2024-2025 Arts Calendar
Ohio Wesleyan University Announces Event Schedule for Upcoming Academic Year
DELAWARE, Ohio – Ohio Wesleyan University's Department of Performing Arts and Richard M. Ross Art Museum invite the community to attend the many concerts, recitals, plays, and art exhibitions planned for OWU's 2024-2025 academic year.
Please note that all event information is subject to change at any time throughout the year. For the latest details and newest campus events, visit owu.edu/events.
Performing Arts Events
7 p.m. Sept. 29: Ohio Wesleyan student recital, in Jemison Auditorium inside Sanborn Hall, 23 Elizabeth St., Delaware. Admission is free. For more information, visit owu.edu/PerformingArts.
7:30 p.m. Oct. 3-5 and 2 p.m. Oct. 5-6: "Helen," adapted from "Euripides" by Ellen McLaughlin, in the Studio Theatre inside Chappelear Drama Center, 45 Rowland Ave., Delaware. In this fresh take on Euripides' tragicomedy, Helen never went to Troy but spent the war fought in her name in an Egyptian hotel room waiting for her husband to find her and take her home. But even his eventual arrival can't save Helen from the legend that has grown far larger than the woman who inspired it. Directed by Brian Granger, assistant professor of Theatre, the play contains adult language and themes. Admission is free, but reservations are required by visiting owu.edu/PerformingArts beginning two weeks before the show debuts. For questions, call the box office at (740) 368-3855.
6 p.m. Oct. 18: "Scenes!" featuring performances staged by the Theatre Directing Class on the Main Stage of Chappelear Drama Center, 45 Rowland Ave., Delaware. This 30-minute event features new students as actors and may contain adult themes and language. "Scenes!" is presented by the OWU chapter of the Theta Alpha Phi National Theatre Honors Fraternity. Admission is free. For more information, visit owu.edu/PerformingArts.
8 p.m. Oct. 24: Ohio Wesleyan Symphonic Wind Ensemble, conducted by Richard Edwards, professor of Music, in Gray Chapel inside University Hall, 61 S. Sandusky St., Delaware. Admission is free. For more information, visit owu.edu/PerformingArts.
8 p.m. Nov. 1-2: Musical theatre scenes, directed by Jennifer Whitehead, associate professor of Music, in Jemison Auditorium inside Sanborn Hall, 23 Elizabeth St., Delaware. Admission is free. For more information, visit owu.edu/PerformingArts.
3 p.m. Nov. 3: Ohio Wesleyan faculty recital, featuring Dr. Mariko Kenda, piano, in Jemison Auditorium inside Sanborn Hall, 23 Elizabeth St., Delaware. Admission is free. For more information, visit owu.edu/PerformingArts.
3 p.m. Nov. 10: Ohio Wesleyan Choral Art Society and Chamber Choir, conducted by Jason Hiester, associate professor of Music, in Gray Chapel inside University Hall, 61 S. Sandusky St., Delaware. Admission is free. For more information, visit owu.edu/PerformingArts.
6:30 p.m. Nov. 11: Ohio Wesleyan Honor Choir Festival Concert, in Gray Chapel inside University Hall, 61 S. Sandusky St., Delaware. Admission is free. For more information, visit owu.edu/PerformingArts.
8 p.m. Nov. 14: Ohio Wesleyan Chamber Orchestra, conducted by faculty member Deborah Price, in Gray Chapel inside University Hall, 61 S. Sandusky St., Delaware. Admission is free. For more information, visit owu.edu/PerformingArts.
8 p.m. Nov. 15 and 2 p.m. and 8 p.m. Nov. 16: Orchesis 24/25 fall contemporary dance concert, on the Main Stage in Chappelear Drama Center, 45 Rowland Ave., Delaware. The performance is presented by the OWU Dance Company and will be directed by faculty member Janet Schroeder. Admission is free. For more information, visit owu.edu/PerformingArts.
3 p.m. Nov. 17: Ohio Wesleyan composition students' recital and juries, in Jemison Auditorium inside Sanborn Hall, 23 Elizabeth St., Delaware. Admission is free. For more information, visit owu.edu/PerformingArts.
