Saturday, July 11th Program
LOCATE PERFORMANCE BY TENT VENUE
Programs will unfold under three tents 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 host programs and all-day activities for children. Bethel Center and the Ticket Office Museum will be open all weekend.
Vaudeville In The Street offers music and unusual acts in the round.
ALL WEEKEND
Historic District Trolley Tours
See the chalkboard for departure times
Oracalist Mystic
Featuring Appalachian Astrologer Abacus Haste
Lars Matthew Rieck
The Hypnotic Contact Juggler
Dakota Fox
The Glamorous Stilt Walker
ACTIVITIES
Until 3:00 – Horse-Drawn Carriage Rides
Courtesy of Horsing ‘Round Carriage Rides
All Day – Ticket Office Museum
Mountain Lake Park History Exhibition
All Day – Bethel Center
Tour Garrett County’s only African American Church
All Day – Deaconess Café
Dine on the porch of Mountain Lake Park’s oldest cottage
LADY BRION
POET
LAUREATE
POET LAUREATE
Maryland’s Poet Laureate
2:00 PM at the MARTIN TENT
SINGLE PERFORMANCE
You won’t want to miss this incredible performance by Maryland’s Poet Laureate, Lady Brion. In addition to her role in Maryland, Brion is an international spoken word artist, activist, organizer, and educator. She is the executive director of Maryland’s Black Arts District, an organization she founded in 2019. She received her B.A. in Communication and Culture from Howard University and her MFA in Creative Writing & Publishing Design from the University of Baltimore.
Lady Brion is also widely recognized for slam poetry, a competitive poetry form that uses a highly energetic, expressive style, often focusing on personal experiences and social issues.
SEE MORE BELOW
Oracalistic Mystic
ALL WEEKEND
Benefit from the accumulated knowledge passed down through three generations of seers. Abacus Haste’s practice is rooted in time-honored traditions that have been refined and perfected over decades.
She’ll help you access past revelations, gain clarity on how those experiences have contributed to your personal growth, and how to harness forces to overcome challenges and maximize opportunities. What will be your astrological forcast guiding you forward?
THE MARTIN TENT
LOCATE PERFORMANCE BY TENT VENUE
11:00 Charles Lindbergh
MARTIN TENT
Portrayed by Bowie Grant
Charles Augustus Lindbergh [1902 – 1974] was an American aviator, military officer, and author. In 1927, he made the first nonstop flight from New York to Paris, a distance of 3,600 miles, flying alone for over 33 hours in his aircraft, the Spirit of St. Louis. Although not the first transatlantic flight, it was the first solo crossing of the Atlantic and, at the time, the longest by nearly 2,000 miles, setting a new world record for flight distance. Bowie Grant will bring another compelling performance of this influential personality to the Victorian Chautauqua stage.
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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 and Woodie Guthrie, 2025, with glowing reviews.
12:30 General George Crook
MARTIN TENT
Portrayed by Tom Cummings
Leading up to General George Crook being an advocate for Indian Affairs with the U.S. Government, Crook led a decorated life as a soldier. Tom Cummings will recap Crook’s extensive military career, which began after graduating from West Point and advancing through the Civil War to become a Major General. He will also cover his marriage to Mary Daily and his capture in Cumberland, Maryland. Beyond the Civil War, Crook was a Major General in the U.S. Army during the Battle of Little Big Horn, and the capture and escape of Geronimo.
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Thomas Cummings is a retired banker after 30 years. He is a graduate of West Virginia University with a BSBA and an MBA in Business Administration. Although retired, he remains involved in many local businesses and social activities in Morgan, Jefferson, and Berkeley Counties in West Virginia.
For 60 years, he has resided in Berkeley County, while currently residing in Falling Waters, with his wife, Mary Mateer Cummings.
