





Nearly 300 years after W&M pioneered the study of art in this nation, students from all disciplines and majors dance, play, perform, draw, paint, sculpt and more. In any given year, roughly a third of W&M students participate in the performing arts. That number grows considerably when we count student audiences: The next generation of playgoers and museumgoers is blossoming here.
Please visit our new Arts Quarter for a show or concert to experience all the ways W&M artists change how we understand our world. We look forward to sharing many stories of artistic accomplishment with you.
Katherine A. Rowe President
It is with great excitement and pride that we introduce this brochure for the upcoming arts season at William & Mary.
We are thrilled to welcome our new Executive & Artistic Director of the Arts, Eric Despard, who brings a wealth of experience and a fresh vision to our programs. Under his collaborative leadership, we anticipate a dynamic season filled with inspiring
I am honored to serve as the inaugural executive and artistic director of the arts and excited to share a robust season of exhibits, lectures, and performances that take place throughout the Arts Quarter including Andrews Hall, Phi Beta Kappa Memorial Hall, the Music Arts Center, and the Muscarelle Museum of Art.
In addition to William & Mary student art exhibitions, film screenings, musical concerts, and theatre and dance productions, William & Mary Presents! brings Grammy and award winning
national and international touring artists to Williamsburg while the Arts Quarter Music Series (formerly the Ewell Concert Series) continues to offer free concerts.
The Andrews Gallery presents touring exhibitions and student shows, and the Muscarelle will reopen this Winter with William & Mary Collects III and special exhibitions of Jacob Lawrence and Michelangelo.
Here, art is for everyone. We welcome you to campus to experience the arts at William & Mary.
Eric Despard Executive & Artistic Director of the Arts
performances, thought-provoking exhibitions, and engaging events that will captivate and enrich our community.
From classical concerts to contemporary theater, from visual arts showcases to literary readings, there is something for everyone to enjoy. We are committed to providing a platform for our students, faculty, and visiting artists to share their talents and to foster a deeper appreciation for the arts within our community.
Thank you for your continued support and enthusiasm. Together, let’s make the Arts at W&M an unforgettable celebration of creativity and culture.
Warmly,
Suzanne Raitt Dean of the Faculty of Arts & Sciences
MASTERCLASS
Thursday, January 30, 2025, 4:00 PM & 6:00PM Comey Recital Hall, Music Arts Center [Buy Tickets]
CONCERT
Friday, January 31, 2025, 7:30 PM Concert Hall, Music Arts Center
Experience the rich talent of American composers in this program by the Ulysses Quartet and guitarist Ben Verdery. Included are compositions by two of the performers—Ben Verdery and violinist Christina Bouey—as well as titans of contemporary music history, such as Leonard Bernstein and Jimi Hendrix. From the contemplative to the raucous, this musical collection celebrates the diversity of styles and voices that make up our musical heritage.
Wednesday, February 5, 2025, 7:30 PM Glenn Close Theatre, Phi Beta Kappa Memorial Hall
[Buy Tickets]
Founded in 1975, Actors From The London Stage (AFTLS) is one of the oldest touring Shakespeare theatre companies in the world. Housed and workshopped in the UK and based in the United States at Shakespeare at Notre Dame, this intensive residency program is truly one of a kind. Originally conceived and developed at the University of California-Santa Barbara by Professor Homer Swander (and co-founded by the renowned British actor Sir Patrick Stewart), each weeklong residency is truly an actor driven tour-de-force. The vibrant hands-on nature of the program provides an extraordinary opportunity to engage faculty and students far beyond the confines of the English and Theatre departments. Whether students are familiar with or new to the body of work, AFTLS provides an inclusive, interactive gateway to experiencing the richness of Shakespeare’s writing.
