25th Anniversary Year for The Big River Chautauqua

(Bonne Terre, MO.) It's the 25th Anniversary of the Big River Chautauqua in Bonne Terre. This year's theme is Thanks for the Memories, the title of a song performed by Bob Hope and Shirley Ross in the film The Big Broadcast of 1938. Bill Worley performed as Bob Hope at Thursday's opening night event. He says Hope was a unique entertainer because he began his career when the industry was beginning to grow and saw many changes over his career.

Worley explains Hope moved into movies and television with ease.

Tonight's performance will be Larry Bounds as TV Newsman Walter Cronkite and Saturday night Karen VuRanch will portray TV Chef Julia Child. The event begins with dinner at 5:30. At 6 o'clock Guitarist Darren Thomas will play for the crowd and at 6:45 the Chautauqua Singers will present music of the period. Each evenings main performance takes place at 7:30. The historical presentation is a recreation of the tent meeting show that used to travel around the United States the late 1800's through the mid 1920's. It was called an adult education movement and was named after Chautauqua Lake in New York State where the first Chautauqua was held.