April 15, 2016
Talking Saints Finale
Carroll’s top debate team brought home two national awards from the United States Universities Debating Championship held on April 8-10 at Morehouse College in Atlanta, Georgia. The awards were the sixth and seventh national honors won by the Talking Saints in the past four years at the U.S. World Debate national championships.
“We knew when we moved to World Debate in the British Parliamentary format that we would be entering the world of the Ivy League, Stanford and top European teams,” said coach Brent Northup. “So it’s been thrilling to gain some respect among those fine schools. Yale and Harvard don’t exactly tremble when they see us, but they do respect us and that’s a good feeling.”
Seniors Mark Schmutzler of Helena and Ryden Meyer of Portland, Oregon, started the national weekend by reaching the semifinals of America’s Cup, an elite national by-invitation-only round robin for 16 of the nation’s top teams which included past national and world champions. Carroll was knocked out by two high-pedigree teams: a former U.S. champion, and a national runner up.
In the national championship tournament, Meyer and Schmutzler competed against 180 of the nation’s finest teams, and were ranked 14th after preliminary competition. The Carroll Saints beat the Yale Bulldogs along the way, as well as Cornell, Brown and Columbia.
Mark and Ryden lost in the octafinals to teams from Bates College and Tufts University. Tufts ended up winning the national championship, defeating Yale, Harvard and Stanford in the final round.
This marks the third and fourth national awards for Meyer and Schmutzler during their four-year career at Carroll.
Three other Carroll teams competed at nationals. All were in contention for the championship rounds, but lost “bubble” debates in the final preliminary rounds.
Representing Carroll were senior Nick Fuller and sophomore Jake MacDuff, both of Seattle. Sophomore Tori Hill of Sidney, Montana, debated with sophomore Becca Poliquin of Hamilton, Montana. Freshmen Frank Stumbo of Shelley, Idaho, and Alex Thielman of Spokane, Washington, were Carroll’s fourth national entry.
Carroll also competed at the National Individual Events Tournament in Gainesville, Florida, on April 1-4. For the second straight year, senior Hanna Hillier from Jerome, Idaho, barely missed the final rounds in Prose Interpretation. Senior Anna Hoerner of Spokane, Washington, qualified in four events, but also did not advance.
“Hanna had a storybook career,” said Northup. “She won seven times this year to add to her long list of accomplishments over the last three years. One judge this year said she was one of the finest actresses he’d seen in forensics in his career, and praise like that brings smiles to all our faces.”
The team’s year concludes with “Night of the Talking Saints,” a showcase of individual events from the team. Hillier will start and end the evening, which will include Carroll’s top performers.“Night of the Talking Saints” will be held in the Carroll Campus Center at 7 p.m. on Sunday, May 1.
Mark Schmutzler and Ryden Meyer awaiting the decision in their octafinal debate at nationals.
Scout Central
Carroll just wrapped up a weekend hosting 535 Boy Scouts and 150 adults for the 4th Annual Boy Scouts Merit Badge University – the biggest and most successful MBU yet!
In their wrap up, MBU noted that "Carroll College exceeded our expectations with providing a collegiate atmosphere and resources that are not readily available in other cities."
“It’s all about the advantages for the Scouts,” said Beth Wheeler, one of the event organizers, Carroll College employee and Troop 214 Committee Chair. “Such a program provides resources that Scouts may not have access to in their own areas. It opens up a menu to the boys of topics they may have not even thought to consider given their location.
“Things like access to a chemistry lab and observatory are not readily available in other settings,” said Wheeler. “Getting (Scouts) to spend the day having fun on a college campus, successfully transitioning from class to class, partaking of the dining hall bounty and interacting with friendly helpful teachers will hopefully go a long way in encouraging them to consider college in their own futures.”
Check out some photos and read more about the event at www.montanabsa.org/merit-badge-university-4/.
Computing Success
Carroll Computer Science Department will host the 4th annual Montana NCWIT (National Center for Women and Information Technology) Aspirations in Computing Contest this Saturday in the Fortin Scola. National judges pick the Montana winners.
Computer Science professor Steve Harper is excited to host the banquet again this Saturday to honor these promising Montana high school girls. "It is always fun to read through the accomplishments and aspirations of these young women. The computer field will be much better for their participation in it."
