Free Arts & Lectures Events Open to the Community

California State University San Marcos (CSUSM) announces its spring lineup for Arts & Lectures, a free community series of 15 artistic, cultural or scholarly events. The cross-section of popular events has become an integral part of campus life, offering eye-opening perspectives on multiple topics and disciplines.The series will kick off on Tuesday, Jan. 31 with a solo concert by renowned pianist Ching-Ming Cheng. This season, the University will welcome contemporary dance companies and theatrical troops, premiere two documentary film screenings and host guest lecturers including theology author Dallas Willard, Disney actress Kim Rhodes from The Suite Life of Zack and Cody, international filmmaker Saul Landau and the “father of Chicano Theater” Luis Valdez.All events are free and open to the public. For more information, contact Arts & Lectures at 760-750-8889 or visit www.csusm.edu/al.Directions and ParkingCSUSM is located at 333 S. Twin Oaks Valley Road in San Marcos. For more information or directions to the campus, visit www.csusm.edu/guide. On-campus parking is available and rates range from $3 to $9 depending upon length of stay.---------------------------SCHEDULE OF EVENTS---------------------------MUSICChing-Ming Cheng: Solo Piano RecitalTuesday, Jan. 31 at 7 p.m. — Arts Building, Rm. 111Dr. Ching-Ming Cheng, new faculty at CSUSM, debuts in an evening of concert piano. The program will be a journey from the classical era of Joseph Haydn to the modern American phenomenal Earl Wild. Dr. Cheng performs solo and collaborative recitals around the world, and she is a winner of numerous music competitions. Co-sponsored by SoCal Pianos.POETRY AND MULTIMEDIAThe Mixed Blood Project: Claudine RankineThursday, Feb. 9 at 6:30 p.m. — Markstein Hall, Rm. 125Whether writing about intimacy or alienation, Claudia Rankine’s voice is one of unflinching and unrelenting candor, and her poetry is some of the most innovative and thoughtful to emerge in recent years. Born in Kingston, Jamaica, and educated at Williams College and Columbia University, Rankine is the author of four collections of award-winning poetry and her work is included in several prominent anthologies. DANCELUX BOREAL presents “LAMB”Tuesday, Feb. 21 at 7:30 p.m. — Arts Building, Rm. 111For mature audiences onlyTijuana-based LUX BOREAL is a Contemporary Dance Company featured and acclaimed internationally.  LUX BOREAL will perform their latest work, LAMB, created by Australian choreographer Phillip Adams. Incorporating film and spoken word, LAMB is a curious amalgam of biblical and modern references.  Co-sponsored by Dance Studies Program and the National Latino Research CenterTHEATRE2RC TEATRO presents “Desmontando Tenorio”Sunday, March 4 at 6 p.m. — Arts Building, Rm. 111Performed in SpanishDirected by Rafael Rodriguez and performed in Spanish, this production marks the third appearance at CSUSM by the 2Rc Teatro company from the Canary Islands, Spain.LECTUREDallas Willard: Logic, Faith, and the Objectivity of KnowledgeThursday, March 8 at 12 p.m. — Arts Building, Rm. 240Author Dallas Willard is a Philosophy Professor at the University of Southern California. His work covers mathematics to metaphysics and epistemology - that is, how do we really know what we know? His best-selling theological books include The Divine Conspiracy (1998) and The Great Omission (2006). In this talk, Dr. Willard discusses the role of faith and logic in postmodern society. How shall we recast the age-old university mandate to discover truth? Co-sponsored by Priority Christian Challenge and the Philosophy Department.LECTUREKathryn Sorrels: Creative Dialogues in Social JusticeThursday, March 15 at 12 p.m. — Commons, Rm. 206Dr. Kathryn Sorrells is a potter and Professor at CSU Northridge who uses creative and dialogic methods to teach about issues of culture, gender, race, and social justice. She presents her model of intercultural praxis, from her book Intercultural Communication: Globalization and Social Justice. She also shares her experience in directing Communicating Common Ground, a nationally funded initiative to address hate speech and racially based violence in our schools.DANCEChristine Suarez presents “Wet Spots: Solo”Written by Christine Suarez and Mark RizzoMonday, March 26 at 2:30 p.m. — Arts Building, Rm. 101For mature audiences onlyLos Angeles-based choreographer, Christine Suarez performs Wet Spots: Solo, the culmination of four years of research in libraries and dance studios. Suarez asked dozens of women to tell her about their first and most memorable orgasms. The culminating solo performance is a physical and theatrical landscape that is part dancing, part clowning and part history of the female orgasm. Co-sponsored by SHCS Hope & Wellness Center, the Women’s Studies Department and the Dance Studies Program.MULTIMEDIA PERFORMANCEReflections by Lenora Lee Dance with Kei Lun Martial Arts & Enshin Karate, South San Francisco DojoWednesday, March 28 at 7:30 p.m. — Arts Building, Rm. 