What's happening at Penn State? Here's a look at some of the cultural events — both in-person and virtual — taking place across the University:
Performances
"Emilia" — Through April 22, Pavilion Theatre, University Park campus. Penn State Centre Stage will produce Morgan Lloyd Malcolm's "Emilia," a story of Emilia Bassano Lanier, a writer of radical feminist poetry who lived during the English Renaissance period in Bishopsgate, London, England.
"Shared Earth" — 7:30 p.m., April 13 and 14; Wolf Kuhn Theatre, Misciagna Family Center for Performing Arts, Penn State Altoona. The Ivyside Dance Ensemble will present its spring concert with Allied Motion Dance Company. Free.
"Fiddler on the Roof" — 7:30 p.m., April 18, Eisenhower Auditorium, University Park campus. Rich with musical hits including "Tradition," "If I Were a Rich Man," "Sunrise, Sunset," "Matchmaker, Matchmaker," and "To Life," "Fiddler on the Roof" — starting Israeli native and Penn State School of Theatre alumnus Jonathan Hashmonay as Tevye — is the heartwarming story of fathers and daughters, husbands and wives, and love and laughter.
"Cabaret" — Multiple performances, April 19-21, Mukund S. Kulkarni Theatre, Student Enrichment Center building, Penn State Harrisburg. The Penn State Harrisburg School of Humanities will present its spring musical, "Cabaret." The musical is set in 1931 Berlin amid the seedy nightlife of the Kit Kat club, where a young American writer becomes infatuated with an English cabaret performer in the midst of the Nazi Party's rise to power.
Takács Quartet — 7:30 p.m., April 20, Recital Hall, University Park campus. Now in its 48th season, the Grammy Award-winning Takács Quartet earns widespread acclaim as one of the world's best chamber ensembles. The quartet is joined by Julien Labro, the foremost bandoneón and accordion player of his generation.
"Political Song-a-Palooza" — 7 p.m., April 20, The State Theatre, downtown State College. A musical event sponsored by Penn State University Libraries to showcase new, old and original political or protest music performed by students and other Penn State community members. Free. Registration required.
Lectures
"Never mind traditional career paths — build your own!" — 11 a.m., April 13, 104 Hosler Building, University Park campus. As part of the Celebrating Women in Energy and Water Research seminar series, Jaquelin Cochran, director of the Grid Planning and Analysis Center at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) will chronical the world-spanning pursuit of her academic and geographic passions. Free.
"The Evolution of the Grid and Pathways to 100% Renewable Electricity" — 4 p.m., April 13, 157 Hosler Building, University Park campus. As part of the Celebrating Women in Energy and Water Research seminar series, Jaquelin Cochran, director of the Grid Planning and Analysis Center at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) will explore changes in the electric grid and the adaptions many utility companies and countries have made while on the road to 100% zero-carbon electricity. Free.
Charles W. Mann Jr. Lecture in the Book Arts — 4 p.m., April 13, Foster Auditorium, 102 Paterno Library, University Park campus. Keri Miki-Lani Schroeder, artist, writer and bookbinder, will serve as the distinguished speaker for the Penn State University Libraries' 2023 Charles W. Mann Jr. Lecture in the Book Arts. Free.
"Making room for our voices: Centering African Americans in mind-body intervention research and practice" — 4 p.m., April 13, 110 Henderson Building, University Park campus. Natalie Watson-Singleton, associate professor of psychology at Spelman College, will present the Edna Bennett Pierce Prevention Research Center's annual Lecture on Compassion. Free.
Poet Abby Minor reading — 6 p.m., April 13, Foster Auditorium, Paterno Library, University Park campus. Poet Abby Minor will offer a reading at Penn State as the final event in this year's Mary E. Rolling Reading Series. Free.
"Rare Earth Elements are not the only critical mineral commodities" — 3 p.m., April 14, Freeman Auditorium, HUB-Robeson Center and on Zoom. Elisa Alonso, a physical scientist at the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), will give the 2023 G. Albert Shoemaker Lecture in Mineral Engineering. Free.
EarthTalks: "Enabling Scientific Exploration of Space: NASA's Updated Planetary Protection Policies — 4 p.m., April 17, 112 Walker Building, University Park campus and Zoom. Elaine Seasly, deputy planetary protection officer at NASA, will discuss NASA's updated planetary protection policies as part of the Penn State Earth and Environmental Systems Institute (EESI) EarthTalks series. Free.
Expanding Empathy Speaker Series: Ways to Channel Empathy — 12:30 p.m., April 19, Zoom. As part of Rock Ethics Institute's 2023 Expanding Empathy Speaker Series, two lectures on ways to channel empathy will be presented. Anat Perry, director of the Social Cognitive Neuroscience Lab at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem will present "The Contribution of Different Information Channels to Empathy and Social Communication," and Antti Kauppinen, professor of practical philosophy at the University of Helsinki, will present "Empathy, Bias, and Manipulation." Free.
