MILLIGAN COLLEGE — For over 150 years, Milligan College has championed the integration of scholarship, community and faith in this region. Each year, Milligan highlights its commitment to the liberal arts by welcoming national speakers, artists and performers to campus, in addition to highlighting Milligan students’ talents through concerts, exhibits and research. Join us this fall for another impressive lineup of faith, arts and culture events. Events are free and open to the public unless otherwise noted.

Jessica Molaskey, a Broadway performer from the original cast of “Songs for a New World,” will coach select Milligan students in a masterclass on Thursday, Oct. 3, from 7-9 p.m. in Milligan’s McGlothlin-Street Theatre located in the Gregory Center. Molaskey is a veteran of a dozen Broadway shows, including the revival of Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine’s “Sunday in the Park with George,” which was nominated for nine Tony Awards.

Dr. David Stowe, professor of English and religious studies at Michigan State University, will present a lecture on Thursday, Oct. 17, at 5:30 p.m. in Hyder Auditorium. Stowe will discuss his book “Song of Exile: The Enduring Mystery of Psalm 137.” For many centuries, this short Hebrew poem has been a cultural touchstone for music and religion across the world. This interdisciplinary talk, hosted by Milligan’s Honors Program, will demonstrate the Psalm’s enduring place in popular culture.

This year’s Ross-Smith Lectures will feature Dr. Thomas G. Long, the Bandy Professor of Preaching Emeritus at Emory University’s Candler School of Theology. Long’s presentation, “Caring for Humanity and Nurturing Faith through Christian Funerals,” will include three events on Oct. 17-18. A Presbyterian minister, Long has been named “one of the 12 most effective preachers in the English speaking world” by Baylor University. He has taught preaching for over 40 years and served churches in Georgia and New Jersey. For more information, visit ecs.milligan.edu/ross-smith.

Milligan’s musical theatre program will perform “Songs for a New World” during the college’s Homecoming weekend, Oct. 24-27. Performances will take place Oct. 24-26 at 7:30 p.m. and Oct. 27 at 2:30 p.m. in the McGlothlin-Street Theatre. This is the first musical from Tony Award winner Jason Robert Brown (“Parade,” “Bridges of Madison County”). The musical follows multiple characters including a captain of a ship in 1492, a flag maker suffering loss, a mother deciding to create a new life and a man choosing to take his basketball future into his own hands. Tickets went on sale Sept. 23 at milligan.tix.com.

Reimagine books as the raw material and inspiration for works of art at Milligan’s Book + Art Exhibit on Oct. 25-26 in Welshimer Library. Area community members are encouraged to join the Milligan community in creating a piece of art to be on display. The submission of entries begins Oct. 21, and entries can be delivered to the library.

From Oct. 26 to Nov. 14, the art exhibit “Fighting for Recognition” will be on display in the Milligan Art Gallery located in Derthick Hall. This exhibit is a photographic and multimedia series about southern independent wrestling and contact sports. Milligan alumnus William Major developed this body of work while completing the Master of Fine Arts program at the University of Georgia.

Join Milligan’s Concert Choir, Women’s Chorale, Heritage, Herd Mentality and Orchestra for “An Afternoon at the Movies” on Saturday, Oct. 26, at 3:30 p.m. in the Mary B. Martin Auditorium located in Seeger Chapel. This short, family-friendly concert will showcase the wonderful world of music in film. The performance will feature iconic songs such as “Moon River” from “Breakfast at Tiffany’s,” “Let It Go” from Disney’s “Frozen” and “A Million Dreams” from “The Greatest Showman.”

The Milligan Orchestra will take you on a zoological journey through centuries of music inspired by the animal kingdom on Saturday, Nov. 2, at 7:30 p.m. in the Mary B. Martin Auditorium. Featured repertoire includes the overture from “The Thieving Magpie” by Rossini, “The Waltzing Cat” by Leroy Anderson and “The Red Pony” by Aaron Copland. Local elementary students will create art pieces of the animals depicted as part of educational outreach. All artwork will be on display in Seeger Chapel’s lobby during the concert.

Milligan senior graphic design majors Amy Shumaker, Bethany Sodergren and Cora Wymer will showcase their creative skills Nov. 17 – Dec. 6 in the Milligan Art Gallery.

The Milligan Arts Council presents Ensemble Chaconne on Thursday, Nov. 21, at 7:30 p.m. in the Mary B. Martin Auditorium. Be transported to Shakespeare’s time with “Measure for Measure: The Music of Shakespeare’s Plays.” The concert will feature songs from “As You Like It,” “Twelfth Night,” “The Tempest,” “Hamlet” and “Othello.” Ensemble Chaconne includes Peter H. Bloom, Renaissance flute; Carol Lewis, viola da gamba; Olav Chris Henriksen, Renaissance lute; and Burcu Gulec, mezzo-soprano. The ensemble is based in Boston, Massachusetts, and tours in the U.S. and abroad.

At this 12th annual event, students enrolled in Milligan’s storytelling class will tell their “Buffalo Tales” as part of their final exam. Enjoy these tales on Thursday, Dec. 5, at 6 p.m. in the McGlothlin-Street Theatre.

The glorious sights and sounds of the season will be on full display as the Milligan area of music presents its annual Christmas concert. Performances will occur Saturday, Dec. 7, and Sunday, Dec. 8, at 7:30 p.m. in the Mary B. Martin Auditorium. The performance will feature choirs, the orchestra, and the organ in the beautifully decorated Seeger Chapel. The concert is free, but donations in support of Milligan’s area of music will be taken.

For more information and a comprehensive list of events, visit www.milligan.edu/arts.