CCM to Host Author Presentations with a Preview of Spring Musical “Yankee Doodle Dandy”
Free programs transport the community to America’s founding of 1776
As the nation reflects on its founding of 250 years ago, County College of Morris (CCM) invites the community to explore the roots of America’s independence through two engaging presentations that bring history to life through scholarship, storytelling and entertainment.
CCM will host a virtual presentation by Dr. Elizabeth Craft, associate professor at the University of Utah School of Music, on Tuesday, April 7 at 5 p.m. in Dragonetti Auditorium. Craft will discuss her book, “Yankee Doodle Dandy: George M. Cohan and the Broadway Stage,” via Zoom, offering insight into the cultural legacy of one of America’s most influential theatrical figures. Following the talk, CCM Musical Theatre majors will provide a lively preview of the college’s spring production, Yankee Doodle Dandy, running April 15 through April 18.
“We’re thrilled to invite the community to join us for history you can hear and scholarship you can see,” said Dr. Michelle Iden, CCM Department of Arts and Humanities. “This should be an evening of insight and performance.”
Continuing the exploration of America’s origins, CCM Professor of History and Political Science Mark Washburne will present an “American Revolution Talk” on Wednesday, April 16 at 12:30 p.m. in Cohen Hall, Room 100. Washburne combines academic expertise with a deep personal connection to the Revolutionary era.
He is the author of a multi-volume biography of Elihu Benjamin Washburne, an Illinois congressman, Secretary of State and Minister to France, who maintained close relationships with Presidents Abraham Lincoln and Ulysses S. Grant. He also traces his own family lineage to participants in the first battles of the American Revolution at Lexington and Concord.
“This is a chance to revisit the moment when history turned,” said Washburne. “The stories of Lexington and Concord are not just national—they are personal, and they continue to shape how we understand freedom and civic responsibility today.”
Both events are free and open to the public. For the Zoom link or additional information, contact CCM’s Department of Arts and Humanities at artsandhum@ccm.edu or call (973) 328-5420. The college is located at 214 Center Grove Road in Randolph. Visitors attending the April 16 event may park in Lot 7.
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