Clay Jenkinson, perhaps best known for his portrayal of the nation's third president, Thomas Jefferson, said he's always wanted to speak from a Shakespearean stage.

This summer, Jenkinson and others will have that opportunity, as they present the inaugural Lake Tahoe Chautauqua Festival on July 7 and 8 on the stage at Sand Harbor.

"I'm very confident there's an audience at Tahoe," Jenkinson said. He said Lyn Karol, Incline resident and Realtor, has single-handedly done the work of an entire committee.

"We've wanted to get Chautauqua to Tahoe for years, and I'm grateful for all of her efforts," he said.

Jenkins introduced Chautauqua to Nevadans when he moved to the state 10 years ago. The Great Basin Chautauqua, in Reno, now draws an audience of 1,300 for four days each summer under a huge tent in San Rafael Park.

"The atmosphere is festive, playful," Jenkinson said, adding, "There's something about a tent."

"It's a magic envelope," he added. Not everyone would go into a church for the performances, or even a school, he said.

"I love the circus of learning. People bring tables and set up grand picnics," Jenkinson said.

"People sit next to each other who wouldn't in a different setting," he added.

"It's a true populist event," Jenkinson said. "Those who would never go to a lecture about history don't mind listening to me be Thomas Jefferson or Meriwether Lewis or William Shirer."

The performances reach people almost without their realizing they've been taught something. Although the primary aim of a Chautauqua is to present accurate information, to stimulate thought, a secondary goal is to entertain, Jenkinson explained.

"They're tricked into history," he quipped. In fact, he added, "One of the reasons I do this is it keeps me learning."

While performing "A Rendezvous with Destiny: 1932-1945" at the Las Vegas Chautauqua earlier this month, Jenkinson said he was awed by the performance of Eleanor Roosevelt.

"She was so convincing. I completely suspended my disbelief," during the performance, he added. Jenkinson also was delighted to see the Harry Truman performance, from someone he hadn't seen perform before.

"It was inspiring. He was first-rate," he said.

Jenkinson will be portraying author William Shirer, and through that work will unveil some of what happened in Germany during WWII.

"I decided we could not portray Hitler. It would be too hurtful," Jenkinson said. In addition, Shirer's book discloses much of Hitler's life.

The Nevada Humanities Committee wanted to focus on the World War Two era because of the rate those survivors are dying, he explained. The topic choice often is topical, he added.

A Chautauqua involves more than an audience's enjoying the portrayal of a famous person, such as when McAvoy Layne plays the role of Mark Twain. It involves audience participation, Jenkinson said.

"There's something for everyone. If someone doesn't like a performance, they like the question-and-answer time," he added.

After the performance, the presenter breaks character and answers questions from the audience as him or her self.

Jenkinson formulated the structure with the man he considers the founder of the modern Chautauqua movement, Everett Alders, a professor and member of the North Dakota Humanities Committee.

"He started these in conjunction with the nation's bicentennial, in 1976," he explained. "It is meant to be a combination of recitation and participation," he added.

That the Chautauqua movement has spread into 25 states is testimony to the intelligence of the American people, according to Jenkinson.

Although it might take a while to get large audiences attending the Sand Harbor festival regularly does not bother Jenkinson.

"This is only the fourth year in Las Vegas, and we've finally got 300," Jenkinson said.

There's no question Chautauqua has changed Clay Jenkinson's life.

"The American public has an infinite appetite for Jefferson," he said. Jenkinson admitted he is still fascinated by the man. "I'll never know him completely," he added.

"There has to be a resonance of some sort" he said, to portray a person.

"The Jefferson Hour" is resuming on the July 4 weekend and it will be stronger and better than ever with former host Bill Crystal returning, he added.

There is still opportunity for people to volunteer for the Lake Tahoe Chautauqua Festival. The evening programs, the Young Chautauqua performances during the daytime and the follow-up discussion groups are among the festival activities.

For more information, contact Lyn Karol at (775) 831-1515.