Community Calendar

Get ready to kick off your Sunday shoes and cut loose with Footloose: The Musical! Bursting with high-energy dance numbers, electrifying music and a story that celebrates freedom, friendship and finding your voice, this stage adaptation of the iconic film will have audiences on their feet from start to finish. Contains adult content and violence. Parental discretion advised. FOOTLOOSE is presented by arrangement with Concord Theatricals.

Join us as we celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month alongside JMU’s Hispanic Caucus with a poetry reading by Black Mexican American poet Ariana Brown. This event will take place in the Memorial Hall Forum as part of the Día de los Muertos Ofrenda Exhibition. The evening will include a viewing of Hostile Terrain 94, an exhibition highlighting migration as a global human rights issue while focusing on the 1994 policy that still plays a pivotal role in US immigration at the US/Mexico border today. Alongside Ariana's performance, there will be a faculty-led discussion, a performance by the Lua Project, a tour of the exhibition, and participants will have the opportunity to purchase a copy of Ariana's book at the end of the event. The poetry reading will begin at 7 PM. This event is free and open to the public, and free parking will be available at Memorial Hall. Offered in collaboration with JMU's Hispanic Caucus, JMU Student Life, JMU Libraries, and CMSS. See full event details and registration information.

Artist Bio:

Ariana Brown is a queer Black Mexican American poet based in Houston. She is the author of the poetry collections We Are Owed (Grieveland, 2021) and Sana Sana (Game Over Books, 2020). Her academic and poetic works explore queerness, Black personhood in Mexican American spaces, girlhood, loneliness, and care. Ariana is a national collegiate poetry slam champion, winner of two Academy of American Poets Prizes, Lambda Literary Fellow, and a recipient of a National Association of Latino Arts and Cultures Grant. 

She holds a BA in African Diaspora Studies and Mexican American Studies from UT Austin, an MFA in Poetry from the University of Pittsburgh, and an MS in Library and Information Science from the University of North Texas. She currently develops ethnic studies and ELA curriculum for high schools and colleges and teaches creative writing to teens in Houston.

Hey bluegrass jammers come join the Waynesboro Music Bluegrass Jam at Shenandoah Valley Art Center, Saturday, October 24 from 3:00 – 5:00 p.m. Jam sessions will be held in the 416 West Main St. Gallery which will give expanded space allowing for break-off jams, if merited. We will stick with the format of passing tunes in a circle and passing the hat to support the musicians, which is, of course, optional. The art center is also a terrific gallery space so check out the exhibits. There will be seating or standing room for participants. Come pick, listen, or hang out with a friend! All are welcome! (Every 4th Saturday, 3:00 – 5:00 p.m., 416 W. Main Street, Waynesboro, Va. 22980, Free!)

The Commercial Rock Ensemble (Matthew Niess, director) presents a high-energy concert celebrating the full spectrum of rock and commercial music. From classic rock, pop, funk, soul, R&B, blues, alternative, progressive rock and contemporary hits, this performance showcases the power and versatility of today’s commercial music styles. Featuring dynamic vocals, driving rhythm section, electric guitars, horns and powerful ensemble playing, this concert brings together iconic songs and fresh arrangements for an exciting night of live music.

Imagine 30+ musicians filling the Concert Hall with a wall of brass that is precise, powerful and deeply alive. From the Welsh Valleys town of Ton Pentre, the Cory Band is the most decorated brass band on the planet and delivers the kind of night you won't forget.

Don’t miss Shenandoah Conservatory’s production of American Psycho! Based on the electrifying novel by Bret Easton Ellis, the musical follows Patrick Bateman, a young and handsome Wall Street banker whose life revolves around designer labels, exclusive restaurants and relentless ambition. Beneath his polished exterior, however, lurks a far darker reality — and the carefully constructed mask he presents to the world is beginning to crack. Check website for times and details.

Don’t miss Shenandoah Conservatory’s production of American Psycho! Based on the electrifying novel by Bret Easton Ellis, the musical follows Patrick Bateman, a young and handsome Wall Street banker whose life revolves around designer labels, exclusive restaurants and relentless ambition. Beneath his polished exterior, however, lurks a far darker reality — and the carefully constructed mask he presents to the world is beginning to crack. Check website for times and details.

Take your preconceptions of ‘noise’ and toss them out the window when you attend the ~Nois Quartet’s performance at Bright Box Theatre on October 29 at 8PM. At the core of ~Nois’ ethos is a fierce dedication to the commissioning of living composers, leading to more than 120 world premieres. Founded in 2016, this award-winning Chicago-based ensemble is dedicated to championing new music for saxophone and building community through innovative, inclusive and exceptional musical experiences.

Don’t miss Shenandoah Conservatory’s production of American Psycho! Based on the electrifying novel by Bret Easton Ellis, the musical follows Patrick Bateman, a young and handsome Wall Street banker whose life revolves around designer labels, exclusive restaurants and relentless ambition. Beneath his polished exterior, however, lurks a far darker reality — and the carefully constructed mask he presents to the world is beginning to crack. Check website for times and details.

Join the Dance Ensemble for an unforgettable program of movement, artistry and innovation. Showcasing a dynamic range of styles from contemporary to street, this captivating performance highlights the versatility, athleticism and expressive power of Shenandoah’s talented dancers. The program features original works by faculty choreographers Angela Dice Nguyen, Ben Howard and Katherine Zukeri, alongside a special guest work by Ali Koinoglou that sparks the imagination. Check website for times and details.