Saturday, February 8, 2025, 7:30 PM
Glenn Close Theatre, Phi Beta Kappa Memorial Hall [Buy Tickets]
Two-time Grammy Winners Ranky Tanky (a Gullah phrase for “get funky”) are five lifelong friends from Charleston, South Carolina who have established themselves as passionate global ambassadors for their local culture and community, helping to faithfully preserve the traditions originated by African Americans in the coastal South during slavery that are kept alive through the present day. The band has been featured on NPR’s Fresh Air, The Today Show, PBS Newshour and The Late Show with Stephen Colbert #playathome. Ranky Tanky were honored to be featured artists in President Biden’s inauguration event, We The People. They were the subjects of a 10-page profile in Oxford American’s South Carolina Music Issue and were named 2020 Artist of The Year by the Charleston City Paper.
Photo by Peter Frank Edwards
Sunday, February 23, 2025, 2:00 PM Concert Hall, Music Arts Center
[Buy Tickets]
Goitse*, the multi-award-winning quintet forged in Limerick’s Irish World Academy, sets the music scene ablaze. Their accolades include Live Ireland’s “Traditional Group of the Year” and Chicago Irish American News’ “Group of the Year.” But that’s just the beginning: their distinctive sound blends original compositions with timeless traditional tunes, creating a unique tapestry in each performance. Percussionist Colm Phelan and guitarist Conal O’Kane lay the foundations, while Áine McGeeney’s enchanting vocals draw audiences in. Banjo maestro Alan Reid and accordion virtuoso Tadhg O’Meachair add depth and richness. As Irish Music Magazine puts it, Goitse’s music brims with energy and innovation. Don’t miss this fiery fusion of tradition and creativity!
*Goitse is a Gaelic word for ‘come here’ is pronounced - Go-wit-cha
Friday, March 21, 2025, 7:30 PM
Glenn Close Theatre, Phi Beta Kappa Memorial Hall
[Buy Tickets]
Masters of Silent Comedy with live music by the Peacherine Ragtime Society Orchestra!
Join the Peacherine Ragtime Society Orchestra, “the premier American Ragtime ensemble” as hailed by The Washington Post for a musical time machine back to the fun and excitement of the early 20th century. Watch classic silent films featuring Charlie Chaplin, Buster Keaton and Harold Lloyd underscored by a live twelve person orchestra with live music and sound effects! Experience Americas first popular music: Ragtime, played between the films, hearing hits by Scott Joplin, Irving Berlin, and others. It’s a program sure to make both young and old smile from ear to ear. Grab your bowler hat and suspenders, park your Model T down the street, and enjoy a trip back in time with Peacherine!
Co-presented with The Ampersand International Arts Festival.
Saturday, April 19, 2025, 7:30 PM
Glenn Close Theatre, Phi Beta Kappa Memorial Hall [Buy Tickets]
Two-time GRAMMY award-winner and 8th generation Louisiana Creole, Terrance Simien leads the highly skilled Zydeco Experience band! Driven by African and Caribbean rhythms, Zydeco music has evolved from its traditional acoustic roots to incorporate more popular genres like rock, funk, R&B, rap, and hip hop. Having toured over 45 countries and with their music placed in major studio films like Disney’s The Princess and the Frog, Simien and his bandmates have become some of the most respected and accomplished artists in American roots music today.
Photo provided by James Dean via terrancesimien.com
Tuesday, May 6, 2025, 7:30 PM
Glenn Close Theatre, Phi Beta Kappa Memorial Hall
[Buy Tickets]
Mark Morris, hailed as “the most successful and influential choreographer alive, and indisputably the most musical” (New York Times) returns to Williamsburg, VA with Pepperland, a unique tribute to the 50th Anniversary of The Beatles’ groundbreaking album Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band, accompanied live by an unprecedented chamber music ensemble of voice, soprano saxophone, two keyboards, theremin, and percussion. Ethan Iverson’s original score intermingles arrangements of the songs “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band,” “With a Little Help From My Friends,” “A Day in the Life,” “When I’m Sixty-Four,” “Within You Without You,” and “Penny Lane” with six Pepper-inspired original pieces intended especially for Morris’ profound understanding of classical forms: Allegro, Scherzo, Adagio, and the blues. This is a must-see for dance and Beatles fans alike!
