Chautauqua Institution

Episcopal Holy Eucharist
2025-07-16 07:45, 2025-07-15 07:45, 2025-07-14 07:45, 2025-07-13 09:00 (America/New_York) | Chapel of the Good Shepherd, Chapel of the Good Shepherd

CHQ Mystic Heart: Bhante Chipamong Chowdhury
2025-07-16 07:45, 2025-07-15 07:45, 2025-07-14 07:45 | Presbyterian Chapel
Originally from Chittagong Hill Tracts (Bangladesh), Bhante (Chipamong Chowdhury) is a contemplative teacher, researcher, storyteller and monastic activist. He became a monk at the age of 6 and received traditional Buddhist education, monastic training and meditation in Sri Lanka and Myanmar (1998-2006). He also studied at the University of Toronto Canada, Naropa University Colorado, Arizona State University, and was a Fellow at the Columbia University NY. He taught courses on Contemporary Buddhism Universities in Europe and US. He is a co-editor of the book: Human Dignity: Practices, Discourses, and Transformations. His essays and writings have appeared in the Harvard Divinity Bulletin, Journal of Contemporary Buddhism, Buddhist Studies Reviews, and Journal of Religion and Popular Culture, among other publications. Defining himself as a nomad monk or/ a global citizen, he travels extensively in North America, Europe and Asia, teaching nomad mindfulness, inner resources, active care, and human dignity. Bringing his experience as a Theravāda/nomad monk in South and Southeast Asia, besides daily mindfulness meditation, Bhante will be offering various aspects of Theravāda Dhamma reflecting on empathy, hopes, loves, forgiveness, healings, emotional intimacy, anger, and compassionate actions, among other topics.

MATERIALISTS
2025-07-15 20:30 | Chautauqua Cinema, Chautauqua Cinema
A young, ambitious New York City matchmaker (Dakota Johnson) finds herself torn between the perfect match (Pedro Pascal) and her imperfect ex (Chris Evans) in Past Lives writer/director Celine Song’s masterful new feature. “A romantic film for pragmatists, a pragmatic film for romantics. Opposites attract, and it’s a perfect match.” -Karl Quinn, Sydney Morning Herald “Sparkling, smart and sophisticated—finally, a rom-com for intelligent adults.” -Rafer Guzman, Newsday “Wonderful, in a wistful, elusive way.” -Stephanie Zacharek, TIME Magazine (R, 116m)

Chautauqua Symphony Orchestra: Romantic Elegance
2025-07-15 20:15 | Amphitheater, Amphitheater
Rossen Milanov, conductor
Sterling Elliott, cello
Experience an evening of breathtaking virtuosity and profound emotion as Avery Fisher Career Grant cellist Sterling Elliott brings Tchaikovsky’s Rococo Variations to life with dazzling elegance and charm. Then, be swept away by the dramatic intensity of Brahms’ Symphony No. 4, a masterpiece of deep passion and soaring melodies. Under the baton of music director Rossen Milanov, this unforgettable concert blends the brilliance of Tchaikovsky’s homage to the classical era with the rich, brooding power of Brahms’ final symphony.
Program:
Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky: Variations on a Rococo Theme, Op. 33
Johannes Brahms: Symphony No. 4 in E minor, Op. 98

Chautauqua Theater Company presents Execution of Justice (Preview)
2025-07-15 19:30, 2025-07-13 19:30, 2025-07-12 19:30 | Bratton Theater, Bratton Theater
Written and Directed by Emily Mann
It’s 1978, and San Francisco is a divided city. The brutal murders of Mayor George Moscone and Supervisor Harvey Milk—the nation’s first openly gay elected official—shocked a nation. This gripping documentary play examines the trial of Dan White, the disgruntled former city supervisor whose reduced voluntary manslaughter conviction, rather than murder in the first degree, sparked outrage and introduced the infamous “Twinkie defense.” Ripped from the headlines, personal interviews, and court documents of the past but still resonating powerfully today, this play confronts themes of justice, prejudice, and privilege and grapples with the issues of gun violence and systemic homophobia. This contemporary classic challenges us to reflect on our identity as a nation.
Recommended for audiences ages 13 and older.