There are eight winners this year from six Montana towns. Three of those winners are students of Carroll grad Buffy Smith '93, last year's Educator of the Year. Buffy's students have been winners all four years.
The contest is part of an effort to encourage more young women to choose careers in technology, and will feature four Montana women from NorthWestern Energy and Northrop Grumman talking about their technology careers. The contest is sponsored by Carroll's Mathematics, Engineering and Computer Science Department and NorthWestern Energy.
This is a photo of the 2015 NWCIT winners, also hosted at Carroll.
Weekly Snapshot
It’s week three of our spring photo contest and our winner is Elise Parker, a senior nursing major from Valier, Montana.
Elise entered the photo below "Walking Path" in the Campus Beauty category.
Congratulations Elise!
Student News
Saintly Servants
Three Carroll students have been awarded the Raymond G. Hunthausen Outstanding Collegiate Citizenship Award for their exemplary commitment of service. The selection committee chooses students who work to improve the lives of others through their own unselfish commitment of time, energy and compassion. This year’s recipients are Sapphire Carter, Ryan Edens, and Connor Smith.
All three of these individuals have given generously of their time and talent during their years at Carroll. Here is just a small snapshot of what each has been involved in:
Senior Sapphire Carter from Box Elder, Montana, was nominated for her “passion, understanding, and dedication to social justice” through her volunteer work. These qualities are evident in her contributions to multiple underrepresented communities at Carroll, as well as young children and senior citizens within the larger Helena community, and Native American communities in Montana. On campus, Sapphire has been actively involved in numerous student-led organizations including the Intercultural Students Network (ISN) that provides a support system through faculty- and student-led mentorship programs for students of multiple backgrounds and cultures transitioning into Carroll College, as well as the Organization of American Students and International Students (OASIS) at Carroll. In addition, as a self-identified Native American student, Sapphire has served Native American communities in a variety of capacities including mentor, event volunteer, and as a Youth Cabinet Member for National Congress of American Indians in Washington D.C.
Ryan Edens is a senior health science major from Helena, Montana. In his nomination letter he was described as an “enthusiastic and warm person with a deeply compassionate nature and awareness, unusual for someone so young. He holds himself to very high standards academically but still dedicates much of his free time to helping others.” In addition to raising over $1,500 in support of increased awareness of childhood cancer, Ryan has devoted a significant amount of his time helping those who struggle with learning and developmental disabilities. He mentors two developmentally disabled young men providing companionship and respite relief. He also helps train and coach Special Olympic athletes. During his time at Carroll, he has participated in three service abroad trips with Montana Dental Outreach to Ecuador, Haiti and Uganda. Following his trip to Ecuador, he became active with the non-profit organization “Families With Heart,” which helps provide medical and assistant services to Ecuadorian families with disabled individuals.
Connor Smith, a senior biology major from West Richland, Washington, was nominated for many reasons: his commitment to service, particularly international service, his leadership, and the enthusiasm he brings to his roles on campus and in the community. Connor serves as a student ambassador and a student director for the Gold Team, and also volunteers for Big Brothers Big Sisters. He has traveled several times to Varanasi, India, as part of Carroll-sponsored service trips. After his return from India in January 2015, Connor was determined to share his India experience with the Carroll campus and the Helena community. He established a student club, The India Project, which included fundraising, events, and educational projects. Over the past year, he has also established a non-profit organization, the Water and Education Fund for India (WEFI). He returned to India again this winter and was able to use funds raised from the club and the non-profit to benefit a number of individuals and organizations in Varanasi.
Global Graduates
Carroll’s Artaza Center for Excellence in Global Education held the 13th annual Sash Ceremony this week. Seniors who have studied or served abroad during their undergraduate years at Carroll wear the sashes on graduation day to recognize their formative global experience. The sashes represent the flags of the countries to which they traveled. In the graduating class of 2016, 20% of the graduates participating in the ceremony will be wearing international sashes!
Of the 68 students who are sash recipients, 60% of them studied abroad and 40% volunteered, served or went on a pilgrimage. These students went on programs to North America and the Caribbean, Central and South America, Africa, Asia and Europe. Students from 18 majors participated in global education programs with numerous students participating in more than one global education or service-learning experience. In fact, one graduating senior traveled on five separate occasions to four different countries, all as part of EWB.
