What is Chautauqua?
"Edutainment" for the 21st Century
“My event (a bachelor party) was definitely unusual for this type of entertainment but it was made very enjoyable by the excellent performance! Ben Franklin came impressively informed and regaled our party with excellent storytelling and convivial conversation that felt true to the legacy of Dr. Franklin.”
– Danny S., May 2025
About Chautauqua
The past speaks to us. Will we listen?
​
Chautauqua, a one-on-one conversation with a person of historical importance, may sound like a seance scam. However in the Chautauqua style of performance, it's the best way to learn about - and from - History. It takes its name from the Chautauqua Lakes region, when the practice was first introduced in the late 1800's.
​
More than just one person speaking through a script, the presenter utilizes their historical awareness of that historical figure's life, performing a mostly improvisatory solo exposition that embodies the thoughts, motivations, pain, passions, loves, and losses that the character experienced throughout their lifetime. Through quotes, historical facts, and shared humanity, the character is brought out of the pages of History and into the presence of the modern Audience.
​
The Chautauqua Presenter, while in character, answers audience questions either during or after the formal presentation. Due to its improvisatory nature and the unpredictability of each audience's energy, every Chautauqua presentation is unique. While certain elements are retained from performance to performance, each one stands on its own.
GregRobin Smith,
Chautauqua Master
"Chautauqua is more than just a performance," says master Chautauqua performer and scholar, GregRobin Smith. "It's a conversation across time. When I perform as one of my Chautauqua characters, I strive to make history feel immediate, personal, and relevant to today's audiences.
​
Notable because of its accessible, conversational style, Chautauqua allows significant historical figures who are removed from our modern society and who are often placed on a pedestal without considering their personhood the opportunity to come alive and share their unique legacy. Each exchange takes on the special character of the evening's audience, which surrounds viewers with a long-lasting and unique historical perspective that is enjoyably full of imagination and discovery.
​
Appropriate for civic groups, nonprofits, museums, schools, libraries, and private presentations, Benjamin Franklin Alive! is Chautauqua at its finest. Contact us today to book your interaction with American history's favorite founding grandfather!
​
And, if you're curious to learn more and would like to see some additional examples of the Chautauqua method, I invite you to browse the website of the man who, in the late 1990s, encouraged GregRobin to take on Franklin: Dr. Clay Jenkinson.
