DENTON (UNT), Texas – Big names in entertainment are featured in the 2014-15 season of UNT's Mary Jo and V. Lane Rawlins Fine Arts Series, including musician Bobby McFerrin; actress Laverne Cox from the Netflix series Orange is the New Black; Scott Dikkers, founder of the satirical publication The Onion; and Bill Rosemann, creative director at Marvel Comics.

This season will also feature top-notch educational programs, including a residency and theatre performance by Actors from the London Stage; a concert of music from the Montpellier Codex, which is presented in conjunction with the Texas Medieval Association Symposium; the annual African Cultural Festival, organized by a UNT College of Music professor; two art gallery exhibitions and more.

Media: find the full Fine Arts Series schedule at the bottom of this release.

"The goal of the Fine Arts Series is to enrich the lives of our students and the UNT community," said Assistant Director of Programs Mark Packer. "By sharing art, literature, music and guest speakers at UNT, we aim to inspire learning and greater cultural understanding."

The Fine Arts Series started as the Lyceum Series in 1903 when UNT was North Texas Normal College. Guest artists are brought to the university to entertain and educate the campus community. Events are free for UNT students. Most events are ticketed for faculty, staff and the general public to attend, but some, such as the gallery exhibitions at UNT, are free for everyone.

Tickets may be reserved or purchased online at University Union ticket sale. Tickets go on sale about a month prior to the event. More information on the events throughout the year can be found at the Fine Arts Series Facebook page.

The Mary Jo and V. Lane Rawlins Fine Arts Series 2014-15 schedule includes:

• Discoveries of Meeting Places – Sept. 11 to Oct. 18 in the UNT Art Gallery, 1201 Mulberry St., Denton. The exhibition features photographs by emerging artists from around the world who have participated in the Meeting Place portfolio review of the acclaimed Houston FotoFest Biennial. This year's exhibition features the works of 10 artists chosen by 10 curators from the 2012 Meeting Place.
• Scott Dikkers, founding editor of The Onion – Dikkers presents "Funny Story Behind the Funny Stories" – Sept. 18 (Thursday) 8 p.m. in UNT's Main Auditorium. Dikkers, who started the satirical newspaper The Onion, discusses how he and his friends founded it and transformed it into one of the most popular humor websites on the internet.
• Texas Medieval Association Symposium concert – Oct. 3 (Friday) at 5 p.m. in College of Music Recital Hall, room 301. The concert, presented in conjunction with the annual conference, is Music from the Montpellier Codex. The Codex is a source of pre-Franconian and Franconian choral music compositions.
• Harpist Alice Giles – Oct. 22 (Wednesday) at 8 p.m. in Winspear Hall in the Murchison Performing Arts Center. Giles is one of the world's leading harp soloists and will have a multi-media performance.
• Actors From the London Stage – presents Much Ado About Nothing on Oct. 28 (Tuesday) and Nov 1 (Saturday) at 8 p.m. in the Main Auditorium. The acting group will be in residency at UNT from Oct. 27 to Nov. 1 with the Department of English, teaching about Shakespeare, as well as public speaking and presentation.
• Collections, Cultures and Collaborations – Jan. 29 to March 7, 2015, in the UNT Art Gallery, 1201 Mulberry St., Denton. Guest curator from Chicago Tempestt Hazel will curate an exhibition that will include modern and postmodern artwork from the College of Visual Arts and Design's Permanent Collection.
• Bobby McFerrin with the One O'Clock Lab Band – the Feb. 5 (Thursday) performance at 8 p.m. in Winspear Hall of the Murchison Performing Arts Center will see McFerrin joining the One O'Clock Lab Band as a guest for their annual spring Glenn E. Gomez Endowment concert. Most famous for his a cappella hit "Don't Worry, Be Happy," McFerrin is a 10-time Grammy winner combines pop music with fine art.
• Eleni of Sparta Indian Cultural Dance – Feb. 20 (Friday) at 8 p.m. in the Main Auditorium. This dance event is an Indo Greek retelling of the life of Helen of Troy choreographed and presented by Rajika Puri, who uses Western and Indian dance and theater in the piece. Pre- and post-show talks will be facilitated by dance instructor Dr. Uttara Asha Coorlawala.
• Laverne Cox, actress on Orange is the New Black – Feb. 24 (Tuesday) at 7 p.m. in Murchison Performing Arts Center. Cox, an actress, producer and transgender advocate, will talk about the transgender experience and representation of transgender issues in the media.
• Bill Rosemann, creative director of Marvel Comics – Feb. 27 (Friday) at 7 p.m. in the Main Auditorium. Rosemann has shaped some of Marvel's most popular characters and will discuss who the world of comics inspires people to be the best in life and career.
• African Culture Festival – April 11 (Saturday) at 8 p.m. in Voertman Hall. UNT percussion professor Gideon Foli Alorwoyie, who is a tribal chief from the Volta Region of Ghana, West Africa, organizes this annual festival that includes traditional dance and music.
• Organist Daniel Roth – April 22 (Wednesday) at 8 p.m. in the Main Auditorium. One of the leading French organ virtuosos, Roth is a composer and performer who will perform an organ recital for audiences.
• 14th Annual Campus Songwriters Competition – April 28 (Tuesday) at 7:30 p.m. in the Gateway Center. The annual competition invites songwriters to perform original compositions with the winning musician receiving an invitation to perform and compete for prizes at Kerville Folk Festival.

Media: Please note that if you would like to interview any of the guest artists, we require at least two weeks advance notice. Consent to interviews are at the guest artist's discretion.

About the Mary Jo and V. Lane Rawlins Fine Arts Series

The Fine Arts Series began as the Lyceum Series in 1903 when UNT was North Texas Normal College. The series has grown over the past century while never losing sight of its purpose to enrich UNT students' lives and provide a higher quality of life at the university. Now in its 109th season, the series continues to entertain and educate the campus community by presenting an exciting series of performing, visual and literary arts events. All Fine Arts Series performances are presented free of charge to UNT students.