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Theatre and dance presents original dramatic comedy She Kills Monsters

Running from Thursday, Nov. 21 through Saturday, Dec. 7, Main Theatre at Wright Hall, �������ϲ����Ͽ� Davis

Performances are Nov. 21, 22, 23 and Dec. 5 and 6 at 7 p.m. and Nov. 23 and Dec. 7 at 2 p.m. 

The Department of Theatre and Dance will present the dramatic comedy She Kills Monsters starting this Thursday. Faced with the profound loss of her sister, Agnes Evans (played by Lana Lindley) processes her grief through the realm of Dungeons and Dragons. 

In the play, Agnes leaves her family’s home following the death of her teenage sister, Tilly. After finding Tilly’s Dungeons and Dragons notebook, Agnes finds herself catapulted into a journey of discovery in the imaginary world that was her sister’s refuge. The lively performance features puppetry as well as fierce fairies, nasty ogres, and 90s pop culture.

The "deceptively breezy and rather ingenious comedy" (The New York Times) is about finding real and metaphorical families, as well as a sense of self, through Dungeons and Dragons and deals with themes that every high schooler and college student confronts. The play features complex characters who lead well-rounded lives outside of the Dungeons and Dragons arena ─ some who deal with their family’s reactions when revealing their sexuality.

Content Warning: Language, adult and LGBTQIA+ themes including violence, bullying and sexuality. 

Get tickets here: 

M.F.A. students open their studios 

Thursday, Nov. 21, 4:30-6:30 p.m., Art Annex and Ann E. Pitzer Center at �������ϲ����Ͽ� Davis, free

The Art Studio M.F.A. program at �������ϲ����Ͽ� Davis is a two-year, critically engaged studio program that provides an opportunity for interdisciplinary study in the visual arts. As part of a small tight-knit community, students explore a wide range of media and approaches to studio practice. Come see their new work and meet the artists.

Charlie Hankin gives lecture on “Caribbean Clave Poetics”

Thursday, Nov. 21, 4:10-5:30 p.m., Everson Hall, Room 266

In the 1920s and 1930s, Afro-Cuban poet Nicolás Guillén stirred controversy by integrating son music rhythms and language from Afro-descendant communities into his poetry, which he called "son poems." Unfortunately, little attention has been devoted to the way Guillén, despite having no musical training, developed a poetics of clave. Hankin uses Guillén as a starting point to begin to theorize a broader literary practice in the Caribbean that he calls “writing in clave.”

, assistant professor of Spanish and Portuguese at �������ϲ����Ͽ� Davis, specializes in music-literature relations in the 20th and 21st century Caribbean and Brazil. 

Listen to musics of the world

Thursday, Nov. 21, 4-5:30 p.m., Recital Hall, Ann E. Pitzer Center, free

Program 

"Musics of the World brings to the stage:

Samba School • Brian Rice, director

Gamelan • Heni Savitri, director

Mariachi • Oscar Garibay, director

Bluegrass and Old Time String Band • Scott Linford, director

Percussion Ensemble of �������ϲ����Ͽ� Davis takes the stage

Friday, Nov. 22, 4 p.m., Recital Hall, Ann E. Pitzer Center, free

Chris Froh, director and �������ϲ����Ͽ� Davis lecturer in music

Program

Andy Akiho: Karakurenai

Peter Chatterjee: Vestiges of Life in Reverberated Spaces WORLD PREMIERE

Gerard Grisey: Stele

Max Gibson: Heart of Matter WORLD PREMIERE

Read more about Chris Froh here: 

Sing along to Encanto

Friday, Nov. 22, 7:30 p.m., Jackson Hall at the Mondavi Center for the Performing Arts

Treat the Encanto lovers in your family to a sing-along film unlike any other. Watch the full Oscar-winning film on the big screen while Banda de la Casita performs the Grammy-winning songs live.

For one night, fans are encouraged to dress up like Mirabel, Luisa, Isabela or any of their favorite characters from the film and sing along with the famous Grammy-winning songs penned by living legend Lin-Manuel Miranda — including the breakout hit “We Don’t Talk About Bruno” — and accompanied the live band Banda de la Casita. Don’t miss this opportunity to transform the Mondavi Center into one big celebration of the Madrigal family. Run time is about two hours. 

Download the Encanto activity packet  

Get tickets here:  

�������ϲ����Ͽ� Davis Department of Music presents �������ϲ����Ͽ� Davis Symphony Orchestra

Sunday, Nov. 24, 7 p.m., Jackson Hall at the Mondavi Center for the Performing Arts

The �������ϲ����Ͽ� Davis Symphony concert Sunday opens with Yu-Hui Chang’s Pixelandia, a 2015 multi-movement work inspired by the joy of first-wave 2D video games, “with graphics so primitive that every scan line and pixel was visible.” Music and video-game enthusiasts will be delighted to learn that the third movement is where one meets the “Boss” and that the tempo marking before the last movement is “Insert coin to continue.”

The other two pieces on the program are by 20th-century American composers Florence Price and Samuel Barber. The work interweaves mid-century modernist music techniques with African dance rhythms and themes.

Get tickets here:  

Next week

Alexander String Quartet with Robert Greenberg plays at Jackson Hall

Sunday, Dec. 1, 2 p.m., Jackson Hall at the Mondavi Center for the Performing Arts

After a remarkable 44-year tenure, spring 2025 will bring the retirement of the Alexander String Quartet, following a final, celebratory season.

Widely admired for its interpretations of Beethoven, Mozart and Shostakovich, the Alexander String Quartet’s recordings have won critical acclaim worldwide. Joined by lecturer Robert Greenberg, in-house music historian of SF Performances and noted pianist and composer, they’ll bring to life the nuances and history behind Beethoven’s “The Harp” and Schubert’s “Death and the Maiden,” considered one of the pillars of the chamber ensemble repertoire. 

Don’t miss your chance to celebrate this foundational piece of Mondavi Center history.

Get tickets here:  

Vote in this year’s study abroad photography contest

Voting ends Dec. 6 at 5 p.m. Cast your vote  

The annual �������ϲ����Ͽ� Davis Study Abroad Photo Contest seeks to recognize and celebrate student photography taking place on the many  offered throughout the year at �������ϲ����Ͽ� Davis. Over 500 photos were submitted this year, and the public is invited to vote on those submissions. The 2024 finalists are broken up into two categories:  and . 

Viewers are invited to read the captions, as well, to get a better sense of the global learning stories behind each photo. The following student majors are represented this year: Asian American Studies; Anthropology; Neurobiology, Physiology, & Behavior; Biological Systems Engineering; Computer Science; Evolution, Ecology, and Biodiversity; Mechanical Engineering; Managerial Economics; and Design.

Voting closes on Dec. 6 at 5 p.m.

The Arts Blog will be running the winning photos.