Join us in exploring a world of arts & culture at MSU

Thie exhibit explores the striking red-on-white embroidery style popularized in the 1880s and still practiced today in quilts and other textiles.

The exhibit showcases more than 160 examples of contemporary baskets using a variety of techniques and materials -- cultivated and natural -- including antlers, birch bark, black ash, cattail, copper, flax, grape vine, porcupine quill, spruce root, strapping tape, sweet grass, wax linen and willow fibers. The baskets range from functional pieces to creative works of art, and document the skills, wisdom and traditions in basketmaking. The exhibit is a partnership between the Association of Michigan Basketmakers and the MSU Museum.

"Picturing Faith" is a unique series of photographs showing the place of religion in American society through the lenses of some of America's most well-known photographers-Walker Evans, Dorothea Lange, and Gordon Parks. It also presents the works of equally talented but lesser known photographers-John Collier, Jr., Marion Post Wolcott, Russell Lee, Jack Delano and Marjory Collins. Supported by a grant from the Lilly Endowment, the exhibition includes 45 black-and-white photographs gathered from the Library of Congress archives. In 1935, in order to generate support for New Deal reforms, the Historical Division of the Farm Security Administration (FSA) began making a photographic survey of economic struggle and social dislocation in Depression era America. Historical Division director Roy E. Stryker also wanted to produce a composite picture of American society, so in the "scripts" he sent out to his photographers, he asked them to include pictures of America's religious life. These "sociologists with cameras" entered the homes and churches of the poor as well as the middle class. They photographed people in prayer, domestic shrines, dinner graces, parishioners going into their churches, revival meetings, and even the gospel trucks of itinerate preachers. While many of the FSA (and later Office of War Information) photographs are familiar, this is the first exhibition of how government photographers represented religion during this critical time in our nation's history. "Picturing Faith" was curated by Colleen McDannell, Sterling M. McMurrin Professor of Religious Studies at the University of Utah, and is based on her recent book, "Picturing Faith: Photography and the Great Depression" (Yale University Press).

This is an interactive exhibition that brings artists and visitors together by providing a hands-on art making experience. The exhibition is composed of works by 29 artists, drawn on flat sheets of paper and stacked in the gallery space. The visitor chooses a project, takes the printed sheet, cuts out and assembles the three-dimensional sculpture. As the weeks pass, the gallery spaces become filled with art work.

The five architectural designs proposed for the future Eli and Edythe Broad Art Museum will be on display. Unveiled on July 18 before a jury, these designs represent the ideas of internationally renowned architectural firms: Coop Himmelb(l)au; Kohn Pederson Fox Architects, PC; Randall Stout Architects, Inc.; Zaha Hadid Architects, and Morphosis. Models, drawings and CD presentations reveal the range of designs for MSU's art museum's future home on Grand River Avenue to open in 2010.

Aloka Kanungo will be performing Odissi (Indian classical dance) on September 8 at Brody Auditorium from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Shreelina Ghosh, a doctoral student of MSU is honored to be sharing the stage with her Guru. The recital is free and all are welcome. Aloka will conduct workshops from September 4 to 8 where she plans to demonstrate the history and grammar of the dance, and also teach Odissi items to those interested in trying out the dance themselves. She will also give advanced training in Odissi. MSU students are entitled to discounts. Aloka Kanungo is a nationally acclaimed Odissi dancer from India and is currently on a US-tour with a series of workshops and recitals at Houston, Phoenix, Austin, New York, Detroit and yes, East Lansing. Please download the flyer and workshop registration form here:- Recital Flyer--- Workshop registration form---

Exhibit curator Colleen McDannell will offer insights and inspiration on her nationally-known research in material religion and the development of this exhibition.

Curator Colleen McDannell will lead a gallery tour for "Picturing Faith: Religious America in Government Photography, 1935-1943."

Family funfest for all ages featuring a storyteller, singer, and crafts.

The Asian Studies Center presents the Odissi classical Indian dance recital featuring Aloka Kanungo, reknowned dancer and choreographer from India and Shreelina Ghosh, MSU Ph.D student and dance student.

The East Lansing Historical Society and East Lansing Centennial Commission present a panel of local individuals who recount their personal experiences during the time of the civil rights movement in East Lansing. Panelists include: Clarence Underwood, Don Coleman, Charles McMillan and Claudette Nelson. George Brookover will moderate.

This preview of WKAR-TV's new documentary about World War II focuses on the personal stories of mid-Michigan veterans who served in the European and Pacific Theatres. Also featured, a preview of Ken Burns' new series for PBS.

