New
Old Time Chautauqua (NOTC) operates
entirely on volunteer efforts. The performers, musicians, board
of directors, advisory board, action committees, and tireless
hours of technical and logistical support from many people make
our collective dream a reality.
Mission
Statement
The
New Old Time Chautauqua
is a charitable 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization whose mission
is to build community through laughter, entertainment and education.
Our
Goals:
- To
present programs to diverse communities with a focus on under-served
areas
- To
partner with local groups to organize and present community
events
- To
promote interaction within communities.
We
aim to delight, educate, amaze, and provoke the imagination of
adults and children alike.
To
achieve our mission, NOTC sponsors a 4-part touring event which
consists of:
- a
lively "EVERYBODY'S WELCOME!" parade through the
center of the host town in an effort to reach as many people
as possible while in any given area
- free
public educational workshops
- an
institutional-community show, when possible, and
- a
rip-roaring, balls o' fire, all the bells and whistles, vaudeville
variety show
Philosophy
The
NOTC is an intentional community of performers, friends, and
family whose commitment to each other, to humor, to the free
exchange of ideas between communities, and to vaudeville as
a viable and entertaining art form is paramount.
Our tenets include:
- A
strongly held belief that the arts are an integral force in
education
- Cultural
and geographic isolation should not prevent the arts from
being accessible and affordable
- The
cultivation and everyday application of creativity inspires
and revives community spirit
- We
believe in the seriousness of laughter
- Through
entertainment and the sharing of information, communities
of people can be brought together and mutually enriched, highlighting
our common interests and thus strengthening our connections
Board
Of Directors
The
board of directors consists of seven members who oversee the financial
and legal structure of the organization. The board meets quarterly,
in person, and monthly, via teleconference.
Heather Weihl, President: Doctor of Veterinary Medicine,
Seattle, Washington. Heather has been active with NOTC since 1989
as a trombone player for The Fighting Instruments of Karma and
steering director for the Who-Am-Us Committee. Heather coordinates
Workshop and detention facility programs on tour, and assumes
leadership roles with special projects such as producing NOTC's
Public Service Announcements and organizing a year 2000 summer
retreat.
Related
activities:
- Community
Educator, Cambridge Center for Adult Education, Cambridge, MA.
- Teaching
pet owners about animal health care
- Volunteer
at the New England Aquarium caring for harbor seals and assisting
research projects
- Entertainer
at the Oregon Country Fair since 1989.
Paul Magid, Vice President: Founding member of the Flying
Karamazov Brothers and the New Old Time Chautauqua, Paul has been
a touring member of NOTC since its inception. In addition to his
roles as show emcee, performer, band member, and workshop leader,
Paul helps coordinate the details of both the tour and regional
shows.
Related
activities:
- Paul
is the author of seven theatre plays, four screenplays, and
a teleplay.
- He
has received an Ovation Award nomination, an OBIE Award, a London
Olivier nomination, and an Emmy.
- As
a member of the Flying Karamazov Brothers he has been on Broadway
six times and appeared on stages throughout Europe, Asia, Australia,
and the Middle East.
- Costarred
in 20th Century Fox's "The Jewel of the Nile"
- Appeared
on many TV shows including "The Seinfeld Show", "Ellen", and
numerous talk shows, from "The Today Show" to "The Tonight Show".
Nancy Levidow, Treasurer, maintains the financial and
organizational databases for NOTC and provides leadership in development
and planning efforts. She joined the touring group in 1991. On
tour she plays flute and piccolo with the house band, the Fighting
Instruments Of Karma Marching Chamber Band/Orchestra, teaches
the juggling workshops, and strives to keep the Big Board up to
date. She was primarily responsible for NOTC's funding from the
National Endowment for the Arts in 2003. In San Francisco, CA,
she works as an event producer, facilitates team-building activities
with San Francisco Treasure Hunts, and does political research.
Related
Activities:
- Served
on funding panels for the National Endowment for the Arts and
the California Arts Council.
- Former
Vice President of the San Francisco Arts Democratic Club which
works to improve arts funding and policies locally and statewide.
- Former
Managing Director of 'A Traveling Jewish Theatre' and 'El Teatro
de la Esperanza.'
- Has
consulted with numerous San Francisco Bay Area theater, dance,
and arts advocacy organizations in booking, touring, grant writing,
and event production.
Chelsea BearJones, Director, comes to the board as an early
education professional by day, and stage manager by night. On
tour, Chelsea has been known to be helping in the kitchen, being
with the kids on tour, parading with banners, stage managing,
and working behind the scenes in many ways. At home, in Seattle,
Washington, Chelsea is very involved in the early education community
as well in other local arts and circus organizations. On the board,
Chelsea helps NOTC fulfill its mission by publishing and distributing
the Chit Chat newsletter (with help) and doing other day-to-day
tasks that keep our organization running! Secretary: Early Educational
Specialist, Ballard First Lutheran Childcare, touring member of
NOTC since 1992, publisher of the quarterly NOTC "Chit Chat" newsletter,
stage manager, and coordinator of the "kid parade" while on tour.
