Jeanette Colby, calendar editor, offers a selection of events and activities to check out this weekend. Browse, discover, and share upcoming events on the University Events Calendar by logging in with your University NetID. The calendar features a variety of events at all campuses, including the River Campus, Eastman School, Memorial Art Gallery, and Medical Center.
#1: Get a seat to a magic show
Magician Steven Brundage performs his high-energy magic show on Thursday, October 18. Brundage has appeared on Penn and Teller’s Fool Us, The Steve Harvey Show, as well as America’s Got Talent. His show promises to expand the limits of your mind and surprise you every second with illusions and Rubik’s cube tricks. The show is presented by the Student Programming Board at the University. The show starts at 8 p.m., in the May Room, Wilson Commons. Tickets are $5 for faculty, staff, and the general public, and can be purchased at the Common Market in Wilson Commons or at the door.
#2: Hear masterful pianist Sandro Russo perform
The Eastman School of Music’s Fernando Laires Piano Series welcomes distinguished performer Sandro Russo on Friday, October 19. Renowned for his technique and distinctive style, Russo is considered an exceptional pianist around the world. The entire first part of the program will feature selections by Chopin and after the intermission, Russo will play Scriabin’s “Sonata. 10, op. 70,” and arrangements of Debussy’s “Prélude à l’après-midi d’un faune” and “Fêtes” from Nocturnes. The performance will begin at 7:30 p.m., Kilbourn Hall. Tickets are $20–$23, with $10 student tickets available. Tickets can be purchased at the Eastman Theatre Box Office, 433 East Main Street, (585) 274-3000, or online.
#3: Be entertained by guitarist and storyteller
Guitar virtuoso and socialite Mrs. Smith comes to the River Campus for two nights of musical exploration and off-the-wall storytelling in “Mrs. Smith: Socialite. Guitar Hero. Supermodel!” on Friday, October 19 and Saturday, October 20. Her unique form of musical performance comedy has been featured on America’s Got Talent, PBS Television, and sold out shows in New York City. Performances are cosponsored by the International Theatre Program, the Arts@UR UCIS cluster; the Institute for the Performing Arts; and the Susan B. Anthony Institute for Gender, Sexuality, and Women’s Studies. Both shows begin at 8:30 p.m. at Todd Theater on the River Campus. Tickets are $10 for the general public.
#4: Watch Academy Award-winning film
The Polish Film Festival Part I continues on Saturday, October 20, with a screening of the 1975 film The Promised Land. Based on the 1898 novel by the Nobel Prize-winner Wladyslaw Reymont, the film is set in 19th century fast-growing industrial city of Lodz. It focuses on the experiences of three men who work together to full their dream of building a textile factory. Directed by Andrzej Wajda, the film won numerous awards and an Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film. The film starts at 7:30 at the Dryden Theatre at the George Eastman Museum. Tickets are $7 for members of the museum and $10 for nonmembers and can be purchased at Dryden Theater. The festival is supported and organized by the Skalny Center for Polish and Central European Studies.
#5: Take the family to see and create art
On Saturday, October 20, plan to take the family to “Kids Create Dates” at the Memorial Art Gallery. Create art projects from 1 to 3 p.m. in a fun and flexible environment. Creative Workshop instructors serve as host for activities for kids from ages 4 to 14. The workshop is from noon to 4 p.m., and families may explore the museum before or after. All tools will be supplied. The workshop is $10 per child, per session. In addition to the special viewing of the exhibition Monet’s Waterloo Bridge: Vision and Process, the museum offers various art collections to explore this weekend. Admission to the museum is free for University faculty and staff with a current ID. Special pricing for the Monet exhibition is $20 for general admission or $5 for members. Children under 5 are free.