Boulder City's Annual Chautauqua Brings History to Life Oct. 23 and 24

by Ryan Rose

What Happened

The Boulder City Review reported the 2026 lineup on Oct. 8 in a story by Ron Eland. The event is run by Boulder City Chautauqua, a local 501(c)(3) nonprofit. Project Director Ihla Crowley told the paper the group picked the 250th anniversary theme well ahead of time so it could book what she called "the best scholar/performers in the nation."

Here is the full schedule, confirmed on the group's own website, bcchautauqua.org:

Friday, Oct. 23, 6:30 p.m.: Paul Revere, portrayed by Terry Lynch.
Saturday, Oct. 24, 2 p.m. (matinee): Martha Washington, portrayed by Katharine Pittman.
Saturday, Oct. 24, 6:30 p.m.: Alexander Hamilton, portrayed by Dr. Hal Bidlack.

All three shows are at the Boulder Creek Pavilion. The pavilion sits at the corner of Adams Boulevard and Veterans Memorial Drive, according to the Chautauqua website. Tickets are $20 per performance. The Boulder City Review also reported a $35 bundle that covers an evening show plus the matinee. The organizer's website lists the $20 single-show price but did not show the bundle when we checked, so ask about it when you buy.

There is one more event before the shows start. The website lists a Scholar Meet and Greet Reception on Thursday, Oct. 22, from 5 to 8:30 p.m., with drinks, dinner and dessert. It asks for a $35 donation and an RSVP by Oct. 15. The site does not list where the reception is held [NOT VERIFIED], so call the group to confirm. The group's dinner page also notes that ticket holders get 15 percent off at the Boulder Creek Grille on Oct. 23 and 24.

So who are the performers? Terry Lynch wrote his Paul Revere show about five years ago for a Sons of the American Revolution chapter dinner, and he has done it for many groups since, the Review reported. He plays Revere as a businessman making hard choices in a rough time, not just the man on the midnight ride. He told the paper he hopes people leave "entertained, informed, and itching to pick up a book."

Dr. Hal Bidlack portraying Alexander Hamilton, the Saturday night performance at Boulder City Chautauqua 2026

Dr. Hal Bidlack has played Alexander Hamilton for a little over 26 years. He is a retired career military officer who taught political science at the U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado. He has also staged Jefferson and Hamilton debates with Clay Jenkinson, a well-known Thomas Jefferson portrayer. Bidlack told the Review his show has three parts: opening remarks, a longer question-and-answer time with the audience, and themes that keep coming up, like money and the economy, the rivalry with Jefferson, and Hamilton's objections to the Bill of Rights. He called Hamilton "the quintessential American success story."

Katharine Pittman is the official Martha Washington at Colonial Williamsburg, and she has played her in a PBS Fourth of July special filmed there. She has done the role for more than 10 years. Her show covers Martha's life from before her marriage through the presidency and into retirement. She told the Review that Martha is "as three-dimensional as we are today."

Katharine Pittman, the official Martha Washington at Colonial Williamsburg, who performs the Saturday 2 p.m. matinee at Boulder City Chautauqua

A Quick Look at the Three People on Stage

If it has been a while since your last history class, here is a short refresher, based on the bios the organizers posted on their website.

Paul Revere (1735 to 1818) was a silversmith, a military officer and a businessman. He is best known for his ride in 1775, when he warned the minutemen that British troops were coming before the battles of Lexington and Concord. Lynch's version leans into the less famous side of Revere: a working man with a shop to run, a family to feed, and big choices to make while the colonies were falling apart around him.

Martha Washington (1731 to 1802) was George Washington's wife and the first First Lady of the United States. There was no rule book for that job, so many of the habits that later First Ladies followed started with her. Pittman's show walks through her whole life, not just the years in the spotlight, which is a good angle for kids who only know her as a name in a textbook.

Alexander Hamilton (born 1755 or 1757, died 1804) was a military officer and Founding Father. He served as the first U.S. Secretary of the Treasury and founded the Federalist Party. The website lists his birth year as "1755 or 1757" because historians still are not sure which is right. Many people know him today from the Broadway musical, but Bidlack's show is built around the real debates of his time, like how the new country should handle its money and whether it needed a Bill of Rights at all.

Put together, the three shows give you three very different views of the same moment in history: a tradesman, a wife and public figure, and a policy maker. You do not need to see all three to enjoy one, but the lineup is built so that each show adds something to the others.

Why It Matters to Las Vegas Residents

Most things to do in Las Vegas are built for visitors. This one is built for locals. It is a small-town show in a park pavilion, run by neighbors, at a price that will not wreck a family budget. Two adults can see a show for $40.

It is also a good fit for kids who are learning this material in school. Students in Clark County study the founding era in social studies. Watching "Paul Revere" answer questions in person is a lot more memorable than a worksheet. The Saturday 2 p.m. matinee is the easiest pick for younger kids, since it ends well before bedtime. The organizers did not list a separate kids' program or a student discount [NOT VERIFIED], so ask when you buy tickets.

For people who live in Henderson, Green Valley, Inspirada or the southeast valley, Boulder City is close. It is a short drive down US 93 or I-11. For people in Summerlin or the southwest, it is a longer trip, but it pairs well with dinner downtown on Nevada Way or a walk past the historic Boulder Dam Hotel.

