The leaves of the trees on campus are turning red, orange, and gold as the temperature finally starts to cool down. The semester is halfway over now as the autumn weather settles in, but there are still many great events to look forward to. So take a sip of your apple crisp oat milk macchiato and let’s look at six of the best ways to get in the spirit of the season at UMBC.
Peek “Beyond the Veil”
Throughout the months of October and November, online “Beyond the Veil” lectures will take a look at the ways different cultural histories intermingle with the spirit world, pulling from the Special Collections’ Eileen J. Garrett Parapsychology Foundation collection. Topics include the root of everyday African cultures in spirituality, the origins of Hoodoo during chattel slavery, and the influence of Spiritualism. Join any session of this speaking series for the chance to celebrate cultural histories and the supernatural.
Shiver Your Timbers with Mind’s Eye
“The extraordinary story of the Chicago bellhop who attempted to transfer mental images to Polaroid film,” is how the Mind’s Eye: The Psychic Photographs of Ted Serios is billed for interested readers. Out this October, the book features photography from the Jule Eisenbud collection in the Albin O. Kuhn Library and Gallery’s Special Collections, as well as essays by Emily Hauver ’06, visual arts, exhibition curator, and Beth Saunders, head of Special Collections. If the idea of “thoughtography” (Serios thought he was psychically transferring his thoughts to film) intrigues you, take a look at the images and data created by the mind’s eye of Ted Serios.
If You Dare, Go See Dracula
If you enjoy drama, the story of Dracula, copious stage blood, or the idea of the deconstruction of horror through a feminist lens, take your seat and enjoy the show! UMBC’s Theatre Department is staging Dracula: a Feminist Revenge Fantasy, Really, from November 2 to November 12. The show—which one might compare more to Kill Bill than Saw—will have a free matinee for UMBC students with an actor talk-back for its final performance.
Production stage manager Tessara Morgan Farley has been researching stage blood for several months to present the most realistic color, texture, and spray. The director of the show, Kathryn Chase Bryer, says, “The fact that I’m working on a show that has a blood person, that’s really special and well done for UMBC.”
Quake in Your Boots with the Hallowzine
With Halloween comes the Hallowzine, commonvision’s annual spooky zine and digital gallery. “It’s very creative and accepting,” says Anna Mishonova ’24, media and communications studies, who submitted to the Hallowzine last year before joining the commonvision staff. “I really enjoyed it, and everyone is very talented. There are some really nice photos, and the poetry can be very moving.”
Check Out Holly Horror by Alum Michelle Jabès Corpora
A girl named Evie moves into a place called the Horror House (her first mistake), where the previous resident mysteriously vanished from her bedroom. Michelle Corpora ’03, English, penned Holly Horror, a young adult book published by Penguin Random House earlier this year as a dark twist on a beloved classic. If you enjoy ghosts, mysteries, and scary stories, this book is for you.
Groove Along to Some Halloween Jazz
Strange things are afoot at UMBC. Come spend the afternoon with the UMBC Jazz Ensemble performing an all-Halloween-themed live (or undead) show. Treat yourself to these tricky grooves! Bring your human soul to the Earl and Darielle Linehan Concert Hall on Sunday, October 29 at 3 p.m., if you dare!
Selections include Giant Steps by John Coltrane, Dance You Monster To My Soft Song by Maria Schneider, Over the Rainbow by Harold Arlen, A Call For All Demons by Sun Ra, Oh! by Ernie Wilkins, and more!