Labyrinth History and Meditation
2025-07-15 18:30 | Turner (Outside of Building)
Bring gate pass. Adjacent to Turner Community Center

THE PRESIDENT'S WIFE
2025-07-15 18:00 | Chautauqua Cinema, Chautauqua Cinema
Always the woman behind the man, Bernadette Chirac (Catherine Deneuve) has worked long in her husband Jacques’ shadow. When he attains the presidency of France in 1995, she fully claims the place in the political elite that she believes she deserves. “Deneuve is delicious in a role affectionately crafted for her.” -Thelma Adams, AARP Movies for Grownups “Deneuve doesn’t just play Bernadette…she rewrites the part history forgot.” -Rex Reed, Observer (NR, In French with subtitles. 92m)

Buffalo Day Speaker Series Tony Buttino
2025-07-15 16:45 | Smith Wilkes Hall, Smith Wilkes Hall

Play CHQ: Crafting by the Water
2025-07-15 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.

Opera Company: Masterclass with Denyce Graves
2025-07-15 16:00 | McKnight Hall, McKnight Hall

Piano Program Faculty Recital: Logan Skelton, with guest pianist, Tian Tian: An Afternoon of Gershin for Two Pianos
2025-07-15 16:00 | Elizabeth S. Lenna Hall, Elizabeth S. Lenna Hall
Logan Skelton is a much sought-after pianist, teacher and composer whose work has received international critical acclaim. As a performer, Skelton has concertized widely in the United States, Europe and Asia and has been featured on many public radio and television stations including NPR’s Audiophile Audition, Performance Today, All Things Considered, and Morning Edition, as well as on radio in China and national television in Romania.
He has served on the faculties of Manhattan School of Music, Missouri State University, and is currently Arthur F. Thurnau Professor of Piano and Director of Doctoral Studies in Piano Performance at the University of Michigan.
Pianist Tian Tian currently serves on the faculty of Oakland University as Associate Professor of Piano and Area Coordinator. She began her piano training at the age of four in her native China. Upon arriving in the United States, she studied with Logan Skelton and quickly began amassing top prizes at national and international competitions. These included 2nd prize at the MTNA Baldwin Junior High school Piano Competition, 2nd prize at the Cooper International Piano Competition (Oberlin), 1st prize at the Idyllwild Arts Academy Young Artist Competition, 2nd prize at the Missouri Southern International Competition, and 3rd place at the Eastman Young Artists International Piano Competition.
She continued her training at the Juilliard School, where she received B.M. and M.M. degrees under the tutelage of Robert McDonald. In the fall 2011 Tian completed a D.M.A. in Piano Performance and Literature with a minor in Chamber Music and Accompanying at the Eastman School of Music, where she was a student of (and served as teaching assistant to) Nelita True.
Tian has presented solo concerts across the US, Canada and China. She has also appeared in music festivals such as Piano Texas, the Gilmore Festival, and Summer Courses with Arie Vardi (Germany). Recent concerto appearances include the Oakland Symphony Orchestra, Windsor Symphony and the Idyllwild Chamber Orchestra. As an avid chamber musician, Tian has performed with the Juilliard Quartet and toured in the US, China, and Korea as a member of the Studzinsky Trio.

Heritage Lecture Series: Cynthia Patterson
2025-07-15 15:30 | Hall of Christ: Sanctuary
As part of the Oliver Archives Center’s 2025 Heritage Lecture Series, Cynthia Patterson will present “Owensboro, Kentucky and the Black Chautauqua Movement 1884-1924”.

Islam 101 Khalid Rehman and Sabeeha Rehman
2025-07-15 15:30 | Hurlbut Church sanctuary, Hurlbut Church sanctuary
Women and Family Life

Social Hour at Denominational Houses
2025-07-15 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

WYNTON MARSALIS' ALL RISE
2025-07-15 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)