8 p.m. Nov. 19: Ohio Wesleyan Park Avenue Jazz Ensemble, directed by faculty member Kevin Turner, in Gray Chapel inside University Hall, 61 S. Sandusky St., Delaware. Admission is free. For more information, visit owu.edu/PerformingArts.
8 p.m. Nov. 20: Guest Recital: Jacob Smith Quartet, in Jemison Auditorium inside Sanborn Hall, 23 Elizabeth St., Delaware. Admission is free. For more information, visit owu.edu/PerformingArts.
7 p.m. Nov. 22: 'Songs at the Center' Taping with Eric Gnezda '79. The nationally distributed "Songs at the Center" television show, created and hosted by OWU alum Eric Gnezda '79, will tape an episode with guest artists Amythyst Kiah, Nicole Witt, and Sarah Darling, in Jemison Auditorium inside Sanborn Hall, 23 Elizabeth St., Delaware. Admission is free. For more information, visit owu.edu/PerformingArts.
TBD Nov. 23: OWU Percussion Day, directed by marching band director Chris Lizak, in Jemison Auditorium inside Sanborn Hall, 23 Elizabeth St., Delaware. Admission is free. For more information, visit owu.edu/PerformingArts.
8 p.m. Dec. 3: Ohio Wesleyan student recital, in Jemison Auditorium inside Sanborn Hall, 23 Elizabeth St., Delaware. Admission is free. For more information, visit owu.edu/PerformingArts.
7:30 p.m. Dec. 6: Ohio Wesleyan Directing Class One-Acts, in Chappelear Drama Center, 45 Rowland Ave., Delaware. Lusie Cuskey, assistant professor of Theatre, will mentor the students and produce the pieces, which may contain adult language and themes. Admission is free. For more information, visit owu.edu/PerformingArts.
TBD Jan. 11, 2025: OWU Chamber Music Invitational, directed by part-time instructor Deborah Price, in Jemison Auditorium inside Sanborn Hall, 23 Elizabeth St., Delaware and in Gray Chapel inside University Hall, 61 S. Sandusky St., Delaware. Admission is free. For more information, visit owu.edu/PerformingArts.
Feb. 14-15, 2025: Ohio Wesleyan Honor Band Music Festival
- 7 p.m. Feb. 14: Honor Band Festival Host Concert, in Gray Chapel inside University Hall, 61 S. Sandusky St., Delaware. Admission is free. For more information, visit owu.edu/PerformingArts.
- 2 p.m. Feb. 15: Honor Band Festival Grand Finale Concert, in Gray Chapel inside University Hall, 61 S. Sandusky St., Delaware. Admission is free. For more information, visit owu.edu/PerformingArts.
7:30 p.m. Feb. 27-March 1 and 2 p.m. March 1-2, 2025: "Doubt: A Parable," written by John Patrick Shanley ("Moonstruck"), in the Studio Theatre inside Chappelear Drama Center, 45 Rowland Ave., Delaware. Set in a Bronx Catholic school in 1964, a strong-minded principal wrestles with her conscience as she copes with concerns about a progressive young priest. Directed by OWU faculty member and graduate Bradford Sadler, the play addresses issues straight from today's headlines, earning Shanley a Pulitzer Prize for Drama and a Tony Award for Best Play. Admission is free, but reservations are required by visiting owu.edu/PerformingArts beginning two weeks before the show debuts. For questions, call the box office at (740) 368-3855.
7 p.m. Mar. 30, 2025: OWU Percussion Ensemble with guest artists Ben & Kelsey Shaheen, directed by marching band director Chris Lizak, in Jemison Auditorium inside Sanborn Hall, 23 Elizabeth St., Delaware. Admission is free. For more information, visit owu.edu/PerformingArts.
3 p.m. April 6, 2025: Ohio Wesleyan Choral Art Society, in Gray Chapel inside University Hall, 61 S. Sandusky St., Delaware. Admission is free. For more information, visit owu.edu/PerformingArts.
