As the February chill continues to drag on, it can be hard to see the light at the end of the tunnel (especially with Punxsutawney Phil reporting another six weeks of winter). Luckily, the Middlebury arts scene boasts nothing short of exciting. Offerings span from theatre to faculty lectures, and guarantee a warm sanctuary for even the coldest days of the season.
The Middlebury Performing Arts Series is continuing its 106th season with a program ranging from dance to multimedia to music. March 4 brings “Movement Matters: Body/Mind/Funk/Time” with Michael Sakamoto, where participants will learn Butoh and American street dance styles. Sakamoto will teach people the intercultural dance style and its significance within post-World War II Japan and the U.S.
A few days later, Sakamoto will join Paul D. Miller (DJ Spooky) for “time/life/beauty”; an interdisciplinary, multimedia performance that highlights anti-war and environmental themes. The show will feature dance, hip-hop and other multimedia elements to weave this intricate narrative together.
Then, world-class baroque chamber ensemble Le Consort will grace the stage with works by famous composers like Bach and Telemann. PAS’ final performance of the season comes a few days later with award-winning Celtic quintet Goitse (a Gaelic word for “come here”). The quintet will help ring in the St. Patrick’s Day festivities with their original compositions that honor traditional Irish music.
For a good solo activity, check out the Johnson Exhibition Gallery, which changes its exhibit every month or so. Currently on display is “Cultural Fabrics; The Kimono Through Literary, Cross-Cultural, and Practical Lenses,” which explores the Kimono and how it engages with craft, Western aesthetics, Japanese literature and fashion traditions.
The exhibit also features work from the J-Term course “Building the Japanese Teahouse,” taught by Douglas Brooks. The masterfully constructed teahouse displayed in the center of the gallery was built by Brooks and his 12 students. Guests in the exhibit are encouraged to enter the structure, provided they remove their shoes before entering.
The Middlebury College Museum of Art also has plenty of new exhibits in the Spring. Currently on view is “Beyond Boundaries: Rethinking African Art at Middlebury,” which aims to dismantle Western art-historical understandings of African art and foster dialogue about the “complex zone of cross-cultural contact.” Also on display is “David Teniers’s Theatrum Pictorium,” which highlights the masterful work by the Flemish artist who created the first illustrated catalogue of a significant painting collection.
For those seeking to learn even more about art, this spring features several interesting talks. March brings “Curated by ChatGPT: Notes on AI–Human Collaboration,” which focuses on an experiment performed at the Nasher Museum of Art at Duke University to use AI to curate an exhibition from the Museum’s preexisting collection. The talk will provide a critical analysis of the project, and curators from the Nasher Museum, Julia McHugh and Marshall Price, will evaluate the effectiveness and role of AI in the curatorial world.
Other talks include a guest lecture by French Architect Aurélie Frolet in March, and a talk detailing the pedagogical approach behind the “Building the Japanese Teahouse” J-Term course and the journey that led Rutland resident John LaFountain to discover a seventeenth-century seal on a Middlebury farm.
Or, attend a film at the Hirschfield International Film Series, which screens once a month on Thursdays. This month brings the 2025 Ukrainian film “Timestamp” by Kateryna Gornostai. Three years since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the film highlights students and teachers who seek to continue learning under constant threat. “A remarkable portrait of the Ukrainian school system and their belief in a brighter future for the young,” a review on The Moveable Feast writes about the film, which has been nominated at several film festivals around the world.
The film department is also sponsoring a screening of “VALENTINA” followed by a Q&A with director Tatti Ribeiro on March 3. “VALENTINA” is a hybrid film that merges narrative comedy and documentary styles to tell the story of Valentina, who lives in a border town. As she passes from El Paso and Juárez, she navigates debt, familial issues and daily pressures.
April brings both showers and theatre productions. Starting April 9, “The Maids” by Jean Genet will grace Wright Memorial Stage. Directed by Professor of Theater and Department Chair Claudio Mederios, this play tells the story of two maids, Claire and Solange, who begin a game of make-believe about murdering their mistress. Only, things take a turn when fantasy and reality collide, and power dynamics begin to be questioned.
April 30—May 2 brings Thornton Wilder’s “Our Town,” directed by guest director Melissa Lourie. Set in a small town in New Hampshire, the play follows two families and their fellow townspeople as they navigate themes of loss, marriage and eternity. “Our Town” is about the small moments and the connections that get us through even the toughest of times.
If you’re looking for even more live performances to watch, Middlebury College Musical Theatre (MCMT) has got you covered. This spring, “Mean Girls” will grace the stage with its fast-paced, comedic energy that is sure to make you feel nostalgic. After the club’s success last semester with “A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder,” they are riding a high that Regina George and Cady Heron are sure to uphold.
This is just a small taste of all that the Middlebury spring arts calendar has to offer, but one thing’s for sure: This semester’s offerings have something for everyone. And after you’ve watched, listened or created this semester and feel urged to share your experience, remember we’re only one email away.
Ellie Trinkle '26 (she/her) is the Senior Arts and Culture Editor.
She previously served as a News Editor and Staff Writer. She is a Film & Creative writing double major from Brooklyn who loves all things art. You can typically find her obsessively making Spotify playlists, wearing heaps of jewelry, or running frantically around campus.
