Young Chautauquans perform under big tent in Genoa

Martha Washington brought a lemon cake, Robert E. Lee brought hardtack, Rosa Parks brought corn bread and Marie Curie brought Polish sausage and French bread because she was born in Poland and moved to France.

Ten young people dressed in costumes provided food their historical characters would have eaten at the annual Young Chautauquans potluck dinner at Carson Valley Museum & Cultural Center on June 6.

The students take their acts on the road when they perform in the Chautauqua in the Park program in Genoa on Wednesday and Thursday. Others expected to appear are Nathaniel Bowditch, Amelia Earhart, Louisa May Alcott and Dr. Eliza Cook.

Maegan McKean, 9, is a first-time Young Chautauquan performing as the character of Martha Washington.

"She was known as 'Patsy' because some of her cousins were also named Martha," said Maegan. "I brought a smaller version of the big cake."

Another first-time performer is Elisabeth Barulich as Dr. Elizabeth Blackwell, the first woman to receive a medical doctor degree from an American medical school. She said she could hardly wait to perform in the big tent at Genoa.

"I'm not nervous," Elisabeth, 9, said. "The first time I performed I wasn't nervous either - I was excited."

The children had to perform at least three times in public to be eligible to participate in Chautauqua in the Park tent event.

The program, set up by the Douglas County Historical Society and funded by a grant from Nevada Humanities, is open to fourth- to 12th-grade students who have an interest in history and performing.

The students choose a person from history in mid-January and spend the next several months in regular meetings on research and character development.

They choose appropriate costumes and learn to stay in character while answering questions from audiences.

Third-year Chautauquan veteran Cody Tisue, 14, stayed in character as Robert E. Lee and showed his experience of handling hecklers.

"I have a cane and I'm not afraid to use it," he told a small boy who kept calling him Cody.

"And who's Cody?" said Gen. Lee, holding out his hand to shake the boy's hand. "My name is Robert."

"You're not a kid, right?" said the boy.

"I'm 64," said Gen. Lee.

Chautauqua in the Park starts at 5 p.m. June 21 and 22 in front of the Genoa Court House Museum. Admission is free. Picnic dinners are encouraged.

For more information, call Carson Valley Museum & Cultural Center at 782-2555.