Teddy raShaan (Reeves) with Becka A. Alper
2025-07-15 14:00 | Hall of Philosophy, Hall of Philosophy
Teddy raShaan (Reeves), Ph.D. is a multifaceted, award-winning producer, curator, educator, and storyteller. Currently, Teddy serves as the Curator of Religion at the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture (NMAAHC) in Washington, D.C. Through this work at the NMAAHC, teddy has created innovative projects that have highlighted the influence of digital technologies and media in capturing, preserving, and telling the stories of Black spiritual and religious life in the Americas.
Most recently, Teddy created and produced the NMAAHC’s first featured film, gOD-Talk, which explores the lives of seven Black Millennials (Buddhist, Christians, Atheist, Ifa, Muslim, and Spiritualist) and how they are reimaging faith in the 21st century. The film has received critical acclaim having been selected in 12 film festivals and won Best LGBTQ film at the Northern Virginia Film Festival. In 2018, teddy created, and executive produced the Museum first digital series under the same name, “gOD-Talk: A Black Millennials and Faith Conversation Series.” The series garner critical acclaim–having received more than 40 Telly Awards and five Shorty Awards for digital innovation, tackling pressing social issues, production, religion and spirituality media, art direction, and more.
In addition, Teddy curated the NMAAHC’s first born-digital religion exhibition, “Jesus’ Hair Like Wool: Black Messianic Representations in Art, History, and Media,” which explores– through a recently rediscovered sculpture of the Last Supper–the historic and contemporary role of Black messianic figures (Father Divine, Martin Luther King, Daddy Grace, Marcus Garvey, etc.) and portrayals in Black history, music, art, and culture. In addition, Teddy is the curator of the forthcoming exhibition, “‘They Are Killing Me Tonight:’ The Final Words Black and LatinX Men from the Death Chamber,” which explores the role of the death penalty and mass incarceration in the lives of Black and Brown men. Most recently, teddy founded Art Like ME Inc., a 501(c)(3) organization whose mission is to help empower Black and Brown boys and men cultivate emotional intelligence through art and culture. One of the signature programs of the organization is gifting framed visual art prints, by established artists, to boys (newborn to 12th grade) at no cost. Working alongside Dr. Yolanda Pierce, teddy helped to establish The Betsey Stockton Center for Black Church Studies at Princeton Theological Seminary. Teddy’s commitment to community led him to create The Reeves Group to help educational, cultural, and faithbased non-profit organizations, domestically and internationally, reach their fundraising and board goals. His work contributed to over $70 million in philanthropic revenue. Alongside these efforts, Teddy has also served as an English teacher at the Thacher School (Ojai, CA) and Providence Day School (Charlotte, NC), and as a teaching assistant at Princeton University Pace Center for Civic Engagement.
Teddy earned his B.A. from Hampton University, M.Div. from Princeton Seminary, and Ph.D. from Fordham University. Teddy hails from Winston-Salem, North Carolina and now calls Brooklyn, New York home with his wife, Briana Gibson Reeves.
Becka A. Alper is a Senior Researcher at Pew Research Center where she leads surveys exploring American religious identities, beliefs and practices, including the views and demographic profile of Jewish Americans and the religiously unaffiliated. Her work is instrumental in shaping the Center’s U.S. religion polls and offering insights into the role of religion in American public life. She has authored major reports analyzing America’s changing religious landscape, the experiences and views of Jewish Americans, spiritual beliefs and practices, what Americans know about religion, a new way of understanding religious identities in America, how religion intersects with Americans’ view on the environment, among many others. Becka holds a doctorate in sociology from Purdue University.

School of Music Open Recital
2025-07-15 13:00 | Fletcher Music Hall, Fletcher Music Hall

CHQ Dialogues
2025-07-15 12:30 | Presbyterian House, Presbyterian House

CHQ Mystic Heart: Bhante Chipamong Chowdhury
2025-07-15 12:30 | Hall of Missions, Hall of Missions

BTG Brownbag: Kenn Kaufman & Arthur Pearson
2025-07-15 12:15 | Smith Wilkes Hall, Smith Wilkes Hall
BTG Brownbag

Dance on Bestor with Afro-Andean Funk
2025-07-15 12:00 | Bestor Plaza, Bestor Plaza

