CSU Stanislaus’ literature and art journal, Penumbra, held their spring 2021 virtual Charity Event on April 30, 2021. The event was used to raise money for the Warrior Food Pantry.
This event consisted of a performance of Dr. Arnold Schmidt’s one act play, The Ghost of a Chance, Or, Prometheus Unbound which first premiered in the 2020 spring addition of the journal. Headed by the Penumbra course advisor, Dr. Monica Flores, this year’s staff organized this performance both to honor Dr. Schmidt’s work and to continue to promote the Food Pantry on campus.
The play was performed by the Penumbra staff and Dr. Jesse Wolfe, an English professor here at Stan State and was followed by a Q&A and charity auction. During the event, attendees got to ask Dr. Schmidt, the performers, and the rest of the staff more detailed questions about their work, the play, and the journal itself.
Dr. Flores was proud of the outcome, stating that, “It was such an honor and a pleasure to be able to bring Arnold Schmidt’s play to our community. Schmidt’s play is funny, witty, and shows just how talented our faculty are here at Stan State.”
Dr. Flores also gave a special thanks to Dr. Wolfe for his participation as King Hamlet’s Ghost in the performance.
The response of Hannah Neeley (graduate student, Literature, Rhetoric and Teaching Writing) was similar. She stated that, “I loved getting to watch Dr. Schmidt’s one-act play at our charity event this past week!” Neeley was also excited to experience her first sense of Zoom theatre with the event.
The charity aspect of the event included a brief explanation of what the Warrior Food Pantry does, introducing it to the event’s attendees and directing them to the Food Pantry’s website.
The event encouraged those present not only to donate to the pantry, but to be more aware of the resource all together and its use in assisting students experiencing food insecurity.
Neeley was grateful for the ability to experience works of poetry and literature and to connect with the community. She mentioned that she “hopes we continue to work with the Warrior Food Pantry.”
Those who wish to read Dr. Schmidt’s play for themselves can view it on Penumbra’s website, in the pdf of the 2020 edition of the journal. If they wish to see more of Penumbra, they can visit the MSR Exhibition “Penumbra: Publishing since 1989” from May 4 to June 11, 2021 to see a history of the journal.
Anyone who wishes to support the Warrior Food Pantry can still offer their donations as well.