the Minister of the Congregation of the historic Yorkminster Park Baptist Church in the heart of Toronto. During this time the congregation has grown into an increasingly diverse and multi-cultural family. While the church has a long history of excellence in music, liturgy and preaching, it has also become a community centre for culture and the arts as well as many missional endeavours focussed on relieving food insecurity, providing shelter and offering housing for those who are homeless and support for refugees.
While Peter’s family roots are in Ontario, as a child of the manse he spent most of his formative years in Victoria, British Columbia where he graduated from the University of Victoria and served as Ombudsman of the university. He holds a Master of Divinity degree from Wycliffe College at the University of Toronto, and a Doctor of Ministry from Acadia University in Nova Scotia. Prior to his call to Yorkminster Park, he served churches in Toronto and Montreal.
Peter approaches the pulpit as a gifted story teller with a pastoral heart. He has often led pilgrimages of sacred spaces in both Canada and the USA and is the host of Yorkminster Park’s Lester Randall Preaching Fellowship which attracts clergy from far and wide. Peter has contributed to Biblical commentaries and preached in churches in Europe, the Middle East and in both Canada and the United States.
In recognition of Peter’s leadership in ecumenical and interfaith endeavours in the city and beyond, the Toronto Commandery of the Order of St. Lazarus of Jerusalem named him as the recipient of their 2022 Marjorie McKinnon Ecumenical Lifetime Achievement Award. Peter was a recipient of the Queen Elizabeth ll Diamond Jubilee medal and the King Charles Coronation medal, both awarded to “honour significant contributions and achievements by Canadians.” In 2016 Peter was named an Honorary Lifetime Fellow of Acadia Divinity College and in 2024 awarded an honorary Doctor of Divinity from the same school. He serves as Chaplain to the Royal Commonwealth Society, and a board member of the House of Compassion
Peter is married to Janet and they have two daughters, a son and one delightful granddaughter. In his spare time Peter loves to garden, cycle, walk and cheer for the Leafs, Blue Jays and Buffalo Bills.

Chabad Jewish House - Kosher BBQ
2025-08-10 12:00 | Miller Park, Miller Park
Rabbi Zalman Vilenkin-In the Miller park near the Bell Tower, (across the road, On the side of the road that is closer to the lake)
B&G-Please provide:
16 Folding Tables
75 Folding Chairs
10 Trash Cans

Friends of Chautauqua Writers' Center: Literary Arts Contests Awards Ceremony
2025-08-10 14:30 | Hall of Philosophy, Hall of Philosophy

Chautauqua School of Dance: Student Gala II
2025-08-10 15:00 | Amphitheater, Amphitheater
Chautauqua School of Dance presents an outstanding mixed repertoire matinee of new and established works featuring the most exceptional young talent in the country. Under the leadership of Sasha Janes,
Bonnefoux McBride Artistic Director of Chautauqua School of Dance, the school continues its long tradition of excellence as a top-tier summer training program focused on bringing the next generation of dance stars from the studio to the stage.

Shonda Buchanan and Joy Priest
2025-08-10 15:30 | Hall of Philosophy, Hall of Philosophy
Chautauqua Writers’ Center Faculty Reading — Week Eight — Featuring Shonda Buchanan (Creative Non-Fiction) and Joy Priest (Poetry)
Kalamazoo, Michigan native Shonda Buchanan is a twice Pushcart Prize and Best of the Net nominee, Oxfam Ambassador and a PEN Emerging Voices Fellow and PEN America Mentor. A professor in the Department of English at Western Michigan University and Alma College’s MFA Program in Creative Writing, Shonda is the author of three collections of poetry, Who’s Afraid of Black Indians?, Equipoise: Poems from Goddess Country and the forthcoming, The Lost Songs of Nina Simone, as well as the award-winning memoir, Black Indian, chosen by PBS NewsHour as a “Top 20 books to read to learn about institutional racism.” Former Board President for Beyond Baroque Literary Arts Center and Board member of the Kalamazoo Poetry Festival and the Kalamazoo Arts Council, Shonda has published in The Mississippi Review, the Los Angeles Times, the LA Weekly, LA Times Magazine, AWP’s The Writer’s Chronicle, Indian Country Today, Red Ink Journal, LA Parents Magazine and freelanced for the International Review of African American Art, Westways, the Los Angeles Review of Books, the Daily Press and Sisters of AARP.
Shonda’s forthcoming essay collection, Children of the Mixed Blood Trail, explores mixed-race migration in North America. An English Language Specialist with the Department of State, Shonda is currently shopping a Black Lives Matter book of poetry, America’s Bloodflowers: Poems, as well as Artificial Earth: Poems and Essays, about the first founding mixed race “settlers” of Los Angeles and California Indians. Descendant of the African Mende nation of Sierra Leone, and in North America, the Coharie, Choctaw and Eastern Band Cherokee, and Europeans, Shonda writes on Chumash/Tongva lands in Los Angeles and in the Midwest on Ojibwe/Anishinaabe, Ottawa and Potawatomi lands. Shonda has taught creative writing, research and BIPOC/American literature for the past 24 years.
Joy Priest (she/her) is a writer from Louisville, KY. She is the author of HORSEPOWER (Pitt Poetry Series, 2020), selected by the 19th U.S. Poet Laureate Natasha Trethewey as the winner of the Donald Hall Prize for Poetry, and the editor of Once a City Said: A Louisville Poets Anthology (Sarabande, 2023). Priest is the recipient of a 2021 National Endowment for the Arts fellowship, a 2019-2020 Fine Arts Work Center fellowship, the Imprint Paul Verlaine Prize in Poetry, and the Stanley Kunitz Memorial Prize from the American Poetry Review.
Her poems have appeared or are forthcoming in The Atlantic, Boston Review, and the Los Angeles Review of Books, among others, as well as in commissions for the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston (MFAH) and the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA). Her essays have appeared in The Bitter Southerner, Poets & Writers, ESPN, and The Undefeated.
Priest received her bachelor’s in Print Journalism from the University of Kentucky, her MFA in Poetry with a certificate in Women & Gender Studies from the University of South Carolina, and her doctorate from the University of Houston where she was an Imprint MD Anderson Foundation fellow.
Joy has facilitated poetry workshops with incarcerated juvenile and adult women, and she is a member of the Affrilachian Poets. She is currently an Assistant Professor of African American / African Diaspora Poetry in the University of Pittsburgh’s MFA Writing Program, and the Curator of Community Programs & Practice (CCPP) at the Center for African American Poetry & Poetics (CAAPP).

Church of the Wild
2025-08-10 16:00, 2025-08-17 16:00 | Outdoor Classroom
Kriss Young Miller and her husband Gary manage the Quaker House. Kriss is a 2022 graduate of Earlham School of Religion with her Master of Arts in Peace and Social Transformation. Kriss is currently a student of Victoria Loorz in the Seminary of the Wild Earth at the Center for Wild Spirituality. She has completed Wild Church Leadership training and is deeply grateful for the opportunity to work to build connections with Chautauquans in the sacred wild.

Orientation for New Chautauquans
2025-08-10 16:30, 2025-08-17 16:30 | Hultquist 101, Hultquist 101
Join us for lemonade and cookies at the Orientation for New Chautauquans, where we warmly welcome you to our vibrant community. This event is designed to acquaint you with the rich history, diverse programs, and unique experiences that Chautauqua has to offer. Meet fellow newcomers, engage with staff, and learn about the array of cultural, educational, and recreational opportunities available. Whether you’re here for a day, a week, or the entire season, this orientation will help you make the most of your visit and feel right at home.

Children's Organ Tour
2025-08-10 17:00 | Amphitheater, Amphitheater

Palestine Park Tour
2025-08-10 17:00, 2025-08-17 17:00 | Palestine Park, Palestine Park
“A Journey Through the Holy Land in the times of Jesus”

Hebrew Congregation, Shirley Lazarus Sunday Evening Lecture Series
2025-08-10 19:00, 2025-08-17 19:00 | Smith Wilkes Hall, Smith Wilkes Hall

Sacred Song Service - Hope: The Family of Abraham Gathers
2025-08-10 20:00 | Amphitheater, Amphitheater

CHQ Mystic Heart: Larry Terkel
2025-08-11 07:45, 2025-08-12 07:45, 2025-08-13 07:45, 2025-08-14 07:45, 2025-08-15 07:45 | Presbyterian Chapel
Larry Terkel, along with his wife Susan, founded The Spiritual Life Society, an inter-denominational center for spiritual and holistic studies, where he teaches yoga and meditation and gives weekly talks. As its licensed minister, Larry has officiated at over 2,000 weddings for couples of all faiths. He is also the founder of Temple Beth Shalom, in Hudson, Ohio. Larry and Susan are co-authors of the book, Small Change: It’s the LITTLE Things in Life That Make a BIG Difference! (Tarcher/Penguin) a finalist for the 2004 National Books for a Better Life Award.

Allen Fromherz
2025-08-11 10:45 | Amphitheater, Amphitheater
Allen Fromherz is a professor of Middle East, Gulf and Mediterranean history at Georgia State University, where he directs the university’s Middle East Studies Center. His latest book is The Center of the World: A History of the Persian Gulf from the Stone Age to the Present, in which each chapter centers on a different port around the Gulf. From ancient Dilmun to medieval Basra to modern Dubai, The Center of the World shows how the people of the Gulf adapted to larger changes in world history, creating a system of free trade, merchant rule and commerce that connected the Mediterranean with the Indian Ocean and continues to define the region today. It is this history that forms the basis for Fromherz’s Chautauqua Lecture Series appearance, opening our week on “The Middle East: The Gulf States’ Emerging Influence.”
Fromherz served as president of the American Institute for Maghreb Studies from 2015 until 2021. He is also the founding series editor, with Matt Buehler, of Edinburgh Studies on the Maghrib, and is North Africa senior editor for the Oxford Research Encyclopedia Africa. Since 2024, he is co-chair of the Monsoon Book Prizes, which celebrate the archaeology, history and political economy of the Indian Ocean world. The author of several other books on Gulf and Mediterranean history, including Qatar: A Modern History, Fromherz has also edited three volumes, including The Gulf in World History. He received his Ph.D. in Islamic history from St. Andrews University in St. Andrews, Scotland, and his bachelor’s degree from Dartmouth.

CLSC Book Discussion
2025-08-11 12:15 | Alumni Hall Porch, Alumni Hall Porch
Presenters Georgia Court and Fred Zirm will lead a community discussion on our Week Eight CLSC selections The Tiny Journalist by Naomi Shihab Nye and the little book of e by E. Ethelbert Miller

Just the Right Climate for Metaphors! With CSO Double Bassist, Caitlyn Kamminga
2025-08-11 12:30 | Smith Wilkes Hall, Smith Wilkes Hall
How can artists engage young people with a complex topic that is contributing to growing feelings of eco-anxiety and hopelessness, without dumbing down the stark fact that without radical change, we will literally cook the planet? In this hour-long interactive session, CSO bassist and teaching artist, Caitlyn Kamminga, explores how the arts can act as a catalyst for change and transformation.

Lecture Overflow
2025-08-11 14:00, 2025-08-18 14:00 | Hall of Christ: Sanctuary

Shai Held
2025-08-11 14:00 | Hall of Philosophy, Hall of Philosophy
Rabbi Shai Held, one of the most influential Jewish thinkers and leaders in America, is President and Dean of the Hadar Institute in New York City.
Rabbi Held received the prestigious Covenant Award for Excellence in Jewish Education, and has been named multiple times to Newsweek’s list of the most influential rabbis in America and to the Forward’s list of the most prominent Jews in the world.
He is the author of Abraham Joshua Heschel: The Call of Transcendence (2013) and The Heart of Torah: Essays on the Weekly Torah Portion (2017). His newest book, Judaism is About Love, was published by Farrar, Straus, & Giroux in March 2024.

The 21st Annual Robert H. Jackson Lecture on the Supreme Court of the United States — Kim Lane Scheppele
2025-08-11 15:30 | Hall of Philosophy, Hall of Philosophy
Kim Lane Scheppele is the Laurance S. Rockefeller Professor of Sociology and International Affairs in the Princeton School of Public and International Affairs and the University Center for Human Values at Princeton University. She is also a faculty fellow at the University of Pennsylvania Law School. Her primary field is the sociology of law and also works in sociological theory, comparative/historical sociology, political sociology, sociology of knowledge and human rights.
Scheppele’s research examines the rise and fall of constitutional government. After 1989, she moved to Eastern Europe, studying the way that new constitutions were being enacted and entrenched. After 9/11, she examined how constitutions fared under the stress of anti-terrorism campaigns with their repressive new laws, both in the United States and elsewhere. She has studied the way that democracies have come under stress, focusing on the rise of new autocrats, particularly those who are elected on populist political platforms and who then use the law to undermine constitutional institutions. Now, she concentrates in particular on changes within the European Union, exploring the way that the EU has had difficulty holding its own against national popular movements that brought about Brexit and the rise of illiberal autocracies among the member states.
In 2014, Scheppele received the Kalven Prize from the Law and Society Association, and in 2016 was elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. She is also an elected member of the International Academy of Comparative Law and serves as a “global jurist” on the executive committee of the International Association of Constitutional Law. She served as the elected president of the Law and Society Association from 2017 to 2019. Her book, Legal Secrets, won Special Recognition in the Distinguished Scholarly Publication competition of the American Sociological Association as well as the Corwin Prize of the American Political Science Association.
Chautauqua Institution’s Robert H. Jackson Lecture is named in honor of the former Chautauquan, Jamestown lawyer, New Dealer, Solicitor General, Attorney General, Supreme Court justice, and Nuremberg chief prosecutor. Every summer the Jackson Lecture is a leading expert discussing the Supreme Court, the Justices, signal decisions, and related legal developments.
Chautauqua’s previous Jackson Lecturers have been Geoffrey Stone (2005), Linda Greenhouse (2006), Seth Waxman (2007), Jeffrey Toobin (2008), Paul Clement (2009), Jeff Shesol (2010), Dahlia Lithwick (2011), Pamela Karlan (2012), Charles Fried (2013), Akhil Amar (2014), Laurence Tribe (2015), Tracey Meares (2016), Judge Jon O. Newman (2017), Justice Rosalie Silberman Abella of Canada’s Supreme Court (2018), Donald B. Verrilli, Jr. (2019), Ruth Marcus (2020), Melissa Murray (2021), Reva Siegel (2022), Justin Driver (2023) and Kate Shaw (2024).

