What's happening at Penn State? Here's a look at some of the cultural events taking place at the University this weekend and in the coming week:
Performances
"Your Blues Ain't Sweet Like Mine" — Sept. 6-14, Penn State Downtown Theatre, State College. Penn State Centre Stage presents Tony Award-winner Ruben Santiago-Hudson's play that debates America's relationship to race.
Cécile McLorin Salvant — 7:30 p.m., Sept. 14, Schwab Auditorium. Grammy Award-winning jazz singer Cécile McLorin Salvant makes her Penn State debut.
Events
2017 Marathon Reading — Noon, Sept. 7, Pattee Library lawn. Students, faculty, staff, alumni, friends and community members will take turns reading excerpts from notable works during this 24-hour event. Free.
Harvest Festival — 5:30-7:30 p.m., Sept. 7, Penn State Student Farm. Celebrate the start of the fall season with live music, farm-fresh hors d'oeuvres and meet Paul Shrivastava, the new director of the Sustainability Institute and Penn State's chief sustainability officer. Free.
"Let's Dance" Workshop — 4 p.m., Sept. 8, Ford Building lawn. The Center for the Performing Arts, the College of Health and Human Development and the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders present a movement workshop for families. Free.
Yoga and Meditation series — 5:30 p.m., Sept. 13, 16 Borland Building. Elisha Clark Halpin, associate professor and associate director for instruction in the School of Theatre leads the series each Wednesday through Oct. 4. Free.
"The Throwback Special" — 7:30 p.m., Sept. 14, 113 Carnegie Building. Author Chris Bachelder will conduct a public reading of his football novel, "The Throwback Special," a finalist for the 2016 National Book Award in fiction. Free.
Lectures
Smeal Executive Insights — 11:15 a.m., Sept. 8, Business Building Atrium. Brian T. Olsavsky, chief financial officer and senior vice president at Amazon, will share his perspectives on business innovation and leadership. Free.
"Translational Science and Reverse Translation Strategies" — Noon, Sept. 8, third floor, Huck Life Sciences Bridge. Esther Obonyo, interim director of the Humanitarian Engineering and Social Entrepreneurship program continues the weekly Sustainability Showcase. Free.
Huddle with the Faculty: "Ancient DNA and the Nittany Lion Genome Project" — 9 a.m., Sept. 9, Nittany Lion Inn. Liberal Arts faculty member George Perry will discuss the student-led Nittany Lion Genome Project, which is using ancient DNA to study the history of the University's beloved, but now regionally extinct, mascot. Free.
"Subordination Now; Subordination Forever: Examining America's Tolerance for Racial Inequality" — Noon, Sept. 11, 217 Willard Building. Carla Pratt kicks off the Africana Research Center's "Food for Thought" series. Free.
"That Doesn't Sound Right: Deciphering Real News From Fake" — 7 p.m., Sept. 12, 121 Sparks Building. Denise Bortree, associate professor of advertising/public relations, will discuss academic and practical concepts related to "fake news" and share research to help make sense of the influence of deliberate misinformation. Free.
"Human Rights Around the Globe: Flourishing or Failing?" — 5:30-7 p.m., Sept. 13, Sutliff Auditorium, Lewis Katz Building. Two distinguished visiting speakers from the Sri Lankan government will join Penn State Law, the School of International Affairs and the Rock Ethics Institute for an expert panel on the state of international human rights. Free.
Exhibits
"The Art & History of Bicycles" — June 11-Sept. 7, HUB-Robeson Galleries. Bob Swaim's collection of bicycles takes viewers on a two-wheeled tour of art and history of the common human-powered vehicle. Free.
"Getting My Way and Whining About It" — May 22-Sept. 7, Art Alley, HUB-Robeson Galleries. An exhibition of paintings by Miranda Holmes examines the culpability of human actions. Free.
"Paper VIews" — 10 a.m.- 4 p.m., Sept. 8. Palmer Museum of Art. The museum kicks off its popular series of one-day exhibitions, which highlights works on paper from its permanent collection, on Sept. 8. Free.
Art on the Move — May 12-Sept. 17, Office of the Vice President for Student Affairs, 209 Old Main. As part of the Art on the Move program, the HUB-Robeson Galleries will display mandalas by Penn State graduate student Fernanda Bonafini, also known as Ataraxiaowl. Free, but appointment recommended.
"SEEP" — Aug. 24-Sept. 30, Woskob Family Gallery, State College. The exhibit presents 11 contemporary artists from across the country whose work engages with water. Free.
"BIG Deal: Sizeable Paintings" — Sept. 5-Dec. 17, Palmer Museum of Art. The museum showcases some of its monumental canvases from its permanent collection, many of which have not been on view in recent years. Free.
"Minna Citron after Atelier 17" — Sept. 5-Dec. 10, Palmer Museum of Art. Four decades of printmaking by artist Minna Citron. Free.
"Field to Front: Nittany Lions at War, 1917-1919" — April 23, 2017-April 30, 2018, the Penn State All-Sports Museum. The exhibit chronicles the contributions of Nittany Lion lettermen during World War I and follows their service from training in the U.S. to fighting in France and Italy. Free.