By Claudia Loucks
Geneseo Current
For centuries women have adorned their heads and framed their faces with hats and head coverings. What was the reason?
That question will be answered at 2 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 19, at the Geneseo Public Library when Elizabeth Carlson, known as “Ellie,” will present a program on hats through the years.
Carlson is a historian and performer who gives lectures, workshops, and programs to groups on various topics including “Women’s Underwear (The Rise and Fall of it),” what it was like to be a schoolteacher during Laura Ingalls Wilder’s time, what it was like to be at Woodstock, and Women’s Suffrage.
She began taking children’s theater classes at the age of 11 and continued to work in theater through high school and college. She has performed or served in various capacities at Drury Lane, Chicago Opera Theater, Candlelight dinner Playhouse and Second City Children’s Theater. Combining theater and history in graduate school led Carlson to museum work.
She previously has presented several programs at the Geneseo Library and information received states that she “is a crowd pleaser…Her programs can be somewhat whimsical, especially those calling for first-0person interpretation, like the program she calls ‘Regretting Mr. Wright,’ about the married woman who fell in love with Frank Lloyd Wright. Another of her characters travels to her presentation in a time machine.”
The information from the library includes, “Anyone who owns a hat from long ago is asked to dust it off wear it! Then be prepared to share the story behind it. Ellie encourages audience participation.”
On a special note, at the conclusion of the program on Sept. 19, Carlson will be serving decorated sugar cookies that look like little hats.