Michael O'Hanlon & Kori Schake
2025-07-15 10:45 | Amphitheater, Amphitheater
Michael O’Hanlon and Kori Schake are two of the nation’s leading experts in American defense strategy and foreign policy. The pair will present in tandem, building on the Chautauqua Lecture Series theme of “The Future of the American Experiment,” with an examination of world affairs and the global order through the lenses of U.S. defense and diplomacy. The program is the second in a five-part weeklong series presented at Chautauqua in partnership with the American Enterprise Institute and Brookings Institution, each featuring experts from both organizations.
Michael O’Hanlon is the inaugural holder of the Philip H. Knight Chair in Defense and Strategy and director of research in the Foreign Policy program at the Brookings Institution, where he specializes in U.S. defense strategy and budgets, the use of military force, and American national security policy. He is a senior fellow and directs the Strobe Talbott Center on Security, Strategy, and Technology, and serves as co-director of the Africa Security Initiative. An adjunct professor at Georgetown University and Columbia University and a member of the Pentagon’s Defense Policy Board, he was also a member of the external advisory board at the Central Intelligence Agency from 2011 to 2012.
O’Hanlon’s most recent book is Military History for the Modern Strategist: America’s Major Wars since 1861; other works include The Art of War in an Age of Peace: U.S. Grand Strategy and Resolute Restraint, Defense 101: Understanding the Military of Today and Tomorrow, and The Senkaku Paradox: Risking Great Power War over Limited Stakes.
O’Hanlon was an analyst at the Congressional Budget Office from 1989 to 1994, where he won the Director’s Award in 1992. His doctorate from Princeton University is in public and international affairs, where he was awarded a National Science Foundation fellowship. His bachelor’s and master’s degrees, also from Princeton, are in the physical sciences. He served as a Peace Corps volunteer in the Democratic Republic of Congo from 1982 to 1984, where he taught college and high school physics in French.
Kori Schake is a senior fellow and the director of foreign and defense policy studies at the American Enterprise Institute, where her research areas include national security strategy; NATO; alliances and U.S.-led international order; and threats to the liberal international order.
Before joining AEI, Schake was the deputy director-general of the International Institute for Strategic Studies in London. She has had a distinguished career in government, working at the U.S. State Department, the U.S. Department of Defense, and the National Security Council at the White House. She has also taught at King’s College, Stanford, West Point, Johns Hopkins University’s School of Advanced International Studies, National Defense University, and the University of Maryland, and served as senior policy adviser to the McCain-Palin campaign in 2008.
Schake is the author of five books, including America vs the West: Can the Liberal World Order Be Preserved?; Safe Passage: The Transition from British to American Hegemony; State of Disrepair: Fixing the Culture and Practices of the State Department; and Managing American Hegemony: Essays on Power in a Time of Dominance. She is also the coeditor, along with former Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis, of Warriors & Citizens: American Views of Our Military.
Schake holds a Ph.D. and M.A. in government and politics from the University of Maryland, as well as an MPM from the University of Maryland School of Public Policy. She received her bachelor’s degree in international relations from Stanford University.

Service of Blessing and Healing
2025-07-15 10:15, 2025-07-14 10:15 | Randell Chapel, UCC Headquarters

The Rev. Dr. Frank Yamada
2025-07-15 09:15, 2025-07-14 09:15, 2025-07-13 10:45 | Amphitheater, Amphitheater
Frank M. Yamada began as executive director of The Association of Theological Schools (ATS) in July 2017. He oversees the work of both the Association and the Commission on Accrediting. During his tenure, ATS has re-developed the Standards of Accreditation, received over $50 million in grant funding to support the future of theological schools and their leaders, successfully navigated the multiple programs of the Association through the global pandemic, and partnered with the Lilly Endowment through the Pathways for Tomorrow initiative, which has granted $209 million to ATS accredited schools and supporting organizations. This funding supports schools as they make the changes necessary to pursue more effective and sustainable futures.
Prior to ATS, he joined the McCormick faculty in 2008 as associate professor of Hebrew Bible and director of the Center for Asian American Ministries. In 2011, he was elected as McCormick’s tenth president—the first Asian American to lead a Presbyterian Church (USA) seminary. His tenure there was marked by increasing diversity in McCormick’s student body and creative engagement with the shifting realities of theological education. Yamada previously had taught Hebrew Bible/Old Testament for nine years at Seabury-Western Theological Seminary in Evanston, Illinois. A biblical scholar, Yamada has authored and edited books and articles on cross-cultural and feminist hermeneutics. He had been an active member of the Society of Biblical Literature, where he served as a chair and as a steering committee member of the Asian American Biblical Hermeneutics Group, the Feminist Hermeneutics of the Bible Section, and the Committee for Underrepresented Racial and Ethnic Minorities in the Profession. In addition, he was a member of the Ethnic Chinese Biblical Colloquium and the American Academy of Religion, and he was the co-chair for the Managing Board of the Asian Pacific Americans and Religion Research Initiative annual conference. A graduate of Southern California College (now Vanguard University), Yamada earned his MDiv and PhD from Princeton Theological Seminary. He is an ordained minister in the Presbyterian Church (USA) and has written about and it is a sought-after speaker on the future of the church and theological education.