CHQ @ 150 - ALL RISE
2025-08-11 16:00, 2025-08-18 16:00 | Chautauqua Cinema, Chautauqua Cinema
Celebrate the sesquicentennial of our iconic institution, while exploring the ever-evolving definition of democracy through powerful stories and performances that have unfolded here, with a stirring performance of Wynton Marsalis’ All Rise and appearances by Kathryn Hahn, Kwame Alexander, Misty Copeland and more. (NR, 55m)

Play CHQ: Art and Nature Meet
2025-08-11 16:00, 2025-08-18 16:00 | Miller Park, Miller Park

CHQ Mystic Heart: Suzanne Watters
2025-08-11 16:45 | Hurlbut Church sanctuary, Hurlbut Church sanctuary
Suzanne Watters is a Pratt Institute MFA graduate with a concentration in painting/drawing. Her art practice centers around woven pieces made with found textiles painted with pigments and/or dyed with food waste and other organic matter. She has attended training in New York City and received a certification in sound meditation from the Sound Healing Academy. She has also done additional sound healing training at a retreat and session with Wyatt Mylius at Rooted In Sound in Pittsburgh, PA (trained with Peter Hess) and with indigenous sound healing practitioner Moises Tort in Mandarina, Mexico. Watters sees her sound meditation sessions as being led by an artist and guided with the relaxation tools and techniques of poetry, breath, and sound

Music School Festival Orchestra
2025-08-11 20:15 | Amphitheater, Amphitheater
Comprised of top-tier students from conservatories and universities in the U.S. and abroad, Music School Festival Orchestra members participate in a variety of musical activities during their summers at Chautauqua including chamber music and private lessons along with their meticulous orchestral training. Alumni from the MSFO can be heard in many of the world’s top orchestras and chamber ensembles and can be found on music faculties worldwide. The MSFO is led by Artistic Director Timothy Muffitt, who serves as Music Director of the Lansing Symphony Orchestra and Music Director Laureate of the Baton Rouge Symphony Orchestra.

Vali R. Nasr
2025-08-12 10:45 | Amphitheater, Amphitheater
Vali R. Nasr is the Majid Khadduri Professor of International Affairs and Middle East Studies at the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies. Between 2012 and 2019 he served as dean of SAIS, and between 2009 and 2011 as senior adviser to Ambassador Richard Holbrooke, the U.S. Special Representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan. Nasr, who has previously contributed to Chautauqua Institution’s Middle East Update and Chautauqua Lecture Series, returns for a week on “The Middle East: The Gulf States’ Emerging Influence.” He’ll discuss the state of play in the Gulf States, and the role the United States is playing in the rapidly-changing map of the Middle East.
Nasr has advised world leaders and major corporations, and is the author of several books, including Iran’s Grand Strategy: A Political History; How Sanctions Work, Iran and the Impact of Economic Warfare; The Dispensable Nation: American Foreign Policy in Retreat; The Shia Revival: How Conflicts within Islam will Shape the Future; and Democracy in Iran. He has also written articles in scholarly journals, and commentary in The New York Times, Foreign Affairs, Financial Times, The Wall Street Journal and The Washington Post. He is a member of Global Board of Trustees of Asia Society, the recipient of Carnegie Scholar Award, and the Frank Guggenheim, and MacArthur Foundation research fellowships. He was selected as Henry Alfred Kissinger Resident Scholar at Library of Congress for 2024-2025.
He received his Bachelor of Arts from Tufts University in international relations; his master’s from the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy in international economics and Middle East studies; and his Ph.D. from MIT in political science.

Judy Gallagher, Insects & Macrophotography
2025-08-12 12:15 | Smith Wilkes Hall, Smith Wilkes Hall
BTG Brownbag

CHQ Mystic Heart: Larry Terkel
2025-08-12 12:30, 2025-08-14 12:30 | Hall of Missions, Hall of Missions

Mah Jongg Luncheon
2025-08-12 13:00 | Sports Club, Sports Club
Drop-in mah jongg at the Sports Club directed by PattyArmstrong

Brock Bahler
2025-08-12 14:00 | Hall of Philosophy, Hall of Philosophy
Brock Bahler is a teaching professor and director of undergraduate studies in the religious studies department at Pitt, where he advocates for more diverse syllabuses, relates religion to social issues and pushes students to think outside of the box.
He earned his PhD in Philosophy from Duquesne University and is the author of Childlike Peace in Merleau-Ponty and Levinas: Intersubjectivity as Dialectical Spiral as well as many academic articles and contributions to edited volumes.

Heritage Lecture Series: David Kinkela
2025-08-12 15:30 | Hall of Philosophy, Hall of Philosophy
As part of the Oliver Archives Center’s 2025 Heritage Lecture Series, Dr. David Kinkela will present “Chautauqua: A Place and an Idea in Progressive Era America”.
Dr. Kinkela is an environmental historian who explores U.S. history in a global context. His first book, DDT and the American Century: Global Health, Environmental Politics, and the Pesticide That Changed the World (2011) examined the interconnections between U.S. environmentalism and U.S. foreign policy. Currently, he is working on a number of projects, including one that explores the history of plastic waste. His research on the history of Chautauqua Institution is part of an NEH funded project and forthcoming edited book Beyond the City: Re-Placing the Gilded Age and Progressive Era (SUNY Press).

SOULEYMANE'S STORY
2025-08-12 18:00, 2025-08-13 15:30, 2025-08-13 20:30, 2025-08-14 19:15 | Chautauqua Cinema, Chautauqua Cinema
Souleymane a Paris food delivery cyclist and asylum seeker, has two days to prepare his story for a make-or-break interview to secure his legal residency. “Abou Sangaré is magnificent as Souleymane…He is on screen for virtually every second, and he holds your attention without fail.” -Karl Quinn, Sydney Morning Herald “If the hero’s dire situation is a ticking clock, Boris Lojkine’s intelligent and empathetic film places us right alongside him, with each cog of circumstance and each gear of good fortune grinding against him at every turn.” -Jessica Kiang, Variety “Refreshingly human.” -Robert Daniels, RogerEbert.com (NR, In French with subtitles. 92m)

Chautauqua Symphony Orchestra: Classical Remix
2025-08-12 20:15 | Amphitheater, Amphitheater
Rossen Milanov, conductor
Jaren Atherholt, oboe
Noah Kay, oboe
Join conductor Rossen Milanov for a dynamic evening of orchestral elegance, innovation, and charm. Mozart’s Idomeneo Ballet Music opens with regal grace, leading to Viet Cuong’s Extra(ordinarily) Fancy, a dazzling new concerto showcasing the brilliance of Chautauqua Symphony Orchestra oboists Jaren Atherholt and Noah Kay. The journey continues with Anna Clyne’s atmospheric This Moment before concluding with the youthful energy and lyricism of Schubert’s Symphony No. 3, making for a night of musical surprises and pure delight!
Program:
W.A. Mozart: Idomeneo Ballet Music
Viet Cuong: Extra(ordinarily) Fancy Concerto for 2 oboes and orchestra
Anna Clyne: This Moment
Franz Schubert: Symphony No. 3, D. 200

SECRET MALL APARTMENT
2025-08-12 20:30, 2025-08-13 18:00, 2025-08-14 14:00 | Chautauqua Cinema, Chautauqua Cinema
In 2003, eight Rhode Islanders created a secret apartment inside the busy Providence Place Mall and kept it going for four years, filming everything along the way. Far more than just a wild prank, the secret mall apartment became an incredibly meaningful act for all the participants, at once an act of defiance against local gentrification, a boundary-pushing work of public/private art, and a 750 square foot space that sticks it to the man. “A profoundly humane portrait of creativity and community.” -Ann Hornaday, Washington Post (NR, 91m)

Cultural Ethics Series - Fish Stark
2025-08-13 09:30 | Hall of Philosophy, Hall of Philosophy
“The New Humanism”

Robin Wright
2025-08-13 10:45 | Amphitheater, Amphitheater
Robin Wright is a contributing writer and columnist for The New Yorker, which she has written for since 1988. A distinguished fellow at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, she is a former correspondent for The Washington Post, CBS News, the Los Angeles Times, and the Sunday Times of London, and has reported from more than 140 countries. A frequent Chautauqua contributor, Wright returns to the Amphitheater stage for a week on “The Middle East: The Gulf States’ Emerging Influence,” to discuss the evolving Middle East order.
Wright received the U.N. Correspondents Association Gold Medal for international coverage, and the Overseas Press Club Award for the “best reporting in any medium requiring exceptional courage and initiative,” for her coverage of African wars. The American Academy of Diplomacy named her journalist of the year for “distinguished reporting and analysis of international affairs.” She also won the National Press Club Award for diplomatic reporting and has been the recipient of a MacArthur Foundation grant. Her first piece on Iran won the National Magazine Award for best reporting.
Wright is the author of several books, including The Last Great Revolution: Turmoil and Transformation in Iran, Sacred Rage: The Wrath of Militant Islam, and Dreams and Shadows: The Future of the Middle East, which was selected by The New York Times and The Washington Post as one of the most notable books of 2008. Her book, Rock the Casbah: Rage and Rebellion Across the Islamic World, was selected as the best book on international affairs by the Overseas Press Club.

CLSC Young Readers Book Discussion
2025-08-13 12:15 | Alumni Hall Porch, Alumni Hall Porch
Presenters Suzanne Fassett-Wright and Rachel Lykins will lead a community discussion on our Week Eight CLSC Young Readers selection Grace Notes: Poems About Families by Naomi Shihab Nye

Miami of Ohio Program with Jason Rech
2025-08-13 12:30 | Smith Wilkes Hall, Smith Wilkes Hall
Climate Change and the Unfolding Water Crisis in the Middle East

Kat Armas
2025-08-13 14:00 | Hall of Philosophy, Hall of Philosophy
Kat Armas is a Cuban American writer and podcaster from Miami, FL. She holds a dual MDiv and MAT from Fuller Theological Seminary, where she was awarded the Frederick Buechner Award for Excellence in Writing, and is currently pursuing a ThM at Vanderbilt Divinity School. Kat’s writing explores the intersections of women, decolonialism, faith, and identity.
Her first book, Abuelita Faith: What Women on the Margins Teach Us About Wisdom, Persistence, and Strength, delves into the stories of marginalized women and how they offer transformative wisdom. Her second book, Sacred Belonging is a 40-Day “decolonized” devotional that focuses on creation, wisdom, spirit, the body, and the feminine. Kat’s third book, Liturgies for Resisting Empire: Seeking Community, Belonging, and Peace in a Dehumanizing World is set to release in November 2025.
Kat is the creator and host of The Protagonistas, a podcast that amplifies the voices of Black, Indigenous, and other women of color in theological spaces. She is also a contributor to Voices of Lament: Reflections on Brokenness and Hope in a World Longing for Justice and has written for the National Catholic Reporter, Plough Magazine, RELEVANT, The Christian Century, Christianity Today, Sojourners, Christians for Biblical Equality, Missio Alliance, and more. Her work continues to center decolonial thought, women’s voices, and the intersection of faith and identity.

African American Heritage House Lecture: Asha Castleberry
2025-08-13 15:30 | Hall of Philosophy, Hall of Philosophy
Asha Castleberry is an adjunct fellow at the American Security Project, with more than a decade of experience in Middle East policy. In addition to being a national security and foreign policy expert, she is a U.S. Army veteran, author of Why National Security Matters, and former U.S. Congressional candidate. She served as a senior adviser in the Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs under the Biden-Harris Administration and held key roles in Kuwait, Iraq and Jordan.
Castleberry has participated in high-level forums, including the Erbil Security Forum and the Foreign Policy Institute Black Sea Conference. Currently a Cyrus Vance Visiting Professor at Mount Holyoke College, she has also taught at Fordham, George Washington, and Baruch College. A major in the Army Reserves, Castleberry is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations and founder of the Diversity in National Security Network. Her work has garnered numerous honors, including the Middle East Policy Council’s 40 Under 40.
Castleberry is a graduate of Hampton University and Columbia University, with studies at Oxford and in China.

Chautauqua Theater Company presents the world premiere of The Witnesses (formerly titled Tell Me You’re Dying)
2025-08-13 18:00, 2025-08-14 14:00, 2025-08-19 14:00, 2025-08-21 14:00, 2025-08-22 14:00, 2025-08-23 14:00 | Bratton Theater, Bratton Theater

CVA Lecture Series: Jessica Pinsky
2025-08-13 18:30 | Hultquist 101, Hultquist 101
CVA Lecture Series: School of Art faculty
Jessica Pinsky: “Weaving pixels: Using technology to weave across generations”
Jessica Pinsky is an artist whose work bridges painting, weaving, and sculpture. Born in Akron, Ohio, Pinsky moved to Cleveland in 2011 after receiving a BFA from New York University in 2006 and an MFA from Boston University in 2009. Her work has been exhibited nationally, including a recent solo show at Hedge Gallery in Cleveland, Ohio. Her work can be found in several collections including Whidden Hospital, Everett, MA and Metro Health in Cleveland, OH. In 2012, she partnered with Cleveland Institute of Art to found Praxis Fiber Workshop, a 5,000 sq. ft studio featuring 27 floor looms, 3 large print tables, a full dye lab, and assorted equipment to meet every fiber related need. She is currently the Executive Director at Praxis and teaches at Cleveland Institute of Art. She is represented by Hedge Gallery in Cleveland, OH.

Chautauqua Chamber Music: Canadian Brass
2025-08-13 20:15 | Amphitheater, Amphitheater
Canadian Brass, the world’s most famous brass quintet, returns to Chautauqua this summer. Celebrated for their virtuosic performances and engaging stage presence, the group seamlessly blends classical, jazz, and contemporary music, making their concerts both diverse and accessible. Since its founding in 1970, Canadian Brass has released over 130 recordings, earning accolades for their artistry and creativity. Their signature style, complete with humor and flair, has delighted audiences worldwide, from grand concert halls to intimate venues. With their iconic gold-plated instruments and passion for music, Canadian Brass continues to redefine the brass ensemble experience.
Program to be announced.

Suzi Mirgani
2025-08-14 10:45 | Amphitheater, Amphitheater
Suzi Mirgani is editor and assistant director for publications at Georgetown University in Qatar’s Center for International and Regional Studies, where her research lies at the intersection of politics and popular culture. She joins the Chautauqua Lecture Series in a week exploring “The Middle East: The Gulf States’ Emerging Influences” to discuss art, culture and identity in the region, and her work as both a scholar and an artist in this field.
Mirgani is the author of Target Markets: International Terrorism Meets Global Capitalism in the Mall; editor of both Informal Politics in the Middle East, and Art and Cultural Production in the Gulf Cooperation Council; and co-editor of Bullets and Bulletins: Media and Politics in the Wake of the Arab Uprisings, and Food Security in the Middle East. Recent publications include “Peeking behind the Curtain: Gulf Filmmakers Imagine the Lives of Female Migrant Domestic Workers in the Arabian Peninsula,” in Reorienting the Middle East: Film and Digital Media Where the Persian Gulf, Arabian Sea, and Indian Ocean Meet and “Consumer Citizenship: National Identity and Museum Merchandise in Qatar” in Middle East Journal.
Mirgani served as book review editor for the Journal of Arabian Studies from 2015 to 2022, and she publishes short stories and poetry, some of which have appeared in Mizna; International Feminist Journal of Politics; and Journeys Home: An Anthology of Contemporary African Diasporic Experience.
As a complement to her academic work, Mirgani is an award-winning filmmaker whose works include “Kamala Ishag: States of Oneness,” “Virtual Voice,” “Al-Sit,” “Caravan” and “Hind’s Dream.” She holds degrees in media studies and museum studies from University College London Qatar, and her Ph.D. in communication and media studies from Eastern Mediterranean University.

