UPDATED 8/29/18: Peter Sagal, host of one of NPR’s most popular radio programs "Wait, Wait … Don’t Tell Me," will speak as part of the Kent State University at Tuscarawas 50th Anniversary on University Drive Celebration on Monday, Sept. 10, at 7 p.m. in the Performing Arts Center. Mr. Sagal replaces the previously announced Dave Barry who had to cancel his appearance due to a family health emergency. For more information, visit www.kent.edu/tusc/news/peter-sagal-replaces-dave-barry-50th-anniversary-speaker.
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Humorist, columnist and author Dave Barry will headline the Kent State University at Tuscarawas 50th Anniversary on University Drive Celebration on Monday, Sept. 10, in the Performing Arts Center at 7 p.m., with theater doors opening at 6:30 p.m. The presentation is free and open to the public. Tickets are required for admission, and are available, at the Performing Arts Center. This is a return performance to the campus for Mr. Barry, who also spoke as part of the Voices of Distinction Series in 2012.
A writer who has built a career out of finding the humor in nearly everything, Mr. Barry shares his witty observations of everyday life – from technology to the lowly toothpick, to his own aging. Mr. Barry was a humor columnist for The Miami Herald for more than 25 years. His syndicated column appeared in more than 500 newspapers in the United States and abroad.
In 1988, Mr. Barry won the Pulitzer Prize for Commentary, and The New York Times has pronounced him as “the funniest man in America.” He has also written more than 30 books. Among his best-selling books are Big Trouble, Lunatics, Tricky Business, and most recently, Insane City. Two of his books, Dave Barry Turns 40 and Dave Barry’s Greatest Hits, were used as the basis for the CBS television sitcom “Dave’s World,” in which Harry Anderson played the role of Mr. Barry.
Mr. Barry also plays lead guitar in a literary rock band called the Rock Bottom Remainders, whose other members include Stephen King, Amy Tan, Ridley Pearson and Mitch Albom. The band was originally formed to perform at a 1992 American Booksellers Association convention.
A Haverford College graduate with a Bachelor of Arts in English, Mr. Barry began his journalism career as a reporter for The Daily Local News, in West Chester, Pennsylvania. Born and raised in Armonk, New York, Mr. Barry and his family now live in Miami, Florida.
Along with Mr. Barry’s appearance, several special events are scheduled for Sept. 10-16 to commemorate the 50th Anniversary Celebration, including a presentation by historian Todd Hartline, Ph.D., a Kent State Tuscarawas instructor, on the history of the Tuscarawas Campus on Monday, Sept. 10, at noon in the Founders Hall auditorium. An alumni reunion of Kent State Tuscarawas alumni, former athletic team members and campus retirees will be held Wednesday, Sept. 12, at 7 p.m. in the Founders Hall lobby. On Friday, Sept. 14, Bob and Melody Liberatore will perform Love Letters on the Performing Arts Center stage at 7 p.m., with open seating. The week will culminate with a community open house and tours of all campus buildings on Sunday, Sept. 16, from 1-3 p.m. These special events are free and open to the public. No tickets are required.
Celebration events will extend to October as the Tuscarawas Philharmonic season opens with a unique program designed to honor Kent State Tuscarawas, founded 50 years ago when the music of the Beatles was all the rage. A Tribute to the Beatles with the Tuscarawas Philharmonic will be held at the Performing Arts Center on Saturday, Oct. 13, at 7:30 p.m. with the Classical Mystery Tour, one of the foremost tribute bands to recreate music from Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band, Magical Mystery Tour and other great Beatles music. Tickets for this event are available by calling 330-308-6400 or visiting www.TuscPhil.org.
“We look forward to celebrating the 50th Anniversary of Kent State Tuscarawas on University Drive with our alumni, current students and the community,” says Brad Bielski, dean and chief administrative officer of Kent State Tuscarawas. “This is a huge milestone for the campus and the community. With about 200 students, Founders Hall first opened its doors in 1968. Since then, the campus has successfully grown over the years, with an enrollment today of nearly 2,200 students and the additions of the Science and Advanced Technology Center, the Performing Arts Center and the Tolloty Center.”
The campus continues to grow, with the Gateway Entrance Project now under construction and future projects in the planning stages.
“The community’s input and support of the past and future endeavors of Kent State Tuscarawas are invaluable assets,” Dean Bielski says.
Tickets for Dave Barry are required and will be available, free of charge, at the Performing Arts Center.
Celebration events are subject to change. For additional information, contact Chad Conrad, director of advancement for Kent State Tuscarawas, at 330-308-7445 or cconra1@kent.edu.
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For more information about the Performing Arts Center at Kent State Tuscarawas, visit www.kent.edu/tusc/pac.