Marywood University Music, Theater and Dance Department Announces Fall 2025 Performance Season

SCRANTON, Pa. (October 1, 2025) – Marywood University’s Music, Theatre, and Dance Department is raising the curtain on their Fall 2025 performance season, showcasing everything from the timeless power of Chekhov’s The Cherry Orchard to the vibrant sounds of wind symphonies, string ensembles, and an inspiring opera workshop. With performances that highlight both student artistry and faculty mentorship, this season promises to fill the stage with passion, talent, and creativity—offering the campus and community alike a chance to experience the transformative power of live performance.

The Cherry Orchard (October 2, 3, 4, 7:30 p.m. – October 5, 2 p.m. Sette LaVerghetta Auditorium) is Anton Chekhov's masterpiece, and the last play he wrote before his death, The Cherry Orchard is simultaneously a comedy, a tragedy, realism, and absurdism. It is about the most delicate and intimate of human feelings and experiences, the sometimes-farcical nature of life, and how a changing society manifests in concrete changes in the lives of individuals and families. Admission: $15/adults and $10/students.

Admission to major ensemble performances: Orchestra, Wind Symphony, Concert Choir, Chamber Singers, and Jazz Ambassadors is $10/adults and $5/students. The remainder of the schedule is free and open to the public.

Featured concerts include:

The Orchestra Concert – (October 18, 7:30 p.m., Sette-LaVerghetta Auditorium) will allow their audience the opportunity to experience the power and beauty of Romantic-era masterpieces with the Marywood University Symphony Orchestra, featuring Dvořák’s Symphony No. 8 and Farrenc’s Overture No. 2—performed by passionate student and community musicians who simply love making music!

The Northeastern Youth Wind Ensemble Concert (October 19, 3:00 p.m., Sette-LaVerghetta Auditorium) is affiliated with American Youth Ensembles, offering middle and high school musicians an opportunity to perform with other student instrumentalists who simply enjoy making music. They will perform a variety of repertoire ranging from traditional (transcriptions, marches and works of serious and artistic merit) to cutting-edge contemporary composition and music from popular media venues.

The Percussion Ensemble Concert (November 9, 7:30 p.m., Sette-LaVerghetta Auditorium) is a concert of chamber music performed by the Marywood University Percussion Ensemble, under the direction of Steven Mathiesen. Program features include works by Nathan Daughtrey, Joel Smales, an arrangement of music by Aaron Copland. The concert is free and open to the public.

The Faculty Recital (November 15, 7:00 p.m., Marian Chapel) will feature professional performers on the faculty of the Department of Music, Theatre, and Dance will share the stage in a recital of instrumental and vocal solos and ensembles.

The Tutti Concert (November 16, 2:00 p.m., Sette LaVerghetta Auditorium) founded at Marywood University in 2016, is an innovative adaptive program that combines music therapy and music education to create an enriching musical journey for individuals with unique learning styles. Our free concert at celebrates the achievements of our students who have learned new instruments, developed musicianship skills, and formed lasting friendships.

The Wind Symphony Concert (November 16, 4:30 p.m., Sette LaVerghetta Auditorium) continues their tradition of presenting classic, yet entertaining works for the wind band. This season's concert features transcriptions for band by Piazzolla, Verdi and Elgar as well band chestnuts by Ralph Vaughn Williams and Clifton Williams. Join us Sunday for a concert that is sure to inspire.

The Jazz Ambassadors Concert (November 21, 8:00 p.m., Marian Chapel) will feature an evening of iconic blues, funk, and swing. This concert highlights the timeless spirit of mid-century jazz with dynamic arrangements, smooth style, and remarkable technique—rooted in a profound dedication to the blues.

The String Ensemble Concert (November 24, 7:00 p.m., Marian Chapel) will feature a captivating program featuring Christopher Wilson’s rarely heard Suite for Strings—a true gem of the repertoire—paired with an arrangement of Gershwin’s tender Lullaby. Join us for this free performance.

The Opera Workshop Performance (December 1, 7:00 p.m., Sette-LaVerghetta Center) will be a culmination of a semester-long study of excerpts from various operas, the Opera Workshop performance will feature 17 students in fully staged renditions of ensembles by Handel, Mozart, Rossini, Verdi, Copland, and others.

The Evening of Strings Concert (December 3, 7:30 p.m., Marian Chapel) Marywood string students take center stage in this end-of-semester showcase, performing a wide range of solo works.

The Guitar Ensemble Concert (December 4, 5:00 p.m., Marian Chapel) is happy to present their Holiday Concert – Meditating, Grooving, and Celebrating! This year’s program offers a festive journey through different moods and styles—meditating with Gabriel Fauré’s graceful Pavane, grooving with a vibrant Brazilian minimalist work by Paulo Porto Alegre, and celebrating the season with beloved traditional holiday songs. Together, these pieces create a program that blends reflection, rhythm, and joy, capturing the spirit of the year’s end in music

The Chamber Singers Christmas Concert (December 7, 2:00 p.m., Marian Chapel) will feature sacred and secular music by Cipriano de Rore, Josef Rheinberger, Michael Joncas, René Clausen, Jonathan Rathbone, and others. The performance will include several familiar and original carols. 

The String Project Concert (December 8, 6:30 p.m., Sette-LaVerghetta Center) rings in the season with a festive Holiday Gala Concert, showcasing students ages 4–18 performing in string orchestras and class ensembles.

For additional information about the Chamber Series and other performances at Marywood University, please visit marywood.edu/mtd/events, or call (570) 348-6268. 

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