Sandra Kay Gladney wrote:
>
> I am a graduate student at the University of Oregon in Arts Management.
> I have been participating in this listserv for a few weeks and hope that
> some of you can help me, too.
>
> I am trying to locate organizations that use performance to illustrate
> historical people and events.  I am reluctant to use the phrase "living
> history" because I do not want to limit my search to military
> battle reenactment activities. So far I have three organizations identified:
>
> (1) HISTORYONICS performance group affiliated with the Missouri
> Historical Society in St. Louis, MO.  They do vignettes in the museum
> that enhance the exhibit, as well as one-act length original plays that
> dramatically present historical events. They also travel to schools.
>
> (2) BLISTS HILL OPEN AIR MUSEUM, which is part of the Welsh National
> Gallery and Museum system.  Their website suggests celebration and
> reenactment type activities which illustrate the traditional Welsh life,
> utilizing historic buildings as the setting.
>
> (3) OREGON COUNCIL FOR HUMANITIES (aka Chataqua). Some of the local
> members have "storyteller" style performances that illustrate local
> historical people and events.
>
> I am currently trying to orchestrate a summer internship and identify
> resources for my thesis interview-research.  Any help is greatly appreciated.
>
> Sandra Gladney
> MS student in Arts Management
> University of Oregon
> Eugene, OR
> <[log in to unmask]>

In southern California, there are several persons/organizations to
contact regarding historical interpretation through performance:

Inland Empire Educational Foundation, Humanities Coalition (San
Bernardino & Riverside counties) has sponsored several large and small
chatauquas using humanities scholars as historical characters (William
Mulholland, Mary Austin, Thomas Jefferson, WEB du Bois) during the past
5 years, receiving major funding from both the NEH and CCH.  Idea was
based on the model of the Great Plains Chatauqua. Executive Director
Patti Funder can be reached at (909) 888-3113.

Two actors in the LA area who develop and perform their own works
(historically accurate, too, which is rare) are Judith Helton (Lotta
Crabtree, Laura Ingalls Wilder) and Miriam Reed (Elizabeth Cady Stanton,
Susan B. Anthony, Margaret Sanger).

We use living history performances a good deal at both the Homestead
Museum and the Chaffey Communities Cultural Center, so if you'd like
more information, you're welcome to contact me off-site.

Max van Balgooy

--
M. A. van Balgooy
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Chaffey Communities Cultural Center
  PO Box 772   Upland, CA 91785-0772
  Telephone (909) 982-8010
  Website:  http://www.culturalcenter.org

Homestead Museum
  15415 East Don Julian Road   Industry, CA  91745-1029
  Telephone (818) 968-8492
  Fax  (818) 968-2048
  Domain name:  homesteadmuseum.org (no website yet!)