Aug 24, 2024

With summer winding down and schools starting up, non-profits around the state are also getting busier! Through grants from the South Dakota Humanities Council, five different organizations will present humanities programs in communities across the state and online in early September.

“These programs represent the best of the grassroots humanities, from preserving and sharing local history to encouraging creative storytelling,” said SDHC Executive Director Christina Oey. “SDHC is proud to support these meaningful activities.”

SDHC encourages non-profit organizations to apply for grants to support projects led by humanities professionals and featuring humanities as a central focus. The next application deadline is October 15 for events taking place after December 1. Visit SDHC’s Grants webpage for more information.

Read on to learn about early September humanities programs.

Sioux Empire Community Theater (The Premier Playhouse): “Festival of New Plays”

• Saturday, Sept. 7, 9 am-5 pm
• Washington Pavilion, Belbas Theater, 301 S Main Ave, SIOUX FALLS
• Scholars: Dr. Jayna Gearhart Fitzsimmons, Dr. Richard W. Swanson, Luke Tatge, and Oliver Mayes, MFA
• For more information, contact Oliver Mayes, oliver@thepremiereplayhouse.com

After a blind review process of local play submissions following their annual community-based playwriting course, The Premiere Playhouse enters its second phase of new play development events, featuring the four semi-finalists that were selected and invited to produce concert readings in front of a panel of scholarly adjudicators. The writers will receive practical guidance and positive critiques on further developing their work, in addition to participating in a structured, open dialogue about their plays. From these reading presentations, two finalists will be chosen for full production treatment and further play development opportunities in the Playhouse’s third annual production of “The Premiere Premieres,” Feb. 13-16, 2025, at the historic Orpheum Theater in downtown Sioux Falls.

Historic Rapid City: “Valentine Mcgillycuddy, Army Surgeon, Agent to the Sioux”

• Sunday, September 8, 6-9 pm
• Dahl Arts Center, 713 7^th St, RAPID CITY
• Scholar: Candy Moulton
• For more information, contact Darla Drew Lerdal, ddrewlerdal@gmail.com

Historic Rapid City has recently purchased the historic Valentine Mcgillycuddy House, the one-time home of a man who holds a place of great significance in South Dakota history. To provide context for upcoming restoration projects, author Candy Moulton will speak about the life and contributions of Mcgillycuddy, who was not only a surgeon, but one of South Dakota’s first mayors, the first South Dakota  Surgeon General, and a dean at the School of Mines. He encountered many famous faces of the Old West, including Calamity Jane and Wild Bill Hickock, and he attended Crazy Horse at his death. By telling Mcgillycuddy’s story, Moulton brings the history of Rapid City and Western South Dakota to life.

Lost & Found: “Stories of Resilience: A Conversation About Hope When Facing Life’s Challenges”

• Monday, Sept. 9, 5-7 pm, Black Hills State University, Student Union, Club Buzz, 1200 University St, SPEARFISH
• Tuesday, Sept. 10, 3-5 pm and 5-7 pm, South Dakota Mines, PAC-March Ballroom, 501 E Saint Joseph St, RAPID CITY
• Monday, Sept. 16, 6-8 pm, University of South Dakota, Muenster University Center, 414 E Clark St, VERMILLION
• Tuesday, Sept. 17, 6-8 pm, South Dakota State University, The Oscar Larson Performing Arts Center, Fishback Studio Theatre, 1601 University Blvd, BROOKINGS
• Scholar: Heidi Marttila-Losure
• For more information, contact Erik Muckey, emuckey@resilienttoday.org

Lost&Found is conducting a digital storytelling project for National Suicide Prevention Month (September). The “Storytelling Is Suicide Prevention: 30 Days, 30 Stories” project will tell the stories of 30 South Dakotans who have faced and overcome adversity resulting from mental health challenges and/or suicidal ideation, risks, attempts, and loss. This event is part of the Stories of Resilience project, which features stories from people who have faced challenges related to mental health or suicide and found help, hope and healing.

Black Hills State University School of Arts and Humanities: “Sitts: In the Chair”

• Wednesday, Sept. 11, 12-1 pm
• Matthews Opera House & Arts Center, 612 N Main St, SPEARFISH
• Scholars: Dr. Justin Bergh, Professor Skott Chandler, and Professor Allen Morris
• For more information, contact Allen Morris, Allen.Morris@bhsu.edu

During this installment of the Bellman Brown Bag Series, the members of Basement Revolution Films, a collaboration of three storytellers, will present a synopsis of their work in progress, “Sitts: In the Chair.” This narrative feature film is closely based on the 1946 murders of DCI Agent Tom Matthews and Butte County Sheriff Dave Malcolm by George Sitts, relating the story of the crime, the subsequent five-state manhunt, and the capture, trial, and execution of Sitts. The film is a dark comedy and true-crime drama that explores a historic but underexplored event in South Dakota history. It also advances the understanding of Sitts as a flawed human being and addresses complex questions about crime and punishment.

South Dakota State University, Hilton M. Briggs Library Archives & Special Collections: “Preserving South Dakota Humanities Through Digitization”

• Thursday, Sept. 12, 6:30-7:30 pm
• Briggs Library, 1300 N Campus Dr, BROOKINGS
• Scholars: Gwen McCausland and Michele Christian
• For more information, contact: Michele Christian, michele.christian@sdstate.edu

In an ongoing effort to preserve South Dakota history, Briggs Library is in the process of digitally preserve a  collection of audiovisual (AV) materials within its humanities collections. Among these materials are the Senator Thomas A. Daschle Papers, the University Archives, and the South Dakota Humanities Council Collection. To make this happen, several video tape recorders (VTRs) are being returned to an operational state, made possible by funding granted through SDHC. After digitization is completed, these materials will be suitable for public dissemination.

For a full list of upcoming SDHC-sponsored events, visit SDHC’s events calendar.

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