WEST LIBERTY — Relive the elegant setting and intellectual entertainment of a 19th century literary salon at Mac-O-Chee Castle. The original owners of the home, Donn and Ella Piatt, were known for their amusing gatherings where guests enjoyed learning through conversations. Like them, you can relax and converse in the first floor drawing room-library and in the second floor den as you attend up to four presentations comprising the “Second Salon at Mac-O-Chee.” The topic will be the life and poetry of Sarah Morgan Bryan Piatt.
The salon will be held on Saturday, August 12, from 2-4 p.m. The four speakers include Elizabeth Renker, a professor of English at Ohio State University who teaches and publishes many 19th century literary subjects including Sarah Piatt; Larry Michaels, a Lutheran pastor, poet, former English teacher and author of a book about Sarah Piatt; Michelle Cornell, actress and drama educator portraying Sarah Piatt; and Sean E. Andres, a marketer, writer and former educator now working on a public initiative in the greater Cincinnati area to revive interest in Sarah Piatt and other women through a new website, Queens of Queen City.
In 25-minute segments called conversations, each of the four speakers will present a 15-minute program followed by a discussion scheduled on the half-hour, beginning at 2 p.m. with the last one at 3:30 p.m. During the salon, Mac-O-Chee Castle will be open free for anyone who attends, even those who do not join Salon conversations. Local English teachers are encouraged to attend the 2 p.m. conversation for a preview of a free in-school program called “Literary Masters.”
The school program, salon and free admissions on August 12 are possible due to a grant from the Mary Eleanor Morris Fund of the Columbus Foundation and donations to the Mac-A-Cheek Foundation for the Humanities, a non-profit educational organization. For more information contact Margaret Piatt at 937-844-3902 or [email protected] or visit www.piattcastles.com. Mac-O-Chee Castle is located at 2319 State Route 287, West Liberty, Ohio.
