MBU Signature Events
MBU’s Signature Events bring thought-provoking lectures, dynamic performances, and engaging community experiences to Staunton and Fishersville — entertaining, educating, and connecting us to the wider world.
Events are hosted by programs across the university, including the live-and-learn undergraduate Neighborhoods. Learn more at marybaldwin.edu/signature.
All Signature Events are open to the public.
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Spring 2026 Season Highlights
MBU Theatre Presents: X
Written by Alistair McDowall, Directed by JP Scheidler
February 19–22
Thurs. – Sat. at 7:30 p.m., Sun. at 2 p.m.
Fletcher Collins Theatre, Deming Fine Arts Building
In this terrifying play, a team of astronauts are stationed on Pluto. They want to go home but haven’t heard from Earth for weeks. Gilda is captain, after the unexpected death of the mission’s original leader, Ray. He thought he saw a little girl looking at him through the capsule’s window. Then, she vanished and Ray died. Now, the shuttle’s clock has stopped working and nerves are frayed. The crew struggles to keep it together and hold onto who they are. This production features chills, thrills, and puppetry.
Constellation Shakespeare Collective Presents: All’s Well That Ends Well
February 22–24 at 8 p.m.
Blackfriars Playhouse, 10 S. Market St.
Pay What You Will
Interpersonal courtly drama reigns supreme in William Shakespeare’s All’s Well that Ends Well, directed by innovative New York-based performer and director Allie Babich and produced by the Shakespeare & Performance MFA Company, Constellation Shakespeare Collective. Protagonist Helen saves the king’s life and is granted an extraordinary reward: the right to choose her own husband. Helen is rejected by her choice, the nobleman Bertram, sending her on a determined — and complicated — quest to earn his devotion.
Broman Concert with Percussionist Britton-René Collins
February 23 at 7:30 p.m.
Francis Auditorium
(Tickets required for the general public)
Hailed as an astounding virtuoso and exhilarating performer, Britton-René Collins is an award-winning concert percussionist, composer, and educator. A grand prize winner of the 2025 Elizabeth Loker International Competition, the 2022 Yamaha Young Performing Artists Competition, and the 2021 Chicago International Music Competition, she has performed hundreds of concerts as a soloist and chamber musician in the United States (including Carnegie Hall), Canada, and Europe.
Humphreys Biology Lecture Featuring Tyrone B. Hayes, PhD
March 26 at 6 p.m.
Francis Auditorium
(Free)
Join renowned biologist and environmental health scholar Tyrone B. Hayes, PhD, professor of integrative biology at the University of California, Berkeley, to explore how steroid hormones shape amphibian development, and how environmental contaminants (particularly pesticides) contribute to global amphibian declines.
Dr. Hayes also investigates the negative impact of pesticides on public health, focusing on the risk to ethnic minorities and lower socio-economic communities.
This lecture — named in honor of Dr. Mary E. Humphreys, late professor emerita of biology — invites attendees to engage with urgent questions at the intersection of science, health, and justice.
30th Annual Kwanzaa Celebration
April 11 at 7 p.m.
Student Activities Center Ballroom
Free (Registration required for the general public)
The annual Kwanzaa celebration brings the university community together to honor culture, leadership, and unity. Centered on student-led performances, storytelling, and reflection, the program highlights the Seven Principles of Kwanzaa and their enduring relevance in shaping our shared future.
This year marks a special milestone as MBU celebrates the 30th anniversary of Kwanzaa and gathers to recognize the power of tradition, collective responsibility, and community connection.
Capstone Research Showcase
May 4–5
Francis Auditorium and Grafton Library
(Free)
The annual Capstone Festival showcases the culmination of students’ academic journeys at MBU. Through research presentations, performances, exhibitions, and applied projects, students share work developed over the course of their capstone experiences, demonstrating creativity, critical thinking, and real-world problem solving.
Open to the campus and local community, the festival highlights how students synthesize knowledge, skills, and passions into meaningful, purpose-driven work.
Signature Events Calendar