2:00 Maryland’s Poet Laureate
MARTIN TENT [One Performance Only]
Featuring Lady Brion
Sponsored by The Garrett County Arts Council
The tradition of a Governor-appointed Poet Laureate began after the 1959 Maryland General Assembly passed legislation granting authority to the state’s elected leader to choose a representative for the literary arts community. In 2024, Lady Brion was appointed to the position by Governor Wes Moore, making her the eleventh and youngest Poet Laureate in Maryland’s history and the only spoken word artist ever to hold this position. The term "laureate" has come to signify recognition for preeminence or superlative achievement in rhetoric, grammar, and language.
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In addition to her role in Maryland, Lady Brion is an international spoken word artist, activist, organizer, and educator. She is the executive director of Maryland’s Black Arts District, an organization she founded in 2019. She received her B.A. in Communication and Culture from Howard University and her MFA in Creative Writing & Publishing Design from the University of Baltimore.
Lady Brion is also widely recognized for slam poetry, a competitive poetry form that uses a highly energetic, expressive style, often focusing on personal experiences and social issues. During her slam career, she won the 2016 and 2021 National Poetry Slam, the 2017 and 2019 Southern Fried Regional Slam, and the 2019 Rustbelt Regional Slam. In 2021, she became the Women of the World Poetry Slam Champion, making her the number one-ranked woman slam poet in the world!
3:30 Franklin D. Roosevelt
MARTIN TENT
Portrayed by Bill Grant
Franklin Delano Roosevelt [1882 – 1945], also known as FDR, was the 32nd president of the United States, serving from 1933 until his death in 1945. He is the longest-serving US president and the only one to have served more than two terms. His first two terms were centered on combating the Great Depression, while his third and fourth focused on US involvement in World War II. A member of the Democratic Party, Roosevelt served in the New York State Senate from 1911 to 1913 and as the 44th governor of New York from 1929 to 1932. This year will mark Bill Grant’s fifth presidential portrayal for the Victorian Chautauqua.
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Bill Grant returns to the Victorian Chautauqua stage for another comprehensive 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 for 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
5:00 HALO
MARTIN TENT
Featuring the All-Female Barbershop Quartet
HALO (Harmony’s African-American Legacy Organization) delivered a moving performance at Bethel Center’s Dedication Ceremony in 2024. The long-awaited return of this unique quartet is sure to impress. The HALO non-profit extends beyond song as a transformative movement in Community Music Therapy in which barbershop singing (and listening) serves as a metaphor. The women of HALO lead diverse community groups in constructive dialogue concerning socio-political issues, utilizing singing and active listening to experience barbershop music.
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Shana Oshiro (Tenor, R) earned her Vocal performance degree from Morgan State University. She sang as the bass of Harmony, Inc’s 2012 International Harmony Queen quartet, Epic. Her other claim to queenly fame, she served as Miss Maryland 2007 and competed on stage at Miss America 2008. She holds a master’s certificate in Music Therapy from Shenandoah Conservatory, where she also obtained her Master's in Music Therapy, and is a board-certified music therapist with experience working with children, adolescents, adults, and the elderly across a wide range of abilities. Shana continues to build her performance career as a soprano, presenting concerts and lecture recitals in local and nationally recognized performance spaces.
Portia Pitts (Lead) is also a graduate of Morgan State University, where she received her BFA in Vocal Music, studying classical voice and performing multiple genres worldwide with the Morgan State University choir. She is a proud and happy mother of two, and we are thrilled to have her voice as the centerpiece while HALO moves forward as an organization with a mission to change the world with barbershop.
Niambi Powell (Baritone) has been singing her whole life, in the car and on the stage with her Motown band, “The Regressions,” in a girl group with her mother and sister, Shana. Cut from the same cloth, Niambi set the stage for their sisterhood of beauty queendom as Miss Maryland Teen USA 2000. With music and beauty always in the foreground of her livelihood, Niambi’s professional background fortifies her clinical expertise in systems therapy with HALO’s Race and #RealTalk. She holds a Master’s degree in Social Work, formerly holding leadership roles and creating groundbreaking program initiatives for the city of Rockville and the residents of Montgomery County.
