PT Barnum is portrayed by Jeffery Smith

Born July 5, 1810 in Bethel, Connecticut, Phineas Taylor Barnum is remembered best for his most lasting legacy – his circus; however he had already achieved great fame, financial wealth and a reputation as a showman well before entering the circus business in 1870. Barnum believed he performed a great service to humanity through his shows. Good, moral entertainment was a social pressure valve, bringing brief happiness to “those needful [of]… proper relaxations and enjoyments.” Whole Barnum never missed an opportunity at self promotion, he also played the role of an idealist and crusader, traveling the country to deliver inspiring lectures and promote positive legal reform.

April 1891 marked the end of Barnum’s life of many successes. His life was, in many ways itself, “The Greatest Show on Earth.”

Thomas Edison is portrayed by Hank Fincken

Quite a bit can be said for Thomas Edison as an inventor extraordinaire of the 20th century, holding 1,093 patents over his 84 years. The Ohio native proved himself a rebel, a successful inventor and a conservative business man, with enormous contributions to the technological advancement of society- from the phonograph to the telegraph. Through his inventing career, Edison was known for his strong work and great leadership skills. He was particularly praised for his strong work ethic and great leadership skills. He was particularly praised for his ability to delegate responsibility to those assisting him in his inventive endeavors. Edison had high standards demanding that his men keep accurate notes, determine possible new directions and win patent battles. He saw himself as overseer, guide, and inspirational leader.

Edison died on October 18, 1931 as a man who had embodied a truly American attitude. He continues to enlighten many with his inspiring words “Genius is one percent inspiration and ninety-nine percent perspiration.”

Walt Disney is portrayed by William Worley

Walt Disney stands out as very possibly the most influential individual shaping American society in the middle third of the 20th century. Innovating in such aspects of filmmaking as animation design, sound and color filmmaking, wildlife photography and amusement park design, Disney excelled in mediums of film, phonographic recording and television. He was born in Chicago, Illinois in 1901. His golden period occurred between 1906 and 1911 in Marceline, Missouri where he experienced a childhood filled with farm animals and elaborate escapades. Enduring his share of ups and downs in life and work, Disney still managed to maintain a positive and creative attitude that lead to his ultimate success as one of the most well-known cartoon film producers of all time.

From Snow White to his final vision of Epcot, Walt Disney never failed to entertain viewers and create interest as he made an unsurpassed contribution to the entertainment industry. Disney dies in 1966 in Los Angeles, California, just missing the release of his final animated production in 1967, The Jungle Book.

Margaret Mitchell is portrayed by Debra Conner

In her late teenage years, Mitchell had many male admirers and spent the next few years investing time in romantic relationships and with family at home, as opposed to focusing on writing. But she soon committed to utilizing her talent for storytelling and eventually submitted Gone with the Wind to a New York talent scout at an Atlanta train station. Not even a year later, Mitchell’s story was in print and subsequently began shaping the way Americans- and people throughout the world- view the Civil War and Reconstruction. Apart from the Bible, no other book has sold more copies in hardcover.

Despite the public’s hunger for a sequel, Mitchell would never write another word of fiction after she finished Gone with the Wind. She died at age 48 as a result of injuries sustained after being hit by a speeding car while crossing and Atlanta street.

Born in Atlanta in 1900 as a granddaughter of the Old South where stories were passed around like platters of fried chicken at every family gathering, Margaret Mitchell tool her storytelling abilities to another level and had Gone with the Wind published 35 years later.

PT Barnum, American Spectacles
Presented by Jeffrey Smith
Intended Audience: Adults

Perhaps no one in the nineteenth century understood human nature quite the way Barnum did. His traveling shows of both bogus and legitimate acts were nothing new in nineteenth-century America; it was his way of creating excitement and attention—"buzz," in modern parlance—that revolutionized modern advertising and entertainment. This program will discuss not only the spectacles but also the ways Barnum shaped modern advertising and entertainment.

Thomas Edison, EDISON: The Past at Present
Presented by Hank Fincken
Intended Audience: adults

The Chautauqua scholar is supposed to know the truth about the character he pretends to resurrect during his performance. But the only real truth is that there is no real truth. The facts about any historical figure are as contradictory and elusive as the mythical Sasquatch. Scholars tend to uncover proofs that confirm what they already believed, and audiences often demand a rendering that reinforces myths and ignores uncomfortable ambiguity. Yet, we still cherish the notion that the past can enlighten our present and guide us to a wiser future.

In this interactive workshop, Hank will discuss his unending task of peeling away the infinitely-layered proverbial onion to get at the heart and soul of Thomas Edison. Hank will discuss the pitfalls of reinterpreting a just-before-the-success youth, contradictory evidence about The Wizard's greatest inventions, and the dilemma of describing nineteenth century behavior to a twenty-first century audience. With historical slides and self-exploring dialogue, Hank hopes to prove that the search to understand the past is always more fulfilling than any conclusion by itself.

Thomas Edison, Becoming Edison Youth Workshop
Presented by Hank Fincken
Intended Audience: youth ages 7-12 / Time: 45-55 minutes.

This workshop includes theatre games that teach students how to be comfortable on stage. Hanks talks about research and body language. Students learn how to give the audience clues about the character they are pretending to be through gestures and movement. In the second half of this presentation, students help Hank do his makeup and add last minute costume pieces as he becomes Edison. The group discusses the differences between Hank the actor and Edison the character. As Edison, Hank will then answer student questions for about ten minutes. Depending on time limits, the group will view slides of Edison's most popular inventions and his family.

Walt Disney, The “Disney Version” of Fairy Tales
Presented by William Worley
Intended Audience: suitable for children and adults

Learn how Walt Disney and his staff developed full length feature films from “fairy stories” that could be read in five minutes in their original Brothers Grimm or the Green Fairy Book [source of the “The Three Little Pigs”]. From Snow White to Pinocchio, Cinderella and Alice in Wonderland (not really a fairy tale at all), Walt Disney the storyteller wove magic through character development, musical highlights, and some of the most remarkable animation drawings ever accomplished.

This illustrated talk will include comparison of original tales with what made it to the screen.

Margaret Mitchell, Movie Madness
Presented by Debra Conner
Intended Audience: adults

When David 0. Selznick purchased the movie rights to Gone with the Wind, he was warned that he'd made a grave mistake. Many people said that a movie version of Mitchell's hefty and wildly popular novel could never be made successfully. In this workshop, the participants will look at clips from the movie in order to appreciate the differences between Mitchell's novel and Hollywood's treatment of it. They will consider all that went into making this monumental film.

Margaret Mitchell, Excavating the Past: Stories of Family and Place
Presented by Debra Conner
Intended Audience: adults

Margaret Mitchell was a born storyteller, and Gone with the Wind contains stories that she collected from many sources, including her own family. This will be a writing workshop designed to uncover individual’s stories of family and place. Besides writing, participants will talk about what makes an enduring and memorable story.