Design legend Massimo Vignelli will lecture in conjunction with the screening of "Helvetica". His significant contributions to design influence how we experience our environment and the stature of graphic design in contemporary society. Far-ranging in media and scope, Vignelli's work is included in collections from the MOMA to the Die Neue Sammlung in Munich.

Sponsored jointly by the Department of Art&Art History and AIGA Detroit Chapter, this independent film explores typography, graphic design and global visual culture as part of a larger conversation about the way type affects our lives.

Directed by Michael Roemer (1964). Presented by Jeff Wray, Department of English and Co-Director of Film Studies, in coordination with One Book One Community. A landmark independent film, Nothing But a Man is one of the most sincere and sensitive pictures ever made about the struggles and hardships of Black life in 1960s America. Lauded by critics at the Venice and New York film festivals when it first premiered in 1963, this quietly moving, beautiful film remains as relevant and powerful today as it was then. (from the distributor?s website) North Conference Room, 4th floor, West Wing, MSU Main Library

The MSU Gospel Choir will perform for members of the East Lansing and MSU communities. There will be a book discussion about Lay That Trumpet in Our Hands following the performance.

Being the foremost disciple of Ravi Shankar, Vishwa Mohan belongs to that elite body of musicians which traces its origin to the Moughal emperor Akbar's court musician Tansen and his guru the Hindu Mystic Swami Haridas. Creator of the mohan veen (modified slide guitar with 20 strings used in Indian classical music) and the winner of a Grammy Award, Mohan has mesmerized the world with his pristine pure, delicate yet firey music. Mohan's powerhouse performances have electrified audiences around the globe. Mohan has become the cultural ambassador of India by glorifying and popularizing Indian culture and music throughout the world.

Best known for his Soundsuits, fiber and performance artist Nick Cave transforms found and recycled materials into sculptural and ritualistic costumes. Cave is currently Professor and Chairperson of the Fashion Department at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago.

In Lay that Trumpet in our Hands the integration of baseball serves as a backdrop, and in many ways, a metaphor, for the events of that time. During the same time period, Michigan State University was also paving the way for African-American athletes on the athletic field. This event will showcase some of this history, and allow participants to hear directly from former MSU athletes about their experiences during this turbulent period.

Art museum staff will give a guided tour of the BAM architectural models in The Future.

Evan Wyler is a hot new young writer who is snatched up by a mysterious woman, Alexa Vere de Vere, who promises him connections, wealth and supreme success. As her promises never materialize, the writer investigates Alexa's past which holds secrets both dark and hilarious. This satire of fame, art and trendiness is an excellent introduction to the "Year of Arts and Culture."

This two-part documentary tells the stories of the men and women who served in World War II's European and Pacific Theatres. Their oral histories -- telling stories of such battles as D-Day and Iwo Jima and experiences such as the sinking of the U.S.S. Indianapolis -- offer a powerful look at courage and sacrifice. For many repeat times and interview transcripts, visit WKAR.org.

The Department of Philosophy and the Department of English at Michigan State University announce a film series and symposium on the conditions, dilemmas and experience of "outsiders" and on our questions about our response to visitors, immigrants (legal and illegal) and "guest workers." We will view and discuss a series of films after an initial session on the conceptual and moral complexity of hospitality as understood by Immanuel Kant and Jacques Derrida. The series will be ended with a panel of short papers and a roundtable discussion culminating with a symposium. The films will be introduced briefly by the College of Arts and Letter faculty.

Book groups and individuals throughout the region are invited to join others for facilitated discussion of the themes, events and other dimensions of this book. Registration is required for this event.

Residence halls will feature dinners focusing on the joy of reading and the One Book, One Community program. The dinner theme is Florida and Southern Cuisine.The dinner will be served in all halls except Holden. Students will have the opportunity to register to vote during this event.

Guest singers from the People's Republic of China

Jim Daniels, one of the most respected voices in contemporary poetry and fiction, and specifically of labor and working people, returns to the MSU campus to introduce his two films, NO PETS and DUMPSTER. Discussion to follow.

Book groups and individuals throughout the region are invited to join others for facilitated discussion of the themes, events and other dimensions of this book. Registration is required. Call (517) 351-2420 to register.

BACK BY POPULAR DEMAND! Discover what nearly 9 million fans worldwide are laughing about! This comedy musical follows four women at a lingerie sale with nothing in common but a black lace bra AND memory loss, hot flashes, night sweats, not enough sex, too much sex and more. This joyful musical parody set to 25 classical baby-boomer songs from "Puff, My God I'm Draggin" to the disco favorite "Stayin' Awake, Stayin' Awake" will have you cheering and dancing in the aisles! It is definitely not the Silent Passage anymore.

