School of Visual, Performing, and Communication Arts

Sunday in the Park with George
2025-03-01 20:00 - 23:00, 2025-03-02 14:00 - 17:00 (America/New_York) | MainStage Theatre – Visual & Performing Arts Center, 43 Lake Avenue Extension, Danbury, CT, 06811, United States
WCSU Dept. of Theatre Arts presents Sunday in the Park with George, February 21 – March 2.

Gallery Closing - Color and Light
2025-03-02 12:00 - 14:00 (America/New_York) | The Gallery at the Visual & Performing Arts Center, 43 Lake Avenue Extension, Danbury, CT, 06811, United States
Join us for the closing reception of the exhibition “Color and Light,” Sun, March 2, at 12:00 pm.

COLOR + LIGHT

On view Feb 6–March 2, 2025
Closing Reception:
Sunday, March 2, 2025
12:00–2:00 pm

Fritz Horstman
Anne Lindberg
Greg Lock
Pete Mauney
Colleen McGuire
Julia Rooney

Post-Impressionist artist George Seurat’s most famous painting “A Sunday on La Grande Jatte” inspired Stephen Sondheim’s musical “Sunday in the Park with George” WCSU Dept. of Theatre Arts’ spring production (Feb. 21 – March 2). The exhibition Color and Light, presented in conjunction with the production, features six visual artists whose works are concerned with the interaction of color and the phenomenon of light. The exhibition will include artworks in cyanotype, drawing, painting, photography, stop motion animation, and video. The title Color and Light is derived from a song in Act I; a “sneak peek” performance of the song by cast members is planned as part of the reception on March 2.
The Gallery at the Visual & Performing Arts Center is dedicated to presenting professional, contemporary art exhibitions and cultural programming. By providing outstanding visual art experiences, we seek to inspire our audiences to embrace new ideas and perspectives and appreciate art in all its forms.

THE GALLERY at the Visual & Performing Arts Center
Western Connecticut State University
Westside Campus, 43 Lake Ave Extension, Danbury, CT 06811
Gallery Hours: Tues–Fri, 12–4, Sat–Sun, 1–4

Wind Ensemble and Symphonic Band
2025-03-09 15:00 - 16:30 (America/New_York) | Veronica Hagman Concert Hall, VPAC, 43 Lake Avenue Extension, Danbury, CT, 06810, United States
Wind Ensemble and Symphonic Band

Wind Ensemble directed by Fernando Jimenez and Symphonic Band directed by Matthew Doiron.
**Tickets at the Faculty and Staff rate are available at the VPAC box office located in the VPAC lobby – a valid WCSU ID is required at the time of purchase**
NOTE: Advance ticket purchases made online are $10; Tickets purchased at the door are $15.
No refunds are permitted; all sales are final.

DCA presents Kathryn Lewek, soprano, and Zach Borichevsky, tenor
2025-03-16 15:00 - 16:30 (America/New_York) | Veronica Hagman Concert Hall, VPAC, 43 Lake Avenue Extension, Danbury, CT, 06810, United States
Get ready for an unforgettable performance as the Danbury Concert Association brings you Kathryn Lewek, soprano, and Zach Borichevsky, tenor

Danbury Concert Association presents :
Kathryn Lewek, soprano, and Zach Borichevsky, tenor
Met Opera stars Kathryn Lewek and Zach Borichevsky have triumphed in major productions at festivals and opera houses worldwide (including the Met, where the “utterly enthralling” soprano has been Mozart’s “Queen of the Night” over 50 times). Zach Borichevsky, a “star-level tenor,” boasts a flexible, bright voice that makes him “one of his generation’s most sought-after singers.”
Tickets at $25 are available at the VPAC box office located in the lobby. Free admission for those 18 and under, courtesy of the Danbury Cultural Commission.

Sunday in the Park with George
2025-03-17 00:00 UTC | CT

Wind Ensemble and Symphonic Band
2025-03-17 00:00 UTC | CT

Sip & Print
2025-03-21 19:00 - 21:00 (America/New_York) | Visual & Performing Arts Center, 43 Lake Avenue Extension, Danbury, CT, 06811, United States
A creative night of rubber stamp printing, music, sipping and fun! Materials, music, wine, and light refreshments are provided.

