The Ed Kinney Series presents  An Evening With...

About the Series

The Ed Kinney Series is a monthly program of historical character portrayals and speakers.  Spend an evening with historic characters such as Mark Twain or Babe Ruth and hear from speakers who are experts in their fields.

Many of the speakers in the series are Chautauquans, a type of historical character performance originating in Chautauqua, New York.  The Chautauquan is in character from the moment they step onto the stage, through a Q & A portion, and finally will step out of character to answer questions that the historic character they portray could not address.

Members of Museum on Main receive Lecture Passes for entry to their choice of lectures as well as discounts beyond their passes.  Become a member of Museum on Main today!

Special thanks to Michael Bruner of Hope Boat Productions for video services. www.hopeboatproductions.com.   DVDs of select lectures are available for purchase at the Museum on Main Gift Shop.

Location and Tickets

Location: All lectures in the Ed Kinney Series take place at:

The Firehouse Arts Center 
4444 Railroad Avenue
Pleasanton, CA 94566

Tickets:
All ticketing for the "An Evening With..." Speakers Series is through Museum on Main.

$10    General Admission
 $7     Seniors
 $5     Members & Seniors
 $3     Students/Teachers with ID

General admission tickets may be purchased in person at Museum on Main during regular operating hours or by phoning Museum on Main at (925) 462-2766.  Tickets purchased by phone will be available for pick up at Will Call in the lobby of the Firehouse Arts Center on the evening of the event.  Tickets may be available at the event subject to availability.  Cash, check, Visa and MasterCard accepted.

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Who Was Ed Kinney?

Museum on Main’s annual speakers series is named after Ed Kinney.

Mr.Kinney was a former mayor of Pleasanton and is often remembered as the emcee of the parades in the downtown where he broadcast from the balcony of the Pleasanton Hotel. Mr. Kinney was a resident of Pleasanton for many years and was a wonderful advocate for the city. His involvement and service to the city inspired both the Ed Kinney lecture series and the Ed Kinney Community Patriot Award.

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The 2014 Ed Kinney Series presents...

An Evening with Mark Twain:
A Musical Journey Out West
Tuesday, January 14th, 7pm

The 2014 season kicks off with a musically entertaining visit from humorist and author Samuel Langhorne Clemens, also known as Mark Twain.  Pat Kaunert, portraying Twain, is accompanied by musician Dave Rainwater.

An Evening with Hugh Liang: Eyewitness
to the 1906 San Francisco Earthquake & Fire 
Tuesday, February 4th, 7pm

The 1906 San Francisco Earthquake and subsequent fire destroyed nearly all of Chinatown.  Unknown numbers of the 14,000 Chinatown residents were killed in the fire and the rest were displaced from their homes.  The role of Chinatown resident Hugh Liang, eyewitness to the devastating fire, will be portrayed by Charlie Chin.

An Evening with Author Steve Minnear:
Dublin & The Tri-Valley, The WWII Years
Tuesday, March 11th, 7pm

Steve Minnear is the author of the new Arcadia Publishing book on the military base and hospital activities in Camp Parks and Camp Shoemaker of Dublin during WWII.  Minnear will speak about his research for the book, will show rarely seen images from the period, and will discuss how the WWII shaped the landscape of Pleasanton.  Books will be available for purchase and signature following the program.

Event Cancelled
An Evening with Seabiscuit Historian: Jani Buron
Tuesday, April 8th, 7pm

Unfortunately, Jani Buron will be unable to speak at the Firehouse this April.  We do plan to invite her out again next year!

If you are in possession of tickets for this event please contact us so we may make arrangements to refund your money or exchange for another upcoming speakers series event.

An Evening with Civil War Researcher Ernie Manzo:
Bay Area Civil War Batteries & Forts
Tuesday, May 13th, 7pm

Civil War researcher Ernie Manzo discusses the Civil War Era batteries and forts that surrounded the San Francisco Bay Area.  Most notable was the Presidio, the nerve center of a coastal defense system that included Fort Point, Alcatraz and Angel Island.


 

An Evening with King Henry VIII
Tuesday, June 10th, 7pm

Once described as one of the most charismatic rulers to sit on the English throne, King Henry VIII is known in modern times for his six marriages and his role in the separation of the Church of England from the Roman Catholic Church.  Frank Mullen, journalism teacher at the University of Nevada, portrays King Henry VIII.

An Evening with Donner Party Survivor:
Margaret Breen
Tuesday, July 8th, 7pm

Dr. Doris Dwyer takes the stage as Margaret Breen, a member of the ill-fated Donner Party.  Breen joined the California wagon train of 81 pioneers who in 1846 found themselves trapped in the snow in the Sierra Nevada.  Dwyer is a PhD in American History and is a history professor for Western Nevada College.

An Evening with Henry Ford
Tuesday, August 12th, 7pm

American cultural history professor Dr. Doug Mishler takes the stage as American industrialist and founder of the Ford Motor Company, Henry Ford.  As Ford, Mishler will explore Ford’s many sides including his support of welfare capitalism and his political positions during WWI and WWII.

An Evening with Architect Charles Huff, AIA
Tuesday, September 9th, 7pm

Join Pleasanton Architect Charles Huff in a presentation on the architecture of
Historic Downtown Pleasanton.  Huff will discuss the architecture, renovation, and restoration projects of key Pleasanton structures over the years.  He will particularly address the building at 603 Main Street, originally built in 1914 as Pleasanton’s Town Hall, now home to Museum on Main.


 

 
 

An Evening with Albert Einstein
Tuesday, October 21st, 7pm

The season closes with Broadway and film actor Duffy Hudson in a highly anticipated return performance to Pleasanton as Albert Einstein, the great scientific thinker who revolutionized physics.


 

For more information on the Ed Kinney Series or speakers taking part in the series, contact
Jennifer Amiel, Director of Education at (925) 462-2766 or education@museumonmain.org.