Saints in the News
Often some of the best stories about our student-athletes are not about their accomplishments and victories on the field but rather the personal stories about what makes them who they are or who has stood behind them supporting them along the way.
The Helena IR recently ran such a story on first year softball player Tianna Sell. Read it here:
SELL’S SURPRISE: Carroll catcher honors father with last-name change-up
Photo courtesy of Gary Marshall, BMGphotos.com
Alumni News
Tech Tips for Women
Carroll graduate and tech entrepreneur Tarah Wheeler Van Vlack ‘01 will be on campus next week as she was invited speak at Carroll’s Open House for prospective students. Following her talk, she will be available to sign copies of her new book "Women in Tech: A Guidebook for Women Looking to Even the Playing Field and Succeed in Technology Careers."
Geared toward women who are considering getting into tech, or those already in a tech job who want to take their careers to the next level, this book combines practical career advice and inspiring personal stories from successful female tech professionals.
When asked why she wanted to write this book, Tarah explained, ”I see a lack of positive stories about women in technology and, in my mind, most of the books seem to be either one woman’sjourney through tech or an analysis of the industry, instead of practical advice andinspiration. When people try to make a good decision about their careers, they don’tjust look at the statistics. They try to talk to people who have been in the field to seewhat they do and don’t love about it. If you don’t personally know a woman intechnology, this book can help you find out what we love about tech while beingtotally honest about the challenges we still face.” Click here for more Q&A with Tarah.
Tarah Wheeler Van Vlack, BA, MS, CSM, CSD, is CEO and cofounder of Fizzmint, has led projects at Microsoft Game Studios, and founded Red Queen Technologies, Infosec Unlocked, and Hack The People Foundation. While at Carroll, she was a member of the Talking Saints and graduated in 2001 with a degree in International Relations.
The book signing will take place at 3:30 p.m. on April 22 in the Campus Center, next to the Saints Shoppe.
Photo by Lou Daprile
Saints in the News
Heather Lieberg ‘03 came into distance running reluctantly but she has had tremendous success at it over the past ten years –most recently running in the U.S. Olympic Trials in L.A.
The Helena IR recently sat down with her to learn her story and share her tips for aspiring runners.
Lieberg reflects on her marathon past, future
Photo courtesy of Kierra Marshall, BMGphotos.com
Career Moves
Tyler Emmert ‘06, Helena Market President, Opportunity Bank. Read announcement here.
Faculty/Staff News
Award Winning Poetry
Professor of English Loren Graham has won the 2016 Oklahoma Book Award in Poetry for Places I Was Dreaming.
Sponsored by the Friends of the Oklahoma Center for the Book, the 27th annual awards banquet was held at the Oklahoma Sports Hall of Fame and Jim Thorpe Museum in Oklahoma City on April 9. Overall, seven books won the top award in their categories out of 120 books submitted for consideration in 2016.
Books considered for the awards must have an Oklahoma-based theme, or entrants (authors, illustrators, photographers, or book designers) must live or have lived in Oklahoma. Graham explains that the book does have an Oklahoma theme: it’s about a kid growing up in rural poverty there and trying to understand the world he lives in.
“Even though that kid is like I was in many ways, I think of the book as being more about the place where I grew up and the kind of life lived there than it is about me personally: I say it’s “auto-geographical” more than autobiographical. That was part of the reason for calling it “Places I Was Dreaming,” said Graham.
“Of course it’s very satisfying to win a high award in your own field in your own home state,” continued Graham. “If you write about a place and the place recognizes you for it, presumably because they saw themselves in that writing, then you feel that you’ve accomplished precisely what you meant to accomplish.”
Graham was raised in and around Broken Arrow, Oklahoma. He studied as a writer and composer at Oklahoma Baptist University, and he earned an MA in English from Baylor University in Waco, Texas, and an MFA in Creative Writing from the University of Virginia. He received a National Endowment for the Arts Fellowship in 2009 for poems that became part of "Places I Was Dreaming."
A Matter of Taste
Professor of philosophy Dr. Barry Ferst recently gave a lecture as part of the A Matter of Taste: Art, Kitsch, and Culture Symposium at Utah State University. Ferst was part of the Kitsch and Popular Culture Panel where he gave a talk titled “Aesthetic Demagoguery” about Khloe Kardashian.