SIP & PRINT
Friday, March 21, 2025, 7:00–9:00 pm
Room 145, Visual & Performing Arts Center
Westside Campus
Join us for an enjoyable and creative night of rubber stamp printing while listening to music, sipping wine, and savoring light refreshments. This event, led by experienced artist and WCSU alumna Karin Mansberg, welcomes participants of all skill levels, from beginners to seasoned artists, for a shared art experience in a fun and relaxed studio environment.
The event will take place in the Design Studio, Room 145 of the Visual & Performing Arts Center, located at 43 Lake Ave Extension, Danbury, CT 06810. Basic drawing materials will be provided, and you are welcome to bring your own supplies.
Please note that attendees must be 21 years or older. For more information, contact the WCSU Department of Art at (203) 837-8403. This program is hosted by WCSU’s Department of Art and is sponsored by the Alumni Association.

WCSU 2025 MFA Thesis Exhibition- Opening Reception & Alumni Night
2025-03-27 18:00 - 20:00 (America/New_York) | Visual & Performing Arts Center, Art Gallery, 43 Lake Ave Extension, Danbury, CT, 06811, United States
2025 MFA Opening: Maria Christina Alagna, Anthony DeZinno, Andrea McLaughlin, Jillian Mirabal, Joseph Nolan, and Morgan Shay Winslow

WCSU 2025 MFA Thesis ExhibitionMarch 27–April 13, 2025
Opening Reception:March 27, 6:00–8:00 pm

THE GALLERY at the Visual & Performing Arts Center43 Lake Ave Extension, Danbury, CT 06811Gallery Hours: Tue–Fri, 12–4pm; Sat–Sun, 1–4pm

The Master of Fine Arts is the terminal degree for practicing, professional artists. The MFA Thesis Exhibition is the capstone experience of the graduate program, demonstrating a personal direction and mastery in the work of the artists. Graduate candidates presenting their thesis work this year are:
Tony DeZinno
Andrea McLaughlin
Jillian Mirabal
Joseph Nolan
Cristina Querrer
Shay Winslow | Sluggo

Jazz Combos
2025-03-28 19:00 - 20:30 (America/New_York) | Veronica Hagman Concert Hall, University Boulevard, Danbury, CT, 06811, United States
Jazz Combos

Four of Western’s outstanding student jazz combos will be featured performing a mix of standards and original compositions and arrangements.
**Tickets at the Faculty and Staff rate are available at the VPAC box office located in the VPAC lobby – a valid WCSU ID is required at the time of purchase**

No refunds or exchanges are permitted, all sales are final.

WCSU Large Jazz Ensembles
2025-03-30 15:00 - 16:30 (America/New_York) | Veronica Hagman Concert Hall, VPAC, 43 Lake Avenue Extension, Danbury, CT, 06810, United States
Large Jazz Ensembles!

WCSU’s outstanding large jazz ensembles take center stage in this presentation of big band classics. Featuring the Vocal Jazz Ensemble under the direction of Will Gorman, the Jazz Ensemble under the direction of Jamie Begian and the Jazz Orchestra under the direction of Jimmy Greene.

**Tickets at the Faculty and Staff rate are available at the VPAC box office located in the VPAC lobby – a valid WCSU ID is required at the time of purchase**
NOTE: Advance ticket purchases made online are $10; Tickets purchased at the door are $15.

No refunds are permitted; all sales are final.

Visiting Artist Lecture - Jenny Lynn McNutt, Interdisciplinary Artist
2025-04-02 11:00 - 12:00 (America/New_York) | Visual & Performing Arts Center, 43 Lake Avenue Extension, Danbury, CT, 06811, United States
WCSU MFA Visiting Artist Lecture with Jenny Lynn McNutt, Interdisciplinary Artist

JENNY LYNN MCNUTT –INTERDISCIPLINARY ARTIST
Wed, April 2, 2025, 11:00 am
Visual & Performing Arts Center, room 144, WCSU, Westside Campus
Free & Open to the Public, Limited Seating Available