Photo by Mat Hayward
Wednesday, May 7, 2025, 7:30 PM Concert Hall, Music Arts Center [Buy Tickets]
String’s the thing in this all-star evening! Legendary bassist Edgar Meyer—the only bassist ever to be awarded the Avery Fisher Prize—is known for his adventurous collaborations with artists of all genres. His newest adventure includes the extraordinary classical violinist and Kentucky fiddler Tessa Lark and cellist/composer Joshua Roman, who “combines the expressive control of Casals with the creative individuality and virtuoso flair of Hendrix” (Gramophone).
Co-presented with the Virginia Arts Festival.
Sponsored by the city of Williamsburg
The Last Word Comedy Festival returns to Williamsburg, Virginia January 30-February 1, 2025! The festival hosts a packed weekend of shows, workshops, and receptions featuring improv and stand up comedy acts from around the country. Additional details are available at lastwordfestival.com.
Sponsored by the city of Williamsburg
The Ampersand International Arts Festival is a week-long celebration of the arts featuring special guests, films, author talks, and live music, theatre, and dance performances in Williamsburg, Virginia, March 17-23, 2025. Additional details are available at ampersandfestival.com.
FREE AND OPEN TO THE COMMUNITY!
MASTERCLASS
Sunday, January 26, 2025, 2:00 PM Concert Hall, Music Arts Center
CONCERT
Sunday, January 26, 2025, 7:30 PM Concert Hall, Music Arts Center
Saxophonist Steve Wilson will be joined by the legendary George Cables on piano in a duo performance created specifically for the audience at William & Mary. Wilson and Cables are both exceptionally talented musicians, and their collaboration promises a rich blend of original compositions, jazz standards, and select gems from the American songbook.
Friday, February 21, 2025, 7:30 PM Concert Hall Music Arts Center
A Grammy-nominated recording artist, Desirée Roots is one of the region’s most sought-after vocalists. This concert will be a chronological journey from Jazz of yesteryear to now, looking at all forms that contributed to the great American Song Book.
Friday, April 4, 2024, 7:30 PM
Concert Hall, Music Arts Center
A male vocal ensemble specializing in early music, The Suspicious Cheese Lords seek to bring works old, new, and previously forgotten to audiences everywhere.
Wednesday, April 9, 2024, 7:30 PM
Concert Hall, Music Arts Center
Don’t miss the USAF’s Heritage Brass in a free concert at William & Mary – an evening of powerful music and precision that’s sure to inspire!
Saturday, April 12, 2025, 7:30 PM
Concert Hall, Music Arts Center
The award-winning violin/viola duo, Marcolivia, perform music of all styles and periods, from French Baroque to folk music, Klezmer, Latin and contemporary, as well as their own transcriptions. The duo are guest artists at Tokyo College of Music, and on the rosters of Washington Performing Arts and the Millennium Stage.
The Muscarelle Museum of Art will re-open its doors in early February 2025, welcoming museum members, friends and the community into the new Martha Wren Briggs Center for the Visual Arts. A dedication ceremony will be celebrated at Charter Day 2025, along with the opening of the museum’s first special exhibition in the new space, William & Mary Collects III, highlighting art collected by alumni and friends of the university.
The expansion project, entirely funded by private donors, more than triples the size of the museum and provides expansive new educational and gallery spaces that offer exciting opportunities for both campus and community.
L’OUVERTURE
February 8–23, 2025
Fifteen original silkscreens by leading figurative 20th-century artist Jacob Lawrence provide a stunning visual narrative of the Haitian Revolution.
February 8 – May 28, 2025
Artwork on loan from alumni and friends of William & Mary in a diverse array of media, styles and time periods will showcase the remarkable scope of these collectors’ efforts.
March 6 – May 28, 2025
Displaying Michelangelo’s initial studies and early drawings for the frescoes of the Sistine Chapel, the exhibition will explore the rich story of the origin of these works, arguably some of the most famous in the world.
The Department of Art & Art History at William & Mary explores art and architecture through creative studio practice and historical inquiry. Students learn to use a variety of approaches and perspectives to create art and do research. They develop visual literacy, critical thinking, aesthetic judgment, and a range of practical skills. These skills enable students to pursue diverse experiences, educational paths, and careers.
