Events

LEXINGTON, Ky.—Transylvania Theater presents Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? by Edward Albee May 17-19 at 7:30 p.m. and May 20 at 2 p.m. Albee’s masterpiece won the 1963 Tony Award for Best Play and the 1962-63 New York Drama Critics’ Circle Award for Best Play. The production is for mature audiences. Transylvania senior drama majors Molly Eakins, Trent Fucci, Theresa Marie McKenzie and Nathan Terrell Veazey star in this powerful drama-laced comedy. Characters George and Martha are a middle-aged couple whose marriage has declined into a cynical, sarcastic battlefield. They have a younger couple, Nick and Honey, over to their home, but continue their verbal and sometimes physical assaults in front of them. Nick and Honey are eventually pulled into the fight themselves, used as pawns by George and Martha. All performances are in the Lucille C. Little Theater. Tickets are $10 and may be purchased starting Monday, May 14, from 1-4 p.m. at the Little Theater box office or by calling (859) 281-3621. For more information, call the public relations office at (859) 233-8120.

LEXINGTON, Ky.—In the 1500s, Juan Ponce de Leon searched Florida for the fountain of youth, and some people still believe that Florida may hold the key to eternal youth. Can the “magic potions” that are being marketed today help retain youthfulness or will they simply drain wallets and age bodies further? Can you add years to your lifespan by severely restricting your caloric intake? Learn more about the latest anti-aging discoveries that biotechnology is turning into reality at “The fountain of youth: Does it really exist?” lecture to be given by Inge Russell, Wednesday, April 25, at 7 p.m. in Transylvania’s Haggin Auditorium in the Mitchell Fine Arts Center. This lecture is the third in the Alltech Lecture Series at Transylvania and is free and open to the public. Russell is a research scientist focusing on the areas of fermentation and yeast biochemistry. She is co-founder and editor of the journal “Critical Reviews in Biotechnology” and editor of “The Journal of the Institute of Brewing.” Russell has been widely recognized for her volunteer work promoting science and technology, specifically for encouraging women to pursue studies in this field. She holds a Ph.D. from the University of Strathclyde, Scotland. For more information, contact the public relations office at (859) 233-8120.

LEXINGTON, Ky.—Jim Wallis, author, public theologian, preacher, activist and international commentator on ethics and public life, will speak at Transylvania University’s Haggin Auditorium Wednesday, March 28, at 7:30 p.m. The lecture is free and open to the public; however, seating is limited. Wallis is best known as founder and executive director of Sojourners/Call to Renewal, which convenes a national network of churches, faith-based organizations and individuals working to overcome poverty in America. He is editor of Sojourners magazine, which reaches more than 250,000 people, and his latest book, “God’s the Right Gets It Wrong and the Left Doesn’t Get It,” was on The New York Times bestseller list for four months. Wallis is a frequent guest on television and radio programs including “Meet the Press,” Public Broadcasting’s “Frontline” and National Public Radio’s “Talk of the Nation.” His columns have appeared in major newspapers such as The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Los Angeles Times and The Boston Globe. He teaches the course Faith, Politics and Society at Harvard University and is the author of eight books. The lecture is sponsored by the Lilly Project at Transylvania and funded by a grant from the Lilly Endowment, Inc. For more information, contact the public relations office at (859) 233-8120 or the Lilly Project at Transylvania at (859) 281-3569.

LEXINGTON, Ky.—Karl Dawson, microbiologist and director of worldwide research at Alltech, will give a lecture on the science in beer, wine, whiskey, bread and other foods Tuesday, March 6, at 7:30 p.m. in Haggin Auditorium. The lecture, which is free and open to the public, is the second talk in the new Alltech Lecture Series at Transylvania. Dawson will discuss how yeast is the cornerstone of many foods and the basis of important biochemical processes. While the yeast cell is a trusted microbial ally in medicine and agricultural production, it still harbors many secrets that can help us understand biological processes. Science based on yeast fermentation and genetics has provided us with unique functional foods for humans and animals, and is defining new nutritional and pharmacological strategies that will allow for longer lives and improved health. Dawson received his bachelor’s degree in bacteriology from Utah State University, a master’s in microbiology from the University of Wyoming, and a Ph.D. in bacteriology from Iowa State University. He worked as a microbiologist at the National Animal Disease Laboratory and as a professor of nutritional microbiology in the department of animal sciences at the University of Kentucky before joining Alltech as director of worldwide research. Dawson focuses on improving animal performance and health by altering the microbial activities in their in their gastrointestinal tracts. For more information, call the Transylvania public relations office at (859) 233-8120.