Don't forget the "Grab 'n' Gab" Coffee Klatch, Friday, October 7, 9:30 - 10:45, Tallwood Annex. Register on the member portal for event 1102.
Note: a complete list of class updates is available on the OLLI website (ollidev2.earthcare.com); go to Main Menu→Our Program→Cancelled, Changed and Open Courses.
By Russell Stone, Kathryn Russell, and Doris Bloch, Program Planning Tri-chairs
“If winter comes, can spring be far behind?” (Percy Bysshe Shelley)
You may remember the Program Planning Committee’s previous appeal urging all OLLI members to think about new courses for the future. The committee depends on OLLI’s many program-planning groups and our entire membership to help develop our amazing array of opportunities for learning, enjoyment, and intellectual growth. In particular, we encourage you, our members, to
propose a course or event others might find interesting,
offer a course you might enjoy teaching,
organize a course or event you might coordinate, or
plan a one-time event you might organize.
The deadline for spring 2017 OLLI course proposals is October 13, 2016. Spring 2017 term runs March 20-May 12.
The deadline for summer 2017 proposals is February 10, 2017. Summer 2017 term runs June 12-July 21.
Want to do more? Join a program planning group and become part of the process. Each committee meets about three times a year and welcomes your participation.
OLLI’s success depends on a constant flow of new ideas, so please don’t leave the program development to others. Think of what you can do to make the magic happen: teach, coordinate, invite. If you contribute even one idea to OLLI programming, we will all benefit and be the richer for it.
I joined OLLI-Mason in 2010 and soon became involved with the communications committee. Since then, the committee split into Publications and E-News, and I divided my efforts, remaining part of each. One of my first tasks was to review publications of other OLLIs for ideas that we might incorporate in our catalog. Conclusion: ours was already better! In addition to serving as an E-News editor-of-the-week, writing occasional articles and managing feature articles, I am now also chair of the Publications Committee.
I grew up in Mason City, IA (AKA River City of Music Man fame), but have lived in the DC area since coming here for graduate school. I have a master’s degree from the University of Maryland. I worked for Ernst & Young for 30 years, ending my career as a business analyst. My work included putting together client presentations, industry trends reports and articles for the firm’s external publications, particularly in the areas of energy and clean technology. This work required me to produce a variety of publications both electronic and print, especially news alerts and bullet-point presentations.
I am married to an OLLI dropout, have one daughter and two grandchildren who live in Florida. For fun, I enjoy reading, sailing on Chesapeake Bay, attending concerts and ballet, Nationals and Potomac Nationals games, and a weekly Zumba class at my local rec center.
I accepted the position of Publications Committee chair as I have enjoyed working on the catalog, especially learning about upcoming courses ahead of the rest of you! Our catalog is already excellent, but I’m hoping to make tweaks to improve it. I look forward to working with the exceptional people who are my committee members, and together we will strive to improve our processes and product. If you are interested in what this committee does, and perhaps joining us, please track me down! While editing the catalog is a big job, thanks to our wonderful OLLI staff, it is not as daunting as you might think.
By Norma Jean Reck, Theater Lovers' Group Coordinator
At a September 30 meeting, the Theater Lover's Group planned events for the upcoming year. So far, we are planning to go to 1st Stage Tysons for a 2:00 matinee of Neil Simon's Broadway Bound on Sunday, November 13. There is an optional dinner afterwards. There will be a talk back after the show, which is always interesting and informative. Cost is $19 group rate. Join us, and bring a friend.
On Thursday, December 1, we are joining the Shillelagh Travel Club for a one day trip to the Big Apple to see the must-see Radio City Music Hall Christmas Spectacular. You don't want to miss the Rockettes magically turn the world's largest stage into a Toyland. There's a rumor that Santa may drop in for a visit.
In the spring, we plan to help Reston Community Theater celebrate its big 5-0.
We are soliciting additional input. Please send ideas to share, including plays you would like to see, and events you might like to lead, to me at mailto:njreck@cs.com.
Lots of theater left. Watch for our announcements.
Performances, next ten daysBy Shelly Gersten, OLLI E-News Staff WriterFor tickets for either Center for the Arts (CFA) or Hylton, call 1-888-945-2468, buy tickets online through the event calendar (see links below), or visit the venue's box office. For more information, see the CFA ticket pageor the Hyltonticket purchase page.
At the Fairfax Campus Venues Aquila Theatre: Much Ado About Nothing
Fri, Sep 30, 8:00
Pre-performance discussion: Member of the company
Concert Hall
Admission: $44, $37, $26 Fairfax Symphony Orchestra: Dvorak's New World
Sat, Oct 1, 8:00
Christopher Zimmerman, conductor
Dvorak: Cello Concerto; Amit Peled, cello
Dvorak: Symphony No. 9, From the New World
Pre-performance discussion at 7 pm: David Ginder of WETA 90.9-FM with conductor Christopher Zimmerman and special guests.