An evening of arias, duets and ensembles performed by voice students from Southwest University, Chongqing, the International School, Shenyang Conservatory of Music, and Michigan State University College of Music. This event is in conjunction with the third annual collaboration between the MSU College of Music and Chinese university students.

Jim Daniels is a Professor of English and Creative Writing at Carnegie-Mellon University. He has a variety of poetry collections that reflects the physicality of manual labor, the noises and smells of machine shops and factories, the metallic glint of polished steel and iron. His more recent books, Niagara Falls, Blessing this House, and Blue Jesus changed course with their issues of faith. He is the author of eight books of poems including Show and Tell: New and Selected Poems, which was a finalist for the 2004 Paterson Poetry Prize. Jim Daniels realistic, gritty, and sometimes violent portrayal of working people?s lives, has been recognized numerous times with various awards. His co-sponsors include RCAH (Residential College in the Arts and Humanities), MSU Libraries, MSU Press, The Public Humanities Collaborative, and Our Daily Work/Our Daily Lives.

Award winning poet and author Jim Daniels presents his two recent books, Revolt of the Crash-Test Dummies (winner of the Blue Lynx Poetry Prize) and Now Showing, as part of the MSU Library's Writers Reading Series.

The Tribute recreates one of the famous "Summit at the Sands" hotel shows, when the swingin' ring-a-ding group known as the "Rat Pack" was creating hipster legends with a free-wheeling, no-holds-barred nightclub act of Las Vegas' four favorite sons: Frank Sinatra, Sammy Davis Jr., Dean Martin and Joey Bishop. Uncanny vocal recreations, unbridled hilarity, and a swinging big-band send audiences straight to the coolest time in history, with all-time hits such as "Come Fly with Me," "That's Amoré," "Mr. Bojangles," and more.

Bryan Christie is a 3D Illustrator whose work and illustrations appear regularly in WIRED, Newsweek, The New York Times, Esquire, Field&Stream and many other publications and his work covers a broad range of complex topics, from the microbiological to the gastrointestinal.This is Christie's first show, taking place in the Communication Arts and Sciences Building from Sept. 23 to Nov. 16, 2007.

Rachel Naomi Remen, MD, master story teller and author of the bestselling books Kitchen Table Wisdom and My Grandfather's Blessings will share her perspective on the power of story and the hidden potential in our connection to one another. In her presentation called Becoming a Blessing: Remembering Our Power to Change the World, she will discuss our innate capacity to heal and be healed and enable us to remember how we make a difference in this world just as we are. Come prepared to celebrate the strength of community and the gift of service.

An up-and-coming graphic designer, Hudd Byard is an Art Director with Contemporary Media in Memphis, TN. Before taking his current position, Byard worked at GQ Magazine in New York, NY.

This event celebrates excellence in arts and humanities outreach. Exhibits prepared by faculty and students in the College of Arts and Letters will illustrate the wide range of ways that MSU engages with communities throughout Michigan. Refreshments will be served. RSVP by September 14 to Bets Caldwell at (517) 432-2479 or caldwell@msu.edu.

The Smithsonian's Dr. Richard Kurin reveals the true story behind the most famous--and infamous--stone in the world. The Hope Diamond, a glimmering deep-blue gem weighing more than 45 carats, is not only exceptionally beautiful, it has a long and incredibly colorful history. That history -- spread over three centuries and three continents -- features diamond mining in India, the French Revolution, the machinations of British King George IV, the Gilded Age in America and a number of very clever jewelers including Pierre Cartier and Harry Winston. In the 20th century, the myth of the Hope diamond curse made the diamond more notorious and famous than ever before.

The Smithsonian's Dr. Richard Kurin reveals the true story behind the most famous--and infamous--stone in the world. The Hope Diamond, a glimmering deep-blue gem weighing more than 45 carats, is not only exceptionally beautiful, it has a long and incredibly colorful history. That history--spread over three centuries and three continents--features diamond mining in India, the French Revolution, the machinations of British King George IV, the Gilded Age in America and a number of very clever jewelers including Pierre Cartier and Harry Winston. In the 20th century, the myth of the Hope diamond curse made the diamond more notorious and famous than ever before.

From its origins in 17th Century India, the Hope Diamond today resides at the Smithsonian's National Museum of Natural History, where it is most viewed artifact in all of the Smithsonian's 19 museums and 136-million holdings.

Kurin is director of the Smithsonian Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage responsible for the Smithsonian Folklife Festival held annually on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., and the Grammy-award winning Smithsonian Folkways. Since 2004, he has headed the Smithsonian's National Programs, overseeing its traveling exhibition service, its network of 144 affiliated museums, its educational programs, and its 55,000 Smithsonian Associate membership organization.

