WCSU Fall 2022 Art, Theatre and Music Programs Announced

Western Connecticut State University has announced its live fall 2022 art, theatre and music programs, sponsored by its School of Visual and Performing Arts, all open to the public. The events are held in the university’s Visual and Performing Arts Center (VPAC) on the Westside campus at 43 Lake Ave. Extension, Danbury. Tickets can be purchased at wcsuvpac.eventbrite.com.

The WCSU Department of Art events include:

• A Visiting Artist Lecture featuring painter Ying Li on Wednesday, Sept. 28, at 11 a.m. in Room 144 in the VPAC. The event is free and open to the public, but registration is required. Li is the recipient of residency awards, among them Artist in Residence at Dartmouth College, Visiting Artist at the American Academy in Rome, and various residency fellowships in Switzerland, Spain, Ireland, France, Canada and the U.S. Her work has been reviewed in The New York Times, The New Yorker, Art Forum, Art in America and Hyperallergic, among others.
• Sip & Sketch on Friday, Sept. 30, from 7 – 9 p.m. in the Drawing Studio, Room 241, of the VPAC. Tickets are $25 for those 21 and over and must be purchased in advance. Enjoy a creative and entertaining evening combining drawing with music, wine and light refreshments. Guided by an experienced artist, this event is open to participants of all levels and backgrounds, from the seasoned to the beginner, to participate in a shared art experience in a fun and relaxed studio environment. This event is co-sponsored by the WCSU Alumni Association.
• Gallery Opening for “Address: Earth Art Expo” on Thursday, Oct. 13, from 6 – 8 p.m. at The Gallery at the Visual and Performing Arts Center. The event is free and open to the public, but registration is required. Curated by guest curator Bibiana Huang Matheis, the art expo features a collection of voices from dozens of artists from Inspiration Art Group International to celebrate planet Earth and use their art to address the critical global issues that affect the world and environment. The “Address: Earth Art Expo” runs from Oct. 13 through Dec. 4; gallery hours are Tuesday – Friday, noon – 4 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday, 1 – 4 p.m. Additionally, a film screening with participating artist and filmmaker Rosalind Schneider will be on Wednesday, Oct. 19, from 6:30 – 8 pm. in Choir Room 108 in the VPAC, and there will be an artist’s talk at 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 30, with artist and historian Marcy B. Freedman.

The WCSU Department of Theatre Arts presents the following events at the Visual and Performing Arts Center (VPAC). All tickets are available at wcsuvpac.eventbrite.com

• “Big Love” in the VPAC Studio Theatre from Oct. 7 through 16. Tickets range from $20-$30. Written by Charles Mee and directed by WCSU Professor of Theatre Arts Pam McDaniel, “Big Love” tells the tale of how 50 brides flee their 50 grooms and seek refuge in a villa on the coast of Italy in this modern re-making of one of the western world’s oldest plays, “The Danaids” by Aeschylus.
• “Bat Boy: The Musical” in the VPAC MainStage Theatre from Oct. 28 through Nov. 6. Tickets range from $20-$30. This musical comedy/horror show is based on a story printed in The Weekly World News about a half boy/half bat creature who is discovered in a cave near Hope Falls, West Virginia. It is directed by Tim Howard, WCSU Musical Theatre coordinator, with Dr. Justin P. Cowan, chair of the WCSU Department of Theatre Arts, serving as music director. Based on the story by Keythe Farley and Brian Fleming and music/lyrics by Laurence O’Keefe.
• “Season’s Greetings” in the VPAC, MainStage Theatre on Dec. 2 – Tickets range from $20-$30. This show is about how a group of people gathering to celebrate Christmas also deal with squabbles, a shooting, a midnight tryst and puppet show. The play is directed by Tony Award-winning Broadway and TV performer Cady Huffman and is written by Alan Ayckbourn.

The WCSU Department of Music presents the following musical performances at the Visual and Performing Arts Center (VPAC). All tickets are available at wcsuvpac.eventbrite.com.

• Octoberfest Jazz on Saturday, Oct. 22, from 2 – 3:30 p.m. at the Veronica Hagman Concert Hall in the VPAC. Tickets are $7 plus fees online or $10 at the door. At this event, WCSU highlights its large jazz ensembles in this presentation of big band classics, featuring Frankensax, Jazz Ensemble and Jazz Orchestra.
• Holiday Pops on Saturday and Sunday, Dec. 10 and 11, from 3 – 5 p.m. Tickets are available online for $10 plus fees or $15 at the door, and donations are accepted, as all proceeds benefit the Ana Grace Marquez Greene and Dave Smith Scholarship Funds. This concert features holiday music selections by WCSU performing ensembles including Percussion Ensemble, University Choir, Chamber Ensembles, Symphonic Band, Wind Ensemble and more.