Like every creative endeavor, good creative writing is partly art and partly skill. The art comes from within – a talent and ear for composing with words, and a passion for the subject matter at hand. Skill results from a learned understanding of the chosen genre and a great deal of practice. Students are immersed in contemporary and traditional creative writing methods, both American and others from around the world. By learning and mastering the art of creative writing, students become better
Theatre & Performance at William & Mary is a liberal arts experience that emphasizes a vital breadth of knowledge and creative process. Theatre Majors take courses in acting, stagecraft, design, history, dramatic literature, and directing while filling a wide range of production positions for W&M Theatre. Students also investigate how performance practice goes beyond the stage; examining performance in its literary, physical, psychological sociological and historical contexts in a range of courses in performance based research, performance studies and cultural studies. Participation in productions is open to all students at William & Mary. Theatre & Performance students develop into dedicated artists and technicians, and they experience the excitement of working closely with faculty and fellow students in classes and productions. Dance Minors take courses in various techniques, dance composition, history, and performance. Orchesis Modern Dance Company provides opportunities for students to participate in the choreographic process, develop performing skills, and contribute to concert production.
February 27, 2025 – March 2, 2025
Christopher is exceptional at mathematics but ill-equipped to interpret everyday life. He has never ventured alone beyond the end of his road, he detests being touched, and he distrusts strangers. Now it is 7 minutes after midnight, and Christopher stands beside his neighbor’s dead dog, Wellington, who has been speared with a garden fork. Finding himself under suspicion, Christopher is determined to solve the mystery of who murdered Wellington. But his detective work takes him on a thrilling journey that upturns his world.
April 3, 2025 – April 6, 2025
An Evening of Dance is an annual concert in which students explore and develop original choreography performed by their peers in the Orchesis Modern Dance Company, under the mentorship of the Dance faculty.
April 24, 2025 – April 27, 2025
How are cities made? Block by block, brick by brick. This devised performance stages the imagination of a city planner, exploring the aspirations we invest in urban spaces, the labor of designing them, and the cycles of action that bring them to life. Inspired by Williamsburg’s history as one of the first planned cities in America, we explore the tension between cities as imagined utopias filled with aspiration and longing, and the drudgery and tedium required to schematically bring them into being.
Faculty in the Music department at W&M are committed to teaching the discipline of music through its interrelated subdisciplines (music theory, musicology, ethnomusicology, music technology, performance, and composition) in the context of a liberal arts curriculum. Music faculty strive to create a learning environment that encourages the intellectual and personal development of student and teacher alike by integrating the transmission of knowledge with original research, composition, and performance. Course offerings represent a commitment to the study of diverse musical styles and the musics of many cultures while recognizing the importance of continuing to teach the traditions that have historically informed the practice of music in the United States and Europe.
SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
WINTER CONCERT
March 6, 2025
APPALACHIAN MUSIC
ENSEMBLE
April 16, 2025
WIND ENSEMBLE
SPRING CONCERT
April 25, 2025
SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
SPRING CONCERT
May 3, 2025
EBONY EXPRESSIONS
GOSPEL CHOIR SPRING
EXPLOSION CONCERT
April 24, 2025
COMBINED CHORAL ENSEMBLES SPRING CONCERT
April 26, 2025
This interdisciplinary program is dedicated to exploring the significance of film and media in representing and shaping cultures, societies, histories, and collective and personal identities. Core courses challenge students to think critically, creatively, and globally about how media works as an aesthetic and cultural practice. Production classes bring students “inside” video production. Many graduates work in a wide range of media industries, from screenwriting to journalism, from film production to marketing. Others pursue careers in professions like education, law, and business.