The MSU Museum is the state's first Smithsonian Institution affiliate, and museum researchers and scholars have collaborated on fieldwork, research, publications and exhibitions over the past 20 years. The Hope Diamond events are presented as part of the MSU Museum's 150th anniversary and MSU's Year of Arts and Culture in 2007-2008.

Schedule of events: 7 p.m. Reception -- Cowles House 8 p,m. Dinner - Cowles House 8:30 p..m. - Carillon Concert at Beaumont Tower 9 p.m. - Dessert and Cordials - MSU Museum Valet parking available. Dinner attire and special-occasion jewelry recommended.

The Kresge Art Center will buzz with activity until midnight on Friday, September 28, when the Department of Art&Art History and Kresge Art Museum host The Arts Blitz, a variety of art-centered events, activities and programs in the building. Be "a part of the art" and complete paper sculptures to display in the museum as a part of The Paper Sculpture Show. Enjoy a live DJ (Jeff Owens (Bloom/Ghostly) in the museum 9 p.m. – midnight. Get a peek at models and renderings of proposals for the future Eli&Edythe Broad Art Museum, or watch a screening of the film Basquiat in 108 KAC at 7p.m. See student work in a variety of media at The Graduate Show closing reception in KAC Galleries 101 and 114 (8-11 p.m.), and "draw on the walls" on large, continuous sheets of paper set up throughout Kresge Art Center. This programming is coordinated and supported by Kresge Art Museum, Department of Art and Art History, and the College of Arts and Letters.

Featuring premiere student ensembles and soloists in a fast-paced musical extravaganza.

This Fall Mike Birbiglia, comedian and author of the popular blog and syndicated radio segment "My Secret Public Journal," embarks on a 30-city tour with Comedy Central Live called My Secret Public Tour to promote the September release of his Secret Public Journal LIVE CD. Last year, Birbiglia released his Comedy Central Records debut Two Drink Mike to rave reviews. Esquire Magazine described Birbiglia as "Jerry Seinfeld if he were remotely conversant with hip-hop." AMG Music called Birbiglia "the arrival of standup's next big thing." And The New York Post called Birbiglia "on the cusp of comic greatness." With Secret Public Journal LIVE, Birbiglia delves deeper into storytelling, revealing his most painful stories in the style that has made him popular with all ages. The Boston Globe recently called Mike's new material "as honest as any Richard Pryor confession, and as engaging and inclusive as an old Bill Cosby record." My Secret Public Journal LIVE is an attempt to make what's "secret" into something "public" and the results are hilarious, closing with a couple of acoustic ballads entitled "The Medium Man on Campus."

Lecture by Leslie A. Adelson, professor of German Studies and director of the Institute for German Cultural Studies at Cornell University, on the work of Turkish novelist and Nobel laureate Orhan Pamuck; reception following.

Join us for a guided tour of the exhibition, The Paper Sculpture Show and then learn how to make handmade paper using recycled materials. The handmade paper will be turned into your own paper sculptures to take home.

To some, he's the Tony® Award-winning revolutionary from Evita who grew into a bona fide Broadway star in Sunday in the Park with George. To others, he's the Emmy® Award-winning Best Actor, for his portrayal of Dr. Jeffrey Geiger in Chicago Hope, or the star of the CBS drama Criminal Minds. To some, he's Madonna's piano man in Dick Tracy or the scholar who made Streisand swoon in Yentl. And to others still, he will always be Inigo Montoya, the swashbuckling swordsman in The Princess Bride. But whichever role you know him for, Mandy Patinkin's favorite is reaching out to live audiences with the power and passion of popular song. He belongs to the special breed of performers who don't merely dramatize songs, but incorporate them into their very being. His interpretations of popular standards, superbly accompanied by Paul Ford at the piano, come straight from the heart, mesmerizing audiences from coast to coast. Selections to highlight Rodgers and Hammerstein, Stephen Sondheim, Harry Chapin, Claude-Michel Schönberg, Irving Berlin and Cole Porter among others.

Turkish novelist Orhan Pamuk, winner of the 2006 Nobel Prize in Literature, is one of the most prominent novelists at work in the world today. Among his many highly regarded works are "The White Castle" (1991), "The Black Book" (1994), "The New Life" (1997), "My Name is Red" (2001), "Snow" (2004), and "Istanbul: Memories and the City" (2005). Mr. Pamuk's speech at MSU is expected to touch on some of the issues raised during his Nobel lecture, in which he noted that "what literature needs most to tell and investigate today are humanity's basic fears: the fear of being left outside, and the fear of counting for nothing, and the feelings of worthlessness that come with such fears; the collective humiliations, vulnerabilities, slights, grievances, sensitivities, and imagined insults, and the nationalist boasts and inflations that are their next of kind."

