Sunday, July 13th Program
LOCATE PERFORMANCE BY TENT VENUE
Programs will unfold under three tents, at Bethel Center, and in the street. The Martin Tent will feature historical performances and music, the Deaconess Tent will present informative lectures, and the Kid-Tauqua Tent will be home to programs and all-day activities for children. Bethel Center will feature African American stories of Garrett County.
Between tent performances is Vaudeville In The Street with live music and unusual acts in the round.
ACTIVITIES
Until 3:00 – Horse-Drawn Carriage Rides
Courtesy of the Horsing ‘Round Carriage Rides
All Day – Ticket Office Museum
Mountain Lake Park History Exhibition
ALL WEEKEND
Historic District Trolley Tours
See the chalkboard for departure times
Wheelman Brian Birkner
High Wheel Cyclist
Lars Matthew Rieck
The Hypnotic Contact Juggler
Dakota Fox
The Glamorous Stilt Walker
LOCATE PERFORMANCE BY TENT VENUE
THE MARTIN TENT
12:00 Woody Guthrie
MARTIN TENT
Portrayed by Bowie Grant
Woodrow Wilson Guthrie [1912 – 1967] was an American singer, songwriter, and composer widely considered to be one of the most significant figures in American folk music. His work focused on themes of American socialism and anti-fascism and has inspired many generations both politically and musically with songs such as "This Land Is Your Land" and "Tear The Fascists Down.”
Bowie Grant will return for his second consecutive performance at The Victorian Chautauqua. This unique performance will be presented like an interview. Grant will combine his theatrical and musical talents to share the life of Woody Guthrie.
-
Bowie Grant is more of a history enthusiast than a scholar and believes that history is a tapestry best viewed from a distance at first, so that people, places, and events are always seen in the context of the larger panorama of coterminous events.
Semi-retired, Bowie handles international sales for his company and teaches online for Bethel University. Bowie is a Garrett County ex-pat living in Indianapolis, close to his younger daughter’s family, including grandchildren. His son in Los Angeles and daughter in New Orleans are also history buffs, keeping his perspective fresh.
Grant has been on stage in high school, college, and community theater productions ranging from musicals to Shakespeare. In the 2024 Victorian Chautauqua, he portrayed Henry Stimson. This year, he presents a 1941 interview as Woodie Guthrie, America’s Dust Bowl Balladeer.
1:30 Amelia Earhart
MARTIN TENT
Presented by Mary Ann Jung
She’s back! Mary Ann Jung is a Victorian Chautauqua veteran who is engaging and entertaining while assuming the role of famous historical women. Her performances are lively, interactive, and fun for the entire family. You won’t want to miss her portrayal of one of America’s most noted aviation pilots.
Amelia Earhart was much more than just a brave pilot and aviation pioneer. She was also a photographer, truck driver, teacher, nurse, and clothes designer who inspired women to follow their dreams. In full character, Mary Ann Jung will invite you to follow Earhart’s dangerous career as the first woman to solo the Atlantic and the first person to solo the Pacific Ocean. Meet the fascinating people who supported her adventures, including Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt. The amazing Amelia said she risked it all for the Fun of it!
-
Mary Ann Jung is an award-winning actress and Smithsonian scholar. You may have already seen this performer, scholar, writer, and director, but not in modern clothing. Jung researches and writes her scripts, and performs in the authentic costumes, accents, and attitudes for her characters’ eras.
Mary Ann has appeared on CNN, the Today Show, Good Morning America, and in newspapers worldwide as a famous woman from history. She has been a lead actress and Director of Renaissance History and Shakespearean Language at the Maryland Renaissance Festival for over 40 years. She performed as queen and was a Director with the Florida Renaissance Festival from 1994 to 2006. She was Director of Street Theater and Family Performances for ArtScape (the USA's largest arts festival) for ten years; in 1998, Mary Ann was awarded a citation from the Mayor of Baltimore for her work at that event.
3:00 Smith & Roberts
MARTIN TENT
Garrett County Songs
Smith & Roberts, the musical duo that recorded"Garrett County Time," is considered a local anthem and the official song of Garrett County, Maryland. They also have other songs like "Lovers and Friends", "Papa's Bones", and "Sailing Ships, Appalachian Love Song". Enjoy music inspired by the mountaintop community they call home
-
Rob Smith and Keith Roberts make up Smith & Roberts, first formed in 1978, and a team whose music is synonymous with Garrett County. Probably their most well-known and beloved original song, “Garrett County Time,” was written by Smith and recorded on the album titled Buffalo Run. Smith & Roberts have amassed a big following in the Appalachian region and beyond, capturing the spirit of mountain life and sentiments of folks who choose a simpler view of the world around them.
“I got my love of poetry from my father, and that’s where the song lyrics part came from,” said Smith. He began his musical journey as part of a trio of young guys who bought used sound equipment, “large-sized, not living room stereo stuff,” he noted, and they put together a sound system that could handle a rock concert for big crowds.