Jenny Lynn McNutt is a multimedia artist living in Brooklyn and upstate NY. Her sculpture, painting, and performance work have been shown in Europe, Asia, Africa, and the U.S., most recently at Pamela Salisbury Gallery in Hudson, NY, and the Painting Center in NYC. She is the recipient of many residencies abroad, including Africa, Netherlands, Spain, India, and China, where time spent in cultures of storytelling and dance informs her work.
In 1994 Jenny Lynn was awarded a Fulbright Fellowship to study and work in West and Central Africa. She also received an Eastman Foundation Grant for her documentary work in West Africa, with sojourns in Ivory Coast and Cameroon.
In 2018, 2019, and this year, she has been a guest artist at Taoxichuan International Artists Studio in China, with her work in their permanent collection.
Other awards include a New York Foundation for the Arts Fiscal Sponsorship, a Rothman Grant, a William Hillman Foundation Grant, and the Mercedes Matter/ Ambassador Middendorf Award (NY Studio School). She was also awarded U.S. residencies at the Virginia Center for the Creative Arts, the Harwood Museum in New Mexico, Fine Arts Work Center in Provincetown, MA, and the Watershed Center for Ceramics in Maine. Jenny Lynn received her MFA from Yale School of Art and teaches at New York Studio School.
http://www.jennylynnmcnutt.com

Curse of the Starving Class
2025-04-04 20:00 - 22:30, 2025-04-05 14:00 - 16:30, 2025-04-05 20:00 - 22:30, 2025-04-06 14:00 - 16:30, 2025-04-11 20:00 - 22:30, 2025-04-12 14:00 - 16:30, 2025-04-12 20:00 - 22:30, 2025-04-13 14:00 - 16:30 (America/New_York) | Studio Theatre – Visual and Performing Arts Center at WCSU, 43 Lake Avenue Extension, Danbury, CT, 06811, United States
WCSU Dept. of Theatre Arts presents Curse of the Starving Class, April 4 – 13

Opera Scenes
2025-04-05 15:00 - 16:30 (America/New_York) | Veronica Hagman Concert Hall, VPAC, 43 Lake Avenue Extension, Danbury, CT, 06810, United States
Opera Scenes

Opera Scenes, featuring the WCSU Opera Ensemble in favorite opera scenes and excerpts. Richard Weidlich, Director
**Tickets at the Faculty, Staff and Student rate are available at the VPAC box office located in the VPAC lobby – a valid WCSU ID is required at the time of purchase**
NOTE: Advance ticket purchases made online are $10 plus fees; Tickets purchased at the door are $15.

No refunds are permitted; all sales are final.

Piano Studio Recital
2025-04-06 13:00 - 14:30 (America/New_York) | Veronica Hagman Concert Hall, University Boulevard, Danbury, CT, 06811, United States
Piano Studio Recital

WCSU Piano Majors in recital
**Tickets at the Faculty, Staff and Student rate are available at the VPAC box office located in the VPAC lobby – a valid WCSU ID is required at the time of purchase**
NOTE: Advance ticket purchases made online are $10; Tickets purchased at the door are $15.

No refunds are permitted; all sales are final.

Understudy Performance: Curse of the Starving Class
2025-04-06 19:00 - 22:00 (America/New_York) | Studio Theatre – Visual and Performing Arts Center at WCSU, 43 Lake Avenue Extension, Danbury, CT, 06811, United States
WCSU Dept. of Theatre Arts presents Curse of the Starving Class

MFA Faculty Artist Lecture - Amber Scoon, Interdisciplinary Artist
2025-04-07 11:00 - 12:00 (America/New_York) | Visual & Performing Arts Center, 43 Lake Avenue Extension, Danbury, CT, 06811, United States
WCSU MFA Faculty Artist Lecture with Amber Soon, Interdisciplinary Artist

AMBER SCOON –INTERDISCIPLINARY ARTIST
Mon, April 7, 2025, 11:00 am
Visual & Performing Arts Center, room 144, WCSU, Westside Campus
Free & Open to the Public, Limited Seating Available

