Humanities Nebraska hosted the Nebraska Chautauqua last week in Seward. Pictured are, from left, General John Pershing (Dave Shuey), and Chautauqua historical figures W.E.B. Du Bois (Charles Pace), Woodrow Wilson (Paul Vickery), Jane Addams (Helen Lewis), Edith Wharton (Karen Vuranch), and William Jennings Bryan (A. Theodore Kachel). See more photos and coverage in this week's Independent.
It was a little like stepping back in time last week as Seward hosted the 2017 Nebraska Chautauqua.
The week-long event was filled with discussions and performances that reflected the theme, “World War I: Legacies of a Forgotten War.”
Audiences gathered at the Nebraska National Guard Museum and the Seward High School auditorium to experience entertainment and first-person portrayals of influential people during the war.
President Woodrow Wilson (played by Paul Vickery) opened each evening’s presentation as moderator. Historical figures included William Jennings Bryan (Ted Kachel), Jane Addams (Helen Lewis), W.E.B. Du Bois (Charles Pace), and Edith Wharton (Karen Vuranch).
The Chautauqua also included a Youth Chautauqua Camp that provided local youth an opportunity to become historians and actors. The youth chose local figures from World War I to research. Their performances were June 16 at Seward High School.
