Unless you know a mad scientist with a very special DeLorean, the History Comes Alive Festival is the closest you’ll get to stepping back in time and interacting face-to-face with the likes of Harry Houdini and Robert F. Kennedy. How, exactly? Through immersive, intimate theater performed by nationally acclaimed actors who breathe life into important—even shocking—slices of our nation’s history.
Run by sisters Caroline McIntyre and Sally Potosky, along with a team of bootstrapping volunteers who pour their whole hearts into these storytelling experiences, the Greenville branch of the Chautauqua Society has grown into the only independent Chautauqua in the world, with an eleven-day, two-weekend festival of nonstop living history and fun for the whole family.
Iconic leaders, innovators, and artists reveal all, according to this year’s theme of Challenge: Accepted! Get ready to dive deep into stories of Americans who faced unprecedented challenges and insurmountable odds—covering a range of topics from the art of war, politics, painting, social protest, and even deception—and who chose to push forward with courage and resilience to overcome the impossible.
Actors from the Upstate and abroad travel to the festival to give entertaining performances as famous historical characters, including General and President Dwight Eisenhower, artist and modernist Georgia O’Keeffe, and civil rights activist and Episcopal priest Pauli Murray.
Know Before History Comes Alive
Check the weather and location first. Live performances will be held outdoors in the evenings and indoors during the day. Shows will be presented in Greenville, Mauldin, and Spartanburg, South Carolina; Brevard and Asheville, North Carolina; and Athens, Georgia. Bring lawn seating for outdoor shows and be aware that most indoor shows require prior registration.
Be ready to speak up! These performances are interactive, and you’re encouraged to ask questions of the costumed personalities on stage, pry for details, and even uncover shocking secrets. You’re a part of the show, too.
Best of all? Most of the festival performances—and all Chautauqua shows year-round—are either free to the public or have a low admission rate of $10. Audience donations, as well as grant funding from the Metropolitan Arts Council and other state arts organizations, ensure that the society is able to bring these enriching events to our community at little to no cost—so bring your checkbook if you’re feeling generous.
DETAILS:
History Comes Alive Festival, June 9-19, 2022
The Greenville Chautauqua Society
Portrait by Pat Stone; Illustration by Chalk