111Reflections is an interdisciplinary performance piece addressing the struggle for dominance and survival, the pursuit of wisdom, the relationship between yin (soft) and yang (hard), and ultimately the quest for peace. The evening also includes an excerpt of Lenora Lee's Passages: For Lee Ping To, which commemorates the Centennial of the Angel Island Immigration Station. It was just nominated for an Isadora Duncan Dance Award for Outstanding Achievement in Visual Design. Co-sponsored by Asian Improv aRts and the Dance Studies Program.FILM SCREENINGSomewhere Near TapachulaTuesday, April 3 at 6 p.m. — The Clarke, Rm. 11354 Mexican Kids, 37 Surfboards, 2 Australian Parents, 1 Inspiring Surf Story. Somewhere Near Tapachula is a documentary about Mission Mexico Children's Refuge. Set in Tapachula, Mexico, the film focuses on the unique surf community pioneered by Australians Pam and Alan Skuse. A story of hope and empowerment, the film is known for sharing the power of riding waves, whether you are a surfer or not. Co-sponsored by the University Student Union Advisory Board, Kinesiology Department and ASI Campus Recreation.FILM SCREENINGWill the Real Terrorist Please Stand Up?Thursday, April 5 at 6 p.m. — The Clarke, Rm. 113Internationally known scholar and filmmaker Saul Landau presents his recent documentary film Will the Real Terrorist Please Stand Up? (2011). Featuring Danny Glover, this award-winning film spans 50 years of politics between the U.S. and Cuba with rare interviews of intelligence and counter-intelligence agents.  Dr. Landau is currently Professor Emeritus at CSU Pomona and Senior Fellow at and Vice Chair of the Institute for Policy Studies. He has created over 40 films concerning human rights. Co-sponsored by the Women’s Studies Department, Global Studies Program, Political Science Department and the Political Science Club.LECTURELarry Reitzer: TV to Film: An Insider’s PerspectiveThursday, April 12 at 5 p.m. — Markstein Hall, Rm. 125Larry Reitzer is an experienced television writer and story editor with numerous shows to his credit including Ugly Betty, Just Shoot me, Ruby and the Rockets, Twins, and Melissa and Joey.  Mr. Reitzer will discuss the creative process of writing for TV and share his experiences from the sets of his various productions.LECTUREThe Convict Criminology: Christopher Bickel, Ph.D., Martin Leyva, and Alan Mobley, Ph.D.Monday, April 16 at 6 p.m. — The Clarke, Rm. 113Convict Criminology is a counter to mainstream criminological accounts of crime and incarceration. It privileges the voices, experiences, and knowledge of the formerly incarcerated and is a powerful critical literature that empowers those who produce it, those who see themselves in it, and those who discover it. LECTUREKim Rhodes: An Actor Moves from Page to StageThursday, April 19 at 5 p.m. — Markstein Hall, Rm. 125Kim Rhodes is an actor and singer known for her roles as Carey on Disney’s The Suite Life of Zack and Cody and Mom in the recent release of Beethoven’s 4th.  She has also appeared numerous TV shows including House M.D., Supernatural, and CSI.  Ms. Rhodes will discuss the process of working from “page to stage” and the significance of arts in education.LECTURELuis Valdez: An Evening with the Founder of Chicano TheaterTuesday, May 1 at 6 p.m. — The Clarke, Rm. 113In celebration of International Workers DayLuis Valdez, playwright, activist, and director, is internationally renowned as the “father of Chicano Theater.”  Revered as the founder of El Teatro Campesino, which translates to The Farmworkers Theater, Valdez’s plays and films include Zoot Suit, La Bamba, La Pastorela, I Am Joaquín, and more.  Co-sponsored by the Theatre Arts Program, Social Justice and Equity Project, Center ARTES and the National Latino Research Center.COMMUNITY EVENTCSUSM LuauWednesday, May 2 at 6 p.m. — The Clarke Grand TerraceAloha! Ancient Hawaiians traditionally feasted for special occasions. Come celebrate the Asian and Pacific Islander Heritage Month for the month of May. There will be traditional Polynesian food and performances. Hosted by APIFSA and co-sponsored by University Student Union Advisory Board, Campus Activities Board, and Arts & Lectures.About California State University San MarcosCalifornia State University San Marcos combines the ambiance of a mid-sized, personal, modern campus with the unequaled value of the California State University. Since its founding in 1989, the campus has distinguished itself. Students benefit from the latest facilities and equipment, a superb faculty that enjoys teaching, and a rigorous academic program that prepares students for a successful life in and out of the workplace. A recent survey reported that our annual spending in the region was $161 million, generating a total impact of $307 million on the regional economy. 85 percent of CSUSM’s alumni stay in the region. CSU San Marcos is located on a 304-acre hillside overlooking the city of San Marcos. It is fifteen miles east of the ocean; just thirty miles north of downtown San Diego.