In addition to teaching courses on western humanities and aesthetics, Ferst is a self-taught artist who creates assemblages of American kitsch through found objects. His art was featured at the Holter last year.
Saints in the News
The Carroll College Neuman Observatory was a student project built in 1936 under the supervision of Dr. Edward Neuman, from blocks that had fallen off St. Charles hall during the quake of 1935.
It is Montana's oldest astronomical observatory and houses a 12-inch reflector telescope which is fully operational and open every Thursday night during the academic year.
KTVH-TV recently caught up with Dr. Kelly Cline and Observatory Director David Rotness to tour the facility.
View the story here:
Big Sky Chronicles: Carroll College’s Observatory
Upcoming Events
Saints Athletic Association Annual Auction, Apr. 15, 6 p.m., Carroll College PE Center
Join us for the 34th annual Carroll College SAA Auction. Over 40 live and 200 silent auction items up for bid including trips, leather furniture, fine art, unique experiences, sports memorabilia, event tickets and much more.
New changes to the auction this year include:
Entry fee of $20 per person which includes a souvenir glass cup, as well as two drink tokens and hors d'oeuvres. Saints Athletic Association Members will be allowed into the event at 5:30 p.m., a half hour before the general public. SAA members will have the opportunity to get a head start on the silent auction items and enjoy drinks and food. Gold Rush drawing where $100 gets you a chance to win an exciting trip package of your choice or $2,500 cash. There will only be 100 Gold Rush tickets sold and you can purchase your Gold Rush tickets online or in person at the event.
Doors open at 6 p.m. with the live auction beginning at 7:30 p.m. Tickets for the event and the Gold Rush Raffle are available at CarrollAthletics.com/Auction. Call 406-447-4480 for more information.
CRS Ongoing Relief Efforts in Haiti, Apr. 18, 7 p.m. Lower level of Campus Center, Carroll College
The Hunthausen Center for Peace and Justice is hosting Dr. Kim Lamberty to speak about ongoing relief efforts in Haiti. Dr. Lamberty is the Director of University and Mission Engagement at Catholic Relief Services. She is also the founder and president of Just Haiti, Inc., as well as the author of Eyes from the Outside: Christian Mission in Zones of Violent Conflict. The title of her talk is “Out of Sight, Out of Mind: Ongoing Relief Efforts in Haiti.”
Business Department Lecture Series: Sustainability Accounting for the Financial Markets: Incorporating Environmental and Social Issues in Financial Decisions, Apr. 19, 7 p.m., Simperman/Wiegand Amphitheatre 101/202, Carroll College
In celebration of Earth Day, the Business Department at Carroll College is hosting Levi Stewart, an analyst from the Sustainability Accounting Standards Board (SASB) for the Consumer Staple Products sector, who will present Sustainability Accounting for the Financial Markets: Incorporating Environmental and Social Issues in Financial Decisions. Although annual corporate reporting has traditionally focused on financial capital, financial decisions affect other forms of capital such as human capital and the natural environment. The SASB issues standards that help corporations disclose additional environmental, social, and governance issues in SEC filings to investors in an industry-specific, comparable, and decision-useful way.
This event is free and open to the public.
An Evening with the Author Timothy Egan, Apr. 19, 7 p.m., Campus Center, Lower level, Carroll College
Carroll College, the Lewis & Clark Library, and the Montana Historical Society invite the public to a free lecture by award winning author Timothy Egan.
Egan will discuss his newly released book, The Immortal Irishman: The Irish Revolutionary Who Became an American Hero, which is about Thomas Francis Meagher. He will be signing books after the lecture.
Egan is the author of seven books. His nonfiction account of the Dust Bowl, The Worst Hard Time, won the 2006 National Book Award, considered one of the nation's highest literary honors, and he was featured prominently in the 2012 Ken Burns film on the Dust Bowl.
A lifelong journalist, Egan now writes an online opinion column for The New York Times. Prior to that, Egan worked as a national correspondent for the Times, roaming the West. As a Times correspondent, he shared a Pulitzer Prize in 2001, with a team of reporters for its series, "How Race is Lived in America."