Dr. Tamara Gray
2025-08-14 14:00 | Hall of Philosophy, Hall of Philosophy
Dr. Tamara Gray is a founder of Rabata, an organization dedicated to promoting positive
cultural change through creative educational experiences. As President and CEO, she focuses on
uplifting Muslim women within community and without. She has a special interest in digital
spaces in faith communities.
Dr. Gray holds a doctorate in leadership from the University of St. Thomas, a master’s degree in
Curriculum Theory and Instruction from Temple University and spent twenty years in traditional
learning spaces studying Islamic sciences, Quran, and Arabic in Damascus, Syria.
Dr. Gray is also an author and translator. Her publications range from several culturally
appropriate English language curriculum programs to translations of sacred texts. She has
authored two books: Joy Jots: Exercises for a happy heart & Project Lina: Bringing our whole
selves to Islam and co-translated the Mukhtasir al-Jami’ fi al-Sīra al-Nabawiyya by Shaykha
Samīra Zayid [Compendium of the Collection of Sources on al-Sīra al-Nabawiyya]. She is
currently working on a third book about theology and creed.
In addition to her work at Rabata, Dr. Gray also serves as a Senior Fellow at the Yaqeen Institute
and is a member of the Fiqh Council of North America. She has recently taken on the position of
Board Chair for the Minnesota Multifaith Network. Dr. Gray is Full Focus Certified Pro
exemplifying her commitment to productivity and impactful leadership.
She is a mother of three, grandmother of two, an avid reader and a lover of cultures, coffee, and road trips.

Naomi Shihab Nye and E. Ethelbert Miller
2025-08-14 15:30 | Hall of Philosophy, Hall of Philosophy
Chautauqua Literary and Scientific Circle Presentation — The Tiny Journalist by Naomi Shihab Nye and the little book of e by E. Ethelbert Miller
The Tiny Journalist
Internationally beloved poet Naomi Shihab Nye places her Palestinian American identity center stage in her latest full-length poetry collection inspired by the story of Janna Jihad Ayyad, the “Youngest Journalist in Palestine,” who at age 7 began capturing videos of anti-occupation protests using her mother’s smartphone. Nye draws upon her own family’s roots in a West Bank village near Janna’s hometown to offer empathy and insight to the young girl’s reporting. Long an advocate for peaceful communication across all boundaries, Nye’s poems in The Tiny Journalist put a human face on war and the violence that divides us from each other.
Award-winning Palestinian American poet, essayist, and educator, Naomi Shihab Nye, describes herself as a “wandering poet.” She has spent more than 40 years traveling the country and the world to lead writing workshops and inspiring students of all ages. Nye was born to a Palestinian father and an American mother and grew up in St. Louis, Jerusalem, and San Antonio. Drawing on her Palestinian American heritage, the cultural diversity of her home in Texas, and her experiences traveling in Asia, Europe, Canada, Mexico, and the Middle East, Nye uses her writing to attest to our shared humanity.
Naomi Shihab Nye is the author and/or editor of more than 30 volumes of poetry, essays, and fiction for adults and children. Naomi Shihab Nye was a Lannan Fellow, a Guggenheim Fellow, and a Witter Bynner Fellow (Library of Congress). She has also been the recipient of many awards and prizes including a Lavan Award, Isabella Gardner Poetry Award, four Pushcart Prizes, Robert Creeley Prize, NSK Neustadt Award for Children’s Literature, May Hill Arbuthnot Honor Lecture Award, Lon Tinkle Award for Lifetime Achievement, two Jane Addams Children’s Book Awards, the Ivan Sandrof Award for Lifetime Achievement, the 2024 Texas Writer Award and the 2024 Wallace Stevens Award. In 2021 she was voted into the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.
Nye was affiliated with The Michener Center for writers at the University of Texas at Austin for 20 years and was also poetry editor at The Texas Observer for 20 years. In 2019-2020 she was the editor for New York Times Magazine poems. She is Chancellor Emeritus for the Academy of American Poets and is Professor of Creative Writing – Poetry at Texas State University.
the little book of e
In the little book of e poet E. Ethelbert Miller embraces the Japanese poetic form of haiku to comment on our contemporary world in a collaboration with translator Rafi Ellenson. Haiku presented in English and Hebrew is symbolic of how language can bring people together. Miller and Ellenson have given us a book that shows how Black and Jewish relations can continue to be a beacon of hope. This book is filled with words that blossom like flowers.
E. Ethelbert Miller is a literary activist and author of two memoirs and several poetry collections. He hosts the WPFW morning radio show On the Margin with E. Ethelbert Miller and hosts and produces The Scholars on UDC-TV which received a 2020 Telly Award. Miller is Associate Editor and a columnist for The American Book Review. He was given a 2020 congressional award from Congressman Jamie Raskin in recognition of his literary activism, awarded the 2022 Howard Zinn Lifetime Achievement Award by the Peace and Justice Studies Association, and named a 2023 Grammy Nominee Finalist for Best Spoken Word Poetry Album. Miller’s latest book is the little book of e published by City Point Press. Recently Miller was awarded the Furious Flower Lifetime Achievement Award.
Exploring the various ways in which language and story bring us together, Naomi Shihab Nye and E. Ethelbert Miller will be featured together in conversation during our Week Eight CLSC lecture on Thursday, August 14, 2025, in the Hall of Philosophy.

GARLAND JEFFREYS: THE KING OF IN BETWEEN
2025-08-14 16:30 | Chautauqua Cinema, Chautauqua Cinema
Meet the Filmmaker Special Event! Free Admission! Hubris, anger, prejudice…doo-wop, reggae, rock…expectations, heartbreak, transformation… An enigmatic performer since his start in the Greenwich Village clubs, Garland Jeffreys never quite reached the success predicted for him. Director Claire Jeffreys film asks why, and explores how his commitment to writing about race in America is more relevant now than ever. Claire will host the screening and discussion following the film. (NR, 70m)

Chautauqua Theater Company presents the world premiere of The Witnesses (formerly titled Tell Me You’re Dying)
2025-08-14 19:30, 2025-08-16 19:30, 2025-08-17 19:30, 2025-08-19 19:30, 2025-08-20 16:00, 2025-08-21 19:30, 2025-08-22 19:30 | Bratton Theater, Bratton Theater
By C.A. Johnson
Directed by Jade King Carroll
The Witnesses compels us to question not only if we can change but if we have time to do so while the world appears to be ending.
Infused with C.A. Johnson’s brutal honesty, exacting humor, and heartfelt exploration of human relationships, the story pulses with urgency, vulnerability and unexpected warmth.
While an apocalyptic plague rages, five individuals unite in their weekly support group to forge a sanctuary of care and companionship. Centering on the darkly funny and wildly magnetic Millicent and her chosen family of misfits, this play explores the undeniable physical urge for human connection.
This production is recommended for audiences ages 13 and older.
This performance offers:
Pick Your Price (PYP)
CTC’s PYP program ensures theater remains accessible to all by allowing patrons to choose ticket prices based on their budget. This flexible pricing model fosters inclusivity and encourages greater community participation.
Live Audio Descriptions (LAD)
LAD provides narrated descriptions of key visual elements during pauses in dialogue, enhancing accessibility for blind and visually impaired audiences. This complimentary service also benefits neurodiverse patrons and those with attention or processing challenges.

Chautauqua Symphony Orchestra: Symphonie fantastique
2025-08-14 20:15 | Amphitheater, Amphitheater
Rossen Milanov, conductor
Embark on a thrilling musical journey through Berlioz’s groundbreaking Symphonie fantastique. This dramatic, five-movement masterpiece will take you through the fevered imagination of an artist, filled with sweeping romance, dark fantasies, and powerful orchestral colors. Don’t miss this chance to experience one of the most vivid and exhilarating works in the classical repertoire!
Program:
Hector Berlioz: Symphonie fantastique, Op. 14

Thomas Friedman
2025-08-15 10:45 | Amphitheater, Amphitheater
Thomas Friedman is the bestselling author of The World is Flat: A Brief History of the Twenty-First Century and foreign affairs columnist for The New York Times. Renowned for his direct reporting and accessible analysis of complex issues shaping the world, Friedman is the winner of three Pulitzer Prizes — two for international reporting from the Middle East and a third for his columns written about 9/11 — and has covered monumental stories from around the globe for The New York Times since 1981. It is this extensive reporting and analysis that will inform his remarks as he closes our Chautauqua Lecture Series week exploring “The Middle East: The Gulf States’ Emerging Influence.”
Friedman has written seven books since 1989 that have sold 10 million copies in 40 different languages. They include From Beirut to Jerusalem (which won the National Book Award for Nonfiction), The Lexus and the Olive Tree: Understanding Globalization, The World is Flat and, most recently, his latest bestseller Thank You for Being Late: An Optimist’s Guide to Thriving in the Age of Accelerations, in which Friedman offers a blueprint for overcoming the stresses and challenges of a world being transformed by technology, globalization and climate change.
Friedman was featured in Showtime’s climate change documentary series “Years of Living Dangerously,” executive produced by James Cameron and Arnold Schwarzenegger.

CLSC Unbound Book Discussion
2025-08-15 12:15 | Alumni Hall Ballroom, Alumni Hall Ballroom
Presenters Stuart Blerch and Mary Weiser will discuss our CLSC Unbound selections, Harlem Rhapsody: A Novel by Victoria Christopher Murray and The Queens of Crime: A Novel by Marie Benedict

Drew Jackson
2025-08-15 14:00 | Hall of Philosophy, Hall of Philosophy
Drew Jackson is a poet, speaker, and public theologian. He is the author of God Speaks Through Wombs: Poems on God’s Unexpected Coming, which was a finalist for the Christian Book Award, and Touch the Earth: Poems on The Way. His work has appeared in Oneing from the Center for Action and Contemplation, The Isolation Journals with Suleika Jaouad, Christianity Today, Made for Pax, The Journal from the Centre for Public Christianity, Fathom Magazine, and other publications. Drew was a contributing artist on Jon Batiste’s Grammy-nominated album World Music Radio and also appeared in the award-winning documentary American Symphony on Netflix. Drew is also a co-host of the Everything Belongs podcast from the Center for Action and Contemplation.
Drew received his B.A. in Political Science from the Univ. of Chicago and his M.A. in Theology from Fuller Theological Seminary. He currently works as the Managing Director of Mission Integration for the Center for Action and Contemplation, and lives in Brooklyn, NY with his wife and daughters.

Elizabeth O'Connor
2025-08-15 15:30 | Hall of Philosophy, Hall of Philosophy
The Chautauqua Prize Award Ceremony and Presentation – Whale Fall: A Novel by Elizabeth O’Connor
Chautauqua Institution presents author Elizabeth O’Connor with the 2025 Chautauqua Prize for her book Whale Fall: A Novel. Awarded annually since 2012, The Chautauqua Prize celebrates a book of fiction or literary/narrative nonfiction or a full length collection of poetry that provides a richly rewarding reading experience and to honor the author for a significant contribution to the literary arts.
Whale Fall is a striking and sensual debut that defies simple genre classification. While it is a beautiful bildungsroman and work of historical fiction, it is also a study in anthropology, ethnography and folklore. It is a rich, metaphorical examination of the bones of what makes us human — history, culture, storytelling — against a backdrop of the literal bones of a decaying whale carcass washed ashore on the coast of Wales.
In a seafaring community with a population that is slowly diminishing in the wake of industrialization and a world on the brink of World War II, it is the whale that sets the events of Whale Fall in motion. The changing tides bring not just a whale, but two ethnographers interested in recording the quiet way of life in — and preserving the traditions of — the small island town the main character, a young woman named Manod, calls home.
Since first appearing on bookshelves in May 2024, Whale Fall has been named a Best Book of the Year by The New Yorker and NPR, an ALA Notable Fiction Book, and was longlisted for the Dublin Literary Award.
O’Connor lives in Birmingham, England. Her short stories have appeared in The White Review and Granta, and she was the 2020 winner of the White Review Short Story Prize. She holds a Ph.D. in English literature from the University of Birmingham, specializing in the modernist writer H.D. and her writing of coastal landscapes.

THE LIFE OF CHUCK
2025-08-15 17:15, 2025-08-16 20:30, 2025-08-17 14:15, 2025-08-17 20:30, 2025-08-18 18:00 | Chautauqua Cinema, Chautauqua Cinema
From childhood to adulthood, Charles “Chuck” Krantz (Tom Hiddleston) experiences the wonder of love, the heartbreak of loss, and the multitudes contained within all of us in director Mike Flanagan’s life-affirming, genre-bending film. “Feels like the coziest of blankets enveloping you in the theater. However, you should expect a few jolts of static…this touching, beautiful film is based on a novella by Stephen King.” -Odie Henderson, Boston Globe “A story of profound humanity, ultimately spirit-expanding.” -Nell Minow, Movie Mom (R, 110m)

Chautauqua Theater Company presents Best for Baby (a CTC Commission)
2025-08-15 18:00, 2025-08-16 14:00, 2025-08-17 14:00 | Bratton Theater, Bratton Theater
by Sharyn Rothstein, Directed by Oliver Butler, Bratton Theater
After the birth of her child, a woman returns to work at Johnson & Johnson — America’s most trusted brand — and maker of the powder she uses on her own little girl. But can she trust it? Best for Baby portrays corporate personhood with in-your-face theatrical absurdity and blistering wit, unflinchingly examining the cost of valuing profits over people.
Best for Baby is made possible by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature.

F1: THE MOVIE
2025-08-15 20:00, 2025-08-16 17:00, 2025-08-17 17:00, 2025-08-18 20:45 | Chautauqua Cinema, Chautauqua Cinema
Sonny Hayes (Brad Pitt) was Formula1’s most promising driver of the 1990s until an accident on the track nearly ended his career. Thirty years later, former teammate Ruben Cervantes (Javier Bardem) convinces Sonny to come back for one last shot at saving the team and being the best in the world. “This movie is entirely about the driving, and the speed.” -Moira MacDonald, Seattle Times “It’s a plot as old as the horseless carriage, but in F1 it’s fuel-injected by an exceptionally appealing cast.” -Ann Hornaday, Washington Post “Exactly what summer blockbusters are supposed to be, exciting, romantic, funny, glamorous, and purely entertaining.” -Nell Minow, RogerEbert.com (PG-13, 155m)

Los Lobos
2025-08-15 20:15 | Amphitheater, Amphitheater
Over the course of their 50-year career, Los Lobos have crafted an unprecedented body of work and unparalleled legacy. With 100+ gigs a year, 17 studio albums, 7 live LPs, and numerous accolades—including 4 Grammys, an Austin City Limits Hall of Fame induction, and Congressional recognitions—their accomplishments are staggering. But beyond the numbers, their legacy is rooted in the tremendous heart of five blood brothers who’ve dedicated their time off-stage to helping others. Together they have penned some of the most important music of their time, turning stories of struggle into songs of hope and resilience.
Influenced by soul, R&B, blues, jazz, rock ‘n’ roll, and their Mexican and Latin American roots, Los Lobos blend diverse musical styles, spreading cultural richness around the globe. From Antwerp to Luxor to Bulgaria, their music has connected people across continents. For half a century, they’ve done it all on their own terms, with the same founding members—David Hidalgo, Louie Pérez, Jr., Cesar Rosas, Conrad Lozano, and Steve Berlin—solidifying their place as one of the tightest, most prolific bands in history.
Experience their vibrant, genre-defying sound live at the Chautauqua Amphitheater on August 15!

Chautauqua Theater Company presents Bratton Late Night
2025-08-15 22:00 | Bratton Theater, Bratton Theater
CTC’s favorite late-night talent showcase is back by popular demand! An evening of sketches and songs featuring the extraordinary talents of our 2025 conservatory.

