The Scholars

George Frein, Ph.D., who will portray Herman Melville, is Artistic Director for the Greenville Chautauqua Society and Director of the National Chautauqua Tour, Professor Emeritus of Philosophy and Religion at the University of North Dakota and a 19 year Chautauqua veteran, having portrayed Father P.J. De Smet, S. J., Henry Adams, Herman Melville, Mark Twain, John Adams and John Winthrop. He is currently an adjunct Professor of Religion at Furman University.

George lives in Greenville with his wife, Shelley, and their two children, Nathan and Alice.

George spent the 2004-2005 school year at St. John's University in Collegeville in Minnesota were his wife, Shelly, is a resident scholar at the Institute for Ecumenical and Cultural Studies while on Sabbatical leave from Furman.

Becky Stone, M. A., is a graduate of Vassar College where she majored in drama and French. Her Masters degree is from Villanova University. She is an independent scholar who has written and performed her own dramatic works. She is an experienced actor, especially well-known to Asheville, North Carolina audiences. Becky is also an accomplished story teller with a following throughout North Carolina. In the Greenville/Asheville Chautauqua in 2003, she portrayed lawyer, poet, priest Pauli Murray. In this Chautauqua she will be the Harriet Tubman scholar..

Jeff Smith, Ph. D., is an associate Professor of History at Lindenwood University, St. Charles, Missouri. He earned his B.A. from Mount Union College, his M.F.A. from Syracuse University and his Ph.D. from the University of Akron in history. He teaches courses in United States history. For four summer seasons Jeff portrayed Andrew Carnegie and then for three more seasons he presented William Clark for the Great Plains Chautauqua Society. In this project Jeff will present the story of the Lewis and Clark expedition in the role of William Clark.

Will Goins, Ph. D., is a descendant of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians and Chief of the Cherokee Indian Tribe of South Carolina. Will is a folklorist, cultural presenter, storyteller, chanter-singer, dancer, artist, educator, and arts administrator. His B.A. is in Communications and his Ph.D. is in Anthropology from Penn. State University. Dr. Goins is a member Speaker?s Bureau of the Humanities CouncilSC . In this Chautauqua Dr. Goins will present the Cherokee Chief John Ross or another Cherokee yet to be chosen