Free and ticketed events invite the public to experience performances, exhibitions, lectures and more in McMinnville throughout November.
Despite the chill in the air, Linfield University’s November calendar offers opportunities to experience the arts, explore new ideas and connect with the community. Events include theatre productions, gallery exhibitions, lectures, literary readings and the university’s annual speech and debate tournament. Community members can also volunteer as judges for Linfield’s historic forensics program. All events are free and open to the public unless otherwise noted.
Through Nov. 1: “Improvising Murder: A Homicidal Comedy”
Picking up where “Death By Design” left off, “Improvising Murder: a Homicidal Comedy” returns to the English countryside manor of playwright Edward Bennett and his actress wife, Sorel, as they anxiously await a London theatre critic’s review of Edward’s latest play.
Along with an eccentric group of guests — including a surrealist, a costume designer, a young actor trained in the Stanislavski method, an up-and-coming American starlet and a reporter for “The Tittle Tattle” — the couple faces another mysterious death. As the guests try to discover whodunit, they retrace and improvise the events leading to the victim’s demise, with hilarious results.
Directed by Janet Gupton, performances continue at 7:30 p.m. Oct. 29 and 30 and at 2 p.m. Oct. 31 and Nov. 1. Special events over closing weekend are:
- Oct. 30: Linfield Theatre Alumni Appreciation Night: Linfield Theatre alumni from 2000-2026 are invited to celebrate Professor Janet Gupton’s retirement at “Improvising Murder.” After the show, look for hidden “easter eggs” from past productions and enjoy light refreshments as we toast Gupton’s career.
- Oct. 31: Halloween Costume Contest: Wear an Art Deco or other Halloween costume to the “Improvising Murder” matinee and stay for the post-show contest. Prizes include gift certificates, tickets to Into the Woods and bragging rights for best costume.
Tickets are on sale now at linfield.edu/arts. Prices are $14 for general admission, $12 for seniors ages 62 and older and Linfield faculty and staff, and $10 for students ages 13 and older from any school. Box office hours are 3 to 5 p.m. on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, from 3 to 7:30 p.m. on performance nights and from noon to 2 p.m. for matinees.
Through Nov. 14: “Cross+Roads” exhibition by Danielle O’Malley
“Cross+Roads,” an exhibit by Montana-based sculptor Danielle O’Malley, will be featured in the Linfield Gallery in the Miller Fine Arts Center at Linfield University through Nov. 14.
O’Malley’s large-scale ceramic work explores environmental awareness. The exhibition features ceramics, textiles and mixed-media sculpture made with found and natural materials. The artist will be working with students in a collaborative project to create part of this exhibition.
Gallery hours are Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturdays from noon to 5 p.m. For more information on the exhibition, please visit www.linfield.edu/arts.
Through Nov. 20: “The Photographic Journey of Rusty Rae” exhibit
An exhibition at Nicholson Library celebrates Linfield alumnus and award-winning photojournalist Rusty Rae ’68 and his six decades behind the camera. The exhibition runs through Nov. 20.
A longtime Oregon photojournalist, Rae has documented presidents, athletes, entertainers, historic events and everyday life throughout his career. Featuring images from Linfield, McMinnville, sports, travel and around the world, the exhibit captures the people and moments he has witnessed and preserved through photography.
Proceeds from photo sales benefit the Claudia Jane Rae Endowed Scholarship, named in honor of Rae’s late wife.
Nov. 5: Ken and Donna Ericksen Lecture explores microbes in American literature
Join Kym Weed for the 2026 Ken and Donna Ericksen Lecture, “The Microbial Imagination in Nineteenth-Century American Literature and Science” from 5:30-6:30 p.m. in T.J. Day Hall, room 222.
Weed is a teaching associate professor at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She also serves as co-director of the HHIVE Lab and associate director of the Literature, Medicine, and Culture Graduate Programs. She is an interdisciplinary scholar of health humanities, disability studies and American literature.
As the new science of bacteria rendered visible a vibrant world with microbial life, American writers and scientists turned to a diverse set of imaginative forms to make sense of the outsized impact of microscopic life on human health. The lecture explores how writers and scientists alike grappled with the implications of bacterial agency and human-microbe relationships, developing diverse and often contradictory ways of imagining microbial life
Focusing on the period before microbes were deemed enemies to be contained or eradicated, this talk suggests that nineteenth-century microbial imaginaries offer alternative ways of thinking about contemporary environmental and public health crises.
Nov. 6: Facilitating Conversation
Linfield’s Learning Across Boundaries (LAB), in collaboration with Oregon Humanities, will host a three-hour training on leading reflective conversations about topics relevant to local communities from 5:30-8:30 p.m. Nov. 6 in Jonasson Hall.
