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
"Cabaret" — Oct. 25-Nov. 5, Playhouse Theatre, University Park campus. Penn State Centre Stage presents the Tony Award-winning musical.
"STOMP" — 7 p.m., Oct. 26, Pullo Center, Penn State York. The international percussion sensation performs at Penn State York.
"AG[H]AST: A Gilbert and Sullivan Pastiche" — 7:30 p.m., Oct. 26 and 27, Misciagna Family Center for Performing Arts, Penn State Altoona. “AG[H]AST: A Gilbert and Sullivan Pastiche” is an original project conceived and directed by Bonnie Cutsforth-Huber, professor of music, and KT Huckabee, teaching professor of dance and coordinator for performing arts at Penn State Altoona. Free.
Kevin Hart — 8 p.m., Oct. 27, Bryce Jordan Center, University Park campus. Comedian Kevin Hart brings his "Reality Check" tour to Penn State.
Lectures
"States United: A Survival Guide for Our Democracy" — 4 p.m., Oct. 21, HUB Auditorium, HUB-Robeson Center, University Park campus. Norman Eisen, Joanna Lydgate and Christine Todd Whitman, co-founders of the States United Democracy Center, will discuss protecting democracy. Free.
"Fighting Truth Decay: How and Why Fakers Fake" — 6 p.m., Oct. 24, Freeman Auditorium, University Park campus. Award-winning journalist Al Tompkins will address challenges for journalists and the importance of truth. Free.
Penn State Forum Speaker Series: Douglas M. Leech — 11:30 a.m., Oct. 25, Presidents Hall, Penn Stater Conference Center and Hotel, University Park campus. Douglas M. Leech, founder and CEO of Ascension Recovery Services, will present "Successful entrepreneurship in a post-pandemic world."
"Open for Climate Justice" — Noon, Oct. 25, via livestream. A group of panelists will discuss questions related to the theme of "Open for Climate Justice." Free, but registration required.
"The Truth About Halloween" — 7 p.m., Oct. 25, Perkins Student Center Auditorium, Penn State Berks. A panel will discuss the myths and legends behind Halloween. Free.
Jelena Subotić — Noon, Oct. 26, via livestream. Jelena Subotić, professor of political science at Georgia State University, will discuss her latest book, "Yellow Star, Red Star: Holocaust Remembrance after Communism." Free.
"College Athletics in the Name, Image and Likeness Era" — 9:30 a.m., Oct. 26, Outreach Building, University Park campus, and via Zoom. Former Vice President for Intercollegiate Athletics Sandy Barbour will discuss Name, Image and Likeness.
"What's the Matter with American Democracy?" — 4 p.m., Oct. 27, State Theatre, State College. Jamelle Bouie, New York Times columnist and CBS News political analyst, will discuss American democracy. Free.
Events
National Hispanic Heritage Month — Through Oct. 31, various campuses. Penn State units across the commonwealth are holding events in honor of National Hispanic Heritage Month. The unifying theme for this year's observances is "Nuestra Música (Our Music): Identity, Culture and Resistance." Free.
National Domestic Violence Awareness Month — Through Oct. 31, various campuses. Penn State and community partners are working throughout October to raise awareness, engage in prevention efforts and show support for survivors of domestic violence. Free.
Homecoming — Through Oct. 22, University Park campus. Penn Staters celebrate their pride and tradition with annual Homecoming festivities. Most events free.
Pop-Up Farmers Market — 3-6 p.m., Oct. 24 HUB-Robeson Center, University Park campus. The Ross Student Farm and the Lion's Pantry are partnering to offer a pay-what-you-can farmers market every Monday in October to make healthy eating easy and affordable. No payment is required for the produce, but customers are invited to pay what they can using cash, check or LionCash.
"Together We Are" — 6-10 p.m., Oct. 24, HUB-Robeson Center, University Park campus. A celebration of diverse voices will feature music, performances, free food and other activities to educate and immerse attendees into the various cultures, identities and communities on campus. Free.
Love Your Body Week — Oct. 24-28, various locations, University Park campus. The annual event is designed to promote healthy body image through education, awareness, reflection and self-love. Free.
Café Laura Theme Dinner: Bella Notte: A Night in Sicily — Oct. 26, 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.
Plant Powered PSU — 5-8 p.m., Oct. 27, St. Paul's United Methodist Church, State College. The Student Farm at Penn State event offers visitors insight into plant-based lifestyles. Guests can try foods, find new recipes and learn about the health and environmental impacts of eating habits. Free.
Café Laura Theme Dinner: Georgia Grace: The Peach State Comes to Happy Valley — Oct. 27, 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.
Virtual exhibits
"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
"The Magic Broccoli Forest" — Through Oct. 28, Freyberger Gallery, Penn State Berks. An immersive, interactive solo exhibition by Melbourne-based artist, Rosa Nussbaum, that explores themes of friendship and depression. Free.
"circa 1970: What if the impressionist had computers?" — Through Oct. 30, Art Gallery, Penn State New Kensington. Local artist Samuel Andrew's exhibition his history with the New Kensington campus and his creation of digital prints. Free.
"Earth Archives: Stories of Human Impact" — Through Nov. 22, Eberly Family Special Collections Library, 104 Paterno Library, University Park campus. The exhibit explores the intersection of the environment, human activity, climate change and the documentary record. Free.
"Fluidity of Gender" — Through Dec. 3, Ronald K. De Long Gallery, Penn State Lehigh Valley. Linda Stein's multimedia "Fluidity of Gender" exhibition consists of sculpture, collage, prints and video that strive to broaden awareness and inspire empathy by presenting multiplicities and diversities to her work. Free.
"Haiti: Liberation of the First Black Republic" — Through Dec. 16, Paterno Family Reading Room, Pattee Library, University Park campus. The exhibit examines the history of Haiti, the first modern Black republic resulting from its successful fight for liberation from the French. Free.
"Looking at Who We Are: The Palmer at Fifty" — Through Dec. 18, Palmer Museum of Art, University Park campus. This exhibition of 74 paintings, drawings, prints, photographs and sculptures from the Palmer's permanent collection explores how history, place and community shape our conception of museums and ourselves. Free.
"The Art of Remembering: A Selection of Gifts" — Through Dec. 18, Palmer Museum of Art, University Park campus. The exhibit honors the gifts to the permanent collection of the Palmer Museum of Art and features works on paper by 19th- and 20th-century European and American artists. Free.
"ARC Studio's Premiere" — Through Jan. 29, Art Alley, HUB-Robeson Center, University Park campus. Photos and paintings by Andrew Castañeda mirror the structure of a day in TV programming. Free.
"Zombie Ant Experience" — Through August 2023, 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 2023, Earth and Mineral Sciences Museum and Art Gallery, Deike Building, University Park campus. The exhibit explore two distinct stages in the life of Evan Pugh, Penn State's first president. Free.
Gall wasps exhibit — Through October 2023, Frost Entomological Museum, University Park campus. This new exhibit is aimed at cultivating awareness about gall wasps and showcasing their beauty and diversity. 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.