Osher Lifelong Learning Institute

ENews October 24, 2025

by

OLLI E-News October 24, 2025
Print a condensed pdf copy of this newsletter, two web pages per sheet of paper.

Board of Directors Meeting, via Zoom and
In Person at Tallwood, October 17

October 24, 2025


Editor of the Week: Paul Van Hemel
Table of Contents

Alerts & Notices

  • The recently updated OLLI Mason Member Handbook is available on the OLLI Mason website at this link.
  • The next issue of OLLI E-News will be published Friday, October 31; the regular deadline for submission of items is Tuesday, October 28, at 6:00.

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From the Desk of the Executive Director

OLLI Mason Artist in Residence


By Lisa Mariam,
Executive Director

We are thrilled to be hosting an artist in residence at OLLI Mason! Brianna Camp is a recent School of Art graduate and the latest recipient of College of Visual and Performing Arts Young Alumni Commissioning Grant. She will be producing a series of paintings entitled Flare: Finding a Sense of Place in the Chronically Ill Body. Brianna’s large-scale oil paintings will be accompanied by documentary photographs and poetry that explores her personal experiences with chronic illness and aims to reflect on pain and healing.

⁠Brianna will be offering artist talks, demonstrations, and a tour of the exhibition to OLLI members. Please feel free to stop by the cottage to meet her and see the work in progress.

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Don’t Miss the Holiday Party, the Biggest Event of the Season!


By Marilyn Harriman, Diversions Chair


Have you registered for OLLI Mason’s biggest social event of the season, the annual holiday party? If not, you won’t want to miss it! Join fellow members and guests at 11:30, Tuesday, December 2, at the Country Club of Fairfax for lunch, a cash bar, socializing, entertainment, and door prizes.

This year, George Mason University will treat us to the seasonal sounds of winter as we mingle and eat lunch. Door prizes will be announced after lunch is served.

Lunch choices include chicken marsala, pasta primavera, or broccoli salad with grilled chicken. All meals include a beverage and dessert. When you register, you’ll be asked to indicate your entrée choice and pay $50 on the OLLI member portal: Event #1204F. Registration ends on Friday, November 14. OLLI members are welcome to bring a guest.

Our annual party at the country club is a festive and uplifting time when we break bread together and enjoy each other’s company after fall courses conclude. Come out and have a good time on December 2!

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Theater Potpourri Class Presents Conversations with Local Playwrights


By Norma Jean Reck, Coordinator, Theater Lovers' Group


October 28: Meet Good Shepherd Players Director
Founded in 1981, the Good Shepherd Players is a community theater group that produces plays, musicals, cabarets, other theatrical performances, and at least one Broadway style musical each year. On Tuesday, October 28 at 11:50 a.m., Director Nancy Lavallee will join Theater Lovers via Zoom to tell us how their group employs creativity to bring theater to life in a most delightful way.
 
November 4: Meet a StageCoach Theater Company Playwright
On Tuesday, November 4, at 11:50 a.m. via Zoom, Theater Lovers will be treated to another local playwright of a different genre: of the StageCoach Theater Company. Aaron is a prolific playwright with more than 30 scripts for mysteries and children's stories to his credit. He is known for his original scripts and authentic approach to the art of acting. Besides playwriting, he directs StageCoach Banditos Improv Troupe and teaches advance acting students to hone their craft.
 
NO CLASS ON NOVEMBER 11. OLLI IS CLOSED.
 
November 18: Meet Hexagon Players
Their tagline should be: Let us entertain you! They will be at Tallwood in person ready to perform original skits with lots of music, fun, laughter and political satire. Plan to be there! More details to follow. Stay tuned.

Editor's Note: At the author's request, all words are published unedited, exactly as submitted.

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Poet's Corner
Courtesy of the Poetry Workshop

BIG SCARE
 
Minding my own business in my suburban home
I got a very scary call on the telephone.
The guy on the line from the Sheriff’s office, said he
had a warrant for my arrest for a missed court decree.
He said I signed a subpoena back in June, you see—
Now they need a signature to prove it was me.
Of course I hadn’t signed any such thing—
This was so outrageous, I almost started laughing.
He said I’d need over eight thousand to pay my bail bond.
My husband, listening in, thought for sure I’d been conned.
They were to send deputies to our house, then lock me in jail
Up to seventy-two hours if I didn’t pay bail.
So, with fear and trembling, I hung up the phone.
No one called back; no deputies came to my home.
We were so glad we didn’t fall for this scam—
We sure learned a lesson from this potential flimflam!
                                          –Joan Lunsford

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Arts & Music at George Mason
Performances October 23 through 26


By Shelly Gersten, OLLI E-News Staff Writer


For tickets for either Center for the Arts Concert Hall (CFA) or Hylton Center, call 1-888-945-2468. You can also buy tickets online through the event calendar (see links below) or visit the venue's box office. For more information, see the CFA ticket page or the Hylton Center ticket purchase page.

Dr. Linda Apple Monson produces a periodic “Notes from the Director.” This email is full of information on interesting online performances by the students and faculty of the School of Music. If you would like to receive these bulletins, just sign up at this link to stay in touch. Also, the Center for the Arts has a website, Mason Arts at Home, which has a calendar of online events and access to many past performances.