Contemporary Issues Forum: Maureen Lichtveld, M.D.
2025-08-16 15:00 | Hall of Philosophy, Hall of Philosophy
Maureen Lichtveld is an epidemiologist and the dean of the University of Pittsburgh’s School of Public Health, where she studies environmental public health, focusing on environmentally induced disease, health disparities, environmental health policy, disaster preparedness, public health systems, and community resilience. At the University of Pittsburgh, Lichtveld is also the Jonas Salk Professor of Population Health and professor of environmental and occupational health. The topic of her Contemporary Issues Forum program for the Chautauqua Women’s Club is “Lessons from COVID, the Imminent Avian Flu Threat, and the Certainty of Future Pandemics.”
Before joining Pitt in January 2021, Lichtveld chaired Tulane University’s Department of Environmental Health Sciences in the School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine. She also directed Tulane’s Center for Gulf Coast Environmental Health Research, Leadership, and Strategic Initiatives. She spent 18 years with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry.
A member of the National Academy of Medicine and a member of the board of the Consortium of Universities for Global Health, Lichtveld earned her Masters of Public Health from Johns Hopkins University’s School of Hygiene and Public Health and her medical doctorate from Anton de Kom University of Suriname and the University of Leiden in the Netherlands.

Chautauqua Symphony Orchestra: Gershwin’s Concerto in F
2025-08-16 20:15 | Amphitheater, Amphitheater
Rossen Milanov, conductor
Aaron Diehl, piano
One hundred years ago, composer George Gershwin, fresh off the successful premiere of Rhapsody in Blue, holed up in a practice cabin at Chautauqua Institution to work furiously on what became his Concerto in F. This summer, pianist Aaron Diehl joins Rossen Milanov and the Chautauqua Symphony Orchestra to commemorate the hundredth anniversary of the concerto’s premiere. Come hear a piece of Chautauqua’s history performed by a celebrated pianist who is redefining the lines between jazz and classical today.
Program
Antonin Dvorak: The Water Goblin, Op. 107
Carlos Simon: Four Black American Dances
George Gershwin: Piano Concerto in F

Brian McLaren
2025-08-17 10:45, 2025-08-18 09:15, 2025-08-19 09:15, 2025-08-20 09:15, 2025-08-21 09:15, 2025-08-22 09:15 | Amphitheater, Amphitheater
Brian D. McLaren is an author, speaker, activist, and public theologian. A former college English teacher and pastor, he is a passionate advocate for “a new kind of Christianity” – just, generous, and working with people of all faiths for the common good.
Brian is Dean of Faculty for the Center for Action and Contemplation. and a podcaster with Learning How to See. He is a co-host of Southern Lights. His newest books are Faith After Doubt (January 2021), Do I Stay Christian? (May 2022), and Life After Doom: Wisdom and Courage for a World Falling Apart (2024). His co-authored children’s book Cory and the Seventh Story was released in 2023. The first book of a new science fiction trilogy, The Last Voyage, will be published in summer, 2025. He is an Auburn Senior Fellow, a contributor to We Stand With Love, and a leader in the Convergence Network, through which he is developing an innovative training/mentoring program for pastors and church planters.
He is an active and popular blogger, a musician, and a songwriter, offering a variety of resources through his website, www.brianmclaren.net.

Pilobolus: Family Friendly Performance
2025-08-17 15:00 | Amphitheater, Amphitheater
Pilobolus’s performances for families and students captivate young minds, with child-friendly costuming and a soft start to accommodate those unexpected delays. Audiences become part of the action with interactive engagement and enjoy laughter-filled moments that spark creativity and connection. With Pilobolus, artistry and fun take center stage—a perfect outing for students and families alike!

Ellen Crosby and Alan King
2025-08-17 15:30 | Hall of Philosophy, Hall of Philosophy
Chautauqua Writers’ Center Faculty Reading — Week Nine — Featuring Ellen Crosby (Mystery Fiction) and Alan King (Poetry)
Ellen Crosby is the author of 18 mystery novels; Deeds Left Undone, her most recent book, is the 13th book in a mystery series set in a vineyard in Virginia and will be out in August 2025. She also wrote four mysteries about an international photojournalist and a standalone, Moscow Nights. Her books have been nominated for the Mary Higgins Clark Award and the Library of Virginia People’s Choice Award. Before writing fiction full time, she was a freelance regional reporter for The Washington Post, Moscow correspondent for ABC Radio News, and an economist at the U.S. Senate. She is on the national board of Mystery Writers of America and is also a member of the Literary Society of Washington, Sisters in Crime, and International Thriller Writers.
Alan King is a Caribbean American poet, husband, father, and award-winning documentary filmmaker. The son of Trinidadian immigrants, he has published two poetry collections, Point Blank (Silver Birch Press, 2016) and Drift (Willow Books, 2012), as well as the chapbook Crooked Smiling Light (Plan B Press, 2021). His work delves into themes of family, identity, and social justice and has earned multiple nominations for the Pushcart Prize and Best of the Net awards.
King’s poetry caught the attention of former U.S. Poet Laureate Joy Harjo, who remarked, “Alan Kingis one of my favorite up-and-coming poets of his generation. His poems are not pop and flash, rather more like a slow dance with someone you’re going to love forever.”
A Cave Canem graduate fellow, King holds an MFA in Creative Writing from the Stonecoast Program at the University of Southern Maine. He was the 2018/19 Writer-in-Residence for the Howard County Poetry and Literature Society. King lives with his family in Bowie, Maryland.

Sacred Song Service - Ever Living, Ever Striving, Ever Forming
2025-08-17 20:00 | Amphitheater, Amphitheater

CHQ Mystic Heart: Sharon Wesoky
2025-08-18 07:45, 2025-08-19 07:45, 2025-08-20 07:45, 2025-08-21 07:45, 2025-08-22 07:45 | Presbyterian Chapel
Mahanaya Buddhism-Mindfulness Meditation

Pilobolus Open Dance Class
2025-08-18 09:00 | Carnahan-Jackson: Verdy

Doris Kearns Goodwin
2025-08-18 10:45 | Amphitheater, Amphitheater
Doris Kearns Goodwin is a world-renowned presidential historian, public speaker and Pulitzer Prize-winning, New York Times No. 1 best-selling author, most recently of An Unfinished Love Story: A Personal History of the 1960s, published in April 2024. With five decades of scholarship studying Presidents Abraham Lincoln, Theodore Roosevelt, Franklin Roosevelt and Lyndon Johnson, Goodwin returns to the Chautauqua Lecture Series to open a week dedicated to the theme “Past Informs Present: How to Harness History.”
Goodwin’s previous books include the critically acclaimed and New York Times best-selling Leadership: In Turbulent Times, which incorporates her five decades of scholarship studying Presidents Abraham Lincoln, Theodore Roosevelt, Franklin Roosevelt and Lyndon Johnson. Leadership inspired the young readers book The Leadership Journey: How Four Kids Became President, which published in September 2024, and the History Channel’s miniseries events “Abraham Lincoln,” “Theodore Roosevelt” and “FDR,” which Goodwin executive produced through her production company, Pastimes Productions.
Goodwin was awarded the Pulitzer Prize in history for No Ordinary Time: Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt: The Home Front in World War II. Her Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln was awarded the Lincoln Prize and was in part the basis for Steven Spielberg’s highly acclaimed film “Lincoln.”
Goodwin’s interest in presidential leadership was inspired by her experience as a 24-year-old White House Fellow, working directly for President Johnson in his last year in the White House, and later assisting him in the preparation of his memoirs. Her first book was the widely praised and enormously popular Lyndon Johnson and the American Dream.
Goodwin graduated magna cum laude from Colby College. She earned a Doctor of Philosophy in government from Harvard University, where she taught government, including a course on the American presidency. The first woman to enter the Boston Red Sox locker room in 1979, Goodwin lives in Boston and is a devoted fan of the World Series-winning team.

CLSC Book Discussion
2025-08-18 12:15 | Alumni Hall Porch, Alumni Hall Porch
Presenters Ruth S. Becker and Kathryn O’Neal will lead a community discussion on our Week Nine CLSC selection The Lost Journals of Sacajewea: A Novel by Debra Magpie Earling

Elan Babchuck
2025-08-18 14:00 | Hall of Philosophy, Hall of Philosophy
Rabbi Elan Babchuck is committed to leaving behind a world that is more compassionate and connected than the one he found. In pursuit of that commitment he serves as the Executive Vice President at Clal, the National Jewish Center for Learning and Leadership, and the Founding Director of Glean Network, which partners with Columbia Business School. He was ordained in 2012, and earned his MBA that year, as well.
A sought-after thought leader, he is the co-author of Picking Up the Pieces: Leadership After Empire (2024, Fortress Press), and Meaning Making – 8 Values That Drive America’s Newest Generations (2020, St. Mary’s Press), as well as the forthcoming Move Slow and Fix Things (2026) and Tech in Search of Meaning (date TBD). He has delivered keynotes at stages ranging from TEDx to the Pentagon to innovation conferences and business schools around the world, he has been published in The Atlantic, Harvard Business Review, The Guardian, The New York Times, The Boston Globe, Washington Post, and Religion News Service, and he has a column for The Wisdom Daily.
He is a Founding Partner of Starts With Us, a movement to counteract toxic polarization in America, and a founding Board Member of Springtide Research Institute, which focuses on spirituality, mental health and Gen Z. He has incubated more than 200 startup companies over the past 20 years, and launched 3 of his own in that time, as well.
He lives in Providence, Rhode Island with his wife, Lizzie Pollock, and their three children: Micah, Nessa, and Ayla. In his spare time, he is an avid rock climber and constant gardener.

Chautauqua Chamber Music: Parker Quartet
2025-08-18 16:00 | Elizabeth S. Lenna Hall, Elizabeth S. Lenna Hall
Internationally recognized for their “fearless, yet probingly beautiful” (The Strad) performances, the Grammy Award-winning Parker Quartet has distinguished itself as one of the preeminent ensembles of its generation, dedicated purely to the sound and depth of their music. They are renowned for their fresh and unique approach to the great classics while being passionate ambassadors for music of our time. Inspired performances and exceptional musicianship are hallmarks of the Quartet, having appeared at the world’s most illustrious venues since its founding in 2002.
Program:
John Adams: Fellow Traveler
Franz Schubert: String Quartet No. 13 in A minor, “Rosamunde”
Maurice Ravel: String Quartet in F major, M. 35

Pilobolus: Other Worlds Collection
2025-08-18 20:15 | Amphitheater, Amphitheater
Pilobolus’s Other Worlds Collection traverses the spaces we inhabit—from the realms within ourselves, society, and the universe—with wit, wisdom, and whimsy.
This collection features collaborations with visionaries who see the world through the lens of theatre, music, and dance, including award-winning playwright and director Aaron Posner, multi-instrumentalist and composer Stuart Bogie, choreographer and former Pilobolus dancer Gaspard Louis, original Pilobolus member Lee Harris, and composer Paul Sullivan.
Let Pilobolus take you on a journey through the multitudes of the human condition, seamlessly fusing sensuality, humor, and extraordinary physical prowess into a performance that will leave you spellbound.

Chautauqua Science Group: Allison Hrycik, Ph.D., Research Scientist Darrin Freshwater Institute and The Jefferson Project
2025-08-19 09:15 | Hurlbut Church sanctuary, Hurlbut Church sanctuary

Sold out: From Delta Roots to Symphonic Heights: Inside Morgan Freeman’s Symphonic Blues Experience
2025-08-19 10:45 | Amphitheater, Amphitheater
Experience the magic behind the music with an exclusive conversation featuring the visionary minds and passionate artists who brought the soul-stirring Morgan Freeman’s Symphonic Blues Experience to life. Explore the creative process with the owners of the nation’s number one blues club, Ground Zero Blues Club, the music director and conductor of this extraordinary concert series, and celebrated Delta Blues musicians. Gain unique insights into the inspirations that moved Morgan Freeman and others to shape this remarkable concept. This special session offers a behind-the-scenes glimpse at the artistry, collaboration, and deep musical roots driving the Symphonic Blues Experience, setting the stage for its highly anticipated performance with the Chautauqua Symphony Orchestra on the evening of August 19 in the Amphitheater.

Hovey Brock: The Art of Invasive Species
2025-08-19 12:15 | Smith Wilkes Hall, Smith Wilkes Hall
BTG Brownbag: Hovey Brock: The Art of Invasive Species

CHQ Mystic Heart: Sharon Wesoky
2025-08-19 12:30, 2025-08-21 12:30 | Hall of Missions, Hall of Missions
Mahanya Buddhism-Mindfulness Meditation

Wendy Horwitz
2025-08-19 14:00 | Hall of Philosophy, Hall of Philosophy
Wendy A. Horwitz is the author of Milkweed and Honey Cake: A Memoir in Ritual Moments. Her essays have been published in The Philadelphia Inquirer, Afterimage, Neurology (Humanities Section), Jewish Literary Journal, Intrepid Times, and McClatchy-Tribune News Service, among others.
Originally trained as a pediatric psychologist, she has taught at Swarthmore College, Penn State Abington, Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple, and Penn.
Wendy lives in Philadelphia and teaches writing and health humanities in the Philadelphia area and on Cape Cod.

SORRY, BABY
2025-08-19 14:15, 2025-08-20 20:30, 2025-08-21 15:15, 2025-08-21 20:30 | Chautauqua Cinema, Chautauqua Cinema
Something bad happened to Agnes. But life goes on… for everyone around her, at least. “Writer-director-star Eva Victor has made a movie that’s at once approachable, incredibly perceptive, and subtly stirring.” -Carlos Aguilar, IGN Movies “This is the kind of film that sneaks up on you, funny when least expected and affecting without being cloying. And it officially announces the arrival of Victor as a performer and filmmaker to keep on your radar.” -Aisha Harris, NPR “Bittersweet, brilliant, and heartwarmingly funny,” -Kristy Puchko, Mashable (R, 103m)

Heritage Lecture Series - Jari Villanueva
2025-08-19 15:30 | Hall of Philosophy, Hall of Philosophy
As part of the Oliver Archives Center’s 2025 Heritage Lecture Series, Jari Villanueva will present “A Blast from the Past: The Bugle in History”.
Jari Villanueva retired from the United States Air Force where he spent 23 years with The USAF Band in Washington DC. He is considered the country’s foremost expert on military bugle calls, particularly the call of Taps which is sounded at military funerals. While in the Air Force he was the Non-Commissioned Officer In Charge of The USAF Band’s State Funeral Plans and was the NCOIC of the command post at Andrews AFB which oversaw the arrival and departure ceremonies for the late Presidents Reagan and Ford. As a ceremonial trumpeter, Villanueva participated in well over 5,000 ceremonies at Arlington National Cemetery, served as an assistant drum major leading The USAF Ceremonial Brass in funerals at Arlington. He was responsible for all the music performed by the USAF Bands for state funerals. Between 1998-2002 Villanueva created a display at Arlington National Cemetery highlighting the history of the military bugler. He was responsible for moving the bugle used at President John F. Kennedy’s funeral from the Smithsonian to Arlington where it is currently on display. In 2007 Villanueva was inducted into the Buglers Hall of Fame, the first active duty military bugler to be so honored.

