For the 7th annual Bishop Hill Chautauqua on August 24, the festivities will begin at 11 a.m. with Brian “Fox” Ellis portraying Charles Darwin and telling the stories of his voyage around the world on HMS Beagle. As one scholar has said, modern biology would make no sense without Darwin’s theory of evolution. Though highly controversial in his day, 150 years of research has only confirmed his ideas. This performance is equal parts history, science and stand-up comedy as Darwin shares the stories of his adventures in the wildest places on the planet.
Brian “Fox” Ellis is an internationally acclaimed author, storyteller, historian, and naturalist. He has worked with The Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum, The Field Museum and dozens of other museums across the country. Fox is a highly sought keynote speaker at regional and international conferences including the International Wetlands Conservation Conference, National Science Teachers Association Conference and the North American Prairie Conservation Conference, et al. Fox is also the Artistic Director for Prairie Folklore Theatre a unique theatre company that celebrates ecology and history through original musical theatre productions. He is the author of 16 books including the critically acclaimed Learning From the Land: Teaching Ecology Through Stories and Activities, (Libraries Unlimited, 2011), the award winning children’s picture book The Web at Dragonfly Pond, (DAWN Publications, 2006) and Content Area Reading, Writing and Storytelling (Teacher Ideas Press 2010). Many of his stories are also available on one of 12 CDs. He and his wife run a Bed and Breakfast in Bishop Hill, Illinois, The Twinflower Inn.
For more information about this year’s Chautauqua, call 309 927-3899 or email bhha@mymctc.net.
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