Best of MC Summer Events '08: Chatauqua

The word Chatauqua originates from indigenous Native American lore, but in relation to MC, it is an annual event where actors bring historic figures to life. Sounds like something theatre geeks would be into, right? Think again. This year the theme was Civil Rights and they had the biggest names grace the stage: Rosa Parks, Malcolm X, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and George Wallace. The point being to personalize and re-examine seminal American moments in time. Trust me, in no other way do you feel more connected to the struggle of the Civil Rights movement, to 1960's America, than when you are staring into the eyes of Dr. King, Jr! And the voices! The voices of these (properly trained) actors, the resonance of Rosa Parks' words, George Wallace's almost-defeated-but-can't-count-me-out-yet proclamations.....goose bumps, I kid you not.

The audience was mostly made up of senior citizens, whom you'd expect at such events, to relive important moments, maybe to re-analyze them. And analyze they did! Part of the Chatauqua deal is that any audience member can ask questions of the personality and then of the actor playing the personality. They asked and cajoled and prodded the personalities to get to some core truths about their collective history which they'd long ago determined for themselves. And it was very enlightening (that's right, enlightening!) to see an older generation come to terms with leaders they'd lost too soon, with tragedies and politics which our generation can now take for granted. All well and good, but the other purpose of Chatauqua this year was to revitalize these leaders and their struggle in the hearts and minds of new generations. And so it was that there were children in the audience, brought by conscientious parents. Matter of fact, it intrigued me how polarized the audience was -- ages 4 to 12, and ages 45 to 70.

Picture this, then: Rosa Parks has just finished explaining her side of the story, ending with a beautiful Southern Baptist hymn. She stands on the little stage, mopping her esteemed brow. From among the forest of white plastic chairs arrayed in front of her comes bopping this little head and soon emerges a little African American girl, aged about 5 whom I'd spied earlier curled up on her guardians lap listening, enraptured. The little girl proceeds as close as she dares to the stage, and using her best outside voice asks the simplest question: "Ms. Parks, what is the KKK that you mentioned?" Rosa Parks, is stumped for a split second -- only a split second, mind -- and gives the only answer she can give, that they are very bad people who don't like anyone different from them and do those they've judged against great harm. Simple, eloquent, and in its very childishness, the exact point of Chatauqua!

Also deserving honorable mention, of the five musical acts which opened each show, Ellen Cherry (yes, you Tom Robbins fans, inspired by THAT Ellen Cherry) did the whole nouvelle-folk-green music movement great justice. She sang some favorites and a few of her own tunes, with great, warm banter in between and she is sooooo worth checking out on Facebook, etc.

You missed Chatauqua? Never fear, MCTV was there to put it all on tape! Episodes have been airing since July 17th so check Channel 10 for air times or check out www.youtube.com/montgomerycollege.


A.G. Akturk
Editor-In-Chief