THE DEACONESS TENT
LOCATE PERFORMANCE BY TENT VENUE
11:00 International Appalachian Trail
DEACONESS TENT
Presented by Don Hudson
The continents migrated apart 200 million years ago, fragmenting the geology that makes up the Appalachian Mountains. Because of this, Western Maryland shares the same geology as Greenland, Iceland, Norway, Sweden, Ireland, England, Spain, Portugal, and Morocco. What is now known as The International Appalachian Trail (IAT) connects trails that share the same geology, spanning North America and arching into Europe. Don Hudson will introduce you to this fascinating natural wonder and to the ambitious work he and co-founder Dick Anderson did to reunify the landmasses that cross the Atlantic.
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Don Hudson is a founding board member and key leader of the International Appalachian Trail (IAT), having worked with Dick Anderson to launch the initiative on Earth Day 1994. As the current president of the Maine IAT, Hudson helped expand the trail from Maine through Canada and across the Atlantic, promoting geological history and cross-border cooperation in Europe. He also serves as the Co-chair of the International IAT Council.
12:30 1754 Campaign and a Soldier’s Life
DEACONESS TENT
Presented by Brian S. Reedy with the National Park Service
The French and Indian War (1754–1763) was the American theater of the global Seven Years' War. Triggered by disputes over the Ohio River Valley, the conflict began with George Washington’s skirmish at Jumonville Glen (May 1754) and his subsequent surrender at Fort Necessity. Sparked by border disputes and early conflicts led by George Washington, Britain ultimately won, securing Canada and land east of the Mississippi, but the immense war debt and new territories fueled tensions leading to the American Revolution.
Brian Reedy with the National Park Service will present a reenactment of a soldier’s life during this grueling period of the American fight for independence.
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Brian Reedy is a Chief of Interpretation and Site Manager at U.S. National Park Service based in Washington, District of Columbia.
3:30 Afternoon at the Opera
DEACONESS TENT
Performed by Savanna Butcher
Opera was most popular during the 19th century, often referred to as its "golden age," when it served as a major cultural cornerstone and a form of popular entertainment. During this time, it transitioned from elite courtly amusement to a widely popular, large-scale spectacle in Europe and the US, featuring blockbuster productions.
The remarkable voice of opera singer Savanna Butcher will grace the Deaconess Tent with hand-picked selections that were common in the late 1800s. If you are new to opera, Butcher will also discuss the vocal technique, how it has endured time, and why it remains an important art form today.
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Savanna Butcher is a professional soprano, educator, and composer based in West Virginia, known for her performances in opera and chamber music. A Cleveland Institute of Music graduate (MM) with a background in music education from West Virginia University, she has performed roles like Pamina in The Magic Flute and Young Alyce in Glory Denied.
5:00 The Maryland Constitutional Election of 1864:
A Border Slave State’s Soldiers Stand for Freedom
DEACONESS TENT
Presented by Dr. Stephen A.Goldman
As a Union border slave state, Maryland was not affected by the 1863 Emancipation Proclamation. At the same time, it contributed ten thousand African Americans to the Northern war effort. In October 1864, Maryland directly faced the nation's most contentious issue by holding an election in which a new state constitution abolishing slavery was approved by just 375 votes, and went into effect on November 1. Dr. Goldman will present this remarkable story, including how the White soldiers’ vote decided the election, which made Maryland the Free State for all its residents.
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Stephen A. Goldman, M.D. is a psychiatrist with decades of experience in academic and clinical medicine, and public health. Having treated and worked with combat veterans, he has deeply studied the Civil War, Reconstruction, race, and the impact of war itself. The only physician to serve on the Abraham Lincoln Institute Board of Directors, he wrote the groundbreaking book, One More War to Fight: Union Veterans’ Battle for Equality through Reconstruction, Jim Crow, and the Lost Cause.
LOCATE PERFORMANCE BY TENT VENUE
OPEN ALL WEEKEND