Chautauqua Prays for Peace though Compassion
2025-07-15 08:55, 2025-07-14 08:55 | Hall of Philosophy Grove

Catholic Mass
2025-07-15 08:45, 2025-07-14 08:45 | Chapel of the Good Shepherd, Chapel of the Good Shepherd

Daily Word Meditation
2025-07-15 08:00, 2025-07-14 08:00 | Hall of Missions, Hall of Missions
(Programmed by Unity of Chautauqua)

Buffalo Day
2025-07-15 07:00
Buffalo Day 2025
Explore locally and come to Chautauqua Institution on Buffalo Day. Residents of Buffalo have free admission and parking* all day. Our Buffalo Day includes access to all events in the Amphitheater and Hall of Philosophy that day, beaches, and so much more!
Please bring proof of residency for entry. Youth 12 and under are always free at Chautauqua!
July 15
9:15 a.m. (Amphitheater) Morning Worship: The Rev Dr. Frank Yamanda
10:45 a.m. (Amphitheater) Morning Lecture: Michael O’Hanlon & Kori Schake
12:30 pm (Hall of Christ) Buffalo Day – Erie Canal 200 A Lifelong Learning Experience
2 p.m. (Hall of Philosophy) Teddy raShaan (Reeves) with Becka A. Alper
2:15 pm (Smith Library) Buffalo Day Talk
4:45 p.m. (Smith Wilkes) Buffalo Day Speakers –
Creating Reading Rainbow: The Untold Story of a Beloved Children’s Series
Authors Tony Buttino, Sr., Barbara Irwin and Pam Johnson
8:15 p.m. Chautauqua Symphony Orchestra: Romantic Elegance
Patrons from the Buffalo region zip codes 14201 through 14280 are admitted free to Chautauqua 7 a.m. –11:59 p.m. Order tickets at the Chautauqua Ticket Office.
*Parking is free when tickets are ordered in advance (before 7/15) for Buffalo Day

THE PENGUIN LESSONS
2025-07-14 20:45, 2025-07-13 18:00, 2025-07-12 18:00 | Chautauqua Cinema, Chautauqua Cinema
A disillusioned Englishman (Steve Coogan) goes to work in a school in a divided Argentina in 1976 where he finds his life transformed after rescuing an injured penguin from the beach in director Peter Cattaneo’s charming film. “When all is said and done, The Penguin Lessons is about finding the courage to stand up to injustice at one’s own peril” -Ty Burr, Washington Post “. “Despite the danger of G-rated sentimentality, which everyone involved heroically avoids, The Penguin Lessons is a work of surprising depth and subtle, irresistible impact.” -Rex Reed, Observer (PG-13, 110m)

Afro-Andean Funk
2025-07-14 20:15 | Amphitheater, Amphitheater
Afro-Andean Funk is a genre-defying band led by Peruvian singer Araceli Poma and American bassist/producer Matt Geraghty. Their music fuses Afro-Andean roots, world music, and funk, exploring themes of social struggle, shamanic rituals, and indigenous Peruvian traditions. Committed to cultural storytelling, their work brings visibility to Quechua, the most widely spoken indigenous language in South America. With their unique fusion of ancestral tradition and contemporary sound, Afro-Andean Funk continues to break new ground, bringing their vibrant music to international audiences while staying rooted in the power of cultural storytelling and social impact.

Taize' and Tea Meditation Worship
2025-07-14 19:00 | Randell Chapel, UCC Headquarters

THE WEDDING BANQUET
2025-07-14 18:00, 2025-07-13 15:15, 2025-07-12 20:50 | Chautauqua Cinema, Chautauqua Cinema
Frustrated with his commitment-phobic boyfriend Chris (Bowen Yang) and running out of time, Min (Han Gi-chan)makes a proposal: a green-card marriage with their friend Angela (Kelly Marie Tran) in exchange for her partner Lee’s (Lily Gladstone) expensive IVF. Elopement plans are upended, however, when Min’s grandmother surprises them with an extravagant Korean wedding banquet. Directed by Andrew Ahn (Fire Island). “A modern-day tale with an old-fashioned spirit, a joyous crowd-pleaser with the most romantic of hearts.” -Tomris Laffly, RogerEbert.com (R, 103m)

Men's Softball League
2025-07-14 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.