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SUNDAY
26
SUNDAY
30
THURSDAY
STEVE WILSON AND GEORGE CABLES MASTERCLASS 2:00 PM Concert Hall
STEVE WILSON AND GEORGE CABLES 7:30 PM Concert Hall
BENJAMIN VERDERY MASTERCLASS 4:00 PM Comey Recital Hall
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THURSDAY
30
THURSDAY
31
FRIDAY
ULYSSES STRING QUARTET MASTERCLASS 6:00 PM Comey Recital Hall
THE LAST WORD COMEDY FESTIVAL Festival through Feb 1, 2025
BENJAMIN VERDERY & ULYSSES STRING QUARTET 7:30 PM Comey Recital Hall
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WEDNESDAY
07
FRIDAY
08
SATURDAY
08
SATURDAY
08
SATURDAY
08
SATURDAY
15
SATURDAY
ACTORS FROM THE LONDON STAGE PRESENT HAMLET 7:30 PM
Glenn Close Theatre
MUSCARELLE MEMBERS’ OPENING 5:30 PM
Muscarelle Museum of Art
JACOB LAWRENCE: THE LIFE OF TOUSSAINT L’OUVERTURE
On view Feb 8 – 23
Muscarelle Museum of Art
WILLIAM & MARY COLLECTS III
On view Feb 8 – May 28
Muscarelle Museum of Art
MUSCARELLE GRAND OPENING DAY 10:00 AM
Muscarelle Museum of Art
RANKY TANKY 7:30 PM Glenn Close Theatre
BOTETOURT CHAMBER SINGERS GALA 7:30 PM Concert Hall
15
SATURDAY
21
FRIDAY
22
ROLLOVER 2:00 PM & 7:00PM PBK Studio, W&M
DESIRÉE ROOTS 7:30 PM Concert Hall
SATURDAY ROLLOVER 2:00 PM & 7:00PM McHugh Auditorium, VIMS
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SUNDAY GOITSE 2:00 PM Concert Hall
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THURSDAY
28
FRIDAY
THE CURIOUS INCIDENT OF THE DOG IN THE NIGHT-TIME Playing Feb 27 – Mar 2, 2025 at 7:30 PM Glenn Close Theatre
W&M CHOIR DOMESTIC TOUR HOME CONCERT 7:30 PM Concert Hall
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SATURDAY
02
SUNDAY
06
THURSDAY
06
THURSDAY
15
SATURDAY
MICHAEL CLEVELAND 7:30 PM Concert Hall
THE CURIOUS INCIDENT OF THE DOG IN THE NIGHT-TIME 2:00 PM Glenn Close Theatre
MICHAELANGELO: THE GENESIS OF THE SISTINE On view through May 28 Muscarelle Museum of Art
SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA WINTER CONCERT 7:30 PM Concert Hall
VIRGINIA SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA 3:00 PM Concert Hall
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MONDAY
18
TUESDAY
21
FRIDAY
30
SUNDAY
AMPERSAND INTERNATIONAL ARTS FESTIVAL MARCH 17 – 23
CURATOR’S OPENING LECTURE: MICHELANGELO 5:00 PM Muscarelle Museum of Art
PEACHERINE RAGTIME SOCIETY ORCHESTRA 7:30 PM Glenn Close Theatre
VIRTUAL BOOK TALK WITH AUTHOR ROSS KING 2:00 PM
Muscarelle Museum of Art
AN EVENING OF DANCE 7:30 PM Glenn Close Theatre
THURSDAY
AN EVENING OF DANCE 7:30 PM Glenn Close Theatre 04
THE SUSPICIOUS CHEESE LORDS 7:30 PM Concert Hall 05
SATURDAY AN EVENING OF DANCE 7:30 PM Glenn Close Theatre 06
AN EVENING OF DANCE 2:00 PM Glenn Close Theatre
SUNDAY
08
TUESDAY
“MICHAELANGELO & TITIAN: A TALE OF TITANS” WITH WILLIAM E. WALLACE 5:00 PM Muscarelle Museum of Art 09
WEDNESDAY USAF HERITAGE BRASS ENSEMBLE 7:30 PM Concert Hall 10
THURSDAY
THE SKRIKER Playing Apr 10 – Apr 13, 2025 at 7:30 PM PBK Studio
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FRIDAY THE SKRIKER 7:30 PM PBK Studio 11
FRIDAY
12
BARKSDALE TREBLE CHORUS SPRING CONCERT 7:30 PM Concert Hall
SATURDAY THE SKRIKER 7:30 PM PBK Studio
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SATURDAY MARCOLIVIA DUO 7:30 PM Concert Hall
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SATURDAY
13
