‘The Power of Play’ topic for 40th Annual Humanities Festival

“The Power of Play” is the topic for the 40th Annual Casper College Humanities Festival and Demorest Lecture Sept. 27-Oct. 3. The festival events are free and open to the public, except the musical “Elephant and Piggie’s ‘We are in a Play!'” Select sessions are also available via Zoom.

The festival will feature keynote speaker R. Paul Maddox II, Ph.D., who will present his Demorest Keynote Lecture on Wednesday, Oct. 1, beginning at 5:30 p.m., titled “More Than Just Fun and Games: Using Play to Explore Communication, Connection, and Self-Discovery.”

“Participants will explore how play serves as the first and most natural form of communication, transcending age and circumstance,” said Maddox. “Far from serving as an optional pastime, play is an important medium through which individuals express core truths, process experiences, and forge meaningful connections throughout their lifespan.”

The session will explore how play fosters safe spaces for vulnerability, enabling both children and adults to express their desires, fears, and hopes. Attendees will discover how intentional play can unlock insights about oneself, strengthen relationships, and provide a universal language that bridges differences.

The festival begins Saturday, Sept. 27, at the Natrona County Library with a family afternoon event featuring pizza, a movie, and a craft from noon to 4 p.m. in the Crawford Room. The Library Atrium will host exhibits curated by Casper College Librarian and Archivist Hanz Olson, featuring collaborations with Casper College students, including “The Play of Archiving an Institution” and “The Play of Displaying an Archive.”

Sunday, Sept. 28, will feature a paleontology outing to Hell’s Half Acre from noon to 4 p.m., led by JP Cavigelli, Tate Geological Museum collections specialist. Participants will visit the bizarre and colorful rock formations west of Casper, focusing on fossils of ancient mammals from just after the dinosaurs died out. The outing is limited to 12 participants aged 10 and above and requires sign-up through the Tate Geological Museum.

“The fossils found here are primarily of ancient mammals from just after the dinosaurs died out. The main focus will be on paleontology, but human history and natural history are also part of the story,” said Cavigelli.

Tuesday, Sept. 30, events will move to the Dick and Marialyce Tobin Visual Arts Center, beginning with a reception for the GLAM Exhibition: “Pattern, Order, Chaos” from noon to 1 p.m. This collaborative exhibition features collections from the Goodstein Foundation Library, the Western History Center at Casper College, the Tate Geological Museum, the Werner Wildlife Museum, and the Casper College Foundation Fine Art Collection.

At 1 p.m., Michael Olson will lead “Play in the Mud” in the Henry J. and Felicia Terry Kennah Ceramics Studio. “Come play with Mike in the clay studio. Create a small keepsake to reconnect to your inner maker,” according to festival materials. The session is limited to 25 participants.

The day concludes at 5 p.m. with a book club discussion of “The Power of Play” by David Elkind, moderated by Joseph Campbell in the Crawford Room at the Natrona County Library.

Wednesday, Oct. 1, begins at Wheeler Concert Hall in the Music Building with a Wyoming Symphony musicians’ performance at noon. The Ventis String Trio, comprised of principal string players in the Wyoming Symphony Orchestra — Jennifer DePaolo, violin; Gary DePaolo, viola; and Timothy Jones, cello — will perform.

At 1 p.m., “Playing for Casper College: Casper College Musicians,” led by Joshua R. Mietz, DMA, will showcase the Casper College Music Department’s comprehensive education, preparing students for lifelong music-making. The program includes “Playdates” by Jonathan Cohen, “Clapping Music,” and “New York Counterpoint” by Steve Reich.

The Demorest Keynote Lecture will begin at 5:30 p.m.

Thursday, Oct. 2, features an all-day “Playing for Casper College” exhibition at the Goodstein Foundation Library, curated by Olson. Except for the final event at the Tate Geological Museum, all events for the day will take place at the library.

The popular “Living Library” will run from 9:30 to 11 a.m. The Living Library allows participants to check in with a person and have a conversation about their story. The purpose is to promote conversation, encourage understanding, and foster a culture of inclusivity.

At 11 a.m., multidisciplinary artist Jeremy Jones will present “Art as a Lifeline: Embracing Process, Play, and the Unfinished Journey.” Jones, who works in sculpture, ceramics, and drawing, frequently collaborates with his children and maintains an ongoing backyard fort project that serves as a metaphor for the inseparability of art and life.

At noon, current student athletes will participate in “Meet the T-Birds! Current Student Athlete Panel,” moderated by Erich Frankland, political science instructor. The panel will feature student athletes from livestock judging, rodeo, basketball, volleyball, and soccer, along with community athletes, the Warbirds.

The day concludes at 6 p.m. with “An Evening at the Tate Geological Museum,” hosted by Russell Hawley, education specialist, featuring “Dinosaurs: Jumper Cables for the Imagination.”

Friday, Oct. 3, except for the evening event, will be held at the Goodstein Foundation Library. The day begins at 11 a.m. with Chad Hanson’s presentation “The Wild Horse Effect: Making the Most of Recreation in Mustang Country.” Hanson, a sociology instructor at Casper College and author, will discuss research on feelings such as awe and reverence, and describe the social and psychological impact of spending leisure time in natural settings, with a special focus on Wyoming’s wild horse herd areas.

At noon, former T-Bird athletes will gather for a lunch reception moderated by Erich Frankland. From 1 to 4 p.m., the Thunderboard Gaming Club will host gaming activities with board and card games in Room 106 of the Goodstein Foundation Library.

The festival concludes with a reception at 6:30 p.m. in the North Lobby of the Krampert Center for Theatre and Dance, followed by the performance “Elephant & Piggie’s ‘We are in a Play!’” at 7 p.m. on the Mick and Susie McMurry Stage. Tickets for the musical are $12 for adults and $10 for seniors and students aged 4 to 18.

Based on the beloved children’s books by Mo Willems, the show celebrates friendship and the power of imagination, following “bestest” friends Gerald, a careful and anxious elephant, and Piggie, a spirited and optimistic pig, as they discover they are characters in a play. A talkback will follow the performance.

Additional presentation information, presenter bios, and links for Zoom connections can be found by calling 307-268-2606.

Except for the Natrona County Library, Hell’s Half Acre and the Casper College Werner Wildlife Museum, all other venues are on the Casper College campus.

Continuing Education Units or PTSB credits arranged by Casper College Workforce Development are available.

The 2025 Humanities Festival Sponsors include the Wyoming Humanities Council, the Casper College Foundation and Margaret Demorest Endowment, the Casper College Goodstein Foundation Library, the Casper College School of Fine Arts and Humanities, the University of Wyoming at Casper, and the Visual Arts Department Galleries.

The 2025 Humanities Festival additional partnerships include the Natrona County Library, Werner Wildlife Museum, ARTCORE, the Jack McCann College Store at Casper College, the Casper College Office of Public Relations, the Casper College Department of Theatre and Dance, the Western History Center at Casper College, and Workforce Development.