College of Arts and Letters Signature Lecture by Orhan Pamuck, winner of 2006 Nobel Prize in Literature. For ticket information, visit www.cal.msu.edu/SignatureLecture.php

Philip Sinder, guest artist

Music by MacDonald, Rubinstein, and others.

It burst onto the cultural landscape as a smash hit movie musical on The Disney Channel. Now, get ready for "the start of something new!" Disney Theatrical Productions, the producers of THE LION KING and BEAUTY AND THE BEAST, have created a thrilling stage version of the phenomenal HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL. It's the irresistible story of two teenagers – Troy Bolton, super-popular captain of the basketball team, and Gabriella Montez, super-smart transfer student and a genius in science class – who try to navigate the tricky currents of peer pressure to follow their dream and score the leads in the big school show. All the characters from the movie, every single song that propelled the soundtrack to the top of the Billboard charts – plus two new songs written especially for the stage – make HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL a top-drawer Disney production, and a must-see for every fan of the film and every theatre-goer. So "getcha head in the game!" And get ready for HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL. Live on stage at Wharton Center.

Gallery walk and docent-assisted activity for The Paper Sculpture Show.

Keith Taylor has authored two recently published books: Guilty at the Rapture, a collection of poems and stories that won a 2007 Michigan Notable Book Award, and Batter Guitars: The Poetry and Prose Kostas Karyotakis a book Taylor translated with his friend William Reader. Over the years he has worked and appeared in numerous places, ranging from the Story to the Los Angeles Times, from Bird Watcher?s Digest to the Chicago Tribune to Michigan Quarterly Review, Poetry Ireland, and The Southern Review. Taylor has won awards for his work here and in Europe and coordinates the undergraduate program in creative writing at the University of Michigan.

A fall-time favorite, this competitive 5K run/walk helps support educational programs at the MSU Museum. Meanwhile, younger Dashers get some fresh-air fun and fitness in the Museum Mile and Mini Dash. All finishers get a medal. The MSU Museum is hope to the area's only full-mounted dinosaur casts -- Allosaurus and Stegosaurus -- providing the inspiration for the colossal-sized fun.

Before the Nazi Holocaust, it was a generally-held belief that protecting human rights was the concern of individual governments. But the international alliance formed during World War II, combined with the final revelation of the horrors that had taken place at the hands of the Nazis, convinced many people of the necessity of making human rights a universal concern monitored under universal standards. The prints featured in this exhibition were produced by a diverse group of artists from all over the world, from Africa, Asia and the Middle East to Australia and the Americas. These striking, sometimes disturbing works are accompanied by artist biographies and statements by the artists that reveal their individual perspectives on issues of art and human rights. The set of prints, owned by the Michigan State University Museum, is being circulated in North America as one of a series of activities between Michigan State University and a consortium of agencies in South Africa, including the African National Congress; Centre for Cultural Studies, University of Fort Hare; and Mayibuye Centre, University of the Western Cape. This exhibition revolves around a special human rights theme at the MSU Museum during 2007-2008.

Please join us for The Friends Annual Meeting at Kresge Art Museum. Plan to attend the 2 p.m. meeting to hear about the year's achievements and future plans. Then join a reception from 3–5 p.m where you can create a paper sculpture to add to the growing exhibition in the gallery and enjoy refreshments.

The timeless story of a lowly flower girl who is transformed by the distracted Professor, Henry Higgins. Eliza Doolittle sells flowers in London. Henry Higgins is the professor who will transform this young lady from a cockney guttersnipe to a fashionable high society lady. His work is complicated as unexpected and unexplainable feelings emerge. This classic tale by George Bernard Shaw contains some of his most vibrant wordplay.

"Saltimbanco" is a Cirque du Soleil signature performance, inspired by the urban fabric of the metropolis and its colorful inhabitants. Decidedly baroque in its visual vocabulary, the show's eclectic cast of characters draws spectators into a fanciful, dreamlike world, an imaginary city where diversity is a cause for hope.

