University Park, Pa. -- Alumni and friends can learn about Penn State's strong ties to Broadway during a reception and presentation on Feb. 29 at The Princeton Club of Manhattan featuring Penn State President Graham B. Spanier and the head of Penn State's musical theatre program. This event is the second in the 2008 City Lights series of cultural and educational events, organized by the Penn State Alumni Association.
The "Broadway Connection" event, from 6 to 8 p.m. on Leap Day, will take a behind-the-scenes look at Penn State's extraordinary musical theatre program and its reputation as the door to the stage, presented by Spanier and Professor Cary Libkin, head of the musical theatre program. The reception and program will take place at The Princeton Club of New York, 15 W. 43rd St. Also part of the City Lights series is a specially discounted performance of "Hairspray" on Saturday, March 1.
"City Lights events are our effort to bring Penn State directly to our alumni," said Roger L. Williams, executive director of the Penn State Alumni Association. "And we are holding this theatre-related program near the bright lights of Broadway at the nearby Princeton Club, which Penn Staters can now join as part of the Alumni Association's affiliation agreement."
The City Lights event in New York is the second in the series. Additional City Lights events are scheduled monthly through early summer in East Coast cities with the largest concentrations of Penn Staters. The remaining events are:
-- March 6: "We Are … The People" City Lights event at the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia will feature Clay Calvert, the John and Ann Curley professor of First Amendment studies, professor of communications and law and co-director of the Pennsylvania Center for the First Amendment. Calvert will discuss freedom of speech and of the press, while examining the "culture wars" as government tries to police language and violence in media.
-- April 26: "On Location: Inside the Philly Movie Scene" at the Independence Hall Visitors Center in Philadelphia will feature Charles Dumas, a Penn State faculty member and actor. Dumas will discuss the movie business and its connection to Philadelphia. A tour of Philadelphia's scenic movie locations is an optional add-on.
-- May 3: Penn Staters and friends will gather at the Penn State Milton S. Hershey Medical Center in Hershey, Pa., for a reception and "Be a Doctor for a Day" event. Participants can scrub in for a simulated surgery, slide into the cockpit of Life Lion and learn about the latest developments in stem cell research.
-- June 21: "Spring into Summer" will take place at Seven Springs Resort in the Pittsburgh area. This family event will include activities led by Bob Ricketts, Penn State kinesiology senior lecturer.
All City Lights events are open to Penn State alumni and friends and vary widely in terms of ticket prices. For more information, including exact times and ticket prices for each event, or to register, go to http://www.alumni.psu.edu/events/ or call 800-548-LION, option 5.
The Penn State Alumni Association is the largest dues-paying alumni association in the world with more than 159,000 members. Established in 1870, the Alumni Association connects alumni to the University and to each other, provides valuable benefits to members and supports the University's mission of teaching, research and service. The Penn State Alumni Association oversees hundreds of annual programs and events designed to inform, involve and inspire Penn State alumni. For more information on the Alumni Association, go to http://www.alumni.psu.edu online.