Chautauqua Institution

Catholic Mass
2026-06-27 17:00 (America/New_York) | Hall of Philosophy, Hall of Philosophy

BLUE MOON
2026-06-26 20:30 | Chautauqua Cinema, Chautauqua Cinema
This is the story of legendary lyricist Lorenz Hart (Ethan Hawke) bravely facing the future as his professional and private life both unravel at the opening night party for his former partner Richard Rodgers’ hit show Oklahoma! “As elegantly witty and luxuriantly melancholic as one of Rogers and Hart’s toe-tapping, heart-swelling compositions.” -Wendy Ide, Observer “Despite the wistful tone, it’s a bitingly funny viewing experience.” -David Sims, The Atlantic “One of the best-directed, best-written, best-acted films I have seen in a while.” -Stephen Romei, The Australian “Hawke delivers a performance for the ages in one of Richard Linklater’s best movies.” -Robert Levin, Newsday (R, 100m)

TRAIN DREAMS
2026-06-26 17:45 | Chautauqua Cinema, Chautauqua Cinema
Clint Bentley’s superb adaptation of Denis Johnson’s beloved novella is the moving portrait of Robert Grainier, (Joel Edgerton) a logger and railroad worker who leads a life of unexpected depth and beauty in the rapidly-changing America of the early 1900s. “The story of a country that’s forever marching toward the future, rebuilding and redefining itself, even as the voices of its past cry out to be remembered.” -Robert Levin, Newsday “Beautiful, moving, and thoughtful.” -Rebecca Onion, Slate “If you can see it in a theater you should.” -Christy Lemire, FilmWeek “Gorgeous…to look at, to listen to, and to experience on an emotional level.” -Odie Henderson, Boston Globe (PG-13, 102m)

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.

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.

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.

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.

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)

Horse-Drawn Carriage Rides
2026-02-28 13:00, 2026-02-22 13:00, 2026-02-21 13:00, 2026-02-15 13:00, 2026-02-14 13:00, 2026-02-08 13:00, 2026-02-07 13:00, 2026-02-01 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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

PERFECT DAYS
2025-08-25 20:30, 2025-08-24 17:45, 2025-08-23 20:30, 2025-08-22 17:45 | 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)

EVERYTHING'S GOING TO BE GREAT
2025-08-25 18:00, 2025-08-24 20:45, 2025-08-23 18:00, 2025-08-22 20:45 | 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)

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

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

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

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.

Twelve Step Meeting
2025-08-24 12:15, 2025-08-22 12:15 | Hurlbut Marion Lawrance

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.

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

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

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

Episcopal Holy Eucharist
2025-08-24 09:00, 2025-08-22 07:45, 2025-08-21 07:45 | Chapel of the Good Shepherd, Chapel of the Good Shepherd

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

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

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

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.

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

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

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

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

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

CHQ Mystic Heart Meditation: Carol McKiernan
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.

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.

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

Chautauqua Theater Company presents the world premiere of The Witnesses (formerly titled Tell Me You’re Dying)
2025-08-22 19:30, 2025-08-21 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.

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.

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

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

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

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

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.

CHQ Dialogues
2025-08-22 12:30 | Lutheran House, Lutheran House

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.

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.

Service of Blessing and Healing
2025-08-22 10:15, 2025-08-21 10:15 | Randell Chapel, UCC Headquarters

Brian McLaren
2025-08-22 09:15, 2025-08-21 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.

Chautauqua Prays for Peace though Compassion
2025-08-22 08:55, 2025-08-21 08:55 | Hall of Philosophy Grove

Catholic Mass
2025-08-22 08:45, 2025-08-21 08:45 | Chapel of the Good Shepherd, Chapel of the Good Shepherd

Movement and Meditation with Monte Thompson
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.

Daily Word Meditation
2025-08-22 08:00, 2025-08-21 08:00 | Hall of Missions, Hall of Missions
(Programmed by Unity of Chautauqua)

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

SORRY, BABY
2025-08-21 20:30, 2025-08-21 15:15 | 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)

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.

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

FAMILIAR TOUCH
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)

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.

Play CHQ: Get your Game On!
2025-08-21 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.

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

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

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

Duplicate Bridge
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.

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

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

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.

CTC Theater Chats
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.

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.