Aka: POPIOL I DIAMENT. Directed by Andrzej Wajda (1958). Presented by Sherman Garnett, Dean of James Madison College. Ashes and Diamonds is the strongest of Andrzej Wajda's early films. Wajda's father was killed in the early days of World War II, and Wajda himself fought with the resistance against the Nazis. In Ashes and Diamonds, he revisits the themes of choice and consequences, with an overriding anti-war sentiment. Ironically, the central factor influencing Wajda's later, more mature work was the 1967 death of his close friend Zbigniew Cybulski, who plays the assassin protagonist in Ashes and Diamonds. Cybulski's performance is generally regarded as the finest of his brief career, and brought to Poland the same sort of restless youth motif that Western audiences had found appealing in the also dead-too-young James Dean. (www.allmovie.com)

Twenty-five years ago, the Chicago Symphony Orchestra (CSO) performed to thunderous ovation during the inaugural performance for Wharton Center's grand opening. Now they return to a premier performing arts center celebrating its 25th anniversary. Rich in tradition and innovation, the CSO is a musical force in Chicago and around the world. Featuring over 100 musicians and two internationally-renowned conductors, the CSO is not just one of America's best orchestras, but one of the finest in the world. This concert also features special guest Branford Marsalis joining the symphony for this once-in-a-lifetime anniversary event. Program features Faure's Sicilienne, from Pelleas and Melisande Suite, Debussy's Rhapsody for Alto Saxophone and Orchestra, Copeland's Clarinet Concerto (arr. for soprano saxophone) and Dvorák's Symphony No. 9.

Last day to view The Paper Sculpture Show, The Future: The Eli&Edythe Broad Art Museum, and Prints from South Africa.

CéU, (pronounced "cell with a light L"). It sometimes happens that a new artists appears on the scene and brings together all that is best at that particular moment in time; an artists whose vision is both personal and of universal significance, and the fruit of a particular time and place. A case in point is CéU., whose first album is in fact a sound-photo of the city of São Paulo, that wonderfully rich musical melting pot. What strikes you first and foremost is CéU's incredible voice, with its highly subtle tessitura. The versatility of her voice in different registers is truly astonishing. This Latin Grammy nominee is making an international name for herself. Newsweek writes, "The 26-year-old São Paulo singer and composer easily segues on her debut CD from pop to reggae to dub in velvet, jazz-accented vocals. But Brazilian rhythms are still the foundation… Just when you think that Brazil must surely have exhausted its supply of irresistibly jazzy, funky, sexy, soulful electro-pop singer-songwriters, someone like CéU comes along and makes you think that maybe that particular well is bottomless after all."

One of the most popular and highly recognized stand-up comedians on the road today has also made quite an impression in the feature film and television arena. D.L. is currently starring in the Aaron Sorkin drama series for NBC-TV "Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip." The comedic drama shows the behind-the-scenes politics of a fictional broadcast network's flagship late-night comedy series. D.L. stars as long-standing cast member "Simon Stiles" alongside an all star ensemble cast that includes Matthew Perry, Amanda Peet and Steven Weber. Next up for D.L: he will shoot a one-hour comedy special for HBO entitled "Maybe Its Just Me." The special will shoot in June and is scheduled to premiere on HBO this September.

The Bob&Tom Comedy All Stars featuring Bob Zany, Chick McGee, Donnie Baker, Drew Hastings, Greg Hahn&Patti Vasquez. Heading straight from your radio and coming to a theater near you, The Friends of the Bob&Tom Show Comedy Tour brings laughter along with your favorite comedians! Featured on the syndicated radio show, the Friends are finally on-stage and in-person. Featured guests include everyone's favorte sports reporter and author of the Zany report. The comics are regularly featured guests on the show, stars of the newly released DVD and are ready to crack you up with new material&old favorites you've heard on the Bob&Tom show.

tobyMac is more than just your run-of-the-mill triple threat. On one hand he ranks among the most successful artists in Christian music history in terms of radio success, sales power and critical acclaim. On the other he is universally recognized as a creative force, an artistic maverick and a prophetic voice for racial reconciliation, social justice and a fierce devotion to faith and family. On the third hand, he's the most humble and approachable merchant of cool on the scene today. Yeah; that's three hands. Some things defy common logic. Obviously, when it comes time for a new tobyMac record to drop there are a lot of people paying attention. His rampant eclecticism and consistent excellence have set the bar very high, and on his third solo outing, Portable Sounds, he does not disappoint. An increased commitment to melody and soulful singing abounds, while his now trademarked rock/funk/hip-hop side hits deeper grooves and catchier hooks than ever before. On February 20th, the man Christianity Today called "one of the fifty most influential evangelical leaders in America" sets a new standard with the release of Portable Sounds.

earned her MFA and PhD from Western Michigan University. She has taught courses in literature and creative writing at a variety of colleges. She has spent almost all of her life in Michigan. Her work appears in the anthologies The Best of the Prose Poem: An International Journal (White Pine Press, 2000) and New Poems from the Third Coast: Contemporary Michigan Poetry (Wayne State, 2000). Her poems have also appeared in literary magazines including Boston Review, Epoch, Field, The Laurel Review, The Prose Poem: An International Journal, Seneca Review and Quarterly West.