“Unmaking a Murderer”- the Sociology of a Murder Trial, Apr. 20, 7 p.m., Campus Center, Lower level, Carroll College
Nicole Siefert (Baratta) graduated magna cum laude from Carroll College in 2005 with a degree in Sociology. In 2009, Ms. Siefert received her J.D. from the University of Montana School of Law. She is a founding partner at Rhoades & Siefert, PLLC, in Missoula, Montana, where she practices litigation. Ms. Siefert represented James Stiffler who was charged with deliberate homicide for shooting a burglar in his home outside of Helena in 2013. The trial took place in Helena in February 2016 and resulted in a hung jury. Following the trial the County Attorney dismissed the case. Ms. Siefert will discuss the case and how sociology helped her become a trial attorney.
This lecture is part of the Sociology Speaker Series sponsored by the Department of Sociology and Anthropology.
This event is free and open to the public.
The Normal Distribution: The Power of the Bell Curve, Apr. 21, 7 p.m., Simperman/Wiegand Amphitheatre 101/202, Carroll College
Two hundred years ago, while searching for an asteroid, the German physicist Carl Gauss discovered a strange and amazing mathematical law. This law describes things from the sizes of fish, to the heights of people, to the blood pressures of cancer patients, to the weights of apples, to the lengths of housefly wings. All of these things are described by a mathematical law we call the normal distribution or the bell curve. How is this possible? How can one mathematical law appear in so many different places in the world around us? Join Dr. Kelly Cline for a public lecture where we explore the incredible power of this marvelous mathematical law.
This event is free and open to the public.
Montana's Family Farms & Ranches, Apr. 21, 7 p.m., O'Connell 107, Carroll College
In celebration of Earth Day, Carroll College is hosting Kate French from the Northern Plains Resource Council who will present "Montana's family farms and ranches; the water and air quality they are dependent upon."
This event is free and open to the public.
"A Year with Frog and Toad" presented by the Carroll College Theatre Department, Apr. 21-23 and Apr. 28-May 1, Performing Arts Center, Old North, Carroll College
Carroll College Theatre is producing a charming musical for the whole family, A Year With Frog and Toad, by Willie and Robert Reale, directed by Kimberly Shire. This is Carroll’s 20th annual children’s play.
Waking from hibernation in the spring, Frog and Toad plant gardens, swim, rake leaves, go sledding, and learn life lessons along the way. The two best friends celebrate and rejoice in their differences that make them unique and special. Part vaudeville, part make believe, all charm, A Year With Frog And Toad tells the story of a friendship that endures, weathering all seasons.
Running April 22-23 and April 29-May 1, shows will be 7:30 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays and 1 p.m. on Sunday in the Carroll College Theatre, across from Corette Library. Tickets are available at the door or online at the Carroll Theatre Season webpage. Tickets are $10 for general admission, $8 for seniors/students, $5 for children 12 and under, and $2 with a current Carroll College ID. School matinees are by reservation Apr. 21, 22, 28 and 29 at 1:00 p.m.
“Women in Tech” Book Signing by Tarah Wheeler Van Vlack ‘01, Apr. 22, 3:30 p.m., Campus Center, Saints Shoppe, Carroll College
Carroll graduate and tech entrepreneur Tarah Wheeler Van Vlack ‘01 will be signing copies of her book “Women in Tech: A Guidebook for Women Looking to Even the Playing Field and Succeed in Technology Careers.”
Geared toward women who are considering getting into tech, or those already in a tech job who want to take their careers to the next level, this book combines practical career advice and inspiring personal stories from successful female tech professionals.
Tarah Wheeler Van Vlack, BA, MS, CSM, CSD, is CEO and cofounder of Fizzmint, has led projectsat Microsoft Game Studios, and founded Red Queen Technologies, Infosec Unlocked, and HackThe People Foundation. While at Carroll, she was a member of the Talking Saints and graduated in 2001 with a degree in International Relations.
Carroll College James J. Manion Symposium, Apr. 22, 1 p.m., Trinity Lounge, Carroll College
The Manion Symposium recognizes the dedication and contributions of Professor James J. Manion, commemorates “Doc” Manion’s academic legacy, and emphasizes discussion of current topical issues in the natural sciences. This year’s symposium includes four students presenting their honors thesis research and four faculty members presenting their current research. The event is free and all are welcome.
Helena Earth Day Expo, Apr. 23, 11 a.m. - 5 p.m., Carroll College
Join us for community workshops, an informational, interactive expo of over 40 local organizations, food trucks and Helena bands, with special guest Rocket to Uranus.