8 p.m. April 8, 2025: Ohio Wesleyan Chamber Orchestra, conducted by faculty member Deborah Price, in Gray Chapel inside University Hall, 61 S. Sandusky St., Delaware. Admission is free. For more information, visit owu.edu/PerformingArts.
7:30 p.m. April 10-12 and 7:30 p.m. April 18-19, 2025: "The Spitfire Grill," with music and book by James Valcq and lyrics and book by Fred Alley, on the Main Stage in Chappelear Drama Center, 45 Rowland Ave., Delaware. It is based on the 1996 film by Lee David Zlotoff. In this heartfelt musical, feisty parolee Percy Talbott follows her dreams based on a page from an old travel book and winds up in a small Wisconsin town. There, she finds a place for herself working at Hannah's Spitfire Grill. It is for sale but there are no takers, so Talbott suggests raffling it off. The OWU production features music direction from Jennifer Whitehead, associate professor of Music, and stage direction from Lusie Cuskey, assistant professor of Theatre. Admission is free, but reservations are required by visiting owu.edu/PerformingArts beginning two weeks before the show debuts. For questions, call the box office at (740) 368-3855.
8 p.m. April 15, 2025: Departmental Student Recital, in Jemison Auditorium inside Sanborn Hall, 23 Elizabeth St., Delaware. Admission is free. For more information, visit owu.edu/PerformingArts.
8 p.m. April 17, 2025: Ohio Wesleyan Symphonic Wind Ensemble performance, conducted by Richard Edwards, professor of Music, in Gray Chapel inside University Hall, 61 S. Sandusky St., Delaware. Admission is free. For more information, visit owu.edu/PerformingArts.
8 p.m. April 22, 2025: Ohio Wesleyan Park Avenue Jazz Ensemble performance, conducted by faculty member Kevin Turner, in Gray Chapel inside University Hall, 61 S. Sandusky St., Delaware. Admission is free. For more information, visit owu.edu/PerformingArts.
8 p.m. April 25, 2025: Terpsicorps 24/25, in Chappelear Drama Center, 45 Rowland Ave., Delaware. Admission is free. For more information, visit owu.edu/PerformingArts.
3 p.m. May 4, 2025: Delaware Youth Wind Symphony Concert, in Gray Chapel inside University Hall, 61 S. Sandusky St., Delaware. Admission is free. For more information, visit owu.edu/PerformingArts.
Fine Arts Exhibitions
Aug. 13-Sept. 27: Ohio Art League Annual Fall Exhibition, at Ohio Wesleyan's Richard M. Ross Art Museum, 60 S. Sandusky St., Delaware. The juried show features a host of media from artists across the state. With nearly 400 members, the Columbus-based Ohio Art League seeks to empower artists by fostering a vibrant artistic community and providing diverse opportunities to showcase their work, connect with fellow creatives, and expand their knowledge and skills. Learn more at https://oal.org. During the academic year, the Ross is open Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Thursday from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.; and Sunday from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. The museum is handicap-accessible and admission is always free. Call (740) 368-3606 or visit owu.edu/ross for more information.
Oct. 15-Dec. 13: Faculty Exhibition: "In the Studio," at Ohio Wesleyan's Richard M. Ross Art Museum, 60 S. Sandusky St., Delaware. A Fine Arts faculty challenge, "In the Studio" is a series of responses to an object selected from OWU's Natural History Museum by art historian Camilla Querin. Professors Kristina Bogdanov, Frank Hobbs, and Jeff Nilan will offer unique perspectives based on their disciplines and research. For nearly 150 years, OWU's Natural History Museum (formally the Brant Museum of Zoology) has housed teaching collections of mammals, birds and their eggs and nests, insects, mollusks, and corals, with smaller collections of other organisms. Learn more at owu.edu/NaturalHistoryMuseum. During the academic year, the Ross is open Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Thursday from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.; and Sunday from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. The museum is handicap-accessible and admission is always free. Call (740) 368-3606 or visit owu.edu/ross for more information.
