The Kansas-Nebraska Chautauqua will bring to life America in the 1930s.

With concerns about the U.S. economy filtering across the country today, the Chautauqua living history presentation in Lawrence, Kan., this summer will examine the cultural and political changes of the 1930s when Americans faced even more challenging times.

In addition to nightly living history presentations, there will be workshops, a walking tour and an exhibit on the Dust Bowl. Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library photo

This festival of learning, called “Bright Dreams, Hard Times: America in the Thirties,” will take place June 18–22 under a big-top tent in Lawrence’s South Park. One of five historical figures will come to life on the stage each evening of Chautauqua, including President Franklin D. Roosevelt, Sen. Huey Long of Louisiana, Pentecostal leader Aimee Semple McPherson, Harlem Renaissance writer and folklorist Zora Neale Hurston and humorist Will Rogers.

Audiences will learn about the political, economic and societal landscapes of the 1930s through the stories of these figures, portrayed by humanities professionals. Each gives a 40-minute first-person presentation as the historical figure and then answers questions from the stage.

“Chautauquas have a rich heritage and are designed to bring history to life and generate dialogue,” said Judy Billings, director of the Lawrence Convention and Visitors Bureau.

The Kansas-Nebraska Chautauqua also features various lectures and workshops in addition to the nightly presentations. There will be an exhibit on the Dust Bowl and a walking tour of downtown Lawrence that will examine the area’s history from the 1930s. For students in grades 5–8, a five-day Youth Chautauqua camp will give participants the chance to be historians, researchers and scriptwriters as they present their own historical characters on the Sunday night of Chautauqua.

The free evening shows begin at 7 p.m. South Park is located at Massachusetts and 12th Street. Call (785) 865-4499 or click on www.visitlawrence.com for details. The Chautauqua also will visit Beloit, Kan., and Falls City and Hastings in Nebraska.