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At the Fairfax Campus Venues

(25-26 Season subscriptions to Great Performances, and tickets for individual performances, are now on sale)
 
The Magic of Rob Lake
RESCHEDULED to April 19.

Hubbard Street Dance Chicago
Sat, Oct 25, 8:00
A pre-performance discussion begins one hour prior to the performance.
Concert Hall
Admission: $65, $56, $41.
Mason Student and Faculty Performances

(see music.gmu.edu for additional student recitals)
 
Mason Jazz Ensemble Concert: Fall 2025
Thu, Oct 23, 8:00
Concert Hall
Admission: $19 Adult, $14 Senior.

Dewberry School of Music Faculty Artist Showcase Recital 2025
Sunday, Oct 26 at 3:00
Concert Hall
Admission: Free and Open to the Public.

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At the Hylton Center (Manassas Campus)

Chatham County Line
Sat, Oct 25, 5:00
A pre-performance discussion begins one hour prior to the performance.
Gregory Family Theater
Admission: $35.

Manassas Symphony Orchestra: Romantic Impressions, Thomas Pandolfi, Piano
Sat, Oct 25, 7:30 
Merchant Hall
Admission: $35.

Time for Three (Hylton Presents)
Sun, Oct 26, 2:00
A pre-performance discussion begins one hour prior to the performance.
Merchant Hall
Admission: $53, $46, $34.

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For further details on any of the above events, see the CFA event calendar and the Hylton Center event calendar.

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Meetings & Clubs

Please note: OLLI Meetings and Clubs may currently take place in several formats: some are in person only, some are online only, and some are hybrid, meaning that they take place in person and are accessible online simultaneously. OLLI events and activities meeting online bear the identification "Z" in their course or event number (except clubs; you may need to check the OLLI calendar and daily schedule email for location and other event information). 

The following list covering the next two weeks is extracted for your convenience from the master online calendar maintained by the office. The list is accurate as of mid-week. Note: All OLLI members are welcome at, and encouraged to attend, meetings of the Board of Directors, committees and resource groups, kick-off coffees, etc., bolded below. The OLLI office has sent (or will send) emails with links and meeting passwords to club members; you may also log in at the member portal and click on ZOOM CLASS LINKS.
 
Sat Oct 25 10:30 am Tai Chi Club – online
Mon Oct 27
 		  9:30 am
 4:00 pm		 What’s in the Daily News? – online
Chair Yoga and More – online
Tue Oct 28
 
 		  2:00 pm
 3:45 pm
 4:30 pm		 Chair Yoga and More – online
Caregivers Support Group – online
Tai Chi Club – online
Wed Oct 29
 
 
 
 
 		 11:50 am
12:00 noon
 1:30 pm
 1:30 pm
 2:00 pm
 4:00 pm		 Investment Forum
Chair Yoga and More – online
Board Game Club
Bridge Club
Memoir and More Writing Group – online
Conversations with Team Bloch – online
Thu Oct 30
 
 		 11:50 am
 3:00 pm
 4:30 pm		 All the News
Chair Yoga and More – online
Tai Chi Club – online
Fri Oct 31
 
 
 
 		  9:30 am
10:00 am
11:00 am
12:00 noon
 2:00 pm		 Crafts and Conversation
Mah Jongg Club
Homer, etc. – online
Chair Yoga and More – online
Classic Literature Club – online
Sat Nov 1 10:30 am Tai Chi Club – online
Mon Nov 3
 
 		  1:30 pm
 4:00 pm
 4:00 pm		 What’s in the Daily News? – online
Family History/Genealogy Club – online
Chair Yoga and More – online
Tue Nov 4
 
 		  2:00 pm
 4:00 pm
 4:30 pm		 Chair Yoga and More – online
Mah Jongg Club – online
Tai Chi Club – online
Wed Nov 5
 
 
 
 
 		 12:00 noon
 1:30 pm
 1:30 pm
 1:30 pm
 4:00 pm
 4:00 pm		 Chair Yoga and More – online
Board Game Club
Bridge Club
Dabbling Artists Club
History Club – online
Spanish Club – online
Thu Nov 6
 
 
 		 11:50 am
 3:00 pm
 4:00 pm
 4:30 pm		 All the News
Chair Yoga and More – online
Literary Book Club – online
Tai Chi Club – online
Fri Nov 7 10:00 am Town Hall Meeting
Sat Nov 8 10:30 am Tai Chi Club – online

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About OLLI E-News

OLLI E-News was created by Rod Zumbro, who served as its editor from 2005 to 2013.

Editorial Staff
Chief Editor: Paul Van Hemel
Associate Editor: David Gundry

Weekly Editor Team: David Gundry, Chitra Mohla, John Nash, Paul Van Hemel 
Proofreaders: Rebecca Jann, Susan Van Hemel, Thomas Appich, Martha Kossoff, Anne Hartshorn, Bonnie Becker, Carol McManus

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: [email protected].
Deadline: Tuesday, 6:00, for that week's issue (Monday, 6:00, 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:olli.gmu.edu/" without the quotes.

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AT GEORGE MASON UNIVERSITY

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Email: [email protected]

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