Welcome to The Arts at BGSU!

SEPTEMBER 17 | 7-8:30 p.m.   
THOMAS B. AND KATHLEEN M. DONNELL THEATRE
WOLFE CENTER FOR THE ARTS 

Join renowned Ohio poet and best-selling author Maggie Smith for an evening of readings and conversation, followed by a book signing in the lobby.

Maggie Smith is the author of seven award-winning books: Dear Writer: Pep Talks & Practical Advice for the Creative Life, You Could Make This Place Beautiful, Lamp of the Body, The Well Speaks of Its Own Poison, and Good Bones, named by the Washington Post as one of the Five Best Poetry Books of 2017, Keep Moving, and Goldenrod. Her most recent poetry collection, A Suit or a Suitcase, is forthcoming from Washington Square Press in 2026.

The title poem of Good Bones was called the “Official Poem of 2016” by Public Radio International and has been translated into nearly a dozen languages. Smith’s poems have appeared in the New York Times, Tin House, The Believer, The Paris Review, Kenyon Review, Best American Poetry, and on the CBS primetime drama Madam Secretary. A Pushcart Prize winner, Smith has received fellowships and awards from the National Endowment for the Arts, the Academy of American Poets, the Ohio Arts Council, and the Sustainable Arts Foundation. She also hosts the poetry podcast, The Slowdown.

This event is free and open to the public. 

OCTOBER 1 | 7:30 p.m. 
tHOMAS B. AND KATHLEEN M. DONNELL THEATRE
WOLFE CENTER FOR THE ARTS

Shaina Taub reignited public dialogue about women’s rights, political power, and unfinished progress with Suffs, her landmark Broadway musical about American suffragists. The show, in which she also starred as suffragist Alice Paul, won her two Tony Awards, a Grammy nomination, and a devoted following across generations.

She created and starred in acclaimed musical adaptations of Twelfth Night and As You Like It at Free Shakespeare in the Park. She wrote the lyrics for The Devil Wears Prada, with Sir Elton John, which opened in the West End in 2024. Her musical theater writing has earned her the ASCAP Richard Rodgers New Horizons Award, Johnathan Larson Grant, Kleban Prize, and Fred Ebb Award.

This event is free and open to the public. 

OCTOBER 1-31   
DOROTHY UBER BRYAN GALLERY
BGSU FINE arts center 

OPENING RECEPTION: oCTOBER 8 | 6-8 PM

Impressions of the Floating World showcases ukiyo-e Japanese woodblock prints from the permanent collection in conversation with student artworks and select contemporary pieces from regional lenders. The exhibition will explore the captivating style of these “artists of the floating world,” and will illustrate the profound influence they have had worldwide from the 18th century through today.

Many of the works in this exhibition will be on display for the first time at the Galleries. Student research into questions of provenance, connoisseurship, and materiality will provide a deeper understanding of the rich and nuanced lives of objects within the permanent collection. Highlighting historical detective work and scientific analysis, visitors will be invited to explore mysteries of the collection alongside our student researchers.

All exhibitions are free and open to the public.

Gallery Hours: Wednesday-Saturday 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

OCTOBER 15-17, 22-24 | 7:30 p.m.
OCTOBER 17-18, 24 | 2 P.M.
EVA MARIE SAINT THEATRE
WOLFE CENTER FOR THE ARTS 

Ernestine spends her 17th birthday agonizing over her insignificance in the universe. Soon, it’s her 18th birthday. Even sooner, her 41st. Her 70th. Her 101st. Five generations, an infinity of dreams, and one cake baked over a century. This poignant, funny play takes its audience through the highlights, heartbreaks, and extraordinary moments that make up one woman’s ordinary life. (Concord Theatricals)

Tickets can be purchased at bgsu.edu/arts-tickets.