Amber Scoon makes art, books, and events. She is Assistant Professor of Art and Borgia Gallery Director at Elms College in Chicopee, MA, and also teaches Graduate Studies in Art History at WCSU. She is the John Berger Fellow at the European Graduate School, where she received her Ph.D. in Philosophy, Art, and Critical Thought. She received her MFA from American University’s two-year program in Italy and her Bachelor of Science from New York University.
During the pandemic, Amber studied Sustainable Cultural Heritage at American University in Rome, Italy, working on a project, “Revive the Spirit of Mosul.” She was the Goetemann Distinguished Artist in 2022 at the Rocky Neck Artist Colony in Gloucester, MA. She has lectured at the Cape Ann Museum and was a visiting artist lecturer at Mount Gretna School of Art. For several years, Amber and artist Glenn Goldberg have been collaborating under the name Snow Drift. They received a 2022-23 Faculty Fellowship through Social Practice CUNY, and intend to co-author the second edition of “Question Mark”, published by Atropos Press.
Most recently, Amber received a grant from the Masachussetts Cultural Council to curate an exhibition celebrating diverse cultural heritage. She continues her own studio practice and exhibited a handmade book, “Dear Margaret” at Northhampton Arts Center last year.
https://amberscoon.com/home.html

Sip & Paint
2025-04-11 19:00 - 21:00 (America/New_York) | Visual & Performing Arts Center, 43 Lake Avenue Extension, Danbury, CT, 06811, United States
A spring-inspired night of sipping, painting, music, and fun! Materials, music, wine, and light refreshments are provided.

About this event
SIP & PAINT
Friday, April 11, 2025, 7:00–9:00 pmRoom 241, Visual & Performing Arts CenterWCSU, Westside Campus
Join us for a fun and creative spring-inspired evening! Unleash your inner artist and enjoy painting while listening to music, sipping wine, and savoring light refreshments. This event, led by experienced artist and WCSU alumna Jessica Bartlet, welcomes participants of all skill levels, from beginners to seasoned artists, for a shared art experience in a fun and relaxed studio environment.
The event will take place in the Drawing Studio, room 241 of the Visual & Performing Arts Center, located at 43 Lake Ave Extension Danbury, CT 06811. Basic painting materials will be provided, but feel free to bring your own water-based media.
Please note that attendees must be 21 years or older. For more information, contact the WCSU Department of Art at (203) 837-8403. This program is hosted by WCSU’s Department of Art and is sponsored by the Alumni Association.

Percussion Ensemble
2025-04-12 15:00 - 16:00 (America/New_York) | Veronica Hagman Concert Hall, University Boulevard, Danbury, CT, 06811, United States
Percussion Ensemble

WCSU Percussion Ensemble , Directed by Greg Haynes
**Free tickets for Faculty, Staff and WCSU Students are available at the VPAC box office located in the VPAC lobby – a valid WCSU ID is required at the time of purchase**

NOTE: Advance ticket purchases made online are $10; Tickets purchased at the door are $15.
No refunds or exchanges are permitted, all sales are final.

Chamber Singers and University Singers
2025-04-13 15:00 - 17:00 (America/New_York) | Veronica Hagman Concert Hall, VPAC, 43 Lake Avenue Extension, Danbury, CT, 06810, United States
Chamber Singers and University Choir

Chamber Singers directed by Kevin Jay Isaacs and University Singers directed by Jeremy Wiggins
**Free tickets for Faculty, Staff and WCSU Students are available at the VPAC box office located in the VPAC lobby – a valid WCSU ID is required at the time of purchase**

NOTE: Advance ticket purchases made online are $10; Tickets purchased at the door are $15.

No refunds are permitted; all sales are final.

WCSU Visiting Artist Lecture - Eric Velasquez, Illustrator
2025-04-22 11:00 - 12:00 (America/New_York) | Visual & Performing Arts Center, 43 Lake Avenue Extension, Danbury, CT, 06811, United States
WCSU MFA Visiting Artist Lecture Series- Eric Velasquez, Illustrator

ERIC VELASQUEZ, ILLUSTRATORTuesday, April 22, 2025, 11:00 am
Visual & Performing Arts Center, room 144,WCSU, Westside Campus
Free & Open to the PublicLimited Seating Available
Eric Velasquez is an illustrator who lives and works in New York. He was born in Spanish Harlem, the son of Afro-Puerto Rican parents, and attended the High School of Art and Design. He earned his BFA from the School of Visual Arts and also studied with Harvey Dinnerstein at the Art Students’ League. Illustrating for over thirty years, he teaches book illustration at FIT in NYC.
Velasquez began his career as a freelance illustrator in 1984 and in the first 12 years, completed over 300 book jackets and interior illustrations. These included the complete series of “Encyclopedia Brown” and “The Ghost Writers”, among others. In 1997, he illustrated his first picture book, “The Piano Man” by Debbie Chocolate, for which he won the Coretta-Scott King/John Steptoe Award for New Talent. Many books and awards have followed. He received the NAACP Image Award in 2010 for “Our Children Can Soar”, on which he collaborated with 12 notable illustrators of children’s literature. He also wrote and illustrated “Grandma’s Records” and “Grandma’s Gift”, which won the 2011 Pura Belpre Award for Illustration. His latest book “Schomburg: The Man Who Built a Library” by Carole Boston Weatherford has gathered rave reviews and has won the 2018 Walter Award, as well as the Golden Kite Award.
https://www.ericvelasquez.com