CHQ Mystic Heart: Suzanne Watters
2025-07-14 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

Community Compact: Connecting Conversations with Summer Scholars
2025-07-14 16:30 | Bestor Plaza, Bestor Plaza

Play CHQ: Art and Nature Meet
2025-07-14 16:00 | Miller Park, Miller Park

CHQ @ 150 - ALL RISE
2025-07-14 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)

Chautauqua Chamber Music: The Gesualdo Six
2025-07-14 16:00 | Elizabeth S. Lenna Hall, Elizabeth S. Lenna Hall
Award-winning British vocal ensemble The Gesualdo Six comprises some of the UK’s finest consort singers, directed by Owain Park. Praised for their imaginative programming and impeccable blend, the ensemble formed in 2014 for a performance of Gesualdo’s Tenebrae Responsories in Cambridge and has gone on to perform at numerous major festivals across the UK, Europe, North America, Australia and New Zealand.
Notable highlights include performances at renowned venues including London’s Wigmore Hall, New York’s Miller Theatre, the Sydney Opera House and their debut at the BBC Proms in 2023. The ensemble has harnessed the power of social media to make classical music accessible to millions worldwide, creating captivating videos from beautiful locations while on tour.
Program to be announced.

Islam 101 Khalid Rehman and Sabeeha Rehman
2025-07-14 15:30 | Hurlbut Church sanctuary, Hurlbut Church sanctuary
“The Quran and What it Says About Other Faiths”

Piano Faculty Masterclass: Charis Dimaras
2025-07-14 14:15 | Sherwood-Marsh 101

Gregory A. Smith
2025-07-14 14:00 | Hall of Philosophy, Hall of Philosophy
Gregory A. Smith is a senior associate director of research at Pew Research Center. He helps to coordinate the Center’s domestic polling on religion. Smith also writes reports and provides information to news media and others about religion and public opinion, religion and American politics, and the political views of Catholics. Smith holds a doctorate in government from the University of Virginia, where he was a fellow at the Center on Religion and Democracy. He is an author of the 2007 and 2014 U.S. Religious Landscape Studies, the 2010 U.S. Religious Knowledge Survey, the 2007 and 2011 Pew Research Center surveys of Muslim Americans, the 2012 Mormons in America report and the 2012 report “Nones” on the Rise. He also wrote Politics in the Parish: The Political Influence of Catholic Priests (Georgetown University Press, 2008). Smith has been interviewed as an analyst by a variety of broadcast media, including ABC, CBS, CNN, C-SPAN, MSNBC and NPR, and by The New York Times, The Washington Post and USA Today, among other print media.

CLSC Book Discussion
2025-07-14 12:15 | Alumni Hall Porch, Alumni Hall Porch
Presenters Sherra Babcock and Terrie Tucker will lead a community discussion on our Week Four CLSC selection My Side of the River: A Memoir by Elizabeth Camarillo Gutierrez