“We toured with rock & roll bands for a couple of years, and then the trio split up,” he said. “I ended up in New York, where I met Artie Resnick (Under the Boardwalk, Good Lovin’). He liked two of my songs and published them. That’s where I got the idea I might make a living at songwriting.”
After a time, Rob grew weary of the fast pace of New York City. He found a place in Garrett County in 1975 where he continued to write and record music. Their album, Buffalo Run, sold several thousand copies and received airplay in the U.S. as well as other countries. “It was a modest success that kept us alive for a while,” Rob said.
The group later expanded to take the name of their first album. Buffalo Run included percussion, hammer dulcimer, guitar, mandolin, and upright bass. The group could be heard far and wide as they were in high demand for live performances.
4:30 The Garrett County Playhouse “The Blue Barn”
MARTIN TENT
Portrayed by Mikey Virts
The Garrett County Playhouse, fondly called “The Blue Barn,” was a respected institution that brought theatrical performances to Deep Creek Lake in Maryland’s westernmost part of the state. Mikey Virts will portray the theater’s artistic director, Gene Yell, who gathered incredible talent from across the country to this remote, rural community. Virts, who serves as the artistic director of Our Town Theatre in Oakland, was a sympathetic choice to play this challenging role. A welcome stroll down memory lane is part of Deep Creek Lake’s 100th Anniversary Celebration.
-
Mikey Virts is the Artistic Director of Our Town Theatre.
6:00 Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr.
MARTIN TENT
Performed by Bill Grant
Bill Grant takes the Victorian Chautauqua stage for his fifth consecutive performance as Oliver Wendell Holmes. Grant has a unique talent for portraying historical figures with great detail, while delivering engaging performances that leave his audiences more knowledgeable. He has been a highlight each year.
Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr. [1841 – 1935] was an American jurist who served as an associate justice of the U.S. Supreme Court from 1902 to 1933. Holmes is one of the most widely cited and influential Supreme Court justices in American history, noted for his long tenure on the Court and for his pithy opinions, particularly those on civil liberties and American constitutional democracy, and deference to the decisions of elected legislatures. Holmes retired from the Court at the age of 90, an unbeaten record for the oldest justice on the Supreme Court.
Justice Holmes’ visit is fictional. It is unknown if he ever visited Garrett County, although he was very familiar with Chautauqua, having on occasion been a speaker at the original Chautauqua in New York. His Mountain Lake Park appearance will be in the twilight of his life in 1932, providing an overview of his exceptional life.
-
Bill Grant returns to the Victorian Chautauqua stage for his sixth historical portrayal. His past roles have included William Howard Taft, Grover Cleveland, Warren G. Harding, William McKinley and General George C. Marshall. An avid history fan, Bill has resided in Garrett County nearly his entire life, and is a retired banker. In addition to Victorian Chautauqua, he lists his other passions as the Southern Garrett High School Alumni Association and the Oakland-Mt. Lake Park Lions Club
LOCATE PERFORMANCE BY TENT VENUE
THE DEACONESS TENT
12:00 Reviving Rural Adult Civic Education:
How Past and Present Chautauqua Can Inspire Western Maryland to Learn and Engage Together
DEACONESS TENT
Presented by Dr. Elesha L. Ruminski
This insightful presentation will examine the historical beginnings of the Chautauqua movement in New York, along with the communication leadership of Julia Walker Ruhl, a West Virginian suffragist leader and civic organizer who lived and participated in The Mountain Chautauqua in Mountain Lake Park. Her summer home, Ruhl Cottage, still stands today. You’ll also learn why the movement diminished and how its revival through opportunities like the Victorian Chautauqua Festival can mobilize a new framework for adult civic education in rural areas. How can Chautauqua again play an important role in educating adults, bridging divides, and supporting local community-building? Bring your questions.
-
Elesha L. Ruminski (Ph.D. in Rhetoric, Duquesne University) is a professor of Strategic Communication and coordinator of Leadership Studies at Frostburg State University (FSU). She also chairs FSU’s Department of Communication and coordinates the Communication Leadership Lab. Ruminski developed the Lab after participating in a Kettering Foundation research exchange that supported the creation of “centers for public life” and was the project manager of the Sustaining Campus and Community dialogue series, funded by the Maryland Judiciary's Mediation and Conflict Resolution Office. She researches, teaches, and supports facilitation of communication strategies within organizations and communities and has authored publications on various communication and leadership topics. A past chair of the National Communication Association's Public Dialogue and Deliberation Division and current steering committee member of the Choose Civility chapter of Allegany County, MD, she advocates for civic engagement and the development of public voice.
1:30 A Who’s Who: Owls of Garrett County
DEACONESS TENT
Presented by Kevin Dodge
Kevin Dodge is back again with his wit and impressive insights about nature’s winged creatures. As an expert in bird calls and bird identification, you’ll learn the unique attributes of various owl species that make Garrett County home.
-
Kevin Dodge is the Professor of Wildlife and Biology and Director of the Natural Resources and Wildlife Technology program at Garrett College. He has expertise in natural history, ecology, and wildlife conservation. He holds a B.S. in Biology from Southwest Missouri State University and an M.S. in Biology from Michigan Technological University.
