The Newnan-Coweta Historical Society and Dunaway Gardens are pleased to welcome Dr. Charlotte Canning of the University of Texas at Austin as our guest speaker at a special event planned for Sunday, Sept. 13, at 1:30 p.m. at the Dunaway Gardens in Roscoe.
Dr. Canning will speak about the early days of theatre in the United States and the American Chautauqua Circuit, and especially the roles played by women such as Hetty Jane Dunaway, local founder of Dunaway Gardens and Chautauqua Circuit Performer, and Sarah Ophelia Colley Cannon, better known as “Minnie Pearl” of the Grand Ol’ Opry and “Hee Haw” fame, who first developed her character in Newnan while with the Sewell Production Company in Roscoe.
This event is part of a series of events sponsored by the Georgia Humanities through a grant. The series, called “The Reel Past,” has focused on Newnan’s Hollywood connections. The Sept. 13 event will also feature an abridged reading of Hetty Jane Dunaway’s original play, “The Flapper Grandmother,” starring Jennifer Dorrell and the Newnan Theatre Company players. Artifacts and photos from the early days of Dunaway Gardens and the Sewell Production Company will also be on a “one day only” display.
For more information, visit www.newnancowetahistoricalsociety.com.