GIANTS RISING
2025-08-19 17:00 | Chautauqua Cinema, Chautauqua Cinema
Chautauqua Bird Tree and Garden Club Special Event! Free Admission! The deeper you venture into a coast redwood forest, the more your imagination runs wild. The tallest and some of the oldest living beings on Earth, these trees are a gateway to experiencing an unparalleled sense of awe and connection. Directed by Lisa Landers and narrated by Michael Franti this documentary reveals the secrets, superpowers and saga of the redwoods. (NR, 82m)

FAMILIAR TOUCH
2025-08-19 19:30, 2025-08-20 15:30, 2025-08-20 18:00, 2025-08-21 18:00 | Chautauqua Cinema, Chautauqua Cinema
Writer-director Sarah Friedland’s coming-of-old-age feature compassionately follows the winding path of octogenarian Ruth’s (Kathleen Chalfant) shifting memories and desires while remaining rooted in her sage perspective. “Ruth is merely, momentously human: an older woman in need, but no less expressive of life’s fullness because of it. It’s a portrayal to remember, for as long as any of us can.” -Robert Abele, Los Angeles Times “A gorgeous drama with an open, aching heart.” -Jourdain Searles, RogerEbert.com (NR, 91m)

Morgan Freeman Presents: Symphonic Blues with the Chautauqua Symphony Orchestra
2025-08-19 20:15 | Amphitheater, Amphitheater
Martin Gellner, conductor
Morgan Freeman Presents: Symphonic Blues is a live concert experience that bridges the soul-stirring roots of the Mississippi Delta Blues with the richness of a symphony orchestra. This unique performance, narrated on video by cultural icon Morgan Freeman, takes audiences on a transformative journey through the music, culture and legacy of the Mississippi Delta – the birthplace of the Blues. Through cinematic storytelling, performances by authentic Blues musicians, and symphonic arrangements, audiences will explore the deep cultural roots of the Delta and its lasting impact on global music. This performance also highlights the Delta’s vibrant heritage and the vital role of Ground Zero Blues Club in Clarksdale, Mississippi, a cornerstone of Blues preservation.
Morgan Freeman appears in conversation on the Chautauqua Lecture Series on Tuesday, August 19, and serves on a panel with blues musicians in a master class on Wednesday, August 20.

Jonathan Zittrain
2025-08-20 10:45 | Amphitheater, Amphitheater
Jonathan Zittrain is the co-founder and director of the Berkman Klein Center for Internet & Society at Harvard University, and an expert on the exquisitely difficult problems of technology governance. He joins the Chautauqua Lecture Series in a week dedicated to the ways that “Past Informs Present” to share his perspective on digital history and preservation, and lessons — and losses — from the early internet as society enters the era of AI.
At Harvard, Zittrain is also the George Bemis Professor of International Law at Harvard Law School, a professor of public policy at the Harvard Kennedy School of Government, a professor of computer science at the Harvard School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, director of the Harvard Law School Library, and formerly the vice dean for Library and Information Resources. His research interests include the ethics and governance of artificial intelligence; battles for control of digital property; the regulation of cryptography; new privacy frameworks for loyalty to users of online services; the roles of intermediaries within internet architecture; and the useful and unobtrusive deployment of technology in education.
A member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and the Board of Directors of the Electronic Frontier Foundation, Zittrain is the author of 2008’s The Future of the Internet and How to Stop It — predicting many contemporary digital issues — and is currently working on its sequel, Well, We Tried. He holds a bachelor’s in cognitive science and artificial intelligence from Yale University; his J.D. from Harvard Law School; and his Master of Public Administration from Harvard’s John F. Kennedy School of Government.

CLSC Young Readers Book Discussion
2025-08-20 12:15 | Alumni Hall Porch, Alumni Hall Porch
Presenters Amber Sipior and Margaret Edwards will lead a community discussion on our Week Nine CLSC Young Readers selection Light and Air by Mindy Nichols Wendell

Becca Stevens
2025-08-20 14:00 | Hall of Philosophy, Hall of Philosophy
Becca Stevens is a nonprofit leader, entrepreneur, priest, survivor, and founder and President of Thistle Farms. She has founded 12 nonprofits and justice enterprises, mentored another 70, and has raised over $75 million to support them. Becca has authored 12 books and sold over 300,000 copies. She has served as chaplain at St. Augustine’s Chapel on Vanderbilt’s campus for almost 30 years. Becca has been featured on PBS NewsHour, The Today Show, CNN, ABC World News, named a CNN Hero, and White House Champion of Change, and holds seven honorary doctorates. Drawn from 25 years of leadership in mission-driven work, Becca leads important conversations across the country with an inspiring message that love is the strongest force for change in the world.
Stevens founded Thistle Farms in 1997 with a single home for survivors of trafficking and addiction. Over twenty-five years later, it is a global movement for women’s freedom and a 13-million-dollar organization. Today the Nashville flagship includes a residential program that serves as a national model for women’s recovery, and three justice social enterprises that provide jobs to survivors. Stevens developed the Thistle National Network to provide tools, workshops, and conferences to support young organizations wanting to follow its holistic recovery model. There are now 92 organizations, providing over 500 beds to survivors, in its network. She also created Thistle Farms Global Shared Trade which supports 1,400 artisan survivors through 39 partners in 21 countries.
Additional enterprises Stevens has helped establish include the Center for Contemplative Justice and Larkspur Conservation in the U.S.; Escuela Ann Stevens and Sibimbe, Ecuador; Moringa Madres, Mexico; Forging Love, Israel; Love Welcomes, UK, and Love Rises, Ukraine, among others.
Stevens has been featured on PBS NewsHour, The Today Show, GMA, CNN, ABC World News and in The New York Times. Her many awards include CNN Hero, White House Champion of Change, Humanitarian of the Year by the Small Business Council of America, Tennessee Human Rights Outstanding Service Award, and induction into The Entrepreneur Center’s Hall of Fame, and Tennessee Women’s Hall of Fame. Becca attended the University of the South and Vanderbilt Divinity School, receiving alumnae distinction awards from both. Stevens has also been conferred seven honorary doctorates.
Stevens speaks to a broad range of non-profit, religious, and business audiences—often in bare feet to show solidarity with those she serves. Drawn from 25 years of leadership in mission-driven work, the courageous stories of women survivors, and wisdom from nature and healing traditions, Stevens inspires and motivates audiences everywhere with practical and loving steps to inspire change in individuals and communities. Her latest book, “Practically Divine,” is available on Harper Horizon.

African American Heritage House Lecture: Sheffield Hale
2025-08-20 15:30 | Hall of Philosophy, Hall of Philosophy
As president and CEO of the Atlanta History Center, Sheffield Hale maintains the 175,000-square-foot museum with dedication and enthusiasm to preserve and explore Atlanta’s history. Under Hale’s leadership the center has led the Confederate Monument Initiative, and Hale has served as co-chair of the Advisory Committee on City of Atlanta Street Names and Monuments Associated with the Confederacy.
Prior to joining the Atlanta History Center in 2012, Hale served as chief counsel of the American Cancer Society and was a partner practicing corporate law in the firm of Kilpatrick Townsend & Stockton. He is chair of the advisory board of the Museum of Early Southern Decorative Arts, an ex-officio member of the board of the Old Salem Museums and Gardens, and a member of the Advisory Board for the Center for the Study of the American South. He is a past chair of the Georgia Trust for Historic Preservation and the Atlanta History Center.
In 2021, Hale received the Georgia Governor’s Award for Arts & Humanities. He received his Bachelor of Arts in history from the University of Georgia and his J.D. from the University of Virginia School of Law.

Microplastics: Solutions to Save Our Seas
2025-08-20 15:30 | Smith Wilkes Hall, Smith Wilkes Hall
Microplastics: Solutions to Save Our Seas
Rachael Zoe Miller is the Founder of Rozalia Project for a Clean Ocean and it is for her grandmother that the project is named. She is an expedition scientist, inventor, National Geographic Explorer, Explorers Club Fellow and co-inventor of the Cora Ball, the world’s first microfiber-catching laundry ball. Rachael leads teams on expeditions whose scientific results are published in peer-reviewed journals and education programs that inspire thousands of people of all ages.

Microfibers in a whole new light: See what you're breathing and how to protect yourself. Workshop by Rachael Miller
2025-08-20 17:00 | Hall of Christ: Sanctuary
You are invited to investigate your own clothing at this workshop! Please bring a garment you think is high-shed and one you think is low shed (dark colors work best) as well as any you’d like to see up close (through a microscope). This is not a requirement to attend, but a fun way to get to know your own wardrobe!

Nicole Zuraitis
2025-08-20 20:15 | Amphitheater, Amphitheater
Nicole Zuraitis is a 2X GRAMMY® winning and 4X GRAMMY-nominated jazz singer-songwriter, pianist and arranger, New York-based bandleader, and winner of the prestigious 2021 American Traditions Vocal Competition Gold Medal. With a “heart as big as her remarkable voice,” (Jazz Police), Nicole is a trailblazing artist who is redefining vocal jazz, earning her a place as one of the top artists and “prolific songwriters” (Broadway World) to watch in jazz and beyond.
As a recording artist, Nicole has released five albums as a leader, and her sixth album, How Love Begins, co-produced with eight-time GRAMMY-winner Christian McBride, features all original music and was awarded the 2024 GRAMMY for BEST JAZZ VOCAL ALBUM. Nicole is the only artist ever to have won this award who wrote and arranged the entire album herself. In addition to leading her quartet, Nicole performed and recorded with the Birdland Big Band as premier vocalist before taking off as a large ensemble leader of her own, co-producing the Dan Pugach Big Band and guesting for major European big bands. She has headlined the Newport Jazz Festival, along with iconic NYC jazz clubs like Dizzy’s Club at Lincoln Center, Birdland, the Blue Note, the Carlyle, 54 Below and the late, great 55 Bar. She has appeared as a featured soloist with the Savannah Philharmonic, Asheville Symphony, and Macon Pops and has supported iconic singers like Melanie, Morgan James, Darren Criss, and Livingston Taylor on piano and vocals.

Sabrina Lynn Motley & Jeffrey Rosen
2025-08-21 10:45 | Amphitheater, Amphitheater
Sabrina Lynn Motley
Director, Smithsonian Folklife Festival
Jeffrey Rosen
President and CEO, National Constitution Center
10:45 a.m. Thursday, August 21, 2025
Frequent Chautauqua collaborators Sabrina Lynn Motley and Jeffrey Rosen return to Chautauqua for the penultimate Chautauqua Lecture Series program of 2025. They will contribute to our discussion of “Past Informs Present: How to Harness History” by sharing in conversation their two prominent national institutions’ approaches to considering, commemorating and celebrating America’s semiquincentennial, as the birthday year approaches in 2026, along with their perspectives generally on the curation and presentation of history in physical spaces.
Sabrina Lynn Motley is the director of the Smithsonian Folklife Festival at the Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage. Before joining the center in 2013, she was the senior director of programs and exhibitions at Asia Society Texas Center in Houston. Under Motley’s leadership, the Texas Center expanded its public offerings and strengthened its collaborative approach to program creation and implementation. Through performances, lectures, exhibitions, and workshops, its programming reflected Houston’s rapidly changing demographics and its role as a gateway to Asia. While at the Texas Center, Motley oversaw the mounting of several critically acclaimed exhibitions, including “Universe Is Flux: The Art of Tawara Yusaku,” organized by the Indianapolis Museum, and “Weavers’ Stories from Island Southeast Asia,” organized by the Fowler Museum at UCLA.
Motley’s most recent exhibitions speak to her interest in the creative lives of women and the role of traditional arts in contemporary life. As a world music aficionada, for more than five years she was a popular host of “The Global Village,” KPFK 90.7 FM’s flagship music program. As a teacher, she has taught cultural anthropology at the Art Center College of Design and the Otis Institute for Art and Design. Motley earned her bachelor’s degree from the World Arts & Cultures Program and master’s degree in African studies at UCLA. She is a doctoral candidate in anthropology at UCLA, where she conducted research on the interplay between religious faith, doubt and social activism.
Jeffrey Rosen is president and chief executive officer of the National Constitution Center, a nonpartisan nonprofit organization whose mission is to educate the public about the U.S. Constitution. His latest book, The Pursuit of Happiness: How Classical Writers on Virtue Inspired the Lives of the Founders and Defined America, was the basis for his most recent Amphitheater appearance in 2024; he also appeared as part of the 2025 Chautauqua Forum on Democracy in June, where he was publicly announced and recognized for the first time as the newly appointed 2025–26 Chautauqua Perry Fellow in Democracy.
In addition to his roles of president and CEO of the National Constitution Center, which he has held since 2013, Rosen is also a professor of law at the George Washington University Law School and a contributing editor of The Atlantic. He was previously the legal affairs editor of The New Republic and a staff writer for The New Yorker. At the National Constitution Center, he is the host of “We the People,” a weekly podcast of constitutional debate.
Rosen’s forthcoming book The Pursuit of Liberty How Hamilton vs. Jefferson Ignited the Lasting Battle Over Power in America, to be published in October. He is the author of seven other books, including the New York Times bestseller Conversations with RBG: Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg on Life, Love, Liberty, and Law, as well as biographies of Louis Brandeis and William Howard Taft. He is a graduate of Harvard College; Oxford University, where he was a Marshall Scholar; and Yale Law School.

Decision Making in the Age of Plastics: A choose-your-own-adventure style guide to purchasing while balancing your health, the planet and your budget.
2025-08-21 12:15 | Alumni Hall Ballroom, Alumni Hall Ballroom
Did you know that microplastics are in our food, in our water and in our brains (among other places)?! Have you sat staring at a shopping cart on your screen or at an item in a shop and experienced a moment (or several moments) of a modern sort of existential panic thinking, “Should I buy this?”
In Decision-Making in the Age of Plastics, Cora Ball Co-inventor, National Geographic Explorer and Chief Ocean Lover, Rachael Zoe Miller takes you through an easy-to-use, interactive process that mixes knowledge with practical considerations about items that present frequent conundrums, from fleece jackets to take-away food packaging, laundry detergent, and more. You will be guided through a 5-question framework that helps you make purchases (or decisions not to purchase) that you will feel good about.
The goals of this choose-your-own-adventure style guidebook are to help protect you and your family’s health, to protect the ocean, to protect the planet, to save you money or help you spend it wisely, to eradicate buyer’s remorse, and to inject a heap of learning and some fun along the way.
This event is the official launch of this high-impact book. Copies will be available at the Chautauqua Bookstore by August 13 and on the day of the event.

Haroon Moghul
2025-08-21 14:00 | Hall of Philosophy, Hall of Philosophy
Haroon Moghul is the Founder and President of Queen City Diwan, a company that educates and empowers people of all ages and backgrounds through global tours, retreats and leadership journeys. With Joey Taylor, he co-hosts a new podcast, Avenue M, that explores meaning, masculinity, culture and family from the perspective of two Midwestern men of faith.
In 2023 and 2024, EqualityX named him one of the fifty most influential Muslims in the Americas. A one-time standup comic in New York City (literally, just that one time) and award-winning journalist and opinion columnist, Haroon has been published by The New York Times, NPR’s Fresh Air, CNN, NBC News, The Washington Post, Foreign Policy, Al Jazeera, and The Guardian, among many others.
Haroon has appeared on all major US news networks as an expert commentator on Islam, the Muslim world, and U.S. foreign policy. He has taught at universities, conferences, think tanks, and houses of worship on five continents. Haroon is the author of How to be a Muslim: An American Story (2017) and Two Billion Caliphs: A Vision of a Muslim Future (2022), which was recently translated into Albanian.
Previously, he was the Fellow in the National Security Studies Program at the New America Foundation and a Fellow in Muslim Politics and Societies at the Center on National Security at Fordham Law. Haroon lives with his wife and family in Cincinnati, where he teaches classes on leadership, literature, and character for more than three dozen middle and high school students You can follow his teaching on his Substack, Sunday Schooled.

