Season XXXXI: Forty-one years of serious, funny, unique programs ... making us think, laugh, get involved: we welcome our wonderful audience to
join us as we present our 2008-09 Season. All programs will be in the Ford Academic Complex Recital Hall at 7:00 p.m. Visit Arts & Lecture Series Ticket Information for pricing and Early Bird discount information.
2008-09 Arts and Lecture Brochure (PDF)
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.:: 2008-2009 Arts & Lecture Series Schedule ::.
Wednesday, September 17, 2008
Southern Writers on the Civil War — Dr. Jason K. Phillips, Howard Bahr, and Judge Robert Evans
Revisiting one of William Faulkner’s best remembered quotes, “The past is not dead. In fact, it’s not even past,” Millsaps A&L offers three Mississippians and their interpretations of the Civil War. Dr. Jason Phillips is an American historian who explores the cultural changes wrought by slavery and war in the nineteenth century. His book, Diehard Rebels: The Confederate Culture of Invincibility, explains Confederate soldier’s constant faith in victory and reexamines the aftermath of defeat in the South. Howard Bahr was a longtime curator at Rowan Oak, home of William Faulkner, and taught literature at the University of Mississippi. He began writing in the 1970’s, publishing historical fiction and non-fiction. Among his works are Home for Christmas, The Black Flower: A Novel of the Civil War, The Judas Field, and Pelican Road. Mississippi Circuit Court Judge Robert Evans is the author of the book, The 16th Mississippi Infantry: Civil War Letters and Reminiscences, a collection of writings from Mississippians engaged in some of the fiercest battles of the Civil War, told by the men in correspondence as they were serving in the Mississippi infantry.
Monday, October 6, 2008
We Are What We Eat: How Food Shapes Culture — Southern Food and Beverage Museum Founder Liz Williams and Chef Dan Blumenthal
Always fascinated by the way nutmeg and peppercorns motivated the exploration of the world, Liz Williams directs this New Orleans museum dedicated to the discovery, understanding and celebration of the culture of food and drink in the South. She will share insight into how many diverse cultures have come together through the centuries to create the region’s unique culinary heritage. The presentation brings all races and ethnicities to the table, from the farmer and the homemaker to the line cook and the celebrity chef. Dan Blumenthal, award-winning chef and partner in Bravo!, Broadstreet, and Sal & Mookie’s restaurants, will offer his own one-of-a-kind take on local flavor as well. Please start collecting menus to add to the SOFAB collection and come hungry, because there will be tasty samples to savor at the reception.
Thursday, October 16, 2008
An Evening with the Artists — William Dunlap and Anthony DiFatta
Mississippi native William Dunlap has distinguished himself as an artist, arts commentator, and educator during a career that spans more than three decades. His paintings, sculpture and constructions are included in collections at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Corcoran Gallery, the U.S. State Department, and U.S. embassies, and many other museums throughout the world. His 14-panel, 112 foot-long cyclorama Panorama of the American Landscape has been shown in nearly a dozen American museums and art galleries. He writes for such publications as Art & Antiques, Washingtonian, and Arts Review, and has been the arts commentator on WETA-TV’s cultural round table “Around Town” since 1988. Interviewer and artist Anthony “Tony” DiFatta studied painting and sculpture at the University of Southern Mississippi, and his work can be seen in collections throughout the United States, as well as Australia, England, and Italy. He is active in charity, non-profit and historical preservation organizations.
Thursday, November 13, 2008
What Just Happened?? — Dr. Paul Allen Beck
The votes have been cast. The people have spoken, and we have a new president-elect of the United States. So, what just happened? Dr. Paul Beck, dean of the College of Social and Behavioral Sciences at Ohio State University, has research and teaching interests in political parties, public opinion and voting behavior. He is a co-primary investigator of a national survey study of the 2004 electorate which he is continuing through this election. Was there a shift in American voting behavior this year, and what was it? Ask him the questions—he’ll have some answers!
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
Lively guitar from Latin America — David Burgess
David Burgess returns to the A&L Series, bringing back one of our most exciting and popular programs. Praised by musicians and critics worldwide, he is recognized as one of today’s outstanding guitarists. First Prize winner of the Andres Segovia Fellowship Competition in New York City, Mr. Burgess has toured the United States, North and South America, Europe and the Far East. Through his extensive travels in both Spain and Latin America, he has acquired one of the largest collections of Latin American music in the U.S., from which he draws works for his programs. This will be a lively evening of music and fun for the whole family.
Sunday, February 8, 2009
Behind the Magic of PBS’s "Between the Lions" — Chris Cerf and Friends
Aimed at the very young and all who love them, "Between the Lions"—the winner of the Television Critics’ Award as the nation’s outstanding television program and a multi-Emmy Award winning PBS television series for 4 to 7 year olds—helps children learn to read. This hugely popular series is named for a family of lions—Theo, Cleo, Lionel, and Leona—who run a library like no other. Chris Cerf, executive producer, and music and audio producer, has a career that includes creation and work in every facet of "Sesame Street," winning two Grammy Awards and three Emmy Awards for songwriting and music production. Since 2004, Mississippi Public Broadcasting (MPB), WGBH Boston and Sirius Thinking, Ltd. have collaborated to produce episodes of "Between the Lions" in the MPB studios here in Jackson. Chris and “friends” will offer a fun afternoon for all ages.
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
The Bicentennial of Abraham Lincoln’s Birth — Dr. Ronald C. White
We celebrate the 200th anniversary of the birth of Abraham Lincoln in the month of his birth with nationally acclaimed Lincoln scholar, Dr. Ronald C. White. His new biography of Lincoln, A. Lincoln: A Biography, will be published in January 2009 and follows his books, Lincoln’s Greatest Speech: The Second Inaugural and The Eloquent President: A Portrait of Lincoln Through His Words, a Los Angeles Times bestseller, and a Book-of-the-Month and History Book Club selection. The bicentennial year is filled with celebration for and scholarly reflection on Lincoln’s life, work, and legacy. Dr. White is speaking throughout the United States.