Oct. 15-Dec. 13: Tony Mendoza: "Pictures with Stories," at Ohio Wesleyan's Richard M. Ross Art Museum, 60 S. Sandusky St., Delaware. Noted photographer and writer Tony Mendoza documents events from his life in his "Pictures with Stories" series. Documenting his family's history starting in pre-Castro Cuba to the present, Mendoza's journey has taken him along many paths from commune living in the late 1960s to a long career as a photography professor at The Ohio State University. With honesty and humor, every photo has an accompanying story reflecting on the captured moment and the event's impact on the artist's life. Learn more at www.tonymendozaphoto.com. During the academic year, the Ross is open Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Thursday from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.; and Sunday from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. The museum is handicap-accessible and admission is always free. Call (740) 368-3606 or visit owu.edu/ross for more information.
Oct. 15-March 23, 2025: "Culture Push" Exhibition, at Ohio Wesleyan's Richard M. Ross Art Museum, 60 S. Sandusky St., Delaware. A selection of works from the Ross Art Museum's Permanent Teaching Collection, "Culture Push" is a response to Fritz Scholder's "Hollywood Indian" on loan from Art Bridges. The exhibition supports the curriculum developed for OWU's first-year student seminar, with the selected works intended to investigate the powerful cultural forces that shape people's lives. During the academic year, the Ross is open Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Thursday from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.; and Sunday from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. The museum is handicap-accessible and admission is always free. Call (740) 368-3606 or visit owu.edu/ross for more information.
Jan. 14-March 23, 2025: Alicia Brown Exhibition, at Ohio Wesleyan's Richard M. Ross Art Museum, 60 S. Sandusky St., Delaware. Based in Sarasota, Florida, painter Alicia Brown investigates colonial histories and legacies through portraiture. Born in Jamaica, her work is personal, powerful, and intimate. Her sitters are painted lovingly and reflect the artist's gentle but profound awareness of the forces shaping identity. Learn more at www.alicialisabrown.com. During the academic year, the Ross is open Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Thursday from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.; and Sunday from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. The museum is handicap-accessible and admission is always free. Call (740) 368-3606 or visit owu.edu/ross for more information.
April 13-May 10, 2025: Fine Arts Graduating Senior Exhibition, at Ohio Wesleyan's Richard M. Ross Art Museum, 60 S. Sandusky St., Delaware. Featuring juried works by the OWU Class of 2025, the exhibit will open with a public reception from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. April 12. Ohio Wesleyan's Department of Fine Arts offers Bachelor of Fine Arts (B.F.A.) and Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) degrees with majors in Fine Arts, Studio Art, Art Education, and Art History. Learn more at owu.edu/FineArts. During the academic year, the Ross is open Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Thursday from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.; and Sunday from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. The Ross is handicap-accessible and admission is always free. Call (740) 368-3606 or visit owu.edu/ross for more information.
May 16-May 30, 2025: OWU Alumni Exhibition, at Ohio Wesleyan's Richard M. Ross Art Museum, 60 S. Sandusky St., Delaware. University graduates will display their works during an exhibition that opens for the university's annual Reunion Weekend and coincides with the annual Delaware Arts Festival in the city's historic downtown. During the academic year, the Ross is open Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Thursday from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.; and Sunday from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. The Ross is handicap-accessible and admission is always free. Call (740) 368-3606 or visit owu.edu/ross for more information.
Founded in 1842, Ohio Wesleyan University is one of the nation's premier liberal arts universities. Located in Delaware, Ohio, the private university offers more than 70 undergraduate majors and competes in 24 NCAA Division III varsity sports. Through its signature experience, the OWU Connection, Ohio Wesleyan teaches students to understand issues from multiple academic perspectives, volunteer in service to others, build a diverse and global perspective, and translate classroom knowledge into real-world experience through internships, research, and other hands-on learning. Ohio Wesleyan is featured in the book "Colleges That Change Lives" and included on the U.S. News & World Report and Princeton Review "Best Colleges" lists. Connect with OWU expert interview sources at owu.edu/experts or learn more at owu.edu.