Karl Meyer, Credit Manager, Yak Magik Incorporated, Founder
of Nobody's Fools juggling troupe, former General Manager for
NOTC, and touring member since 1990. Karl has organized, promoted,
and produced annual regional shows in the Puget Sound area of
Washington State. He serves as a workshop presenter on tour and
a year-round performer. His alter-ego, Karlo Noodlini, assists
him in his performances.
Related
Activities:
- BA
in Human Ecology, Fairhaven College, Bellingham, Washington
- Member
of the juggling troupe Nobody's Fools since 1985
- Organizer
for the regional Earth Day celebration
- Volunteer
and conference organizer for the Peace Resource Center
- Performer
at the Oregon Country Fair since 1993.
Joanne S. Murayama, Vice President, is honored to be a cofounder
of the New Old Time Chautauqua. In early spring of 1981, the Flying
Karamazov Brothers and their spouses dined with Patch Adams and
folks from the Gesundheit Institute. Ideas and juggling implements
were tossed around and what resulted was a dream of a zany Vaudeville-Medicine
Show (a touring show of interactive workshops and shows). Voila!
Chautauqua was born. Although much has evolved and changed, the
mission remains the same - Building Community with Laughter, Entertainment
and Education. On tour, Joannie's passion is creating partnerships
with Chautauqua's host communities through service and performances
for people in institutions (hospitals, nursing homes, jails, juvenile
detention centers). She is the on-tour bookkeeper and bank. She
also leads the "Community Quilts Workshop", in which
baby quilts are made and donated to local at-risk infants.
Related
Activities:
- Port
Townsend-Bay St. Louis, Mississippi Sister City Project--Committee
Member
- Hurricane
Katrina Bus Transportation Project--sponsored by the New Old
Time Chautauqua, Committee member and bookkeeper
- Centrum
Center for the Arts--Access and the Arts--Committee Member,
Port Townsend, WA
- DASH
(Disability Awareness Starts Here)--Board Member, Port Townsend,
WA
- Port
Townsend Art Commission--former Commissioner
- Lawton
Elementary School--former Fiber Arts Instructor, Seattle, WA
Kate Martin, a nonvoting member of the Board of Directors,
Kate has an extensive background with nonprofit organizations,
community development, and volunteer coordination. She has worked
in the fields of education and social work with a focus on youth
programs. Kate currently administers a $100,000 Academic Mentoring
Grant through the Office of the Secretary for Education at Eureka
High School in Eureka, California.
Related
Activities:
- Successful
grant procurer for three nonprofit organizations
- Workshop
presenter for the Department of Alcohol and Other Drugs Program
- Board
member for an Independent Living Skills program for the developmentally
disabled
- Former
Peace Corps Volunteer
Advisory
Board
Patch
Adams: Medical Doctor and Founder of the Gesundheidt Institute
in Arlington, Virginia. Patch is one of the founders of NOTC and
former workshop leader in the area of health.
Peter
Alsop: Singer/Songwriter, PhD in Psychology, and Certified
Experiential Therapist. Peter has been involved with NOTC since
1986 and assisted the Chautauqua Board in the area of development.
Tim
Furst (aka Fyodor Karamazov): is a cofounder of the New Old
Time Chautauqua and a founding member of The Flying Karamazov
Brothers. He has been a professional juggler/performer for over
30 years, is on the Board of Directors of the International Jugglers'
Association, and is the former USA representative to the European
Juggling Association. On the Chautauqua tours he drives the bus,
leads the parades, and fixes the showers.
U.
Utah Phillips: "Tramp philosopher" and folksinger. Utah
has toured with our Chautauqua as a performer and workshop leader
and currently participates in regional shows on an intermittent
basis.
Danny
Rifkin:
Executive Director of Project AVARY, San Rafael, California. Danny
is a former NOTC General Manager, providing ongoing aid to the
current General Manager and Board.
Mark
Warren: M.D., M.P.H. Vice-Chair, Department of Psychiatry,
Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, and Medical
Director for the University Hospitals Health Systems. Mark is
a founding father of Chautauqua and former workshop leader in
the area of health.
Andrea
Williams: served on the NOTC Board of Directors from 2000-2004
as a Youth Representative. She currently works for Bread and Roses
in Olympia, WA, as an advocate for the homeless, low income and
marginalized of Thurston County, WA. She also serves as board
member of Done and Done and of The Gleaners Coalition, both in
Olympia, WA. On Chautauqua, Andrea has acted as Stage Manager,
Child Care Coordinator, General Grunt Laborer and has facilitated
workshops in Samba Music and Dance and in Educational Street Theatre.
Dr.
William G. Wolf: ND, Lac., William is a workshop leader and
coordinates the "medicine show" element of NOTC.
Who-Am-Us
Committee
This
committee reviews tour applications and selects tour participants
for any given year, ensuring that logistical needs of the tour
are met while balancing skills, talents, and personalities of
the participants.
