Center Stage

Rachel Meginnes, Fibers Exhibition
Sept. 28-Oct. 29
Gallery Talk & Reception - Oct. 29 | 4:30 p.m. 
Joan Derryberry Art Gallery 

One World Multicultural Evening - CANCELLED
Oct. 1 | 6 p.m.
Tech Pride Room 

Jeff Midkiff, mandolin 
with Bryan Symphony Orchestra
Oct. 11 | 3 p.m.
Derryberry Hall Auditorium 
Free Admission for students 

 A composer, mandolinist, and clarinetist, Jeff Midkiff is a musician who feels comfortable in more than one musical setting. Jeff grew up in Roanoke, Virginia, where bluegrass music thrived. Given his first mandolin at the age of 7, he moved quickly into the world of fiddlers’ conventions and contests. Midkiff earned a degree in music education from Virginia Tech. While studying classical repertoire, he continued to gain attention as a mandolin and fiddle player. In 1983 he joined the Lonesome River Band, which would eventually become one of bluegrass’s most acclaimed groups. After performing, touring, and recording two albums, he left the band to earn a Master of Music degree in Clarinet Performance from Northern Illinois University. Jeff has spent the last thirty years balancing both musical loves. He has played clarinet in numerous orchestras and has also performed mandolin with the Milwaukee Symphony. His solo CD, Partners In Time, has gained international acclaim. He is an orchestra director in the Roanoke City Schools and received the 2017 Yale Distinguished Music Educator award.

Dear Hector, Love, Ivan: A Hector Black Documentary 
with Paul Marino & Chad Herschberger, Filmmakers
Oct. 7 | 5 p.m.
Bell Hall Auditorium

'Dear Hector, Love Ivan' is a documentary that examines the transformative power of forgiveness through the extraordinary 17-year correspondence between Hector Black and Ivan Simpson, the man serving life without parole for the murder of Hector's adopted daughter. At this point in his life, Hector was living in the Upper Cumberland region of Tennessee, and his letters, now preserved in the Tennessee Tech Archives, became the foundation for the film's narrative. The producers relied heavily on these archival materials to shape the storyline, underscoring the vital role of local history and archival preservation in telling stories that matter.

What begins as an expression of grief evolves into a profound dialogue on remorse, justice, and human dignity. The film situates Hector's radical choice within the context of his experiences as a World War II soldier, civil rights advocate, and Quaker, revealing how empathy and moral courage can emerge from tragedy.

Some Assembly Required
Oct. 24 | 7:30 p.m.
Derryberry Hall Auditorium

Mixed chamber ensemble Some Assembly Required lives up to its moniker as the musicians collaborate with composers, guest performers, and their audience in the production of exciting, atypical, and carefully curated concerts. 

SAR was founded in early 2015 as a collaborative effort between Boston professional and freelance artists to provide their audience with a unique musical experience, frequently venturing into repertoire that is rarely heard in public performance. SAR has performed throughout New England and in Ohio, Kentucky, Florida, and Oregon. In 2019, SAR was a finalist for the American Prize Ernst Bacon Award for the Performance of American Music.

Steve Snell, Painting Exhibition
Nov. 2-Dec. 2
Gallery Talk & Reception - Dec. 2 | 4:30 p.m. 
Joan Derryberry Art Gallery 

Steven Dunn, Novelist with Special Guest Leonard Tucker
Nov. 5 | 7 p.m.
Bell Hall Auditorium

Steven Dunn (a.k.a Pothole, cuz he’s deep in these streets) is a Whiting Award winner who was shortlisted for Granta Magazine’s Best of Young American Novelists. He’s the author of three novels: Potted Meat (Tarpaulin Sky, 2016), water & power (Tarpaulin Sky, 2018), and Tannery Bay (FC2/University of Alabama Press, 2024), which is co-authored with his home Katie Jean Shinkle.

Potted Meat is a 2017 Colorado Book Award Finalist, VICE Magazine’s Best Books of 2016, and adapted into a short film by Foothills Productions called The Usual Route. The Usual Route has played at the LA International Film Festival, Houston International Film Festival, and others.

Little Women, the Musical
Nov. 5, 6, 7, 12, 13, 14 | 7:30
November 8 | 2:00
Backdoor Playhouse

Admission
General admission: $22.00
Senior citizens: $16.00
Military with ID: $16.00
Student admission: $6.00 (This is for all university, college, and high school students. ID required.)
Faculty & Staff Night: $6.00 (2nd weekend, Thursday night performance)

Little Women is a musical with a book by Allan Knee, lyrics by Mindi Dickstein, and music by Jason Howland, based on the classic novel by Louisa May Alcott.

First Nations Circle of Music
Nov. 13 | 6 p.m.
Derryberry Hall Auditorium

Multiple Indigenous tribes will be represented to demonstrate authentic Native American dances, songs and drumming throughout each region of the country.

Holiday Festival
Nov. 21 | 10 a.m.
Appalachian Center for Craft

Mark your calendar for holiday workshops, free drop-in crafts for all ages, gallery sales, Make-Your-Own Ornaments, and more!