10/18/2025
Kate Livie - Saltwater Showmen: The James Adams Floating Theater, 1914-1941
Join Chesapeake author and historian Kate Livie for a presentation about the "Chesapeake's Showboat," The James Adams Floating Theater. From 1914 to 1941, the James Adams Floating Theater enchanted riverside small towns and cities throughout the Chesapeake’s tributaries with theater productions, musicals, and other entertainment. Long after its circuit was abandoned for motion pictures, the legacy of the magical little showboat lived on in the memories of its audiences. In her talk, Livie will share images, stories, and history about the Floating Theater, its national impact, and the ways it shaped life in the Chesapeake for almost 30 years.