Robert Doar & Cecilia Elena Rouse
2025-07-14 10:45 | Amphitheater, Amphitheater
Robert Doar and Cecilia Elena Rouse, presidents of two of the nation’s most highly regarded public policy think tanks, come together in conversation on the Amphitheater stage to lead off a week of dialogue on “The Future of the American Experiment,” presented at Chautauqua in partnership with AEI and Brookings. In providing their perspectives on the state of our democratic republic today — plus thoughts on its immediate and long-term future, and how Americans can find common ground on our most urgent challenges — the pair will set the stage for the week’s remaining Chautauqua Lecture Series programs, all featuring experts from both organizations.
Robert Doar became American Enterprise Institute’s 12th president in July 2019. Since then, he has recruited dozens of leading scholars and fellows across multiple issue areas and launched a new research division focused on Social, Cultural, and Constitutional Studies. By supporting the extensive work of AEI scholars in areas including foreign and defense policy, education, the reform of key institutions, the U.S. economy, and in opportunity and mobility studies, Doar has helped to solidify AEI’s position as a leading voice on the major issues facing the United States.
While at AEI, Doar has served as a co-chair of the National Commission on Hunger and as a lead member of the AEI-Brookings Working Group on Poverty and Opportunity. Doar joined AEI in 2014 to lead the Institute’s opportunity and mobility studies program after serving for more than 20 years in leadership positions in the social service programs of New York state and New York City.
Cecilia Elena Rouse is the president of the Brookings Institution. From 2021 to 2023, she served as chair of the Council of Economic Advisers, the first Black American to fill that role in the CEA’s 75-year history. Confirmed with 95 votes in the U.S. Senate, she served as CEA chair while on public service leave from Princeton University, where she joined the faculty in 1992. The university’s Katzman-Ernst Professor in Economics and Education and a professor of economics and public affairs, she served as dean of the Princeton School of Public and International Affairs from 2012 to 2021.
A labor economist with a focus on the economics of education, Rouse is the founding director of the Princeton Education Research Section and a member of the American Philosophical Society, the National Academy of Education, and the National Academy of Sciences. A member of the Council of Economic Advisers from 2009 to 2011, she was Special Assistant to the President at the National Economic Council from 1998 to 1999.

Opera Conservatory: Masterclass with Rachel Calloway
2025-07-14 10:00 | McKnight Hall, McKnight Hall

Movement and Meditation with Monte Thompson
2025-07-14 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.

Sacred Song Service - In Remembrance
2025-07-13 20:00 | Amphitheater, Amphitheater

Hebrew Congregation, Shirley Lazarus Sunday Evening Lecture Series
2025-07-13 19:00 | Smith Wilkes Hall, Smith Wilkes Hall

Chautauqua Visual Arts Pop Up Art Show
2025-07-13 17:00 | CVA: Arts Quad
Join Chautauqua Visual Arts, July 13th from 5:00 – 8:00 pm in the Grotto, located in the School of Art. Meet the energetic CVA 6-week residents as they host an exciting and spontaneous Pop-Up exhibition. Highlighting artworks created during the first 3 weeks of the Chautauqua Visual Arts Residency. We invite the Chautauqua community to explore the wide range of creative endeavors, from drawings and painting to sculpture and ceramics. Don’t miss out on the opportunity to witness the artistic drive and spirit happening on the Arts Quad!

Palestine Park Tour
2025-07-13 17:00 | Palestine Park, Palestine Park
“A Journey Through the Holy Land in the times of Jesus”

Children's Organ Tour
2025-07-13 17:00 | Amphitheater, Amphitheater

Orientation for New Chautauquans
2025-07-13 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.

Church of the Wild
2025-07-13 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.

Maritri Garrett and Maritza Rivera
2025-07-13 15:30 | Hall of Philosophy, Hall of Philosophy
Chautauqua Writers’ Center Faculty Reading — Week Four — Featuring Maritri Garrett (Songwriting) and Maritza Rivera (Poetry)
Maritri Garrett is a remarkable independent artist whose music reflects the depth of her diverse musical background. As a composer, multi-instrumentalist, singer, her songs tell honest stories of life, love, and loss, offering healing and solace to all who listen.
Maritri holds a unique blend of academic achievements, including a Bachelor of Arts in Biology from Fisk University, a Bachelor of Science in Composition, and a Master of Fine Arts in Jazz Studies from Howard University.
Her skillful versatility with instruments like the piano, guitar, bass, cello, and percussion sets her apart. Having performed with and opened for musical legends like Gladys Knight and Patti LaBelle and sung back up for Barbra Streisand. She has written for theater, ballet, apps, and film.
Maritza Rivera is a Puerto Rican poet and US Army veteran who has lived in Rockville, MD since1994. Maritza has been writing poetry for over 50 years; she is the creator of a short form of poetry called Blackjack and is the author of: About You; A Mother’s War; Baker’s Dozen; 21 Blackjack Poems; and the Blackjack Poetry Playing Cards. Her work appears in the public arts project: Meet Me at the Triangle, in Wheaton, MD. Her work has been featured in literary and online publications such as: Gargoyle Magazine, Poet Lore, O Dark Thirty, Sojourners, WordWrights Magazine, MilSpeak.org, LA Bloga, ArLiJo, PoetryXHunger.com, and DanMurano.com. She has also appeared on: The Coffee House/MCTV, Joe’s Place/WHUR; On the Margin/WPFW, The Poet and the Poem/Library of Congress and Leguizamo Does America/NBC.
Maritza is the creator and host of the weekly Mariposa Poetry Series in College Park, MD, which ran from 1999 to 2002. In 2012, Maritza was a recipient of a Book in a Day (BID) International Writing Fellowship in Bahia, Brazil; in 2013, she attended the Bread Loaf Writers Conference in Sicily; and in 2013 she was the recipient of a Montgomery County Executive’s Volunteer Award for Excellence in the Arts and Humanities.
In 2022, Maritza co-edited Diaspora Café: D.C., an Afro-LatinX anthology with Jeffrey Banks that was published by Day Eight. Maritza has been a supporter of The Memorial Day Writers Project, co-facilitated the Warrior Poetry Project at Walter Reed Military Medical Center in Bethesda, MD with Dr. Fred Foote and Richard Epstein, and served on the Board of Directors of Split this Rock in Washington, DC. She has also collaborated and worked on several literary translation projects with Yvette Neisser, Joseph Ross, Hiram Larew, Brenardo Taylor and Grace Cavalieri. Her translation efforts include Inquilinos Mudos/Silent Tenants by Alberto Roblest published by Day Eight in 2023. Maritza’s work also appears in This is the Honey: An Anthology of Contemporary Black Poets, edited by Kwame Alexander and published in January 2024.

