A Cornucopia of November Events
Student and community enrichment events continue with plays, new exhibitions, and tributes to first-year students.
Washington College invites the community to a cornucopia of events open to the public this November. From exploring what makes us human to learning about the environment through art, there's always a reason to be thankful at Washington College.
Explore What it Means to be Human in Middletown, U.S.A.
The Department of Theatre and Dance’s production of Middletown by Will Eno, which is a play about the complexity of small towns in modern day America, is set to premiere this November. This show acts as a Senior Capstone Experience by student director James Fordi ‘25 and will be performed on Friday and Saturday, November 1 - 2 at 7:30 p.m. in Tawes Theatre at the Gibson Center for the Arts. This production is free and open to the public, although donations to the Kent County Food Drive are encouraged. Each performance will also be preceded by an art show featuring work compiled by Fordi and created by students at Washington College, which opens at 6 p.m. in the Underwood Lobby of the Gibson Center. Tickets can be reserved here.
Kappa Sigma Annual Pancake Breakfast Benefiting Military Heroes
The Kappa Sigma Fraternity at Washington College is hosting its annual pancake breakfast on Saturday, November 2 to support the Kappa Sigma Military Heroes Campaign - a composite charity serving the medical, psychological, physical, and housing needs of America’s veterans. This event has raised nearly $85,000 since its inception, funding various veterans' charities like Homes for Our Troops, Veterans Moving Forward, and Veterans Success Resources Group. The breakfast, held at Emmanuel Episcopal Church (101 N Cross St, Chestertown, MD 21620) from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m., offers all-you-can-eat pancakes, eggs, and more for a $5 donation. Those unable to attend can still contribute via PayPal or Venmo (@Kappasigwashcoll).
Reimagining How and Why We Remember
Earlier this spring, the Washington College Starr Center for the Study of the American Experience was awarded a grant to begin planning for a major artwork of national significance that engages African American history and culture in the Chesapeake Tidewater region. Now, the Starr Center is hosting several community events to foster conversation for the eventual piece starting with a talk on Monday, November 4. Brent Leggs, executive director of the African American Cultural Heritage Action Fund and senior vice president of the National Trust for Historic Preservation, will join Jaelon T. Moaney, deputy director of the Starr Center for a presentation entitled “Reimagining How and Why We Remember.” The reception starts at 5:30 p.m. in the Underwood Lobby of the Gibson Center for the Arts followed by a presentation at 6:30 p.m. in Decker Theatre. Light refreshments will be provided at this event. Additionally, in the same series, the Starr Center, in collaboration with Chesapeake Heartlands, is offering a one-day bus tour to Philadelphia on Saturday, November 23 from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Participants must RSVP by Friday, November 15.
Devotions Channels Natural Inspiration at The Kohl Gallery
The second exhibit in the Washington College Kohl Gallery’s 2024 -2025 season is set to open on Tuesday, November 5. The new exhibition, Devotions, is a tribute to the Pando Forest in Utah by artist Sobia Ahmad. Devotions will be open throughout November and into December. Ahmad will give a talk on Friday, November 15 at 4 p.m. in Decker Theatre in the Gibson Center for the Arts. Immediately after the talk, a public reception will be held in the Underwood Lobby. For more information, visit the Kohl Gallery’s webpage.
Hear Student Readings of Work Created on the Moors of England
The English Department, the Starr Center, and the Center of Environment and Society have co-sponsored a student reading and information session about the Kiplin Hall Summer Program in English Literature which took students abroad to Yorkshire, England last semester. Students who were enrolled in the program to northern England for the Summer 2024 trip will be reading some of their work. The reading will take place on November 7 at 5 p.m. in the Rose O’Neill Literary House. This event is open to the public and will have refreshments provided. Full event details can be found here.
Jump into Hilarious Situations Through Film
The Department of Communication and Media Studies continues to ignite curiosity among film lovers with its Creative Life Film Series. This thought-provoking cinematic line-up delves into the diverse ways individuals and groups engage in creative practices. Featuring a variety of films from different time periods and genres, the series explores the motivations behind pursuing creative passions, the challenges and joys of producing authentic work, and the interconnectedness between the creative process and the surrounding world. All screenings are free and open to the public. This month's film, Be Kind, Rewind is a buddy comedy film where two friends accidentally wipe the stock of a rental store and hilarity ensues. The free screening will take place on Thursday, November 7 at 7 p.m. in the Norman James Theater in William Smith Hall.
