As well as the three speaker events, we were privileged to help support other art and performance during the year.
Monday, September 19, 2016 Partnering with 3rd Way Collective to kick the year off with a theatrical production of Listening for Grace (see lower right-hand picture). This is a performance by Ted & Co. TheaterWorks which uses personal stories and music to highlight the ongoing journey of inclusion in church spaces.
Wednesday, September 21, 2016 We followed this up with a Coffee Hour with Peterson Toscano at Abba Java Coffee House, Locust Lane. Peterson (left-hand picture) is a playwright, actor, blogger and activist. He spent nearly two decades undergoing “ex-gay” treatment before accepting his identity and coming out as a gay man. He has since shared his experiences internationally through various media outlets, especially plays. His talks and performances use comedy and storytelling to explore LGBTQ issues, faith, and climate change.
Sunday, March 19, 2017, Tyler’s Suite was performed in State College. This is a new nine-piece choral presentation dedicated to the memory of Tyler Clementi, a talented young musician who died by suicide after being bullied by his roommate during his first few weeks of college. The music was composed under the supervision of Stephen Schwartz, composer of music for Godspell, Wicked and many other productions. Tyler’s mother, Jane Clementi (upper right-hand picture), introduced the performance and spoke about the work of the Tyler Clementi Foundation, which works to end online and offline bullying in schools, workplaces and faith communities.