Wheaton College Massachusetts

Dal'Ouna presents Traditional and Contemporary Music of Palestine and the Middle East
2025-10-28 19:30 (America/New_York) | Kresge Experimental Theatre, Watson Fine Arts
Ramzi Aburedwan and his ensemble, Dal’Ouna, bring traditional musics from Egypt to Andalusia, through their life experience in the Middle East. Fused with French and Eastern Europe influences, Ramzi has created folk melodies and contemporary interpretations: “all enhanced by jazzy, layered improvisations, hints of other world traditions, and a profound sense of bluesy lyricism”. The word Dal’Ouna stands for the communal values of synchronicity, collaborative work and mutual support required for a successful olive harvest. The quartet will bring us an evening of beautiful music and an introduction to the expressive culture of the region.
Free tickets can be reserved via the Watson Box Office.

CTRL+Delete
2025-10-30 13:00 - 20:00, 2025-11-01 13:00 - 17:00, 2025-11-04 13:00 - 17:00, 2025-11-06 13:00 - 20:00, 2025-11-08 13:00 - 17:00, 2025-11-11 13:00 - 17:00, 2025-11-13 13:00 - 20:00, 2025-11-15 13:00 - 17:00 and 6 more dates | Watson Fine Arts – Beard and Weil Galleries, Norton, MA, 02766, United States
Ctrl+Delete explores the persistent threat of censorship in the United States, from historical book bans used to control knowledge and suppress marginalized voices to today’s escalating restrictions—including the removal of books and art from public spaces as well as the June Supreme Court decision (Mahmoud v. Taylor) requiring schools to provide opportunities to opt out of listening learning about books that include LGBTQ+ characters. By tracing these acts of erasure across time, the show reveals how censorship has shaped, and continues to shape, what stories are told and who gets to tell them.
Alongside overt bans and challenges, the exhibition also addresses the quieter but equally insidious forces of self-censorship within art and educational institutions, where fear of controversy, loss of funding, or political pressure can limit which narratives are made visible. Central to the exhibition is the Ultra Violet Archive, an interactive library which resists silencing by preserving cultural memory and amplifying suppressed voices. Projects like the Minecraft Uncensored Library—a digital platform where banned texts are freely accessible—demonstrate how artists, activists, and technologists are developing inventive strategies to fight suppression.
As part of the exhibition, we will hold a community reading of Frederick Douglass’s work during National Banned Books Week in October. The exhibition also features a dedicated space where visitors can share their own experiences with censorship creating an archive that underscores the ongoing relevance of these struggles. Opportunities to engage will create a space for shared reflection, underscoring the enduring power of words to inspire freedom, dialogue, and change.
Gallery Hours: Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday 1:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m., Thursdays 1:00 p.m.—8:00 p.m.
Please note: the galleries will be closed November 26–December 1 for November break.
Beard and Weil Galleries

Urinetown...The Musical
2025-11-06 19:30, 2025-11-07 19:30, 2025-11-08 19:30, 2025-11-09 14:00 | Watson Fine Arts – Weber Theatre, Norton, MA, 02766, United States
Book & Lyrics by Greg Kotis, Music & Lyrics by Mark Hollman.
Winner of three Tony Awards and two Obie Awards, Urinetown is a hilarious musical satire of the legal system, capitalism, social irresponsibility, populism, environmental collapse, privatization of natural resources, bureaucracy, municipal politics, and musical theatre itself! In a Gotham-like city, a terrible water shortage, caused by a 20-year drought has led to a government-enforced ban on private toilets.The citizens must use public amenities, regulated by a single malevolent company that profits by charging admission for one of humanity’s most basic needs. Amid the people, a hero decides that he’s had enough and plans a revolution to lead them all to freedom! Hilariously funny and touchingly honest, Urinetown provides a fresh perspective on one of America’s greatest art forms.
Tickets may be purchased online through the Box Office once they become availalbe.

