The University of South Alabama Archaeology Museum is opening its fall lecture series with a look at one of the Gulf Coast’s most storied stretches of shoreline. Della Scott-Ireton of the Florida Public Archaeology Network will speak on the archaeology of Gulf Islands National Seashore on Sept. 14 at 6 p.m. at the museum, located at 6052 USA Drive S. on the University of South Alabama campus.
Gulf Islands National Seashore, managed by the National Park Service, stretches across barrier islands and coastal areas near Pensacola, including Santa Rosa Island. The park is known for its undisturbed beaches, dunes and marshes that provide habitat for a wide range of wildlife, but the land and surrounding waters also hold a deep and often overlooked archaeological record. Scott-Ireton’s presentation will cover several of the seashore’s most significant sites, including the remains of a Spanish colonial presidio and multiple shipwrecks spanning different eras of Gulf Coast history.
The talk kicks off what organizers hope will be a well-attended series of programs at the museum through the fall semester, drawing on researchers and specialists from across the region to speak on archaeological topics tied to the Gulf Coast. Admission information and future dates in the series are available through the museum. Those interested in attending or learning more can call 251-460-6106 or email Candice Cravins at ccravins@southalabama.edu.
Also on the local arts calendar this month, Mobile native Steve Evans is finding an audience online for his one-man show tackling his own cancer diagnosis with dark comedy. Evans’ act, titled “Brother Luther Powell vs. Cancer,” debuted this summer at Yippie Fest in Chicago, a successor to the long-running Abbie Hoffman Died for Our Sins Theatre Festival, and is now posted on YouTube for local audiences to watch.
The performance is built around a fictional Southern preacher character, Brother Luther Powell, whom Evans has portrayed for years in his trademark seersucker suit, colorful tie and two-tone wingtips. This time, though, the suit fits noticeably looser, a visual reminder of the weight Evans has lost during his real-life battle with small-cell cancer over the past year. The roughly 20-minute set walks through the unusual circumstances of his diagnosis, discovered after a vehicular accident, and continues through chemotherapy and the unexpected moments of humanity and humor that came with it, including an anecdote about a police officer giving him a ride to obtain liquid morphine.
Rounding out the month’s offerings, the University of South Alabama’s faculty recital series will welcome a guest artist from outside the department when Columbus State University trumpet professor Robert Murray performs at Laidlaw Recital Hall on the USA campus on Sept. 18 at 7:30 p.m. Murray will be joined by pianist Alina Sarkisyan-Bennett for a program billed as both accessible and musically substantial.
Murray has built a career praised for his tone and stage presence, with performances spanning international orchestras, the Dallas Brass and Broadway pit orchestras. He currently serves as principal trumpet of the North Charleston POPS! in South Carolina. Tickets for the Sept. 18 recital are $8 general admission and $5 for USA faculty, staff, students, youth under 18 and senior citizens, available at the door on a cash-or-check basis. Those with questions about the recital can contact Peter Wood at 251-460-7821.
Together, the three events reflect a busy stretch on Mobile’s arts and education calendar, offering residents chances to explore coastal archaeology, catch an unconventional comedy performance born of personal hardship, and hear a visiting classical musician share the stage with USA’s own faculty.