WILLIAMSBURG — William & Mary will celebrate the Year of the Arts in 2023-24 with a community-wide celebration of artistic accomplishments, showcasing the vital role that the arts play in all facets of the university’s educational experience.
The opening of the new Fine and Performing Arts Complex and major events during Homecoming & Reunion Weekend Oct. 19-22 will be among the fall’s highlights as the year kicks off.
Art
Andrews Gallery will host the following:
- “Larger than Still Life: Paintings by Xico Greenwald” will be featured from Oct. 5 through Oct. 31.
- The “Curatorial Project Exhibition,” with its title to be announced, from Nov. 3 through Nov. 29. Students majoring in art history curate all aspects of the show, which evolves as they go through the steps of choosing and preparing pieces for inclusion.
A Community Art Day will offer fun-filled art exploration for people of all ages on Sept. 30 from 1 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the Williamsburg Community Building.
A ticketed 40th anniversary dinner gala celebration will be held Nov. 17 at 5:30 p.m. at W&M Alumni House.
The Center for Student Diversity will sponsor an exhibition and events focused on the late labor leader Cesar Chavez as part of its Hispanic Heritage Month celebration. Photographs from the National Chavez Center archives will be displayed in the Slice and upper floor hallways of the Sadler Center from Sept. 5 through Oct. 30. The exhibition and events are free and open to the public.
Dance
Orchesis Modern Dance Company will present “DancEvent,” with original choreography by dance faculty members performed by faculty, students with Orchesis and guest artists, from Oct. 26 through Oct. 29 at PBK Memorial Hall. Show times are 7:30 p.m. Thursday through Saturday and 2 p.m. on Sunday. Tickets will be available at the PBK Memorial Hall Box Office and online starting one week prior to performances.
Music
Ewell Concert Series opens on Sept. 14 with the Jordan Ponzi Quartet, Michael Byerly with the Daniel Inamorato Duo on Sept. and the final performance on Nov. 16 with Eric Lyttle Trio. All shows start at 7 p.m., take place in the new Music Building Recital Hall and are free and open to the public.
The Wind Ensemble and Botetourt Chamber Singers will perform the free Homecoming Concert on Oct. 20 at 7 p.m. and 8:30 p.m., respectively, in the Music Building Concert Hall. General admission is $10 and free with W&M ID.
The W&M Choir will perform a free Homecoming Concert on Oct. 21 at 7:30 p.m. in the Concert Hall.
On Oct. 27 as part of Family Weekend, the large ensembles will host an instrumental shared concert at 7 p.m., followed by a choral shared concert at 8 p.m. in the Concert Hall. Admission is free.
The W&M Orchestra’s Halloween Concert, featuring selections by French composer Max d’Ollone, will be held at 7:30 p.m. on Oct. 28 in the Recital Hall. General admission is $3.
The Barksdale Treble Chorus and Botetourt Chamber Singers will perform a free fall concert at 7:30 p.m. on Nov. 11 in the Concert Hall.
The Wind Ensemble’s Winter Concert will be Dec. 2 at 7:30 p.m. in the Concert Hall. General admission is $10 and free with W&M ID.
The W&M Orchestra will perform its Winter Concert on Dec. 9 at 7:30 p.m. in the Concert Hall, including Tchaikovsky’s “Nutcracker, Suite No.1” and John Williams’ “Star Wars suite.” General admission is $10 and free for students, children and veterans.
Theatre
W&M Theatre will stage William Shakespeare’s “Romeo and Juliet,” directed by Professor of Theatre Laurie J. Wolf, as the first main stage production in the newly renovated and expanded PBK Memorial Hall. The show runs Nov. 16 through Nov. 19. Show times are 7:30 p.m. Thursday through Saturday and 2 p.m. on Sunday. Tickets will be available at the PBK Memorial Hall Box Office and online starting one week prior to performances.
Writing
Free and open to the public, the Patrick Hayes Writers Festival series will host author Helon Habila at 7 p.m. on Oct. 24 and writer Jes Hammonds at 7 p.m. on Nov. 8 at Tucker Theatre.
English and creative writing will host Concord Scholarship presentation “Gone Away Somewhere (Be Back Soon)” by recipient Shawna Alston at 5 p.m. on Oct. 19 in Tucker Theatre.
For a comprehensive list, please visit W&M News.