Learning About Friendship Through Theatre and Bear-Fighting
The Department of Theatre and Dance is gifting the campus community with another production in the month of November, with Bon Iver Fights a Bear by Douglass Williams. The play takes the real-life story of folk-indie artist Bon Iver recording his album For Emma, Forever and turns it into a modern myth about his unusual friendship with a bear. The show, which is directed by Sophia Rooks ‘23, Assistant Technical Director and the Event Coordinator for the Gibson Center for the Arts, will be held on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, November 7-9 at 7:30 p.m. in Tawes Theatre the Gibson Center for the Arts. Tickets can be reserved here.
Spilling and Sipping Tea While Learning at Lunch
Those who love both tea and history have a place to explore their interest at the Washington College Academy of Lifelong Learning's (WC-ALL) free workshop “The Spilling of the Tea — The History of Tea and the American Revolution.” Victoria Barnett-Woods is the Associate Director for Experiential Learning and Programs at the Starr Center for the Study of the American Experience and has an extensive knowledge of the Atlantic world in the eighteenth century. In relation to the anniversary of the Boston Tea Party, Barnett-Woods will be discussing such “tea party” events during the American Revolution. The event will be held on Tuesday, November 12 at noon in the Hynson Lounge in the Hodson Hall Commons on Washington College's campus. Tickets are $25 for members and $30 for non-members and must be purchased in advance. Lunch and a spot of tea will be served. 
Eco-Poetry Writing and Mental Health Readings and Workshops
Washington College celebrates the power of the written word as the Rose O’Neill Literary House’s Living Writers Poetry Series closes out for the semester this month. This exciting series features acclaimed authors who will share their work on select days throughout the 2024-2025 academic year. All events are free and open to the public, offering a unique opportunity to engage with these literary talents in a Q&A session after each reading. November features two events with author Rajiv Mohabir, who has published three collections of poems and won countless awards for his writing. Mohabir is scheduled to read from his own poetry on Wednesday, November 13 at 6 p.m. in the Rose O’Neill Literary House and give a guided workshop on eco-poetry on Thursday, November 14 at 2:30 p.m. at the Harwood Nature Center at the Lawrence Wetlands Preserve. Attendees to the workshop are encouraged to dress for the outdoors.
Another poet, Dianne Seuss, a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize, will give a virtual reading and workshop titled “What a Self Could Be: Poetry and Mental Health” on Monday, November 18 at 6 p.m. Registration is required to participate in this event. Full details can be found on the Rose O'Neill Literary House webpage.
Daddy Long Legs: A Rags-to-Riches Musical Rescheduled
The Music Department is proud to present John Caird and Paul Gordon’s Daddy Long Legs as their fall musical. Experience the story of orphaned teenager Jerusha Abbott, sent to college by a mysterious benefactor with the deal that she will write him letters monthly. This show will feature music majors Stevie Lyles ‘26 and Evan Paddock ‘27. While the performance was originally set to take place in October, it has been moved to Saturday, November 16 at 7:30 p.m. in Hotchkiss Recital Hall at the Gibson Center for the Arts. Tickets for the general audience will be $10 and can be purchased online or at the door. More information can be found on the Music Department's event listing.
Restoring Quail Habitats with the Natural Lands Project
The University of Maryland Extension Wildlife Management is hosting the second virtual Land and Wildlife Speaker Series talk, which features environmentalists sharing their expertise on the natural world. Dan Small, associate director of Natural Land Stewardship at the Center for Environment and Society will present his talk, "The Natural Lands Project & Northern Bobwhite Quail Habitat Restoration” on Friday, November 18 at noon. Subscribing on the Wildlife Management website via email is required to receive the Zoom link.
Support Students at the Annual Literary House First-Year Reading
Every year, the Rose O’Neill Literary House holds a reading for all first-year students at Washington College. Members from the class of 2028 will have an opportunity to publicly read a work of their own. Those who wish to support the first-year students in sharing their art are invited to attend on Thursday, November 21 at 5 p.m. at the Literary House. The event is free and open to the public. Full details can be found on the Rose O'Neill Literary House webpage.
Understanding the Chesapeake Bay through Visual Art and Literature
An unexpected crossover between environmental studies and art will be led by Kate Livie, author and professor of Chesapeake Regional Studies, as she discusses “Nature Journaling: Then & Now” at the Sultana Education Foundation's Third Thursday Speaker Series. Inspired by John White and Benjamin Latrobe and their nature journaling in the 1700s, Livie will discuss the Chesapeake Bay watershed and express its importance through an artistic format. The event, which is free and open to the public, will take place on Thursday, November 21 at 6 p.m. at the Harwood Nature Center at the Lawrence Wetlands Preserve. More information is available at the Sultana website.
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