Arts and Entertainment

      Things to Do at Penn State: Dec. 10-20

      A selection of virtual and in-person cultural events happening at Penn State through the end of the fall semester

      Disabilities in literature is a part of a University Libraries virtual exhibit that explores the first 100 years of national disability rights legislation and the movement's impacts on the Penn State community, including the book "Accessing the Future: A Disability-themed Speculative Fiction Anthology" with cover illustration by Robin E. Kaplan. Credit: Penn State. Creative Commons

      Editor's Note: This is the final edition of "Things to Do at Penn State" for the fall 2020 semester. "Things to Do at Penn State" will resume publication with the start of classes in spring 2021.

      What's happening at Penn State? Here's a look at some of the cultural events — both in-person and virtual — taking place at the University for the remainder of the fall semester:

      Performances

      "She Kills Monsters: Virtual Realms" — 7 p.m., Dec. 11 and 12 via Zoom. The Penn State Fayette student theater group will present the story of Agnes Evans as she leaves her childhood home in Ohio following the death of her teenage sister, Tilly. When Agnes finds Tilly’s "Dungeons & Dragons" notebook, however, she stumbles into a journey of discovery and action-packed adventure in the imaginary world that was Tilly’s refuge. Free.

      "Great Russian Nutcracker" — 8 p.m., Dec. 19, via livestream. The Pullo Family Performing Arts Center at Penn State York presents the Moscow Ballet's "Great Russian Nutcracker."

      Jim Brickman: "Comfort & Joy at Home 2020" — 1 p.m., Dec. 20, via livestream. Songwriter and pianist Jim Brickman performs virtual concerts, complete with interactive Zoom rooms, meet-and-greets and gifts delivered to viewers' doors. A portion of each ticket price benefits the Pullo Family Performing Arts Center at Penn State York.

      Events

      Crossing Bridges Summit: "Socioeconomic Environmental Perspectives on Black Women's Health" — 3 p.m., Dec. 10, via livestream. Penn State Greater Allegheny continues its series of panel discussions on medical perspectives on Black women's health. Free.

      "Energy University: Concept and Current Activities" — 9 a.m., Dec. 11, via livestream. Penn State kicks off a series of energy forums to discuss how the University can continue its efforts as an energy leader. Free, but registration required.

      Exhibits

      "Red" — Through Dec. 10, online. The Penn State Berks Freyberger Gallery kicks off a series of virtual exhibitions with "Red," featuring 22 artists with drawings, paintings, fabric arts and photography with red as the predominant color. Free.

      THON logo exhibition — Online. The THON website is featuring a virtual gallery showcasing logos from previous events, as well as profiles of each student designer. Free.

      "Celebrating the ADA: The Legacy and Evolution of Disability Rights and Lived Experience at Penn State" — Online. The University Libraries virtual exhibit explores the first 100 years of national disability rights legislation and the movement's impact on the Penn State community. Free.

      "African Brilliance: A Diplomat's Sixty Years of Collecting" Online Catalogue — Online. A digital catalogue of African works collected by retired U.S. ambassador Allen C. Davis, including text entries, high-resolution 360-degree images and contextual videos at the Palmer Museum of Art. Free.

      "African Brilliance" Virtual Tour — Online. Explore an interactive tour created with teachers, students and families in mind. The tour includes installation images, pictures of selected works, videos for guided viewing and related art-making activity suggestions. Free.

      "Drawing on a Legacy: Highlights from the John Driscoll American Drawings Collection" — Online. High-resolution images, text selections and a photo gallery of works on paper donated by Penn State alumnus John P. Driscoll, including early landscape views and botanical sketches, animal scenes and still lives, and portraits and preparatory figure studies. The works include a number of well-known 19th-century American artists. Free.

      "Photography=Abstraction" — Online. The Palmer Museum of Art's virtual pop-up exhibition is an interactive gallery with images, text and informational videos for selected works. Free, Google Chrome browser recommended.

      Snowiss Gallery of American Art — Online. Tour the Palmer Museum of Art's first-floor Snowiss Gallery. Free.

      "Women in Art: Activism and Resistance" virtual tour — Online. This self-directed, interactive online tour features a selection of objects by female artists in the Palmer Museum of Art's collection. In celebration of the centennial of the 19th Amendment, this tour highlights artists working in a variety of media during the 20th and 21st centuries who have contributed to political, social and cultural change. Free.

      "Human Expectations" — Through Jan. 31, 2021, Display Cases, HUB-Robeson Galleries, University Park campus. Four artists explore the form of the human head in ceramic, neon and glass. Free.

      "Border Exchange" — Through Jan. 31, 2021, Display Cases, HUB-Robeson Galleries, University Park campus. The exhibition pairs two of artist Carlos Rosales-Silva's paintings with a site-responsive wall painting. Free.

      "Small Planet" — Through January 2022, HUB-Robeson Galleries, University Park campus. The HUB-Robeson Center has commissioned a site-specific wall painting located in the first-floor eateries by artist Katherine Tzu-Lan Mann titled "Small Planet." Free.

      Last Updated December 9, 2020

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