The Museum on Main invites you to the 2026 Ed Kinney series, "An Afternoon or Evening With ..." This series is a monthly program of historical character portrayals and speakers. 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 question and answer portion, and finally will step out of character to answer questions that the historic character they portray could not address. Museum on Main’s annual series is named in honor of former Pleasanton Mayor Ed Kinney.

Event Details

The museum is hosting its seventeenth season of the Ed Kinney Speaker Series. Performances will be offered both virtual viewings and in person performances at the Firehouse Arts Center, 603 Main Street, Pleasanton, with shows at 2:00 pm and 7:00 pm. Virtual Viewing ticket holders will be emailed a link to watch the recording, one week after the in-person live performance and may access the recording using an “On Demand” webinar format. Participants can watch the recording on the day of the virtual viewing at any time that is convenient. The live in-person performance schedule is as follows:

• An Afternoon or Evening with ... ​ ​Sojourner Truth
  February 26th / Virtual Viewing March 5th
  Madelyn Porter brings to life the formidable spirit of Sojourner Truth, one of the 19th century's most powerful advocates for human rights. In this compelling portrayal, witness the journey of the woman born into slavery as Isabella Baumfree, who escaped bondage. She transformed herself into an itinerant preacher and outspoken champion of abolition and women's rights. ​

• An Afternoon or Evening with ... Revolutionary War Spy
  March 26th / Virtual Viewing April 2nd
  James Armistead brings to life the story of his ancestor who, with the permission of his enslaver, volunteered to serve under the Marquis de Lafayette in 1781. Posing as a runaway, James successfully infiltrated British camps, gaining the trust of top commanders Lord Cornwallis and the notorious traitor Benedict Arnold.

• An Afternoon or Evening with ... ​Grace O'Malley
  April 30th / Virtual Viewing May 7th
  ​Irish legend abounds with stories of Grace O'Malley (portrayed by Karen Vuranch), a pirate queen who sailed the high seas in the 16th century. She commanded an army of men and remained a leading political figure in a time when few women held any personal power. 

• An Afternoon or Evening with ... ​​ ​Lizzie Borden
  May 7th / Virtual Viewing May 14th
  One of the most notorious murders of the 19th Century. Andrew and Abby Borden's daughter Lizzie, portrayed by Kim Harris, was arrested and stood trial for the murder of her parents, but was eventually acquitted. However, public opinion maintained that she was guilty, and therefore no other suspect was ever sought out.

• An Afternoon or Evening with ... J.F.K
  June 4th / Virtual Viewing June 11th
  John F. Kennedy stood at a crossroads in the summer of 1963. Inspired by Robert Frost’s call to lead with both poetry and power, Jeremy Meier portrays JFK in the final and defining year of his presidency. ​

• An Afternoon or Evening with ... Tina Turner
  August 6th / Virtual Viewing August 13th 
  Tina Turner was born Anna Mae Bullock in Nutbush, Tennessee, rose from modest beginnings and endured years of hardship, heartbreak, and challenge before becoming the electrifying “Queen of Rock & Roll.” .

• An Afternoon or Evening with ... ​Elizabeth Packard
  September 17th / Virtual Viewing September 24th
  Elizabeth Packard was committed to the Illinois State Hospital, the state mental asylum in 1860, and kept under lock and key for three years, all the while protesting her sanity. Packard's legacy is rooted in her unwavering commitment to justice making her a key figure in the early women's rights movement and mental health reform.​s.

• An Afternoon or Evening with ... ​Audrey Hepburn
  October 1st / Virtual Viewing October 8th
  In The Shadow of the Raven begins as Edgar Allan Poe rises from the scene of his mysterious death and continues as he pieces together the events of his life. Using a combination of biographical information and the dramatic interpretation of Poe’s literature, Duffy Hudson provides a unique, in-depth theatrical experience of the life and works of one of America’s best-known and enigmatic personalities.

• An Afternoon or Evening with ... P.T. Barnum
  November 19th / Virtual Viewing December 3rd
  Doug Mishler's portrayal of "P.T. Barnum: Something of a Humbug," explores the life of the famous showman, from his business tactics to his political career as a Connecticut state legislator and mayor of Bridgeport. 

Ticketing

Tickets are $20 for Firehouse Art Center members and are on sale at: www.paybee.io/quickpay.html?handle=mom&ppid=42#optionList. General Admission tickets are $30 and may be purchased at: www.museumonmain.org/ed-kinney-series-an-evening-with.html.

Additional Information

Additional information on this event is available. For details, please refer to the Museum on Main representative below.

Contact Information

Museum on Main
603 Main Street, Pleasanton, California  94566
(925) 462-2766 phone
education@musuemonmain.org e-mail     www.museumonmain.org WWW

Hacienda Owners Association
4305 Hacienda Drive, Suite 330, Pleasanton, California  94588-2738
(925) 734-6500 phone     (925) 734-6501 fax
info@hacienda.org e-mail     www.hacienda.org WWW