ASHLAND — Ashland Chautauqua’s 2018 season is awash with adventure this year.
Imagine being onboard the Titanic when it hit the iceberg. Imagine riding the high seas in a pirate ship, or sailing on a whaling ship with a captain obsessed with revenge. Stand on the Pacific shore of North America in late 1806 after an arduous overland expedition of nearly 18 months, or walk calmly on the beaches and dunes of Cape Cod, contemplating nature and mankind’s relationship to it.
Bring your imagination to Ashland’s Chautauqua and test the waters.
Opening night, Tuesday, July 17, will feature George Frein portraying Herman Mellville, a man who wrote about the sea because he had been to sea. Mellville was a sailor on wind-powered merchant ships, wailing shops and warships. He was a prolific writer, but is best known for his novel Moby Dick, with its infamous Captain Ahab determined to get revenge on the great white whale for costing him his leg.
All five 2018 Chautauqua scholars have performed in Ashland previously. In addition to Frein portraying Herman Melville, audiences will enjoy the following returning scholars: Karen Vuranch as Irish pirate queen Grace O’Malley is featured Wednesday, John Anderson as Cape Cod writer and conservationist Henry Boston is on stage Thursday, Debra Conner as fashion reporter and Titanic survivor Edith Russell is spotlighted Friday, and Hassa David as York, explorer and slave to William Clark on the Lewis and Clark expedition wraps up the program on Saturday night.
Faithful Chautauqua audience members will remember George Frein most recently as Ted Geisel (Dr. Seuss) in 2014, Karen Vuranch last year as Mary Harris (Mother Jones), John Anderson most recently as Louis Bromfield (2015), Debra Conner as Dr. Mary Walker (also in 2015), and Hassan Davis as Joe Louis (2007). If you recall any of these performances you won’t want to miss this year’s showstoppers.
Last year’s successful 5-Nighters drawing will take place again this year. The only way to be in the running is to pick up your 5-Nighter card on Tuesday night, attend every evening performance and get your card initiated every evening. It’s a win-win situation: You don’t miss a minute of Chautauqua’s fine performances and you’re eligible for a very nice prize.
Daytime workshops held Tuesday through Friday enhance the understanding of the lives and times of the Chautuaqua characters. The workshops are led by the scholars.
Evening performances take place at the Guy C. Myers Memorial Bandshell in Ashland’s Brookside Park. If you have not participated in earlier Chautauquas, this would be a good year to start. All evening performances are free and open to the pub
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