CVA Open Studios
2025-08-21 14:00 | CVA: Arts Quad
We are excited to invite you to CVA Open Studios, occurring prior to the annual 2-week Resident Group Exhibition. Celebrate the work our resident artists have created during their time at Chautauqua Visual Arts. This event is free and open to the public.

CVA Two Week Residency exhibition reception
2025-08-21 15:00 | CVA: Arts Quad
We are excited to invite you to celebrate our 2-week resident artists at the Resident Group Exhibition! Join us to see the work our residents have created during their time at Chautauqua Visual Arts. This event is free and open to the public.

Debra Magpie Earling
2025-08-21 15:30 | Hall of Philosophy, Hall of Philosophy
Chautauqua Literary and Scientific Circle Presentation — The Lost Journals of Sacajewea: A Novel by Debra Magpie Earling
Among the most memorialized women in American history, Sacajewea served as interpreter and guide for Lewis and Clark’s Corps of Discovery. In this visionary novel, acclaimed Indigenous author Debra Magpie Earling brings this mythologized figure vividly to life, casting unsparing light on the men who brutalized her and recentering Sacajewea as the arbiter of her own history.
Here, the young Sacajewea is bright and bold, growing strong from the hard work of “learning all ways to survive.” When her village is raided, Sacajewea is kidnapped and then gambled away to Charbonneau, a French-Canadian trapper. Heavy with grief, she learns how to survive at the edge of a strange new world. When Lewis and Clark’s expedition party arrives, Sacajewea knows she must cross a vast and brutal terrain with her newborn son, the white man who owns her, and a company of men who wish to conquer and commodify the world she loves.
Written in lyrical, dreamlike prose, The Lost Journals of Sacajewea is an astonishing work of art and a powerful tale of perseverance—the Indigenous woman’s story that hasn’t been told.
Debra Magpie Earling was born in Spokane, Washington. She received her BA from the University of Washington in Seattle and her MA and MFA in Fiction from Cornell University. From 1991 to 1998, Earling held positions in both Native American Studies and Creative Writing at the University of Montana in Missoula. Currently, she is an associate professor in the English Department there and teaches Fiction and Native American Studies.
Perma Red (Blue Hen Books 2002) was her first novel. It received the Western Writers Association Spur Award for Best Novel of the West in 2003, the Mountain and Plains Bookseller Association Award, WWA’s Medicine Pipe Bearer Award for Best First Novel, a WILLA Literary Award, and the American Book Award. It is a Montana Book Award Honor Book and was chosen by Barnes & Noble as part of its Discover Great New Writers series.
Her latest novel (May 2023), The Lost Journals of Sacajewea is a devastatingly beautiful novel that challenges prevailing historical narratives of Sacajewea.

Guest Chef Dinner
2025-08-21 17:30 | Athenaeum Parlor, Athenaeum Parlor
Join President’s Cottage Chefs Ben Shropshire & Dan Wongprapan for a tasting dinner. The evening begins at 5:30 p.m. with passed hors d’oeuvres with dinner seating at 6 p.m.
Ben Shropshire and Dan Wongprapan have spent years working together in a diverse array of food service establishments throughout the city of Charlotte, North Carolina. This is their third season devising, preparing, and executing events at the President’s Cottage of the Chautauqua Institution. They prioritize fresh ingredients, creativity, and a comfortable environment for their staff and co-workers. In the fall they will be going to Louisville, KY as private chefs and are available for delicious and personable private events.
Menu:
First: Bahn Mi Toast, Smoked Mussel Pâté, Pickled Roots, Cilantro, Jalapeño Crema
Second: Bucatini Pad Kee Mao, Hanging Beef Tenderloin, Garlic Braised Broccolini, Wild Mushroom
Third: King Crab Coconut Lime Ceviche
Fourth: Lobster Yellow Curry, Orzo, Cauliflower, Roasted Corn, Tomato Jam
Fifth: Matcha Panna Cotta, White Chocolate Ganache, Strawberry Coulis, Lemon Torta
Our Chef’s Tasting Menu is a thoughtfully curated experience that highlights the creative vision of our culinary teams. We are unable to accommodate modifications or dietary restrictions for this menu.

The Band Perry
2025-08-21 20:15 | Amphitheater, Amphitheater
Kimberly Perry (lead vocals, guitar), Reid Perry (bass guitar), Johnny Costello (mandolin, guitar)
Grammy® Award-winning The Band Perry burst onto the scene as an unstoppable presence in modern Country music, selling two and a half million albums, twelve million singles, and racking up over a billion total song streams. Written by Kimberly Perry, their groundbreaking crossover 9X Platinum #1 single “If I Die Young” off their self-titled debut album (released October 12, 2010) reached #1 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs and Hot AC charts, Top 15 on the Billboard 100 and garnered more than 100 million video views and counting. The album also featured the #1 hit “All Your Life” and Top 5 (#2) hit “You Lie.”
Their follow up album-Pioneer-reached #1 on the Billboard Top Country Albums chart and #2 on the Billboard 200 and featured “Better Dig Two,” “Done,” “Don’t Let Me Be Lonely,” and “Chainsaw,” cementing the band’s status domestically and internationally.
With sold-out world tours, six No. 1 singles, numerous Platinum and Gold singles, award wins and nominations, the Grammy® Award winning band reunited in 2025 with original band members Kimberly and Reid Perry, adding celebrated musician and fellow family member Johnny, and are set to release new music in 2025-timed to the band’s 15th year anniversary since their debut album.

Ella Al-Shamahi
2025-08-22 10:45 | Amphitheater, Amphitheater
Ella Al-Shamahi is a National Geographic Explorer, palaeoanthropologist, evolutionary biologist (and stand-up comic) who specializes in Neanderthals, caves, and expeditions in hostile, disputed, and unstable territories. In closing a week dedicated to the ways that past informs present — and the 2025 Chautauqua Lecture Series season — Al-Shamahi will take the audience on a transformative journey into the world of human evolution, using her expertise in our shared human history to explain why we need to understand our recent ancestors’ failures in order to chart a better future.
In addition to her work in the field, Al-Shamahi is a television presenter and producer. Her latest project, produced by BBC Studios Science Unit and co-produced by PBS, is “Human,” the story of how humanity went from being just one of many hominin species to the dominant form of life on earth. Coming to PBS in 2025, “Human” uses a combination of archaeology, storytelling, and reconstruction to tell the story of how we became “us” (modern humans).
Other work includes the BBC’s recently launched seven-year diary titled “Our Changing Planet”; the BBC Two’s science series “Neanderthals: Meet Your Ancestors,” as well as “Horizon: Body Clock – What Makes Your Body Tick”; a National Geographic show on Viking warrior women; and, with her journalist brother Abubakr Al-Shamahi, a five-part BBC World Service radio series commemorating and reflecting on the 10-year anniversary of the Arab Spring.
The author of The Handshake: A Gripping History, Al-Shamahi holds a Bachelor of Science in genetics from University College London, a Master of Science in taxonomy and biodiversity from Imperial College London/Natural History Museum, and is currently undertaking a Ph.D. in Neanderthal rates of evolution at University College London.

Summer on the Steps with Chautauqua Literary Arts: A Tribute to Nikki Giovanni
2025-08-22 12:15 | Alumni Hall Porch, Alumni Hall Porch
Join Chautauqua Literary Arts for an open mic tribute to the late poet, writer, commentator, activist and educator, Nikki Giovanni.

Russell Moore
2025-08-22 14:00 | Hall of Philosophy, Hall of Philosophy
Russell Moore is Editor in Chief of Christianity Today.
Moore is the author of several books, including Losing Our Religion: An Alter Call for Evangelical America; The Courage to Stand: Facing Your Fear Without Losing Your Soul; Onward: Engaging the Culture without Losing the Gospel and The Storm-Tossed Family: How the Cross Reshapes the Home.
The Wall Street Journal has called Moore “vigorous, cheerful, and fiercely articulate.” He was named in 2017 to Politico Magazine’s list of top fifty influence-makers in Washington and has been profiled by such publications as the New York Times, the Washington Post, TIME Magazine, and the New Yorker.
Moore was a Fellow at the University of Chicago’s Institute of Politics and currently serves on the board of the Becket Law and as a Senior Fellow with the Trinity Forum in Washington, D.C.
He also hosts the weekly podcast The Russell Moore Show and is a senior commentator of Christianity Today’s weekly news and analysis podcast, The Bulletin.
An ordained Baptist minister, Moore was President of the Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission of the Southern Baptist Convention from 2013 to 2021. Prior to that role, he served as provost and dean of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky, where he also taught theology and ethics.
A native Mississippian, he and his wife Maria are the parents of five sons. They live in Nashville, where he teaches the Bible regularly at their congregation, Immanuel Church.

Heritage Lecture Series: Jon Schmitz
2025-08-22 15:30 | Hall of Philosophy, Hall of Philosophy

Guest Chef Dinner - Joe Bucci & Brian Baccus
2025-08-22 17:30 | Athenaeum Parlor, Athenaeum Parlor
Join Sysco Chefs Brian Barcus & Joe Bucci for a tasting dinner. The evening begins at 5:30 p.m. with passed hors d’oeuvres with dinner seating at 6 p.m.
Brian Barcus is an enthusiastic and driven chef who loves all aspects of the food service industry. His two decades of experience in various food service outlets gives him an array of skills and techniques from many different cuisines. Born in raised in the Pittsburgh Area, his career started professionally, after completing the one-year program at The University of Indiana Pennsylvania Academy of Culinary Arts. He is versed in large scale banquets, ala carte service, fine dining, special themed collaborative dinners, and farm fresh products from the area. He worked for a few of the finest chefs in the region at Nemacolin Woodlands Resort & Spa, Oakmont Country Club, Hotel Monaco Pittsburgh to name a few. Brian shifted his professional focuses to the sales world, joining Sysco in July of ’22
Joe Bucci has been working in the food industry for over 25 years and has a fierce love affair with food. His culinary experience ranges from cooking pizzas in a wood-burning oven, to executing fine dining in a Michelin starred restaurant in Chicago, to representing the finest specialty food ingredients in the world right here in Western New York. It’s all been driven by his passion for making people happy through exceptional food.
Menu:
First: Antipasti – Golfetta, Caponata, Peppernata, Artichoke, Pecorino Pistachio, pull apart bread
Second: Hamachi Crudo, Pickled Watermelon, Sicilian Oli Cured Olive, Grapefruit, San Guiliano EVO
Third: Hand Cut Tagliatelle Pasta, Guanciale, Wild Mushroom, Truffle Bure Monte, Cured Egg Yolk
Fourth: Duck Breast with Roasted Peach, Braised Fennel, Argidolce, Duck Confit Potato Pave
Fifth: Dubai Chocolate Tart
Our Chef’s Tasting Menu is a thoughtfully curated experience that highlights the creative vision of our culinary teams. We are unable to accommodate modifications or dietary restrictions for this menu.

PERFECT DAYS
2025-08-22 17:45, 2025-08-23 20:30, 2025-08-24 17:45, 2025-08-25 20:30 | Chautauqua Cinema, Chautauqua Cinema
Hirayama (Kôji Yakusho) seems utterly content with his simple life as a cleaner of Tokyo public toilets in director Wim Wenders’ deeply moving and poetic reflection on finding beauty in the everyday world around us. “It’s all about finding the simple joys in your daily existence.” -Christy Lemire, Breakfast All Day “Jonathan Livingston Lavatory Cleaner. Zen and the Art of Lavatory Maintenance. But better than that. Sharper, less sentimental, less aphoristic. A film to live your life by.” -Donald Clarke, Irish Times “Perhaps, in its polite and unassuming way, the film advocates not just a new way of looking, but also a new way of living.” -Wendy Ide, Observer (UK) (PG, In Japanese with subtitles. 124m)

O.A.R.: Lost Weekend Tour
2025-08-22 20:15 | Amphitheater, Amphitheater
O.A.R. might just be music’s biggest, best kept secret. The platinum-certified Rockville, MD band has quietly sold out multiple shows at Madison Square Garden, filled Red Rocks Amphitheater a dozen times, earned platinum and gold plaques, lit up the Times Square New Year’s Eve celebration, and built one of the most committed fanbases in the country. The group—Marc Roberge [lead vocals, guitar], Richard On [lead guitar, backing vocals], Chris Culos [drums], Benj Gershman [bass], and Jerry DePizzo [saxophone, guitar, backing vocals] accompanied by Mikel Paris [keys, backing vocals, percussion], and Jon Lampley [trumpet, backing vocals]—most recently embarked on a headlining US tour with special guests Fitz and the Tantrums and Ripe.

EVERYTHING'S GOING TO BE GREAT
2025-08-22 20:45, 2025-08-23 18:00, 2025-08-24 20:45, 2025-08-25 18:00 | Chautauqua Cinema, Chautauqua Cinema
Buddy Smart (Bryan Cranston) wrestles with his over-sized showbiz dreams. His wife Macy (Allison Janney) struggles to keep their family afloat. As they grapple with identity and belonging, they share a humorous and heartfelt journey of self-discovery, learning the power of owning your spotlight no matter what stage of life you’re in. Director “Jon S. Baird’s kind and cutting drama about a family trying, failing, and trying all over again to make it in the theater is a heartening drama and a great big smile of a comedy.” -William Bibbiani, TheWrap (R, 95m)

Sweet Honey in the Rock® “Celebrating 50 Years”
2025-08-23 20:15 | Amphitheater, Amphitheater
The Grammy-nominated African American vocal ensemble SWEET HONEY IN THE ROCK® marks its 50TH ANNIVERSARY in November 2023 with a powerful three-year celebration that will honor its storied past and set the course for the future of the group, which has been described as, “one of the most dynamic, versatile and still relevant musical collectives today.”
Since its inception in Washington, D.C. (1973), Sweet Honey in the Rock has thrived as a performance ensemble founded on the missions of empowerment, education, and entertainment.
Their current roster includes vocalists Carol Maillard, Louise Robinson, Aisha Kahlil, Nitanju Bolade Casel, and Rochelle Rice, with Romeir Mendez on upright acoustic/electric bass, and American Sign Language interpreter, Barbara Hunt.
Throughout five decades, the ensemble members have worked to create engaging and socially conscious music that consistently takes an active stance toward making our planet a better place for all in which to live. Their musical landscape embraces multiple genres/generations and addresses civil & human rights, women’s issues, gun violence, death, love, spirituality, children’s songs and so much more.