There is a bigger reason this kind of event matters, too. Boulder City has kept its small-town feel on purpose. The city has limited growth for decades, and its yearly calendar is full of traditions that have run for a long time: the Country Store sale is on its 79th year, Wurst Fest just turned 30, and the Chautauqua has been around since 1992. Events like these are a big part of why people choose to live there, and why people across the valley keep coming back to visit.

If you are not sure what to expect, here is the basic idea. A Chautauqua show is not a costume party or a movie. One performer stands in front of the crowd, talks as the historical person, and then opens the floor. People in the audience ask questions, and the performer answers the way that person might have. Bidlack told the Review the question time is the longer part of his Hamilton show. That means the night can go in a different direction every time, depending on who shows up and what they want to know. It also means you get out of it what you put in.

Background and History

The word "Chautauqua" (say it shuh-TAW-kwuh) comes from a lake and town in western New York. The Chautauqua movement started in the United States in the late 1800s. It was an adult education movement that offered public lectures, concerts and religious programs in the summer, according to the Boulder City Chautauqua website.

The idea spread fast. Traveling Chautauqua shows moved through small towns across rural America until about the mid-1920s. They brought speakers, teachers, musicians and showmen to places that had very little else in the way of culture or entertainment. The Boulder City group's website quotes Theodore Roosevelt calling Chautauqua "the most American thing in America."

The modern version is a little different. Instead of lectures, many Chautauquas now use "scholar performers." These are researchers and teachers who study one historical person in depth, then perform as that person. After the talk, the audience asks questions, and the performer answers in character. Then they often step out of character and answer as themselves. That two-part format is what makes it feel more like a conversation than a play.

Boulder City's Chautauqua began in 1992. The nonprofit says its work rests on three pillars: education, cultural arts and entertainment. The website does not list past themes or the full list of past performers [NOT VERIFIED], but the 2026 lineup shows the group aims high. It booked a performer from Colonial Williamsburg and a Hamilton portrayer with more than a quarter century in the role.

The 2026 theme also fits a national moment. July 4, 2026 marked 250 years since the Declaration of Independence. Towns across the country have planned events around that date all year. Boulder City's Chautauqua is one of the local ways Clark County is marking it, and it does so with three people who were there.

What Happens Next

The key dates are close, so here is the timeline:

Thursday, Oct. 15: Last day to RSVP for the Oct. 22 Meet and Greet Reception, and the last day to mail in a ticket order by check or money order, per the website.
Thursday, Oct. 22, 5 to 8:30 p.m.: Scholar Meet and Greet Reception, $35 donation.
Friday, Oct. 23, 6:30 p.m.: Paul Revere.
Saturday, Oct. 24, 2 p.m.: Martha Washington.
Saturday, Oct. 24, 6:30 p.m.: Alexander Hamilton.

You can buy tickets online through the link on bcchautauqua.org, which goes to a Ticketbud page. You can also buy in person with cash or check at three Boulder City spots: Ace Hardware at 541 Nevada Way, the Boulder Dam Hotel at 1305 Arizona Street, and the Boulder City Chamber of Commerce at 100 Nevada Way. The website says tickets are also sold at the door. Seating capacity at the pavilion was not listed [NOT VERIFIED], so if you have your heart set on a certain show, buying ahead is the safer move.

Mail orders go to Boulder City Chautauqua, PO Box 61994, Boulder City, NV 89006, with a check or money order made out to Boulder City Chautauqua. The website lists two phone numbers for questions: (702) 294-4365 and (320) 339-4553. The group also mentions a silent auction on its website, though details were not posted when we checked [NOT VERIFIED].

Ryan's Take

When people ask what it is like to live in Clark County, they usually picture the Strip. But a lot of the best parts of living here are small and local. A $20 history show in a park pavilion, run by a nonprofit that has kept it going since 1992, is a good example. These traditions are part of what makes a town feel like a community, and they are a real reason buyers look at places like Boulder City.

Boulder City is a different kind of market from the rest of the valley. The town has kept its growth slow on purpose for a long time, and that is a big part of its old-time feel. If you live in Henderson or the southeast valley, events like this are a reminder that Boulder City is right next door. If you are thinking about a move and want that small-town pace, spending an evening at the Chautauqua is a good way to get a feel for the people and the place before you look at a single home.

What You Can Do

Pick your show and buy early. If you only have time for one, the Saturday 2 p.m. Martha Washington matinee is the best pick for families with young kids. History buffs who love a good debate may want the Saturday night Hamilton show, since Bidlack builds a long audience question time into it. If you want to see two shows, ask about the $35 bundle the Boulder City Review reported.

Come with a question. The best part of a Chautauqua is the Q and A. Have your kids think of one question for Paul Revere, Martha Washington or Alexander Hamilton before you go. It turns the show into something they are part of, not just something they watch.

Make it a Boulder City evening. Ticket holders get 15 percent off at the Boulder Creek Grille on Oct. 23 and 24, per the Chautauqua website. You can also pair it with the Country Store rummage sale the weekend before, Oct. 16 and 17. And if you want to support the event beyond a ticket, the nonprofit says donations are tax deductible to the extent the law allows.

Have questions about how this affects your home or neighborhood? Reach out to Ryan Rose or text/call 702-747-5921 anytime.