There are 31 days in October, and Gail Jones has found a special cultural arts event, right here in Gettysburg, for 20 of them. “As always, I cannot believe how many excellent arts events are going on in this little town,” she says. Thanks, as always, for your work, Gail.
October 1 – 31 – Chinese Art Exhibits @ Schmucker Art Gallery, Gettysburg College
Curated by student Ava Prickman ’28, “The World Turned Upside Down: Posters from the Chinese Cultural Revolution” feature propaganda posters from Gettysburg College’s Special Collections. “Footprints Across the Ocean: The Art of Gan Yu” spans 45 years of the work of Chinese-American artist Gan Yu and is curated by student researchers Westley Rathbun ’27 and Md Nafisul Sami ’27. The Gallery is open Tuesday-Saturday from 10 am – 4 pm and admission is free. www.gettysburg.edu/gallery
October 3 from 5 – 7 pm – First Friday Art Exhibition Opening @ Adams County Arts Council
Featured artists this month include Andy Muenzfeld, Eric Plump, and Wendy Halperin. Come meet the artists, enjoy some refreshments, and see the new exhibits. Admission is free and all are welcome. www.adamsarts.org
October 3 at 7 pm – Poetry First Friday @ Ragged Edge Coffeehouse
The program begins with an open mic followed by a reading from poets Fred Shaw and Gary Ciocco. Coffee, tea, and goodies available downstairs. Admission is free. www.theraggededgecoffeehouse.com
October 2 – 18 at 2 and 7 pm – The Rocky Horror Show Live @ Gettysburg Community Theatre
Back by popular demand, this is the original stage musical that inspired the cult classic movie The Rocky Horror Picture Show. Due to mature themes, this show is recommended for adults only. This show sells out, so order your $25 tickets online in advance. www.gettysburgcommunitytheatre.org
October 3 -5 at various times – The Official Release Party of a Showgirl (Film) @ Gettysburg Majestic Theater
Celebrate “The Official Release Party of a Showgirl” (Taylor Swift!) in theaters only for these October dates. See the exclusive world premiere of the music video, “The Fate of Ophelia,” along with behind-the-scenes footage from the music video shoot, brand new lyric videos, and Taylor’s never-before-seen personal reflections on songs from her 12th studio album, The Life of a Showgirl. Tickets are $12. www.gettysburgmajestic.org
October 3 at 7:30 pm and October 4 at 3:00 pm – Eisenhower: This Piece of Ground @ Gettysburg Majestic Theater
Tony-Award winner John Rubinstein stars as President Dwight D. Eisenhower on the Majestic stage. This critically acclaimed live play is adapted from a vast array of General Eisenhower’s memoirs, speeches, and letters and is filled with timely political lessons from a leader wo strove to put country over party. Tickets cost $63/$52/$35. On October 3 a pre-show dinner is available at 6 pm and on October 4 there is a free post-show conversation immediately following the performance. See website for more details. www.gettysburgmajestic.org
October 5 at 4 pm – Jeremy Huw Williams, Welsh Baritone @ United Lutheran Seminary
Music Gettysburg presents Welsh baritone Jeremy Huw Williams, accompanied by Scott Crowne of the Sunderman Conservatory, in a recital featuring the local premiere of William Bolcom’s Gettysburg, July 1, 1863. Also on the program of British and American songs are pieces by Garth Baxter, Benjamin Britten, and George Butterworth. Mr. Williams is a principal singer with the Welsh National Opera and has performed all over the globe. In addition, he has received many awards including the Medal of the Order of the British Empire in 2021. Admission and parking are free, with a freewill offering gratefully accepted. www.musicgettysburg.org
October 5 at 5 pm – The Best is Yet to Come (French film) @ Majestic Theater Cinema One
After a misunderstanding, two friends, Arthur and Cesar, believe that the other has cancer. They are convinced that they do not have much time left together and strive to enjoy their supposedly last moments to the fullest. Screened in French with English subtitles. Free admission. www.gettysburgmajestic.org
October 6 at Noon and 7 pm – National Theatre Live: Inter Alia @ Gettysburg Majestic Theater
In this new play, Jessica Parks (Rosamund Pike) is smart, compassionate, and a true maverick at the top of her career as an eminent London Crown Court Judge. While managing the impossible juggling act faced by every working mother, an event happens to throw her life completely off balance. This play is a searing examination of modern masculinity and motherhood. Tickets are $21. www.gettysburgmajestic.org
October 7 at 6:30 pm – The Mask You Live In (Documentary) @ Gettysburg Majestic Theater
This film explores how our culture’s narrow definition of masculinity is harming our boys, men, and society at large and unveils what we can do about it. Sponsored by YMCA Hanover Safe Home and YMCA Hanover. Free admission. www.gettysburgmajestic.org
October 9 at 7:30 pm – Sunderman Conservatory Orchestra String Day Concert@ Gettysburg Majestic Theater
Symphony Orchestra concert conducted by Dr. Cesar Leal. Tickets are $5 at the box office. www.gettysburgmajestic.org
October 11 at 7 pm – Songs and Stories of a Civil War Hospital @ Christ Lutheran Church