Cecilia Yudha, piano
2025-04-24 19:00 - 21:00 (America/New_York) | Veronica Hagman Concert Hall, University Boulevard, Danbury, CT, 06811, United States
Cecilia Yudha, piano

A versatile solo pianist, avid chamber musician, and dedicated educator Cicilia Yudha has given performances, presentations, and master classes in the US, Europe, and Southeast Asia. She is a frequent soloist with the Duke University Symphony Orchestra under the baton of Maestro Harry Davidson. Navona Records released her debut CD Selected Piano Works by Robert Casadesus and Henri Dutilleux in September 2016. Her second CD, featuring two Piano trios by Emilie Mayer, was released in August.

As a creative artist, she has enjoyed collaborations with musicologist Ewelina Boczkowska, tap dancer Claudia Rahardjanoto, and Polish Folk Dance specialists Christine Cobb and Staś Kmieć. She has presented lecture recitals at National Conference on Keyboard Pedagogy, Frances Clark Center for Keyboard Pedagogy “From the Artist Bench” webinar series, TEDx Talks, the Ohio Music Teachers Association Conferences, the College Music Society (CMS) National Conferences, and CMS Regional Conferences. She regularly presents Preview Concert Lectures for the renowned Cleveland Orchestra at the Severance Center.

Passionate about music education and community service, Yudha is a Nationally Certified Teacher of Music and is a recipient of the Steinway Top Teacher Award. She holds degrees from the Cleveland Institute of Music, New England Conservatory, and the University of North Carolina Greensboro. She served as faculty at the Dana School of Music Youngstown State University for over a decade. Currently, she is on faculty at Akron Music Institute and the University of Mount Union. She looks forward to joining the University of Nevada, Reno as the Assistant Professor of Piano in Fall 2025.
— www.ciciliayudha.com
NOTE: Advance ticket purchases made online are $10; Tickets purchased at the door are $15.
No refunds or exchanges are permitted, all sales are final.

WCSU 2025 Senior Portfolio Exhibition
2025-04-26 14:00 - 16:00 (America/New_York) | Visual & Performing Arts Center, 43 Lake Avenue Extension, Danbury, CT, 06811, United States
WCSU 2025 SENIOR PORTFOLIO EXHIBITION
OPENING RECEPTION: Sat, April 26, 2025, 2-4 pm

WCSU 2025 SENIOR PORTFOLIO EXHIBITION
OPENING RECEPTION:
Saturday, April 26, 2-4 pm
On View April 24 – May 11, 2025
Gallery Hours: Tues–Fri, 12–4 pm, Sat–Sun, 1–4 pm
The Gallery at the Visual & Performing Arts Center
43 Lake Ave Extension, Danbury, CT 06811

The WCSU Department of Art presents the Senior Portfolio Exhibition each spring as a capstone experience for students pursuing the BA or BFA in Art in one of four areas of concentration: graphic design, illustration, photography and studio arts: painting. This year’s exhibition will feature 4 art majors with a concentration in graphic design, 4 in illustration, and 7 in painting. The following are the 2025 BA and BFA in Art candidates who will show selected portfolio works:
Graphic Design: Mia Grossman; Kellie Jackson; Kaitlynn Parra; and Christopher Torres
Illustration: Ian Clifford; Olivia Escalera; Phoebe Fleetwood; and Angus Wong
Studio Art: Iloisa Barros-Barbosa; Shanice Brown; Mia Crawford; Carla LaFlamme, BFA; Julia Paddock; Laura Sosa; and Kris Trenck, BFA

For more information, contact the Department of Art at (203) 837-8403
