Westmont News

Westmont students present new works for theater, dance and performance art at “Westmont Fringe 2012: Fresh-ly Sliced,” which is modeled on fringe festivals throughout the world, April 19-21 from 6:30-10:30 p.m., beginning at Porter Theatre. A $10 general admission wristband, good for all three days of the festival, may be purchased at the box office or through Beth Whitcomb at (805) 565-7040.

Horticulturalist and Westmont alumna Virginia Hayes ‘72, curator of the living collection at Lotusland, lectures about Madame Ganna Walska’s famed botanic garden Tuesday, April 17, from 7-8 p.m. in Westmont’s Adams Center room 216. The lecture, part of Westmont in Lotusland Day, is free and open to the public.

Jonathan Tran of Baylor University will lecture about “Bombs or Bread? American Exceptionalism and the Church’s Mission to the Nations” on Thursday, March 8, at 3:30 p.m. in Winter Hall’s Darling Foundation Lecture Hall (Room 210) at Westmont.

Sell-out shows are expected in the final weekend of “Animal Farm (The Musical),” which has four performances remaining, March 1-3 at 8 p.m. and March 3 at 2 p.m., all in Porter Theatre.

Westmont celebrates the 150th anniversary of Cinco de Mayo and Mexico’s vibrant culture with a day of fun activities, crafts, music, dance, storytelling, food and more on Saturday, March 24, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. in and around the Westmont Ridley-Tree Museum of Art.

Weather permitting, Westmont’s powerful Keck Telescope will be available to Central Coast stargazers Friday, Jan. 20, beginning at about 7 p.m. The observatory opens its doors to the public every third Friday of the month in conjunction with the Santa Barbara Astronomical Unit, whose members bring their own telescopes to Westmont for the public to gaze through.

Westmont theater arts professor Mitchell Thomas tackles one of the 20th century’s most enduring works, directing George Orwell’s satirical masterpiece “Animal Farm (The Musical).” The rocking show, a collaboration between the Westmont theater arts and music departments, will be performed Feb. 23-25, March 1-3 at 8 p.m. and March 3 at 2 p.m., all in Porter Theatre.

Scott Cairns, director of the University of Missouri’s Creative Writing Program and Center for the Literary Arts, will read his poetry Wednesday, Jan. 25, at 7 p.m. in Westmont’s Hieronymus Lounge at Kerrwood Hall. The reading is free and open to the public.