Tomás and the Library Lady, a play with music adapted by José Cruz González from the book of the same name by Pat Mora, has been an enormous success in theaters and in schools. This timely story inspires children to look beyond the confines of poverty, language barriers, and cultural intolerance to find joy in reading.

Final event in honor of The "Right to Hospitality: Migration, Accommodation, Globalization" film series. Symposium includes reading of papers, roundtable discussion and reception.

The RCAH Center for Poetry presents "Walk. Chalk. Poetry," an MSU community event in the heart of campus. What is commonly known as "the rape trail" is one of MSU's most beautiful stretches of riverbank. Themed poems about space and the transformative power of language will be transferred from paper to pavement in an effort to encourage MSU community members to reexamine their own use of language about this space. Doughnuts and cider will be available for participants while chalking. Come join us by the river and play with poetry!

Marion Post Wolcott Photographs and Robert Birmelin (Works on Paper Gallery) open.

New music from the group that brought you the Grammy Award winning Planet Drum. Global Drum Project reunites Grateful Dead percussion heavyweight Mickey Hart with his longtime friend and collaborator, tabla master Zakir Hussain, along with talking drum ace Sikiru Adepoju and the formidable conguero Giovanni Hidalgo. Planet Drum was released in 1991 and went on to earn the first-ever Grammy® in the World Music category. "This is a deep drumming groove. We're taking the archaic rhythm worlds into outer space. Planet Drum explores rhythm and noise; it's a sound yoga of processed acoustic percussion headed straight for the trance zone that becomes a dance of ancient and modern worlds. Deep drumming is a skeleton key into these realms." - Mickey Hart

An exhibition of over 40 photographs by Marion Post Wolcott featuring her work from the 1930s and 1940s, and specifically her best known photographic documentation for the Farm Security Administration between 1938 and 1941 in New England and the South. They provide a look at daily life during this period, portraying both the poor and the wealthy as well as racial discrimination in the south.

Classical Indian music featuring well known Indian singer, Anurag Harsh.

Opening reception for Marion Post Wolcott Photographs.

Edward O. Wilson is one of the most highly-respected scientists in the world today. Hailed as "the new Darwin" by Thomas Wolfe, and one of "America's 25 Most Influential People" by TIME magazine, he has twice received the Pulitzer Prize for "The Ants" and "On Human Nature." Wilson's book "The Diversity of Life," which brought together knowledge of the magnitude of biodiversity and the threats to it, had a major public impact. In his latest book, "The Creation: An Appeal to Save Life on Earth," Wilson sounds the alarm the earth is in danger and its destruction threatens us all—no matter what we believe about its origins.

Part of the first generation of figure painters following the abstract expressionist movement, Robert Birmelin's work explores the crowded streets of the urban landscape. His work has been acquired by 40 public collections, including the Metropolitan, MOMA and the Hirshhorn.

On October 23, the Residential College in the Arts and Humanities will officially open its new Center for Poetry with an inaugural celebration that will include a reading by RCAH poet and faculty member Anita Skeen. The Center's mission is "to encourage the reading, writing, and discussion of poetry and to create an awareness of its place and power in our everyday lives," says Skeen. The Center will highlight not only the importance of poetry in our individual lives but the need today, perhaps more than ever, for poets in our world. All who enjoy poetry are welcome.

Please join us for a lecture by visual artist Tanya Hartman, associate professor of art at the University of Kansas. Hartman will address memory and its translation into words and narrative imagery. The preoccupation with memory and with words in her work is an attempt to synthesize a shared experience of historic upheaval common to Americans of Jewish heritage who were displaced during the Second World War. The importance of remembering personal as well as our collective history are important themes in her artistic work.

"Blue Man Group" is a uniquely clever, interactive rock concert that regardless of musical tastes, delivers enthralling entertainment for every generation. You just have to see it!

Directed by Richard Berge, Bonni Cohen and Nicole Newnham (2006). Presented by Kenneth Waltzer, Professor of History and Director of Jewish Studies, and Susan Bandes, Director of The Art Museum at MSU. In coordination with The Art Museum at MSU. Adolph Hitler spent years struggling to establish himself as an artist before his political ambitions rose to the surface and he brought the Nazi Party to power in Germany, and documentary filmmakers Richard Berge, Nicole Newnham and Bonni Cohen offer a unique perspective on how Hitler?s aesthetic viewpoint may have affected his nation?s actions during World War II. The Rape of Europa examines the artistic tastes of Hitler and his leading advisors, and how they looted many of the great museums and private art collections of Europe during the course of World War II in order to stock museums built during the Third Reich (and benefit the collections of Germany?s leaders). In addition, Axis forces actively participated in raids to destroy artwork and artifacts from nations and cultures Hitler regarded as ?degenerate,? serving as a curious parallel to ?the Final Solution? that left six million dead. The film features rare newsreel footage and photographs documenting the Nazi?s obsession with art; Joan Allen narrates. (www.allmovie.com)

