What's happening at Penn State? Here's a look at some of the cultural events taking place at the University this weekend and the next week:
Performances
"Men on Boats" — April 16-20, Penn State Downtown Theatre, State College. Penn State Centre Stage presents Jaclyn Backhaus' production about an actual 1869 expedition led by John Wesley Powell to chart the Colorado River.
"The Vagina Monologues" — 6:30 p.m., April 18, Lipton Auditorium, Palmer Museum of Art, University Park campus. College of Arts and Architecture faculty and staff will present Eve Ensler's groundbreaking play. Free.
Events
Sunset Paradise: Tastes of a Traditional Hawaiian Luau — April 18, Cafe 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 Cafe Laura restaurant. Reservations required.
City Lights: New York City — 6-8 p.m., April 23, Stonewall Inn, 53 Christopher St., New York, New York. The Penn State Alumni Association's City Lights event at a National Historic Landmark that was part of the 1969 uprisings for LGBT rights.
"An Empty Seat at the Table" — 7 p.m., April 24, Freeman Auditorium, HUB-Robeson Center, University Park campus. The story of Kenton Iwaniec, a 24-year-old Pennsylvania state trooper killed by an impaired driver, will be the topic of this program. Free.
Cruise along the Mediterranean — April 24, Cafe 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 Cafe Laura restaurant. Reservations required.
An Evening with Robert Ballard — 6 p.m., April 25, Pullo Center, Penn State York. Robert Ballard, founder and president of Ocean Exploration Trust and explorer-in-residence at the National Geographic Society, will be the keynote speaker for the Manufacturers' Association 2019 Annual Event.
Lectures
Research Unplugged: "Disrupting Democracy: How to Redesign Online Life to Strengthen Democratic Governments" — 12:30 p.m., April 18, Schlow Centre Region Library, State College. John Gastil, professor of communications arts and sciences and political science, will share his vision of an alternative internet that encourages deliberation, effective public consultation and an engaged citizenry. Free.
Marker Lectures in Genetic Engineering — April 22 and 23, various locations, University Park campus. Susan M. Gasser, director of the Friedrich Miescher Institute for Biomedical Research and professor of molecular biology at the University of Basel in Basel, Switzerland, will present a lecture for a general audience on April 22 and a specialized lecture on April 23. Free.
Research Unplugged: "Mosquito Borne Viral Infections: A Global Program" — 12:30 p.m., April 25, Schlow Centre Region Library, State College. Sujit Kumar Pujhari, assistant research professor in entomology, will discuss how to fight back against diseases carried by mosquitos. Free.
Exhibits
"Subjective Spaces: Drawings and Collages by Robert Reed" — Jan. 5-May 19, Palmer Museum of Art, University Park campus. This intimate retrospective features 16 selections from Reed's drawings and collages. Free.
"Amazing Stories: Recent Acquisitions" — Jan. 12-May 26, Palmer Museum of Art, University Park campus. This exhibit highlights a large selection of prints by artists whose work relies heavily on representation and storytelling to explore ethnic identity and stereotypes, multicultural histories and personal narratives. Free.
"From the Rooftops: John Sloan and the Art of a New Urban Space" — Feb. 3-May 12, Palmer Museum of Art, University Park campus. The museum will feature a major loan exhibition of Ashcan School painter John Sloan, who focused on New York City rooftops in the first half of the 20th century. Free.
"The Secret Lives of Girls and Women" — Jan. 29-Sept. 1, 104 Paterno Library, University Park campus. This exhibit of archival materials from the University Libraries' Eberly Family Special Collections Library examines the spectrum of "secrets" of the female experience. Free.
"The Future is Now: Media Tech Services and Adaptive Technology" — March 25-Sept. 16, 203 Pattee Library, University Park campus. An exhibition of equipment and resources available to students, faculty and staff. Free.