ASHLAND — Ashland Chautauqua will join in the national celebration of America’s 250th birthday in its own unique way by inviting the community and visitors to hear a variety of “America’s Stories.”
Chautauqua fans and people curious about the Chautauqua approach to entertaining history programming should mark their calendars for July 21-25. Ashland Chautauqua will take a broad view of American history for this week from Thomas Paine, an 18th-century individual influential in stirring the American Revolution (and he was British, not an American colonist), to Coretta Scott King, a 20th-century civil rights leader.
In between these characters in the panoramic story of American history will be Mary Fields, a trailblazing mail carrier in 19th-century Montana; Washington Irving, a New York-based 19th-century writer and diplomat; and Erma Bombeck, a beloved 20th-century syndicated humor columnist who will be fondly remembered by some in the audience and a delight to those meeting her for the first time.
The Chautauqua format involves scholars who have studied their characters very
deeply, to the extent that they can “become” a character for a first-person dramatic
presentation, complete with costume of the time period. They also answer audience
questions after their first-person presentation, first as the character, then as the scholar
who studied the character.
In order of their appearance in the Chautauqua lineup: Erma Bombeck will be portrayed
Tuesday by scholar Susan Marie Frontczak, Thomas Paine on Wednesday by scholar
Martin Lahman, Mary Fields on Thursday by scholar Becky Stone, Washington Irving on
Friday by scholar John Dennis Anderson and Coretta Scott King closing the Chautauqua week of events on Saturday portrayed by scholar Rebecca Marks Jimerson.
The first-person performances take place in the evenings at the Guy C. Myers Band Shell in Ashland’s Brookside Park. Musical acts start the programming each evening at 7 p.m., followed by the main performance at 8 p.m. Daytime workshops for youth, families and adults occur throughout the week at accessible locations around Ashland County, including Ashland and Loudonville.
Coffee with the Scholars takes place Thursday-Saturday mornings at 9 a.m. at the Chamber of Commerce building in downtown Ashland. To learn more about Chautauqua and to view the 2026 “America’s Stories” schedule of events and program details, visit ashlandchautauqua.org.
All Ashland Chautauqua activities and performances are free to the public. Ashland
Chautauqua is supported by the Ohio Arts Council, the city of Ashland’s Parks and Recreation Department, Explore Ashland, local businesses and organizations and by
local residents who want to see this vibrant celebration of history thrive in this community.
Ashland Main Street is the fiscal agent. Ashland Chautauqua programming is planned and implemented by a committee of local citizen volunteers.