Throughout his career, Kevin has conducted research on wood warblers, gypsy moths, acid mine drainage, and more. He has also been actively involved in conservation efforts in Garrett County and the surrounding region.Kevin is a passionate educator who has mentored countless students, many of whom have gone on to have successful careers in the outdoor field. He leads numerous hikes, programs, and student trips, sharing his knowledge and enthusiasm for nature with students and the public through his work at Garrett College, Frostburg State University, West Virginia University, and various local organizations.
Kevin's extensive travels have taken him to Alaska, Florida, Louisiana, Texas, and southeast Arizona, where he has studied the natural history of these regions and shared the wonders of these landscapes with countless students. He lives in Bittinger, Maryland, with his wife, Carolina.
3:00 Victorian Etiquette
DEACONESS TENT
Presented by Paula Thomas
Mountain Lake Park was founded in 1881 as a Methodist summer resort for people eager to escape urban congestion. From Memorial Day to Labor Day, the mountaintop community bustled with railroad travelers, and besides the security of an established religious community, summer residents and visitors enjoyed lectures, live music, nature excursions, and college-like courses to enrich their lives. They also carried on traditions from their city lives that were remnants of the Victorian era. Paula Thomas will pluck one crucial aspect from this history to demonstrate how society was solidly built around propriety, manners, and respect for their friends and neighbors, and how many of those sentiments can be applied to modern life.
-
Paula Thomas is a certified etiquette consultant who owns the Western Maryland School of Etiquette and The Traveling Tea Party. Paula packs up and takes her entire tea party service to wherever she is invited. That includes all china, crystal, silver, linens, food, tea, and everything needed to present a memorable and accurate experience. She also provides etiquette lessons at the tea party. The topic of etiquette can vary from a host of subjects. She will also guide etiquette workshops for individuals or groups.
4:30 Frederick Law Olmstead
DEACONESS TENT
Presented by Kirk Brown
Frederick Law Olmsted [1822 – 1903] was an American landscape architect, journalist, social critic, and public administrator. He is considered to be the father of landscape architecture in the United States. Olmsted was famous for co-designing many well-known urban parks with his partner Calvert Vaux. Olmsted and Vaux's first project was Central Park in New York City, which led to many other urban park designs. These included Prospect Park in Brooklyn, Cadwalader Park in Trenton, New Jersey, and Forest Park in Portland, Oregon.
Kirk Brown brings an enchanting blended presentation by portraying Olmstead giving a lecture using an illustrated journey of his life’s work. If you’re a gardener or enjoy lavish green spaces, you won’t want to miss this unique presentation.
-
Kirk Brown is a highly praised horticultural speaker and keynote speaker, as well as a former president of the Garden Writers Association and the Association for Garden Communicators. He served as president of the Garden Writers Association Foundation and the Foundation for Garden Communicators.
It comes as no surprise that Brown is also an award-winning garden designer. He is a certified lecturer for the Garden Club Design School and an Instructor for the Certification Course in Landscape Design at Northampton Community College. He enjoys portraying famous people from history, such as Carl Linneaus, John Bartram, Frederick Law Olmsted, Charles Wesley, and Master Glazier.
LOCATE PERFORMANCE BY TENT VENUE
12:30 & 4:30 Bethel A.M.E. Church Storytelling
BETHEL CENTER
Presented by Diane Macklin
Diane Macklin brought down the house with her portrayal of Zora Neal Hurston in 2024. She’s is returning to present storytelling in the tradition at Bethel Center, formerly the 1900 African American Episcopal Church that now resides in Mountain Lake Park. Diane has researched the African American community that once called Garrett County home. She’ll share compelling insights into what life was like and the many accomplishments of the African American community in rural Western Maryland. Diane’s energetic performance style is captivating and inviting. Be prepared for an incredible experience.
-
Diane Macklin is a narrative artist with over two decades of experience as a professional storyteller and teaching artist. She is also a poet and arts advocate in the Washington, D.C., Maryland, and Virginia region. She performed from Massachusetts to California for venues such as: International Storytelling Center’s Exchange Place, FL Storytelling Festival, and various Smithsonian museums in DC, plus a host of venues where people gather to learn, grow, and wonder.
After her mother’s death in 2023, Diane decided to live more boldly as an artist. Her published work has appeared in the AMPLIFY issue of Yellow Arrow Vignette and honorable mention from the Passager Poetry Contest 2024. She currently serves on the Governor-appointed Arts Incubator Workgroup, addressing artist sustainability in Maryland. Other artistic accomplishments include: mentor for the 2025 J.J. Reneaux Mentorship Award; 2022 Speak Story Telling Series Commission recipient; 2018 winner of the Jackie Torrence Tall Tale Contest for the NABS’s Festival and Conference; and Taft Museum’s 2013 Robert S. Duncanson Artist-in-Residence. Diane counts Baltimore as a home-oasis and aims to “Make a Difference, One Story at a Time” wherever she goes.