Workshops include: Renewable Energy 101; Grow Your Own Mushrooms; Leave No Trace with Bob Marshall Wilderness Foundation; Energy Projects & Financing Incentives; Tips and Tricks for Helena Gardening; and Soil Blocks.
The Expo is sponsored by Carroll College, AERO, DEQ, and DNRC. The Earth Day Expo is family friendly and includes an ExplorationWorks booth.
See Helena Earth Day Expo on Facebook for details on location and times of workshops and lectures.
WorldMontana Annual Meeting and Thank You Celebration, Apr. 23, 12 p.m.–2 p.m., Plymouth Congregational Church, 400 South Oaks Street, Helena, Montana.
Join WorldMontana for an update on programs and conversation on international events. There's no charge for the event, but please RSVP (Ellen@WorldMontana.org) so they know to expect you. International food will be served, and they invite you to bring a dish.
WorldMontana is a nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting global understanding through citizen diplomacy. They have an office located inside St. Charles Hall at Carroll College in Helena.
SURF–Student Undergraduate Research Festival, Apr. 26, 1-5 p.m., Carroll College
The fifth annual Student Undergraduate Research Festival highlights the research being undertaken by Carroll students. Over 70 student presentations and posters will be showcased during the festival featuring a very wide range of research subject matter including postpartum depression, attachment emotions in canines, cancer and aromatherapy, and an analysis of the moral responsibility of street gang members, to name a few.
The festival is free and the public is encouraged to attend.
Carroll College Jazz Band Concert "Spotlight on Miles," Apr. 28, 4 p.m., Campus Center, Carroll College
As a preview to their May 3 Spring Concert "Spotlight on Miles," the Carroll College Jazz Band will give a concert in the Campus Center. Carroll students and guests led by Dr. Lynn Petersen will perform a variety of popular and jazz standards, including tunes by Miles Davis, Gerry Mulligan, Chuck Israel, Jaco Pastorius, and John Coltrane. The event is free and the Helena community is welcome to attend. Call (406) 447-4303 for more information.
Anthrozoology Canine Graduation, Apr. 28, 6 p.m., Carroll Performing Arts Center, Old North, Carroll College
Join the Anthrozoology program as they honor Carroll’s top dogs with a graduation celebration. Carroll student handlers have been working and living with the dogs during the school year and serve as foster caregivers for the shelter dogs while they train them in one of several disciplines such as service, narcotics detection, or search and rescue.
This year’s graduating class is the largest yet with 31 dogs graduating – 25 program dogs and 6 specialized dogs. Students will present short videos and share stories of working with their dog partners this year. Light refreshments will follow and this event is free and open to the public.
Annual Constitutional Studies Lecture – The Public Trust in Montana’s Elections: Individualism Meets Community, Apr. 28, 7 p.m., Simperman/Wiegand Amphitheatre 101/202, Carroll College
Jonathan Motl, Montana Commissioner of Political Practices, will be speaking as part of the annual Constitutional Studies Lecture Series. His lecture will examine the ways in which election practices can reinforce or undermine public trust in representative government, and what Montana has done to superintend those practices.
This event is free and open to the public.
Astronomy Day, Apr. 30, 11 a.m. - 3 p.m., Carroll College
The Carroll College Neuman Astronomical Society and the Helena Astronomical Society are hosting their annual Astronomy Day at Carroll College. Activities will take place on the Carroll campus in Simperman Hall as well as the observatory lawn. Activities include: meteorite sample display; solar system walk; solar viewing (weather permitting); Carroll astronomy student posters (with students on hand to explain the posters); observatory tours all day; Meteor impact activity (weather permitting); and build a comet presentation by David Rotness (children encouraged to participate).
For more information, contact David Rotness at 594-4575. All the activities are free and the public is encouraged to attend.
Farewell Party for the Old North Performing Arts Center, May 1, 5 p.m., Old North Performing Arts Center in St. Charles Hall, Carroll College
The Carroll Theatre Department is hosting a farewell party for the Old North Performing Arts Center. For 22 years, the space has served as Carroll’s theatrical home.
The farewell event will be held following the final performance of A Year With Frog and Toad-TYA edition at 3 p.m. on May 1. The send-off will include: presentations of plans for the new theatre and music spaces; an announcement of next year's season of shows; refreshments, including a toast to the theatre; a ph