Bishop Eugene Sutton
2025-08-24 10:45 | Amphitheater, Amphitheater
The Rt. Rev. Eugene Taylor Sutton is the senior pastor of Chautauqua Institution. Formerly the Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Maryland and Canon Pastor of Washington National Cathedral, where he directed the Cathedral’s Center for Prayer and Pilgrimage. Sutton has also served as a college chaplain, parish priest, and professor of homiletics and liturgy at Vanderbilt University Divinity School. Sutton is a frequent leader of retreats focused on spirituality, nonviolence, and social justice, including multiple missions to South Africa. He co-founded Contemplative Outreach of Maryland and Washington, an ecumenical network of churches and individuals committed to centering prayer and renewing the contemplative gospel for daily living. He is a prolific writer, and has contributed to multiple books, including “The Diversity of Centering Prayer” and “Reclaiming the Gospel of Peace: Challenging the Epidemic of Gun Violence.” Bishop Sutton has been named by the Center for American Progress as one of “Fourteen Faith Leaders to Watch” for his faith-led efforts to promote nonviolent solutions to conflicts.

The Great Massey Movie: "The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari"
2025-08-24 15:00 | Amphitheater, Amphitheater
In this beloved annual event, come hear the mighty Massey Memorial Organ accompany classic silent film, played by Joshua Stafford, prize-winning organist and Director of Sacred Music at Chautauqua Institution. This summer’s selection for screening, 1920’s “The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari”, will delight film buffs and new fans alike.

Church of the Wild
2025-08-24 16:00 | Outdoor Classroom
Kriss Miller

Blessing of the Animals
2025-08-24 16:30 | Miller Park, Miller Park
Weather Permitting

Closing Sacred Song and Three Taps
2025-08-24 20:00 | Amphitheater, Amphitheater

Bonnie Raitt with special guest Jimmie Vaughan & The Tilt-A-Whirl Band
2025-09-05 19:00 | Amphitheater, Amphitheater
Chautauqua Institution is thrilled to welcome the iconic Bonnie Raitt to our Amphitheater! A singer, songwriter, and guitarist whose unique style blends blues, R&B, rock, and pop, after 20 years as a cult favorite, Raitt broke through to the top in the early 90s with her GRAMMY-award-winning albums, Nick of Time and Luck of the Draw, which featured hits, “Something To Talk About” and “I Can’t Make You Love Me” among others. The thirteen-time GRAMMY winner (and Recording Academy Lifetime Achievement Awardee) was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2000 and Rolling Stone named the slide guitar ace one of the “100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time” and one of the “100 Greatest Singers of All Time.” Raitt received another incredible accolade being recognized for her lifetime of artistic achievement as part of the Kennedy Center’s 47th Class of Honorees in Washington, DC in December 2024.
Raitt is as known for her lifelong commitment to social activism as she is for her music, and has long been involved with the environmental movement, performing concerts around oil, nuclear power, mining, water, and forest protection since the mid-‘70s. She was a founding member of MUSE (Musicians United for Safe Energy), which produced the historic concerts, album and film NO NUKES (1979,) as well as a founding member of The Rhythm and Blues Foundation, which works for royalty reform and recognition of generations of pioneer R&B artists. She continues to work on safe energy issues in addition to environmental protection, social justice, Native American and human rights, as well as artist’s rights and music education.

The Colors of India
2025-09-25 00:00
Join Chautauqua Travels and Chautauqua Institution’s Chief IDEA Officer Amit Taneja on a colorful 9-day journey
through northern India and experience a kaleidoscope of sights, sounds, and scents unlike anywhere else in the
world. Begin in the bustling metropolis of Delhi, where ancient traditions blend seamlessly into everyday modern
life, with visits to classic landmarks such as the Red Fort, Jama Masjid, India Gate, and Parliament House. Travel
to Agra and witness the timeless alure of the Taj Mahal, then continue to Jaipur, known for its historic and palatial
cotton-candy-colored buildings that dot the skyline. Dig deeper into the complexities of India and see the Golden
Triangle in a new light as you meet with skilled artists and performers, have candid conversations with local
businesswomen, and participate in a unique community service experience at one of the largest food pantries in
the world. Your travels in India culminate as Jaipur comes alive with a celebration of Dussehra, an annual Hindu
festival that marks the triumph of good over evil with dazzling parades, sparkling fireworks, and symbolic burning
of effigies.

Preview Performance of the feath3r theory
2025-09-25 16:00 | Carnahan-Jackson: McBride/Verdy, Carnahan-Jackson: McBride/Verdy
Experience one of New York City’s most daring dance-theatre ensembles as they share a work-in-progress showing of their latest creation.
Join the New York City–based dance-theatre-media collective the feath3r theory (TF3T) for an exclusive preview of their bold new work A Body of Dangerous Ideas. Conceived by Artistic Director Raja Feather Kelly, the piece investigates how bodies absorb and resist the ideas projected onto them, exploring violence—how it appears in the body, how it is carried, and how it transforms us. With Kelly’s signature engagement with pop culture, the work interrogates how media desensitizes us to danger while shaping our sympathies for it, expanding from the personal body to the global stage.
Following the presentation, join the artists for an informal meet-and-greet on the porch of Carnahan-Jackson Dance Studios.
About A Body of Dangerous Ideas
At its core, A Body of Dangerous Ideas investigates how bodies are shaped by the ideas projected onto them — and how they resist, embody, or rupture under that weight. The work asks: What makes an idea dangerous? And how does a body respond to that danger? I’m examining violence — what it looks like in the body, how we carry it, and how it transforms us. With my ongoing engagement with pop culture, I’m exploring how media both desensitizes and shapes our sympathies for violence and danger — particularly when experienced from a distance. As we zoom out from the individual, the work also asks how danger operates across borders, identities, and social constructs. What does the future look like in a world where thought, expression, and intimacy are all perceived as threats?
About the feath3r theory (TF3T)
the feath3r theory (TF3T) is a New York City based dance-theatre-media company that produces the work of Artistic Director and Choreographer Raja Feather Kelly. As a collaboration of dancers, actors, filmmakers, musicians, photographers, and designers, our mission is to broaden the space for unheard voices and repressed histories, to bring into the theatre those sometimes left out, and to use theatre to provoke much-needed public conversations. the feath3r theory does this by challenging its audience and its creators to collectively interrogate – and celebrate – its shared relationship to human empathy and personal ethics as expressed in and distorted by popular media. By unabashedly appropriating the structures, themes, and aesthetics of reality television, celebrity culture, social media and the internet, the work of TF3T synthesizes dance, visual media, fashion, and narrative theatre into virtuosic, expansive, radical and surreal large scale pop-culture phenomena or an overwhelming, over-saturated ‘Gesamtkunstwerk’ in which artists and audience alike experience their shared humanity. We are committed to addressing pressing social issues through Dance, Theatre, and Media.

Oktoberfest
2025-10-25 17:00 | Athenaeum Hotel, Athenaeum Hotel
Experience a night of German splendor at the Athenaeum Hotel! Savor an indulgent German feast while being serenaded by The Bergholz German Band, direct from Niagara Falls (NY). Clad in vibrant, traditional garb, this band brings the essence of German Folk tradition to life with their infectious oom-pah rhythms and joyful melodies. Their full wind ensemble delivers a rich, harmonious sound that embodies the cheerful spirit of Gemütlichkeit, a tradition they’ve delighted audiences with for 50 incredible years.
Come just for the evening, or book our Oktoberfest Overnight Hotel Package.
Package price starts at $257 for two people, $56 per person for dinner only.
Package includes:
Lodging at the historic Athenaeum Hotel located on Chautauqua Lake
German feast on Saturday
Breakfast on Sunday
Make your night extra special with an overnight stay at the Athenaeum Hotel. Book your room today online or by calling 716-357-4444.
*Does not include tax or gratuity. Subject to availability. Rates are based on double occupancy. Single occupancy rates are available upon request.

CHQ Travels: London Theater: Page to Stage
2025-11-10 00:00 - 2025-11-15 00:00
Join Chautauqua Theater Company’s producing artistic director Jade King Carroll on an immersive journey into the heart of London’s theater scene. Unravel the mysteries of storied theaters and delve into the play development and writing processes. You will have the opportunity to go backstage literally and figuratively as you meet with
theater professionals who all have a hand in making sure that the show goes on. As you learn about some of the building blocks that go into producing theater, each day will be punctuated by captivating performances on some of London’s most iconic stages.

Jaquira Díaz
2025-11-20 16:30 | Zoom, Zoom
Chautauqua Literary and Scientific Circle Unbound Selection – This is the Only Kingdom: A Novel by Jaquira Díaz
This Fall, Chautauqua Literary Arts invites you to join us for the second CLSC Unbound program via Zoom Webinar to discuss Jaquira Díaz’s debut novel, This is the Only Kingdom, to take place November 20, 2025.
Register for the free Zoom Webinar here.
From the Whiting Award-winning author Jaquira Díaz, an epic novel of a mother and daughter wrestling with the aftermath of a murder, set against the backdrop of a tightknit, working-class barrio in Puerto Rico.
When Maricarmen meets Rey el Cantante, beloved small-time Robin Hood and local musician on the rise, she begins to envision a life beyond the tight-knit community of el Caserío, Puerto Rico – beyond cleaning houses, beyond waiting tables, beyond the constant tug of war between the street hustlers and los camarones. But breaking free proves more difficult than she imagined, and she soon finds herself struggling to make a home for herself, for Rey, his young brother Tito, and eventually, their daughter Nena. Until one fateful day changes everything.
Fifteen years later, Maricarmen and Nena find themselves in the middle of a murder investigation as the community that once rallied to support Rey turns against them. Now Nena, a teenager haunted by loss and betrayal and exploring her sexual identity, must learn to fight for herself and her family in a world not always welcoming. For lovers of the Neapolitan novels, This is the Only Kingdom is an immersive and moving portrait of a family – and a community – torn apart by generational grief, and a powerful love letter to mothers, daughters, and the barrios that make them.
Born in Puerto Rico, Jaquira Díaz was raised between Humacao, Fajardo, and Miami Beach. She is the author of Ordinary Girls: A Memoir, winner of a Whiting Award, a Florida Book Awards Gold Medal, a Lambda Literary Awards finalist, an American Booksellers Association Indies Introduce Selection, a Barnes & Noble Discover Great New Writers Selection, an Indie Next Pick, a Library Reads pick, and finalist for the B&N Discover Prize.
The recipient of the Jeanne Córdova Prize for Lesbian/Queer Nonfiction, the Alonzo Davis Fellowship from VCCA, two Pushcart Prizes, an Elizabeth George Foundation grant, and fellowships from MacDowell, the Kenyon Review, Bread Loaf, Sewanee, the Wisconsin Institute for Creative Writing, and the Black Mountain Institute at UNLV, Díaz has written for The Atlantic, The Guardian, Time Magazine, T: The New York Times Style Magazine, Condé Nast Traveler, and The Fader, and her stories, poems, and essays have been anthologized in The Best American Essays, The Breakbeat Poets Vol. 4: LatiNext, Best American Experimental Writing, and The Pushcart Prize anthology. In 2022, she held the Mina Hohenberg Darden Chair in Creative Writing at Old Dominion University’s MFA program and a Pabst Endowed Chair for Master Writers at the Atlantic Center for the Arts. She lives in New York and teaches at Columbia University.

Horse-Drawn Carriage Rides
2026-01-03 13:00, 2026-01-04 13:00, 2026-01-10 13:00, 2026-01-11 13:00, 2026-01-17 13:00, 2026-01-18 13:00, 2026-01-24 13:00, 2026-01-25 13:00 and 9 more dates | Bestor Plaza, Bestor Plaza
The Stateline Horseman’s Association will provide sleigh and wagon rides around the grounds every weekend starting Saturday, Jan. 4 and continuing every Saturday and Sunday (weather permitting) until Feb. 28. The rides will take place from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. Tickets can be purchased at the Chautauqua Bookstore, with prices as follows: $5 for individuals aged 13 and older, $3 for youth aged 2 to 12, and free for those under 2 years old.
If weather conditions seem adverse, call the Bookstore ahead of your visit at 716-357-2151.

Mother's Day Brunch
2026-05-10 10:00 | Athenaeum Hotel, Athenaeum Hotel
This event is sold out.
$62.00 per person, plus tax, plus gratuity
(1) Free Mimosa for mom
$22.00 per person (Ages 5-11)
Free (Under 4 years old)

CLSC Unbound: Jimin Han
2026-05-11 16:30 | Zoom, Zoom
Chautauqua Literary & Scientific Circle (CLSC) Unbound – Dreamt I Found You: A Novel by Jimin Han
From the critically acclaimed author of The Apology comes a contemporary retelling of Korea’s Romeo & Juliet, as the cousin of the star-crossed lovers helps them avoid a tragic fate.
When Dahee Shin was nine years old, she made a promise to protect her favorite cousin, Channing, who has always been like a sister to her. Now, at thirty, Dahee has found herself in a Korean American community in a New England beach town, once more running to the rescue of her debt-ridden relative. Ever the idealist, Channing—who has spent her life haunted by the tragic story of Chunhyang and Mongryong, Korea’s parallel Romeo & Juliet—has fallen in love with Minjae Oh, all the while fending off the advances of powerful, manipulative Kent Cho, a local politician. As Channing and Minjae’s romance blossoms, and as Kent’s suspicion and obsession grow, Dahee begins to realize that it may be up to her to make sure her cousin and beloved escape Chunhyang and Mongryong’s doomed end.
For fans of Hello Beautiful, Dreamt I Found You is a wondrous, tender retelling of Korea’s most classic love story, steeped in the travails of a rigid class system, the power of premonition, and shot through with Korean folklore and magic.
Jimin Han was born in Seoul, South Korea, and grew up in Providence, Rhode Island; Dayton, Ohio; and Jamestown, New York. She is the author of A Small Revolution and The Apology. She has written for NPR’s Weekend America, Poets and Writers Magazine, Catapult Magazine, Platypus Press, and Citric Acid Literary Journal, among others. She teaches at Sarah Lawrence College and Pace University, as well as at community writing centers. She lives outside New York City.
Jimin Han will join Stephine Hunt (Interim Michael I. Rudell Director of Literary Arts) in conversation on Monday, May 11, 2026, as part of our CLSC Unbound programming to discuss the significance of classic retellings, sharing South Korean stories, and her most recent novel – and 2026 CLSC selection – Dreamt I Found You (forthcoming April 28, 2026 from Little, Brown and Company).
Register for the free Zoom Webinar here.

Wilco Concert Buffet Dinner
2026-06-14 16:30 | Heirloom (at Athenaeum)
Enjoy a relaxed yet refined dining experience featuring comforting classics, seasonal ingredients, and creative nods to Wilco’s iconic catalog. Guests will enjoy a prime rib carving station, maple-mustard glazed salmon, herb-roasted chicken, stuffed portobello caps, along with a variety of hearty sides and fresh salads — each dish prepared to be both familiar and unexpected, much like the music itself. From rich, soulful flavors to bright, vibrant accompaniments, the menu offers something for every palate.

An Evening with Wilco
2026-06-14 19:00 | Amphitheater, Amphitheater
For 30 years, Wilco has been a pioneering force in independent music. The Chicago rock band has released 13 studio albums and won multiple Grammy Awards. They have founded their own record label, dBpm Records, and the renowned Solid Sound Festival.
The sextet — comprised of Jeff Tweedy, John Stirratt, Glenn Kotche, Pat Sansone, Nels Cline and Mikael Jorgensen — continues to be regarded as a live powerhouse. As described by NPR, “To see Wilco on stage is to hear the best of the best.”
The band’s newest album, Cousin, was released in 2023, followed by 2024’s Hot Sun Cool Shroud EP.