Chautauqua School of Dance: Student Gala I
2025-07-13 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.

Twelve Step Meeting
2025-07-13 12:15 | Hurlbut Marion Lawrance

Friends of the Chautauqua Writers' Center Authors Among Us Book Fair
2025-07-13 11:30 | Bestor Plaza, Bestor Plaza

Sunday School
2025-07-13 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.

Unitarian Universalist Service
2025-07-13 09:30 | Hall of Philosophy, Hall of Philosophy

Quaker Worship Service
2025-07-13 09:30 | Quaker House
Quaker Worship Sevice

Unity Service
2025-07-13 09:30 | Hall of Missions, Hall of Missions

Catholic Mass
2025-07-13 09:15 | Hall of Christ: Sanctuary

United Church of Christ Worship Service
2025-07-13 09:00 | Randell Chapel, UCC Headquarters

Song, Prayer, Communion & Meditation
2025-07-13 08:30 | Hurlbut Church sanctuary, Hurlbut Church sanctuary

Episcopal Holy Eucharist
2025-07-13 07:45 | Chapel of the Good Shepherd, Chapel of the Good Shepherd

The Music of Elton John starring Michael Cavanaugh with the Chautauqua Symphony Orchestra
2025-07-12 20:15 | Amphitheater, Amphitheater
Stuart Chafetz, conductor
Get ready to rock out with Michael Cavanaugh as he performs the timeless hits of Elton John, such as “Tiny Dancer,” “Rocket Man,” “Bennie and the Jets,” Candle in the Wind,” and many more! A charismatic performer and musician made famous for his piano/lead vocals in the Broadway musical Movin’ Out, Cavanaugh was handpicked by Billy Joel to star in the production. This electrifying show features Cavanaugh’s powerhouse vocals and incredible piano skills, backed by the Chautauqua Symphony Orchestra with Principal Pops Conductor Stuart Chafetz on the podium.

Chautauqua Opera Company's Opera Invasion: "Opera Open Book"
2025-07-12 18:45 | Hultquist Porch, Hultquist Porch

Catholic Mass
2025-07-12 17:00 | Hall of Philosophy, Hall of Philosophy

School of Music Faculty Spotlight Series: 20th Century Masterworks for Flute and Harp
2025-07-12 16:15 | Elizabeth S. Lenna Hall, Elizabeth S. Lenna Hall
The School of Music is delighted to present an enchanting afternoon of music featuring the graceful pairing of flute and harp. Join us as Richard Sherman, esteemed resident flute faculty and Principal Flute of the CSO, is joined by guest harpist Juan Riveros for a stunning selection of masterworks, including compositions by renowned composers Vincent Persichetti, Jean-Michel Damase, and William Alwyn. Don’t miss this opportunity to enjoy an afternoon of exquisite chamber music in the hands of two world-class musicians.
