Celebrations for the 110th anniversary of the Owl & Nightingale Players. (Photo Courtesy of Owl & Nightingale Players)
By Sophie Lange, Features Editor
This semester, the Owl and Nightingale Players, Gettysburg College’s second-oldest student organization, celebrated its 110th anniversary. The club supports the promotion and advancement of the arts on campus, working with the College’s theatre arts department. Each year, they sponsor a range of events from special performances to trips and more. In the past years, they have held performances including Mainstage Productions, Black Box Blitz and IndieFest among others. Students first formed the Owl and Nightingale Players in 1914, predating theatre arts as an academic program.
Vice President Heather Stokes explained that this shows how dedicated the students involved in the club are to the performing arts: “This time-honored group helps to bring students together across majors in order to perform or do various tech positions in conjunction with the theatre arts department. Any and all are welcome which is why this group has persevered throughout 110 years.”
Celebrations for the 110th anniversary of the Owl & Nightingale Players. (Photos Courtesy of Owl & Nightingale Players)
The Owl and Nightingale Players commemorated the anniversary over this past Homecoming weekend. Alumni from several years came together to celebrate the organization that served as a welcoming and open space going beyond the theater. Friday, they held a Reunion Reception at Kline Theater, during which alumni, current students, faculty and staff gathered to get to know one another. On Saturday, they held several events, including a Panel Discussion, Open Mic and Photo Opportunity. Later that evening, they also hosted a dinner that allowed individuals to share cross-generational experiences, stories, and performances and how the Owl and Nightingale Players had impacted their lives, both personally and professionally. Their final event was a breakfast on Sunday, held outside of the Alumni House.
On the success of the anniversary celebration, Stokes said, “The weekend was full of good times and good memories while also looking to the future for the Owl and Nightingale Players.”