Members of Christ Lutheran present a program that enriches our understanding of the historic events that occurred at this location following the 1863 battle. Admission is free. www.christgettysburg.org
October 12 at 5 pm – She had a Dream: Young, Tunisian , and Black (French film) @ Gettysburg Majestic Theater Cinema One
Ghofrane Binous, a young, Black. A Tunisian woman runs for political office in 2019. This documentary explores her journey as she confronts racism and sexism in Tunisia, while striving to inspire her community and others to believe in the possibility of change for a better future. Free admission. Screened in French with English subtitles. www.gettysburgmajestic.org
October 17 at 8 pm – Caroline Shaw and So Percussion, featuring Ringdown @ Gettysburg Majestic Theater
In So’s latest evening-length show entitled “Who Turns Out the Light?”, the ensemble provides a theatrical performance of songs by So Percussion, featuring Ringdown. This collaboration is on the heels of their Grammy-award-winning collaboration with Ken Burns. The production melds DIY design with dazzling original songs, to sensational effect. Tickets are free but must be reserved at the Box Office. www.gettysburgmajestic.org
October 19 at 5 pm – The Animal Kingdom (French film) @ Gettysburg Majestic Theater Cinema One
In a world hit by a wave of mutations transforming humans into animals, Francois does everything he can to save his wife. As some of the creatures disappear into a nearby forest, he and their son will embark on a quest that will change their life. Screened in French with English subtitles. Free admission. www.gettysburgmajestic.org
October 20 at Noon and 7 pm – Great Art On Screen: Sculptor Jago @ Majestic Theater
Tracking his journey over the course of almost two years, this documentary follows sculptor Jago in his Naples studio sanctuary as he meticulously carves a tribute to Michelangelo’s Pieta from a giant slab of marble. Tickets are $18. www.gettysburgmajestic.org
October 24 at 8 pm – Gettysburg College Choir Concert @ Christ Chapel
Under the direction of Dr. Robert Natter, the College Choir presents a concert of beautiful choral music and all are welcome. Tickets are $5 at the door. www.gettysburg.edu/sunderman
October 26 at 4 pm – Keystone Brass Quintet @ United Lutheran Seminary
This regional group of brass musicians is celebrating 50 years together! Enjoy an afternoon concert of traditional brass quintet literature. Admission and parking are free, with a freewill offering gratefully accepted. www.musicgettysburg.org
October 26 at 5 pm – Pacifiction (French film) @ Gettysburg Majestic Theater Cinema One
On the French Polynesian island of Tahiti, the high commissioner of the Republic and French government must investigate an ongoing rumor: the sighting of a submarine whose ghostly presence could herald the return of French nuclear testing. Screened in French with English subtitles. Admission is free. www.gettyburgmajestic.org
October 27 at Noon and 7 pm – Great Art on Screen: Frida: Viva La Vida @ Majestic
This cinematic documentary film event highlights the two sides of Frida Kahlo’s spirit: a revolutionary, pioneering artist of contemporary feminism, and on the other, a human being tormented by agony and love. With Asia Argento as narrator, the two faces of the artist will be revealed by pursuing a common thread consisting of Frida’s own words: letters, diaries, and confessions. The film event features alternating interviews with historical documents, captivating reconstructions, and Frida Kahlo’s own paintings, housed in some of Mexico’s most renowned museums. Tickets are $18 and $10 for students with ID. www.gettysburgmajestic.org
October 28 at 7:30 pm – Trio Confero @ St. James Lutheran Church
This chamber music trio was founded in 2018 by clarinetist Maksim Shtrykov to bring the superb yet seldom-performed chamber music repertoire for clarinet to a wider audience. Joined by pianist Misuzu Tanaka and cellist Julia Kang, the trio has performed worldwide and won numerous international competitions. The Gettysburg Community Concert Association invites you to hear this superb ensemble in your own town. Tickets are $60 for the entire season of four concerts. www.gettysburgcca.org
October 30 – November 2 – Little Women: The Musical @ Gettysburg Majestic Theater
Gettysburg College’s Department of Theatre Arts and the Sunderman Conservatory of Music present Little Women – The Musical. This timeless, captivating story is brought to life in this glorious musical filled with personal discovery, heartache, hope, and everlasting love. Based on Louisa May Alcott’s life, “Jo” weaves the story of herself and her sisters and their experience growing up in Civil War America. Tickets are $10 and $5 for students. www.gettysburgmajestic.org
Gail Jones has enjoyed a twenty-five-year career as a music educator in Pennsylvania and Maryland public schools as well as teaching music education methods at Gettysburg College for over a decade. She has also served as a guest conductor, French horn player, and private music instructor.
Gail has a deep appreciation for live music performances of all genres and encourages Adams County residents to attend the many concerts offered in our community.