Joan Scheckel & The Technique™
2025-11-13 17:00 | Watson Fine Arts – Ellison Lecture Hall, Norton, MA, 02766
Joan Scheckel is an internationally renowned creator of The Technique™, a highly influential approach to writing, directing, and filmmaking craft in Hollywood. Dubbed the “director’s guru,” she is celebrated as a master teacher inspired by traditions such as Stanislavski, Strasberg, and Joseph Campbell. Her pioneering work advocates for a shift away from cultural conflict towards storytelling rooted in feeling and meaning, transforming all aspects of mise en scène—from writing and acting to directing and visual style.

Student Recitals
2025-11-13 17:00 - 18:00 | Mary Lyon Hall – Woolley Room, Norton, MA, 02766, United States
Gifted student performers demonstrate mastery in voice, violin, piano and other instruments.

Screening of "Secret Mall Apartment" with artist Michael Townsend
2025-11-17 18:00 | Watson Fine Arts – Ellison Lecture Hall, Norton, MA, 02766
Jeremy Workman’s 2025 documentary “Secret Mall Apartment” tells the story of eight Rhode Island artists who created a secret apartment inside the Providence Place Mall, living undetected for four years. Far more than a prank, the secret apartment became a deeply meaningful place for all involved—both a creative protest against gentrification and a compelling examination of what (and where) we call “home.” Join us for a post-screening discussion with artist Michael Townsend, the documentary’s primary subject.

Wheaton College Dance Company presents Continuum
2025-11-20 19:30 - 21:00, 2025-11-21 19:30 - 21:30, 2025-11-22 19:30 - 21:30 | Watson Fine Arts – Weber Theatre, Norton, MA, 02766, United States
The ensemble performs under the direction of Artistic Director Andrea Taylor.
Pay-what-you-can tickets are available via the Watson Box Office.

You are Being Taped!
2025-11-21 11:00 - 15:00 | Haas Concourse and Lobby, Watson Fine Arts
Join Leah Smith (Wheaton class of 2014) and Michael Townsend of the Providence-based Tape Art studio to help create an original tape-based mural in the Haas Concourse & Lobby of Watson Fine Arts. Tape Art has conducted hundreds of community mural projects, highlighted most recently in Jeremy Workman’s award-winning documentary, Secret Mall Apartment (2024). Training and materials will be provided free of charge; participants may choose to work in one or both of the mural project’s two-hour shifts.
Students interested in participating should email arts@wheatoncollege.edu for more information.
This event is part of Wheaton’s Fall of Freedom programming.

Author and Illustrator Mike Curato
2025-11-21 15:00 - 16:00 | Watson Fine Arts – Ellison Lecture Hall, Norton, MA, 02766
Join us for a presentation by Mike Curato, author of the graphic novel Flamer which received several honors including the 2020 Lambda Literary Award for LGBTQ Young Adult, the 2021 Massachusetts Book Award for Young Adult, and was listed as one of NPR’s Best Books of 2020. Flamer also has the distinction of being one of the top 10 banned books of 2024, and Mike has become a fierce advocate of free speech.
The highly acclaimed young adult book is a semi-autobiographical graphic novel in which Curato addresses his own adolescent struggles with being gay and bullied. Curato said he wrote the book to validate his own life and help other kids like him. Mike’s debut adult graphic novel, Gaysians, released in June of 2025 to critical acclaim. His presentation will be followed by a book signing.
This event is part of Wheaton’s Fall of Freedom programming.

Wheaton College Jazz Band
2025-11-24 20:00 | Watson Fine Arts – Weber Theatre, Norton, MA, 02766, United States
The band, under the direction of Diamond Centofanti, Assistant Professor in Music in Performance, performs a mix of American music ranging from jazz to rhythm and blues to rock.

Student Recitals
2025-12-02 17:00 - 18:00 | Cole Memorial Chapel, Norton, MA, 02766, United States
Wheaton students studying voice and various instruments showcase their skill performing work from their studies this semester. Free, no ticket required.

Holiday Vespers Concert
2025-12-03 19:00 - 21:00 | Cole Memorial Chapel, Norton, MA, 02766, United States
Wheaton’s choral tradition for the holidays celebrates music of varied cultures and time periods, and features the Wheaton Chorale and Chamber Singers under the direction of Assistant Professor Alexandra Lutkevich.
Pay-what-you-can tickets are available via the Watson Box Office.