This documentary film from Actual Films tells two strains of the story: how Hitler's hand-picked art historians and dealers conspired to steal great masterpieces from private and public European collections while the American forces fighting towards Berlin took the cultural heritage of the occupied countries seriously and saved what they could. Based on Lynn H. Nicholas' book of the same title, the movie presents a mesmerizing morality play, rich in rare archival footage and complete with heroic Allied saviors (Variety). One of the greatest antiwar films ever produced… using art as a vehicle to convey the greed, ethnic bias and sheer cruelty of the Axis. (Kenneth Lindsay, Binghamtom University, and member of the American Monument Men team). Presented by Kresge Art Museum, Jewish Studies, and the MSU Libraries. Discussants: Prof. Kenneth Waltzer, Professor of History and Director, Jewish Studies, and Susan J. Bandes, director, Kresge Art Museum.

Exhibit of Christie's work in Room 190 (Push-Pin Gallery) now through mid-November. The stunning and talked-about computer-generated artwork now on display in room 190 was created by New Jersey-based artist Bryan Christie for a variety of clients. His art appears regularly in WIRED, Newsweek, The New York Times, Esquire, Field&Stream and many other publications and his work covers a broad range of complex topics, from the microbiological to the gastrointestinal. Journalism instructor Karl Gude curated this inaugural exhibit. Christie will sign prints purchased prior to his arrival and has offered to donate most of the proceeds from the sale of his work to help fund future exhibits in CAS.

The Chicago Jazz Ensemble, led by Artistic Director Jon Faddis, is known for his work as the leader of the Carnegie Hall Jazz Band. Faddis is regarded as the pre-eminent jazz big band leader and is dedicated to making the Chicago Jazz Ensemble the best big band in the world. Faddis brings not only his virtually unparalleled skill and passion as a trumpeter and conductor, but also his abiding enthusiasm for jazz education to Chicago and beyond. Three of the most creative geniuses in Jazz – vocalist Nat King Cole, trumpeter Dizzy Gillespie and pianist Thelonious Monk – were all born in 1917, making 2007 the 90th anniversary of their births. Join Jon Faddis and the Chicago Jazz Ensemble in celebrating the musical legacy of these three exceptional musicians. The concert features classic Dizzy Gillespie big band arrangements, as well as Monk's music as arranged by Michael Philip Mossman, Slide Hampton and Dennis Mackrel – charts that were premiered at Carnegie Hall, under Faddis' direction. The CJE's own vocalist, Bobbi Wilsyn, highlights the music of Nat King Cole, with songs such as "Route 66" and "Straighten Up&Fly Right."

A twin fears her sister was lost in the 9/11 disaster. In this funny and philosophical play, Craig Wright explores the question of whether our lives are shaped by free will or random unconnected events. It is September 12, 2001 and Waverly has a blind date. She is also concerned that her sister has been killed in the World Trade Center disaster. As Waverly's concerns grow, her life becomes more complicated by her date, her neighbors and a visit from Joyce Carol Oates….played by a sock puppet. The Department of Theatre at Michigan State University and the Williamston Theatre have entered into a historic collaboration to celebrate the

In the on-going tradition of spectacular touring productions, Neil Goldberg and Cirque Productions have once again reinvented the circus with European flair, imaginative theatrics and world-class acrobatics. Cirque Dreams Jungle Fantasy is an all-new adventure that takes audiences soaring into a magical forest through the air and on stage. An international cast of graceful aerialists, spine bending contortionists, vine swinging characters, strong men and balancers bring this jungle dream to life in a lush Broadway setting filled with wildly unpredictable designs, special effects, inventive choreography, puppeteering and dazzling costumes. Cirque Dreams Jungle Fantasy is an exhilarating journey the entire family can experience together.

Tales of Christopher Robin's friends and their adventures in the Hundred Acre Wood have delighted children of all ages for generations. Join Eeyore, Rabbit, Piglet, Owl, Kanga, Roo, and of course, everyone's favorite bear of very little brain, Pooh, in this enchanting musical based on A. A. Milne's stories.

Latin American Music

The Center for Poetry continues its inaugural year with a reading by poet and novelist Gordon Henry. Henry is well-known locally and nationally. An enrolled member of the White Earth Chippewa Tribe of Minnesota, Henry first drew attention as an American Indian writer in 1983, when his poetry was anthologized in Songs from This Earth on Turtle's Back: An Anthology of Contemporary American Indian Poetry. At that time he was a graduate student in Michigan St