Forum Speaker Series: "True Tall Tales from Tanzania" — 11:30 a.m., April 20, Penn Stater Conference Center and Hotel, University Park campus. Derek Lee and Monica Bond, wildlife biologists, activists and Penn State Eberly College of Science professors will present "True Tall Tales from Tanzania."
Events
Campus Pride Month — Through April, various campuses. Penn State celebrates Campus Pride Month with a variety of events. Free.
Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention Month — Through April, University Park campus. The University Park Undergraduate Association (UPUA) is collaborating with the Penn State Gender Equity Center and other campus partners and student organizations to host programs, workshops and events to help educate the Penn State community and raise awareness. Free.
PS i(Heart)U Week — Through April 14, University Park campus. Hosted by the Blue & White Society, the student chapter of the Penn State Alumni Association, PS i(Heart)U Week encourages University pride and celebrates Penn State traditions with a week full of events and activities. Free.
"Compassion Week" — April 12-13, Henderson Building, University Park. For the seventh consecutive year, the Edna Bennett Pierce Prevention Research Center will host "Compassion Week," which features two public events featuring nationally recognized experts on public health, mindfulness and compassion. Free.
Café Laura Theme Dinner: The Hummus Palace: Habibi, Wake Up Your Taste Buds! — April 13, Café Laura, Mateer Building, University Park campus. Students in HM 430 Advanced Food Production and Service Management prepare a series of themed dinners throughout the semester to be served in the student-run Café Laura restaurant. Reservations required.
Blue-White Game and weekend activities — April 14-16, Various locations, University Park campus. The Blue-White Boardwalk, The official Penn State football game day fan festival known as the Blue-White Boardwalk; a public ice skating session and the annual Blue-White Game are among the weekend festivities.
2023 NCAA Men's Gymnastics Championship — April 14-15, Rec Hall, University Park campus. This will be the ninth time the Championship is held at Penn State in the history of the event.
"RU Curious?" An interview with Amara Solari — 10:30 a.m., April 15, Schlow Library, downtown State College. Micaela Wiehe, a graduate student in the history department, will interview Amara Solari, professor of art history and anthropology who studies objects created by Maya artists used during the Catholic conversion campaigns of the 16th and 17th centuries in the Yucatán Peninsula. The "RU Curious?" series is a partnership between Schlow Centre Region Library and Penn State's Office of Government and Community Relations designed to connect the State College community with Penn State research. Free.
Earth Day celebration — 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m., April 17, PAW Center, Penn State DuBois. The campus will mark Earth Day with a celebration that will feature educational exhibits and numerous local organizations and businesses that will be showcasing their sustainability efforts. Free.
Bike Safety 101 workshop — 6 p.m., April 19, the Bike Den, University Park campus. A bike safety workshop for Penn State students, faculty and staff, and local community members ages 18 and older, that will teach participants the rules of the road and bike safety skills. The workshop will conclude with a beginner-friendly course on which to practice. Participants must bring a bike and helmet. Free. Registration required.
Care Fair — Noon-3 p.m., April 19, 134 HUB-Robeson Center, University Park campus. Penn State will host a Care Fair to provide students with opportunities to reduce stress, practice meditation and support their overall well-being. Free.
Café Laura Theme Dinner: Kentucky Derby — April 19, Café Laura, Mateer Building, University Park campus. Students in HM 430 Advanced Food Production and Service Management prepare a series of themed dinners throughout the semester to be served in the student-run Café Laura restaurant. Reservations required.
Café Laura Theme Dinner: Elements: The Taste of Earth, Water, and Fire — April 20, Café Laura, Mateer Building, University Park campus. Students in HM 430 Advanced Food Production and Service Management prepare a series of themed dinners throughout the semester to be served in the student-run Café Laura restaurant. Reservations required.
"Night at the Museums" — 5-8 p.m., April 20, Various locations, University Park campus. Hosted by the Penn State Museum Consortium, "Night at the Museums" is a chance for students, staff, faculty and the community to visit a variety of unique and interesting museums across campus. Free.
Virtual exhibits
"Penn State Women's Athletics and Title IX: The Success and Struggles for Equal Access" — Through May. This University Libraries exhibit focuses on the impact Title IX legislation has had on Penn State women student-athletes. Free.
"African Brilliance and the Purpose of Art" — This interactive virtual tour accompanied the Palmer Museum of Art’s spring 2020 special exhibition "African Brilliance: A Diplomat’s Sixty Years of Collecting" and will remain available throughout the current academic year. Explore the exhibition installation, images of selected works, videos for guided viewing and related art-making activity suggestions. Free.
"Celebrating the ADA: The Legacy and Evolution of Disability Rights and Lived Experiences at Penn State" — 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.
"Global Asias: Contemporary Asian and Asian American Art from the Collections of Jordan D. Schnitzer and His Family Foundations" — This web-based, interactive program from the Palmer Museum of Art features guided video tours of selected exhibition artists in addition to an introductory overview by the curator. Learn about the “Global Asias” concept of personal and cultural identity in a contemporary world. Artists featured include: Jacob Hashimoto, Dinh Q. Lê, Hung Liu, Takashi Murakami, Roger Shimomura, Do Ho Suh and Rirkrit Tiranvanija. Free.
