Spring series returns to Wittenberg University

Event are free and open to the public.

A spring session of talks and performances returns to Wittenberg University after a two-year hiatus.

Wittenberg Series’ programming will include Hollywood producer Lauren Schmidt Hissrich; environmental historian Matthew Morse Booker of the National Humanities Center; and Grammy Award-winning quartet Third Coast Percussion.

All Wittenberg Series events are free and open to the public. Doors open 30 minutes prior to the beginning of each lecture or performance.

Allen J. Koppenhaver Literary Lecture

Hissrich, a member of the Wittenberg class of 2000, is keynote speaker for the Allen J. Koppenhaver Literary Lecture at 7 p.m. Friday, Feb. 17, in Bayley Auditorium of the Barbara Deer Kuss Science Center.

Hissrich is the creator, showrunner and executive producer for the acclaimed Netflix show, “The Witcher,” based on the Polish book series of the same name. She also served as producer on the anime spin-off “The Witcher: Nightmare of the Wolf” and executive producer on the prequel “The Witcher: Blood Origin.” Before that, she was a co-executive producer on “Defenders” and “Daredevil” for Marvel/Netflix.

She also developed multiple pilots for CBS, NBC and Bravo after starting her career as a writer for Aaron Sorkin and John Wells on “The West Wing” for NBC where she spent multiple seasons.

William A. Kinnison Endowed Lecture

The second event of the special Wittenberg Series features keynote speaker Matthew Morse Booker at 7 p.m. Monday, Feb. 20, in Bayley Auditorium for the William A. Kinnison Endowed Lecture.

Booker’s address is titled “What role can the humanities play in addressing climate change?”

The National Humanities Center appointed Booker in 2020 to serve as vice president for scholarly programs. He also is an associate professor of environmental history at North Carolina State University where he serves as director of the Science, Technology & Society program and the Visual Narrative research cluster. He has published in a wide variety of forums on the interrelations between humans and the natural world, with an emphasis on coastal cities in North America.

Third Coast Percussion concert

A concert by Third Coast Percussion is the third Wittenberg Series event scheduled for 7 p.m. Saturday, April 1, in Weaver chapel.

The Grammy Award-winning quartet of classically trained percussionists has forged a unique path in the musical landscape with virtuosic, energetic performances in 39 of 50 states, Washington, D.C., as well as international tour dates across four continents.

The four members of Third Coast — David Skidmore, Robert Dillon, Peter Martin and Sean Connors — met while studying percussion music at the Northwestern University. Their current album, Perspectives, has been nominated for a Grammy in two categories.

To make special arrangements or become a friend of the Wittenberg Series, contact Katie Warber at kwarber@wittenberg.edu.

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