ALTOONA, Pa. — Penn State Altoona will offer a performance of "And It Begins Like This," an adaptation of LaTanya McQueen’s book by the same name. Performances will be held at 7:30 p.m. Oct. 23–25 and at 2 p.m. Oct. 26 in the Paul R. and Margery Wolf Kuhn Theatre in the Misciagna Family Center for Performing Arts.

Tickets are $5 for Penn State Altoona students and $7 general admission. Children under age 12 are free and should be accompanied by an adult.

"And It Begins Like This," Penn State Altoona’s Common Read for the 2019-20 academic year, is a collection of essays reflecting on the nation’s history of racism through a retrospective of McQueen’s family and personal experiences. Director Naomi Baker, assistant teaching professor of theatre and integrative arts, adapted the book for the stage.

“This is a very different kind of theatre than most are accustomed to seeing,” she said. “We will employ multimedia representations, along with live actors, singers and even a few puppets. While the piece does include some difficult topics and imagery, I believe that it will be a powerful experience for both the creators and the audience.”

Tickets for may be purchased at the Misciagna box office, open 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday through Thursday, and before and during all performances. For further information, call the box office at 814-949-5452.