Led by Jennifer Alkezweeny, program director at Oregon Humanities, the training will explore community and belonging. Participants will practice facilitation techniques and leave with resources to apply these skills in their own communities.
The training is free and open to Linfield students, employees and Yamhill County residents. Dinner will be provided, and space is limited. Register by Nov. 3.
Nov. 8: Acorn to Oak Autumn Soirée
The Acorn to Oak Autumn Soirée returns from 1-4 p.m. Nov. 8 at Abbey Road Farm in Carlton, celebrating Oregon’s wine community.
Guests can enjoy catered bites paired with wine and live music by Jacob Westfall. Prizes and raffle items will be awarded throughout the afternoon.
Acorn to Oak Club and Oak & Vine Society members receive two complimentary tickets per membership. To claim tickets, sign in to your account and complete the regular checkout process. The price will automatically adjust to $0 on the final review page.
General admission is $35 per person and includes food and wine tastings. Get tickets on the Acorn to Oak Wine Experience webpage.
Nov. 10: Reading @ the Nick presents Adam Petersen
Join Adam Peterson, winner of the Association of Writers & Writing Programs’ (AWP) 2025 Grace Paley Award, for a reading from his debut short-story collection “ANY TIME BUT THIS TIME” in the Nicholson Library’s Austin Reading Room. The reading starts at 5:30 p.m. Nov. 10, with a question-and-answer session to follow.
Petersen’s collection spans human history and geography, blending humor, daring storytelling and the unexpected. Its characters include the first woman on Earth grieving among Neanderthals, the last man alive confronting the end of love, a young woman seeking to shape the founding of America, and children venturing into space to encounter alien life while searching for connection.
For readers who enjoy the work of George Saunders and Kelly Link, the collection explores the possibilities of short fiction through stories that cross eras and challenge expectations.
Nov. 13-15: 96th annual Mahaffey Speech and Debate Tournament
The Linfield forensics team will host the 96th annual Mahaffey Speech and Debate Tournament at Linfield’s McMinnville campus Nov. 13-15.
Continuing a long Linfield tradition of public speaking and debate, college students will compete in debate, public speaking and performance events across a range of formats. The team has also competed in tournaments throughout the fall.
Last year, about 350 college students and coaches attended the tournament at Linfield.
Community members are invited to volunteer as judges. Learn more about volunteering through the survey form.
Nov. 13-21: “Ride the Cyclone, The Musical”
Linfield Theatre’s third fall production is “Ride the Cyclone,” a darkly comic musical about six teenagers who die in a roller coaster accident.
Set in Uranium City, Saskatchewan, the musical follows the teenage spirits as they find themselves in a liminal space. A mechanized fortune teller offers them the chance to return to life. With music, lyrics and a book by Jacob Richmond and Brooke Maxwell, the show takes audiences on a roller coaster of tragedy and triumph.
Directed by Derek Lane, performances are Nov. 13-14 and Nov. 19-20 at 7:30 p.m., with a matinee Nov. 21 at 2 p.m. The opening-night performance on Nov. 13 will include wine and light refreshments to celebrate the cast, crew and creative team.
Tickets are $16 for general admission, $14 for seniors ages 62 and older and Linfield faculty and staff, and $10 for students from any school.
Seating is reserved. Recommended for ages 13 and older. For more information, tickets, special events and directions, visit linfield.edu/arts.
Nov. 15: Phi Sigma Sigma Founder’s Day 5K
Put on your sneakers and join the Phi Sigma Sigma sorority for a 5K run or walk from 3-6 p.m. Nov. 15. Participants will gather in the courtyard at Walker Hall, facing Linfield Avenue.
Nov. 16: Alpha Phi King of Hearts
Alpha Phi’s King of Hearts, a pageant-style fundraiser, takes place Nov. 16 from 7:30-9:30 p.m. in Ice Auditorium at Melrose Hall. The event benefits the Alpha Phi Foundation, which supports women’s heart health.
Nov. 18: Friendsgiving
Bring your appetite to Friendsgiving, a fundraising dinner from 6-9 p.m. Nov. 18 at T.J. Day Hall. The event supports the See Ya Later Foundation, a local nonprofit that assists families facing serious medical challenges. Admission is $2, and food is available while supplies last.
Nov. 30: Opera and Musical Theatre Showcase
Join the Linfield singers for an evening of selections from classic operas and contemporary musical theatre. Doors open at 6:30 p.m., and the performance runs from 7-8:30 p.m. in Delkin Recital Hall at the Vivian A. Bull Music Center. Admission is free, and no tickets are required.
See more Linfield events at linfield.edu/calendar.html or view the comprehensive athletic schedule of events at golinfieldwildcats.com/calendar.