Concert Hall
Admission: $65, $53, $39 Virginia Opera: The Seven Deadly Sins and Pagliacci
Sat, Oct 8, 8:00
Sun, Oct 9, 2:00
Pre-performance discussion: Glenn Winter
Concert Hall
Admission: $110, $90, $54
Wind Symphony Concert
Tue, Oct 4, 8:00
Michael Daugherty: Timpani Concerto, Raise the Roof
Freedom Of Speech – by Professor Mark Camphouse
Works by Jacques Offenbach, Johannes Brahms, and Samuel Barber.
Concert Hall
Admission: Adults, $12; seniors, $8
Mason's School of Theater: The Laramie Project
Wed, Oct 5, - Sat, Oct 8, 8:00
Sat, Oct 8, and Sun, Oct 9, 2:00
Theater Space
Admission: Wed preview, pay what you can,
Thu - Sun, Adults, $20; seniors, $10
New Sound Collective Concert
Fri, Oct 7, 7:00
Harris Theatre
Admission: Free
Honoring the Future: Climate Art & Action
Continues through Oct 2
This exhibition presents photographs of the work of pioneers who are using art as a catalyst for creative solutions to climate change. The Gallery is open to the public Tue-Sat, 10:00 - 6:00, Thu, 10:00 - 8:00 and two hours before performances.
Buchanan Partners Art Gallery
Admission: Free
Russian Grand Ballet Theatre: Swan Lake
Sat, Oct 1, 7:00
Merchant Hall
Admission: $65, $60, $55, $45, $35, $25
Mason School of Art: Alumni Exhibition
Buchanan Partners Art Gallery
Oct 3 - Nov 6
The Gallery is open to the public Tue-Sat, 10:00 - 6:00, Thu, 10:00 - 8:00 and two hours before performances.
Gallery Reception: Thu, Oct 13 from 6:00 to 8:00 with live music by singer-songwriter Caroline Cotter. RSVP to jconnor8@gmu.edu.
Admission: Free.
Matinee Idylls: Mason Jazz, Minding The Drums in Congo Square
Tue, Oct 4, 1:30
Gregory Family Theater
Admission: $45 (12:30 lunch and concert)
$25 (concert only)
Native Run
Fri, Oct 7, 8:00
Gregory Family Theater
Admission: $25
Manassas Chorale: Love Actually
Sat, Oct 8, 7:30
Merchant Hall
Admission: $20, $18
The following list covering the next two weeks is extracted for your convenience from the master online calendar maintained by the office, with direct web links added when available. The list is accurate as of mid-week but to check anytime for the latest information, please view the latest forecast of upcoming events on our website (News/OLLI Calendar). Note: All OLLI members are welcome at, and encouraged to attend, meetings of the Board of Directors, committees and resource groups, kickoff coffees, etc. (bolded below).
Sat Oct 1
10:30am
Tai Chi Club–TA-3
Wed Oct 5
1:30pm
1:45pm
1:45pm
Mah Jongg Club–TA-2
Bridge Club–TA-3 Special Event Committee–Annex
Fri Oct 7
9:00am
9:30am
11:00am
11:00am
12:00pm
1:00pm
Recorder Consort–TA-3
Craft and Conversation–Annex
Classic Literature Club–TA-2
Homer, etc.–Annex
Photography Club–TA-1
Dr Who Club–TA-3
Sat Oct 8
10:30am
Tai Chi Club–TA-3
Wed Oct 12
1:00pm
1:45pm
1:45pm
Tallwood Book Club–TA-1
Bridge Club–TA-3
Spanish Club–TA-2
Thu Oct 13
2:15pm
Reston Book Club–UCP Rm117
Fri Oct 14
9:00am
9:30am
9:30am
11:00am
11:00am
12:30pm
Recorder Consort–TA-3
Craft and Conversation–Annex
Photography Club–TA-1
Classic Literature Club–TA-2
Homer, etc.–Annex
Religious Studies Club–TA-2
OLLI E-News was created by Rod Zumbro, who served as its editor from 2005 to 2013.
Editorial Staff
Chief Editor: Paul Van Hemel
Technical Editor: Irene Osterman
Associate Editor: Sheri Siesseger
Weekly Editorial Team: Jean Boltz, John Nash, Sheri Siesseger, Leslie Vandivere,
Paul Van Hemel Proofreaders: Rebecca Jann, Lorna Moran, Marilyn O'Brien, Susan Van Hemel
Backup Chief Editor: Alice Slayton Clark
Submissions. Members are encouraged to submit letters to the editor, letters to Ms. Ollie Ettakit (on etiquette matters), OLLI-related news items, articles and photos. Submit material to: ollienewseditor@gmail.com. Deadline – 6:00 Tuesday for that week's issue (6:00 Monday for letters to the editor); early submissions are greatly appreciated. Please limit articles to about 250 words. Note: You can view past issues of OLLI E-News on the DocStore. To search the content of issues, use Search Our Site or put your search term in Google followed by "site:ollidev2.earthcare.com/" without the quotes.
I joined OLLI-Mason in 2010 and soon became involved with the communications committee. Since then, the committee split into Publications and E-News, and I divided my efforts, remaining part of each. One of my first tasks was to review publications of other OLLIs for ideas that we might incorporate in our catalog. Conclusion: ours was already better! In addition to serving as an E-News editor-of-the-week, writing occasional articles and managing feature articles, I am now also chair of the Publications Committee. 