"Pandemic Spaces (1918 Edition)" — The University Libraries' virtual display explores architecture related to the devastating influenza epidemic of 1918. Free.
"Who Am I? Art and Identity" — This self-directed, interactive, online tour features a selection of objects from diverse areas of the Palmer Museum of Art’s collection, related through a common exploration of personal or cultural identity. Free.
"Women in Art: Activism + Resistance" — This self-directed, interactive, Palmer Museum of Art online tour is intended for college-level courses and features a selection of objects by female artists in the museum’s collection. In celebration of the centennial of the 19th Amendment, this tour highlights artists working in a variety of mediums during the 20th and 21st centuries who have contributed to political, social and cultural change. Free.
"The World According to Doyle: Editorial Cartoons from The Jerry Doyle Papers at Penn State" — This Penn State University Libraries digital exhibition examines Jerry Doyle, one of the preeminent editorial cartoonists of the 20th century. Free.
In-person exhibits
"Healing Through Transformational Art" — April 1-May 31, Friedman Art Gallery, Penn State Wilkes-Barre. The exhibit features artwork by members of Together We Initiate Growth & Stability (TWIGS), a Dallas-based organization that offers transformational art sessions to stimulate the mind and create a healthier thought process for those who participate. Free.
"Facing Forward: Portraits Looking to Our Future" — April 3-May 31, Henry Gallery, Penn State Great Valley. The exhibit focuses on portraiture to tell stories of inspiration, hope, challenge and change that face this time in history head-on. Free.
"What Were You Wearing?" — April 3-28, Williams Building, Penn State Fayette, The Eberly Campus. In honor of Sexual Assault Awareness Month, the powerful display features clothing replicas and accompanying stories from survivors of sexual assault, challenging the pervasive myth that what a person wears can contribute to or justify their assault. Free.
"50 Shades of Orange" — April 6-16, McLanahan Gallery, Misciagna Family Center for Performing Arts, Penn State Altoona. A body of work by visual art studies senior Amy Norris, "50 Shades of Orange" is about the people who are involved in the criminal justice system and its lasting effects. Free.
"STATIC!" — April 6-16, Sheetz Gallery, Misciagna Family Center for Performing Arts, Penn State Altoona. A body of work by visual art studies senior Abraham Onskt, STATIC! explores how people are inundated with opposing viewpoints, which creates disorienting feelings, and how that influences people's beliefs. Free.
"When it starts, we will let the host know you're waiting" — April 19-May 13, Freyberger Gallery, Penn State Berks. An installation by Philadelphia-based artist Alicia Link addresses inequity through the visual language of the gynecologist's office and waiting room. Free.
"Hard Candy Tectonics" — Through May 14, exhibition cases, HUB-Robeson Building, University Park campus. Works by Gracelee Lawrence showcase glimmering and seductive surfaces blending into sensual volumes in space that together form the plastic sublime that are Lawrence's sculptures. Free.
"Happy Landscapes: Wellbeing by Design" — Through May, Rouse Gallery, Stuckeman Family Building, University Park campus. Work by Peruvian architect Coco Alarcon reflects how landscapes can address happiness, mental health and well-being. Free.
"Sticky Mirror" — Through May 30, Art Alley, HUB-Robeson Building, University Park campus. An exhibition of artist Sarah Sutton's work that imagine in-between space, scalar fluidity, and what the artist calls psychic spaces, where the private and public realm collapse. Free.
"Between the Lines: Global Histories of the Book" — Through Aug. 28, Special Collections Exhibition gallery, 104 Paterno Library, University Park campus. Students in HIST 255N: History of the Book share insights and books through this exhibition about the forms and functions of books. Free.
"Zombie Ant Experience" — Through August, Perkins Student Center, Penn State Berks. This interactive art installation also serves as a teaching tool to illustrate spore trajectories and how ants are transformed into "zombies." Free.
"Evan Pugh: Student to Scientist" — Through October, Earth and Mineral Sciences Museum and Art Gallery, Deike Building, University Park campus. The exhibit explores two distinct stages in the life of Evan Pugh, Penn State's first president. Free.
Gall wasps exhibit — Through October, Frost Entomological Museum, University Park campus. This new exhibit is aimed at cultivating awareness about gall wasps and showcasing their beauty and diversity. Free.
"Black Feminist Embodiments of Self-Love and Self-Recovery" — Through Nov. 20. Inspired by a scene in Toni Morrison's novel "Beloved," set in Ohio prior to Emancipation, the exhibition displays sources of self-love and self-recovery found in a variety of literature by and about Black women. Free.
"I Am a Penn Stater: Nittany Lions in World War II" — Through June 2025, Penn State All-Sports Museum, Beaver Stadium, University Park campus. Timed to coincide with the 80th anniversary of the conflict, "I Am a Penn Stater" chronicles the contributions of Nittany Lion varsity lettermen and Women’s Recreation Association athletes during the conflict and follows their service from training in the United States, to fighting on battlefields around the globe, to their postwar occupations. Free.