The Nittany Lion Mascot is more than the symbol of Penn State athletics. The Lion is an ambassador who makes more than 250 appearances each year, and only half of them are at sporting events. The rich history of the Lion, and how the mascot is selected, is the focus of "Heart of the Lion," a new documentary produced by Penn State Public Broadcasting.
The show will debut on WPSU-TV at 8 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 3, as part of the December pledge drive. It will re-air several times throughout the winter months. Check local listings for dates and times. (more)
First Thursday State College will celebrate the arts on Dec. 3, with a variety of exhibits, performances, demonstrations, and activities. Several events will take place at the University Libraries on Penn State's University Park campus as part of the festivities. (more)
Leaping, spinning, vaulting and gliding across the stage, the Virsky Ukrainian Dance Company provided a culturally stimulating experience of dance and music for those in attendance at the performance on Tuesday, Nov. 17. The 85-member company performed two acts of eight numbers on stage in Penn State's Eisenhower Auditorium, backed by music and stage sets of Ukrainian cultural origin. For photos, visit http://live.psu.edu/stilllife/2186 online. (more)
Hannah Welch, a film major working on her senior film project, is looking for actors for her film, "Harder than Trig."
Welch is seeking to fill the role of Cheryl. Potential actresses should be between the ages of 40 to 60. She is also looking for two smaller roles to play police officers, ages 30 to 60.
This is a senior film project and the role would be unpaid. Food will be provided while on set. Anyone interested, should e-mail Welch at HarderThanTrig@gmail.com or call (405) 641-9178 (more)
Robert Yarber, Penn State distinguished professor of art, is currently exhibiting in a one-man show at the Sonnabend Gallery in New York City, through Dec. 19. The exhibit features Yarber's series "Calaveras Gnosticos," a new collection of vibrantly colored drawings depicting a world of deranged revelry, exploding cigars and grinning, translucent cadavers. His current exhibit has been so well received that the Sonnabend Gallery has offered Yarber another one-man exhibition in 2010. To view images from the current exhibit, go to http://www.artnet.com/sonnabend.html and select Robert Yarber from the list of artists. (more)
Eco-model, environmental activist and Planet Green television host Summer Rayne Oakes will speak at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 3, in the Adler Athletic Complex on the Penn State Altoona campus. (more)
Visitors to Chambers Building will discover a display of unusual forms constructed with common art supplies. The exhibit, which will be on display through January, is a group effort by elementary education majors. The students constructed a visual metaphor that represents the complexities and hopes of teaching. (more)
The a cappella ensemble Sweet Honey In The Rock -- famous for its stirring renditions of music rooted in various African American traditions --- performs a program honoring the array of holiday celebrations that mark the end of the year in a concert at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 2, in Penn State's Eisenhower Auditorium.
Tickets for the Center for the Performing Arts presentation are $37 for an adult, $22 for a University Park student and $26 for a person 18 and younger. Tickets can be bought online at www.cpa.psu.edu or by phone at 814-863-0255. Outside the local calling area, dial 1-800-ARTS-TIX. Tickets also are available at four State College locations: Eisenhower Auditorium (weekdays 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.), Penn State Downtown Theatre (weekdays 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Saturdays 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.), HUB-Robeson Center (weekdays 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.) and Bryce Jordan Center (weekdays 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.). A grant from the University Park Allocation Committee makes Penn State student prices possible. (more)
The Grammy Award-winning Kronos Quartet performed the evening-length work "Awakening" at the Eisenhower Auditorium on Penn State's University Park campus on Tuesday evening. Presented by the Center for the Performing Arts, the performance featured a metal assemblage created by Penn State graduate student Joe Netta and an appearance by the Nittany Valley Children's Choir. "Awakening" features songs written by composers from around the globe. To see photos from Tuesday's performance, visit http://live.psu.edu/stilllife/2181 online. (more)
"Milking the Rhino," an award-winning documentary that explores how past conservation efforts in Africa have disconnected indigenous people from their traditional way of life, will be screened at 7 p.m. on Nov. 17, in 110 Pattee Library (Foster Auditorium). Members of the Penn State and local communities interested in cultural awareness, tourism, global sustainability and contemporary issues in Africa will find this film informative, engaging and empowering. The event is free and open to the public. (more)