Chautauqua Regional Youth Ballet Spring Gala
2026-06-20 20:00 | Amphitheater, Amphitheater
Chautauqua Regional Youth Ballet, under the direction of Monika Alch, presents their 2026 Spring Gala performance.
This performance will celebrate the retirement of Artistic Director Monika Alch this June. After 30 years under her leadership, CRYB became a premier classical training program in the region, with students going on to professional careers, top summer intensives, and teaching positions across the country. CRYB is thrilled that she will continue as Faculty Emeritus, sharing her expertise through coaching and master classes.
Repertoire will include modern dance and classical ballet featuring all ages of students, including highlighted works from across Monica Alch’s career.

Wynonna Judd and Melissa Etheridge: Raised On Radio
2026-06-27 18:30 | Amphitheater, Amphitheater
Grammy Award winning icons, Melissa Etheridge and Wynonna Judd, have just announced dates for their co-headlining Raised On Radio Tour. These two musical trailblazers are teaming up for an unforgettable tour, bringing fans their chart-topping hits and signature sounds that made them two of the most celebrated artists of all time.
“I’ve spent my entire adult life onstage, but before any of that, I was just a girl sitting close to a radio speaker, hanging on every word. That’s where it all started for me,” says Judd. She continues, “Raised On Radio isn’t just a tour name—it’s my roots and wings. It’s late nights with the dial turned low, chasing distant stations through the static. It’s songs that felt like they understood me before I understood myself. The radio was my teacher, my comfort, my escape. The songs playing through that radio shaped me as a dreamer and an artist. This tour is about going back to that feeling and sharing it with you.” Etheridge adds, “I was literally raised on the radio, growing up in Leavenworth I listened to WHB. They played every kind of music from rock and soul to R&B and country music. It helped shape me to become the versatile writer and musician that I am today.”
Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Nominee, Etheridge stormed the rock scene with her confessional lyrics and signature vocal rasp on “Bring Me Some Water,” “Come to My Window,” “Bein’ Alive” and “The Other Side of Blue” with Chris Stapleton from her new album Rise (2026).
Judd, a five-time Grammy winner and Country Music Hall of Fame Member, first rose to fame as one-half of the legendary Country music duo, The Judds. She cemented her stardom through countless chart-topping solo hits in the ‘90s and 2000s, including “No One Else on Earth,” “I Saw The Light,” and “She Is His Only Need.”
Fans can sign up for early access to tickets for the Raised On Radio Tour, including exclusive VIP packages, by visiting Wynonna.com and MelissaEtheridge.com. Artist presales start Tuesday, March 10th at 10:00am local time, with public on-sale to follow on Friday, March 13th at 10:00am local.

United Church of Christ Worship Service
2026-06-28 09:00 | Randell Chapel, UCC Headquarters

Quaker Worship Service
2026-06-28 09:30 | Quaker House

Unity Service
2026-06-28 09:30 | Hall of Missions, Hall of Missions

Catholic Mass
2026-06-28 09:30 | Hurlbut Church sanctuary, Hurlbut Church sanctuary

Opening Three Taps
2026-06-28 10:45 | Amphitheater, Amphitheater

The Rt. Rev. Mariann Edgar Budde
2026-06-28 11:00 | Amphitheater, Amphitheater
The Rt. Rev. Mariann Edgar Budde serves as bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Washington. In this role, she serves as spiritual leader for the congregations and Episcopal schools in the District of Columbia and four Maryland counties that comprise the Episcopal Diocese of Washington. The first woman elected to this position, she also serves as the chair and president of the Protestant Episcopal Cathedral Foundation, which oversees the ministries of the Washington National Cathedral and Cathedral schools.
Budde is committed to the spiritual vitality and public witness of the congregations in her care. She is proud to serve a diocese committed to justice and mercy. She cherishes her friendship with interfaith leaders in the Washington Metro Area and their joint endeavors in service to the common good.
Budde was consecrated as the ninth bishop of Washington in 2011. Prior to her election, she served for 18 years as rector of St. John’s Episcopal Church in Minneapolis. Her sermons have been published in several books and journals. Budde is the author of three books including the New York Times bestseller How We Learn to Be Brave: Decisive Moments in Life and Faith, which has been adapted as a Young Adult book, We Can Be Brave: How We Learn to Be Brave in Life’s Decisive Moments as well as a picture book for young children, I Can Learn to Be Brave, forthcoming in July 2026.
She earned a Bachelor of Arts in history at the University of Rochester, graduating magna cum laude. She earned both a Master in Divinity and Doctor of Ministry from Virginia Theological Seminary.

"Here and Now: Contemporary Feminists" Exhibition: June 28–July 22
2026-06-28 13:00 | Strohl Art Center: Main Galleries
“Here and Now: Contemporary Feminists” exhibition runs June 28 – July 22. This exhibition is linked to Chautauqua’s week one’s lecture theme Icons and Instigators: Women who Changed the World. Six prominent artists are featured in this exhibition in the Main Gallery of Strohl Art Center: Tiffany Calvert, Lisa Hoke, Sarah Jacobs, Judy Pfaff, Patty Warashina, and Adero Willard. Each of these accomplished artists bring a unique, personal dynamic to their current work, while also standing on the shoulders of other women who pushed them forward. Curated by Judy Barie, the Susan & John Turben Director of CVA Galleries.

"Lexie Loader" Exhibition: June 28–July 23
2026-06-28 13:00 | Strohl Art Center 2nd Floor
“Lexie Loader: Warm Light, Cool Shadows” exhibition runs June 28-July 23. With a soft gaze, Lexie Loader paints interior and exterior spaces, exploring the relationships we have with memories, places, and objects. Her paintings bring the mundane and ordinary to life with a glow of familiar light and melancholic undertones. These works investigate the narratives provided by quiet and forgotten scenes. This exhibition is generously sponsored by the Friends of CVA. Curated by Erika Diamond.

"Forest for the Trees" Exhibition: June 28–August 9
2026-06-28 13:00 | Fowler-Kellogg Art Center: 1st Floor
“Forest for the Trees” exhibition runs June 28 – August 9. “Forest for the Trees” is a sylvan-themed exhibition with a focus on the positive impact of forest ecosystems and the need to preserve them. Each artist focuses on different bionetworks on the forest floor or within the trees. Using paint, textiles, sculpture, and light-based processes, they also remind us to consider the bigger picture of what is at stake if we disrupt our woodlands. This exhibition is generously sponsored by Kay Hardesty Logan Foundation. Curated by Erika Diamond.
Artists: Addyson Aftanas, Colby Caldwell, Joan Elliott, Anna Johnson, Colleen Toledano, Melissa Webb, Tali Weinberg

"Twisted" Exhibition: June 28–August 24
2026-06-28 13:00 | Strohl Art Center 2nd Floor
“Twisted” exhibition runs June 28-August 24. All works in this craft-based exhibition are literally and figuratively twisted into shapes by carving, turning, squeezing and trimming their materials. The result is an array of beautifully designed sculptures, ranging in sizes that cohesively exist together. See the intricate handwork, using a variety of materials from Atticus Adams, Vivian Chiu, Kyle Cottier, Andrew Hayes, Terumi Saito and Philip Soucy. This exhibition is generously sponsored by Gary & Willow Brost. Curated by Judy Barie, the Susan & John Turben Director of CVA Galleries.

"Sculpture Garden 2026" Exhibition: June 28–August 26
2026-06-28 13:00 | Melvin Johnson Sculpture Garden, Melvin Johnson Sculpture Garden
“Sculpture Garden 2026” exhibition runs June 28-August 26. Featuring outdoor sculptures by Page Henry and Ed Parrish. Curated by Judy Barie.

"Here and Now: Contemporary Feminists" Exhibition Opening Reception
2026-06-28 15:00 | Strohl Art Center: Main Galleries
“Here and Now: Contemporary Feminists” opening reception. Exhibition runs June 28 – July 22. This exhibition is linked to Chautauqua’s week one’s lecture theme Icons and Instigators: Women who Changed the World. Six prominent artists are featured in this exhibition in the Main Gallery of Strohl Art Center: Tiffany Calvert, Lisa Hoke, Sarah Jacobs, Judy Pfaff, Patty Warashina, and Adero Willard. Each of these accomplished artists bring a unique, personal dynamic to their current work, while also standing on the shoulders of other women who pushed them forward. Curated by Judy Barie, the Susan & John Turben Director of CVA Galleries.

"Lexie Loader: Warm Light, Cool Shadows" Exhibition Opening Reception
2026-06-28 15:00 | Strohl Art Center 2nd Floor
“Lexie Loader: Warm Light, Cool Shadows” opening reception. Exhibition runs June 28 – July 23. With a soft gaze, Lexie Loader paints interior and exterior spaces, exploring the relationships we have with memories, places, and objects. Her paintings bring the mundane and ordinary to life with a glow of familiar light and melancholic undertones. These works investigate the narratives provided by quiet and forgotten scenes. This exhibition is generously sponsored by the Friends of CVA. Curated by Erika Diamond.

"Forest for the Trees" Exhibition Opening Reception
2026-06-28 15:00 | Fowler-Kellogg Art Center: 1st Floor
“Forest for the Trees” opening reception. Exhibition runs June 28 – August 9. Forest for the Trees is a sylvan-themed exhibition with a focus on the positive impact of forest ecosystems and the need to preserve them. Each artist focuses on different bionetworks on the forest floor or within the trees. Using paint, textiles, sculpture, and light-based processes, they also remind us to consider the bigger picture of what is at stake if we disrupt our woodlands. This exhibition is generously sponsored by Kay Hardesty Logan Foundation. Curated by Erika Diamond.
Artists: Addyson Aftanas, Colby Caldwell, Joan Elliott, Anna Johnson, Colleen Toledano, Melissa Webb, Tali Weinberg

"Twisted" Exhibition Opening Reception
2026-06-28 15:00 | Strohl Art Center 2nd Floor
“Twisted” opening reception. Exhibition runs June 28-August 24. All works in this craft-based exhibition are literally and figuratively twisted into shapes by carving, turning, squeezing and trimming their materials. The result is an array of beautifully designed sculptures, ranging in sizes that cohesively exist together. See the intricate handwork, using a variety of materials from Atticus Adams, Vivian Chiu, Kyle Cottier, Andrew Hayes, Terumi Saito and Philip Soucy. This exhibition is generously sponsored by Gary & Willow Brost. Curated by Judy Barie, the Susan & John Turben Director of CVA Galleries.

"Sculpture Garden 2026" Opening Reception
2026-06-28 15:00 | Melvin Johnson Sculpture Garden, Melvin Johnson Sculpture Garden
“Sculpture Garden 2026” opening reception. Exhibition runs June 28-August 26. Featuring outdoor sculptures by Page Henry and Ed Parrish. Curated by Judy Barie.

The United States Army Field Band and Soldiers' Chorus
2026-06-28 15:00 | Amphitheater, Amphitheater
The Concert Band & Soldiers’ Chorus are the oldest and largest of The U.S. Army Field Band’s performing components. Founded in 1946 and 1957 respectively, these two ensembles combine to present joint concerts on their national tours. They have performed in all 50 states and 30 foreign countries for audiences totaling hundreds of millions. The 60-member Concert Band and 29-member Soldiers’ Chorus perform regularly in some of the most famous concert halls in the world, and just as often in the humblest auditoriums in the smallest of communities. The joining of these two ensembles allows them to offer unparalleled versatility of programming, ranging from orchestral masterworks and operatic arias to Sousa marches, jazz classics, and Broadway musicals. The band and chorus also perform independently, and have recently shared the stage with such ensembles as the Boston Pops, the Cincinnati Pops, the Detroit Symphony Orchestra, and the National Symphony Orchestra. In addition to their national tours, formal concerts, chamber recitals, and educational outreach, members of the Concert Band & Soldiers’ Chorus frequently represent the Army at formal and ceremonial functions, including the Presidential Inaugural Parade, presidential funerals, the Army All-American Bowl, and diplomatic efforts overseas.

Stephanie Ginese and Annmarie Kelly-Harbaugh
2026-06-28 15:30 | Hall of Philosophy, Hall of Philosophy
Chautauqua Writers’ Center Faculty Reading — Featuring Stephanie Ginese (Poetry) and Annmarie Kelly-Harbaugh (Prose)
Stephanie Ginese is an author, instructor, and stand-up comedian from South Lorain, Ohio. Her literary work has been featured in Las Palabritas Journal at Harvard University, The Pinch Journal at the University of Memphis, Cleveland Review of Books, and elsewhere. Her debut collection of poetry, Unto Dogs, was released in July of 2022 on Grieveland. She is a 2023 Cleveland Arts Prize winner and a 2024 Creative Impact Fund awardee. Currently, she lives in Cleveland with her two children. She can be found at www.sginese.com or on Sundays at Dunlap’s Corner Bar where she co-hosts the Con Tú Variety Show.
Annmarie Kelly-Harbaugh is the author of Here Be Dragons, a memoir about the wonderful misery of raising children with someone you love. She also hosts Wild Precious Life, a literary podcast about making the most of the time we have. Annmarie teaches writing at Stanford, Cuyahoga Community College, and Ashland University where she works with incarcerated students trying to obtain their degrees. Her essays have appeared on NPR’s All Things Considered, in Today Parenting, Black Fork, Gordon Square Review, and The New York Observer, among others and her work has been staged with the Cleveland Humanities Festival and Listen to Your Mother Pittsburgh. She’s received support from the Ohio Arts Council, Martha’s Vineyard Institute, Tin House, and Il Monasterino della Conoscenza, and was recently named both the Hemingway-Pfeiffer and Erma Bombeck Writer-in-Residence. In her non-writing moments, Annmarie loves kickboxing, karaoke, dogs, ping-pong, books that make her laugh, movies that make her cry, and salads other people make her eat. She lives in Cleveland, Ohio, where she is currently writing a book with the ghost of her father.

Church of the Wild with Kriss Miller
2026-06-28 16:00 | Outdoor Classroom

Palestine Park Tour
2026-06-28 17:00 | Palestine Park, Palestine Park

Sacred Song Service
2026-06-28 20:00 | Amphitheater, Amphitheater

CHQ Mystic Heart - Sensei Ven. Jissai Prince-Cherry, Zen Buddhism
2026-06-29 07:45 | Presbyterian House, Presbyterian House
Venerable Jissai Prince-Cherry began practicing Zen in 1994. Since then, she has maintained a daily personal practice and regularly participates in group sittings, intensive Zen meditation retreats, and periods of residential training including at a Zen monastery in Japan. She works closely with her teacher, Roshi Bodhin Kjolhede, successor to Roshi Philip Kapleau, the founder of the Rochester Zen Center. With her teacher’s on-going guidance and support, Jissai began instructing others in Zen meditation in 1999. In 2022, she was ordained as a Zen Buddhist priest and received the name “Jissai” (pronounced JEE-sigh) which means “true encounter.” Jissai is delighted to serve both the Rochester Zen Center and the Louisville Zen Center.