SENIOR RECITAL: ABBIE BLOUNT 7:30 PM Comey Recital Hall
SUNDAY THE SKRIKER 2:00 PM PBK Studio
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SUNDAY
15
BOTETOURT CHAMBER SINGERS SPRING CONCERT 2:00 PM Concert Hall
TUESDAY APPLIED MUSIC RECITAL 7:30 PM Comey Recital Hall
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WEDNESDAY
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THURSDAY
18
FRIDAY
19
SATURDAY
22
TUESDAY
23
WEDNESDAY
23
WEDNESDAY
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THURSDAY
APPALACHIAN MUSIC ENSEMBLE 7:30 PM Concert Hall
BRASS ENSEMBLE SPRING CONCERT 7:30 PM Concert Hall
W&M MIDDLE EASTERN MUSIC ENSEMBLE 30TH ANNIVERSARY CONCERT 7:30 PM Comey Recital Hall
TERRANCE SIMIEN AND THE ZYDECO EXPERIENCE 7:30 PM Concert Hall
APPLIED MUSIC RECITAL 7:30 PM Comey Recital Hall
GALLERY PLAYERS CONCERT 7:30 PM Comey Recital Hall
EARLY MUSIC ENSEMBLE SPRING CONCERT 7:30 PM Concert Hall
EBONY EXPRESSIONS GOSPEL CHOIR EXPLOSION SPRING CONCERT 7:30 PM Concert Hall
24
THURSDAY
24
A NEW AND WELL-ORDERED CITY 7:30 PM Glenn Close Theatre
THURSDAY A NEW AND WELL-ORDERED CITY
Playing Apr 24 – Apr 27, 2025
Glenn Close Theatre
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FRIDAY A NEW AND WELL-ORDERED CITY 7:30 PM
Glenn Close Theatre
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FRIDAY WIND ENSEMBLE SPRING CONCERT 7:30 PM Concert Hall
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SATURDAY
27
COMBINED CHORAL ENSEMBLES SPRING CONCERT 2:00 PM Concert Hall
SUNDAY A NEW AND WELL-ORDERED CITY 2:00 PM
Glenn Close Theatre
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SUNDAY
SENIOR RECITAL: LEENA WALSH 2:30 PM Comey Recital Hall
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SUNDAY
28
MONDAY
28
MONDAY
MELODIA: EASTERN EUROPEAN ENSEMBLE 3:00 PM Concert Hall
“MICHAELANGELO: THE TOMB AND THE VAULT” WITH ADRIANO MARINAZZO 5:00 PM Muscarelle Museum of Art
SENIOR RECITAL: CASS SOTO 7:30 PM Comey Recital Hall
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THURSDAY
02
FRIDAY
03
SATURDAY
W&M STRING QUARTET 7:30 PM Comey Recital Hall
APPALACHIAN MUSIC ENSEMBLE 3:00 PM Concert Hall
WINE & RUN FOR THE ROSES 3:00 PM Williamsburg Lodge
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TUESDAY
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TUESDAY
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JAZZ COMBO & JAZZ ENSEMBLE SPRING CONCERT 7:30 PM Concert Hall
I LOVE YOU, YOU’RE PERFECT, NOW CHANGE 7:30 PM PBK Studio
WEDNESDAY FLUTE ENSEMBLE SPRING CONCERT 7:30 PM Comey Recital Hall
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SATURDAY
06
TUESDAY
07
WEDNESDAY
SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA SPRING CONCERT 7:30 PM Concert Hall
MARK MORRIS DANCE GROUP 7:30 PM Glenn Close Theatre
EDGAR MEYER, TESSA LARK, JOSHUA ROMAN 7:30 PM Concert Hall
Introducing our new Season Flex Pass options! Reserve your tickets and save today!
$124 Adults
$92 Seniors and Military
$56 Students and Children
$192 Adults
$138 Seniors and Military
$78 Students and Children
Flex Pass packages available for William & Mary Presents! events only. Must choose events at time of purchase for discount to apply.
The Charles Center Arts Masterclass Series is made possible by the Elliot E. and Helen Y. Cohen Forum Endowment
THE SUMNER G. RAND JR. FOUNDATION