Unspeakable

"God's Ear," a recent off-Broadway success by playwright Jenny Schwartz '95, runs Oct. 22-26 and Oct. 29-Nov. 1 at 7:30 p.m. with matinees Oct. 26 and Nov. 1-2 at 2 p.m. in the Schwartz Center's Class of '56 Flexible Theatre. The play is about a family suffering after a child dies. Mel (played by guest artist Kelly Mares) and Ted (Michael Kaplan, a resident professional teaching associate), reeling from the death of their child, illustrate the inability of language to convey meaning. Although poignant, the play is also wickedly funny and witty. Neal Becker '05 designed the set and Sara Clemens '05 the sound. Tickets: 607-254-ARTS.

Follow your bliss

Career expert and best-selling author Marcus Buckingham speaks Oct. 24 at 4:30 p.m. in Call Auditorium, Kennedy Hall. He will discuss his fifth book, "The Truth About You: Your Secret to Success," in which he urges young people to defy the conventional wisdom of choosing a career path primarily for financial security and stability and to follow their strengths and interests. Tickets must be purchased in advance at itickets.com or by phone at 800-965-9324.

Insectapalooza!

Cornell's annual exploration of all things insect takes place Oct. 25 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. in Comstock Hall, home to the Department of Entomology. You can: visit the legendary Insect Zoo and this year's new Butterfly Room; tour the world-famous Cornell Insect Collection, home to more than 5 million specimens; and learn about mutations in insects, how insects impact human and animal health, invasive species, genetically modified organisms and biological control. Meet entomology faculty, students and staff who study insects to find better ways to protect our food, health and biodiversity. Bring your insects and spiders to be identified by our experts or just come and enjoy the displays and exhibits. Free.

Fairly energetic

The Employee Assembly hosts an Energy Fair in Barton Hall, Oct. 27, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., in conjunction with President David Skorton's annual address to staff, from noon to 1 p.m. Businesses and on- and off-campus organizations with an interest in energy and energy savings will mount displays and share information. Free and open to all staff; a low-cost lunch from Cornell Dining will be available.

Organization man

Stanford University Professor Emeritus James G. March -- an expert on organizations and behaviors within them, such as risk taking, decision making and leadership -- presents three Messenger Lectures. He discusses "The Pursuit of Adaptive Intelligence" Oct. 27 at 4:30 p.m. in Lewis Auditorium, Goldwin Smith Hall; "The Replication of Success" Oct. 29 at 4:30 p.m. in 253 Malott Hall; and "The Generation of Novelty" Oct. 30 at 4:30 p.m. in Kaufmann Auditorium, Goldwin Smith Hall.

Einaudi anniversary

"Europa in America: A 20th Anniversary Celebration of the Luigi Einaudi Chair in European and International Studies at Cornell" is the title of a conference to be held Oct. 30 at 4:30 p.m. in G10 Biotechnology Building. The event, which also recognizes the anniversary of the Italian Constitution and commemorates the Oct. 30, 1961, death of Einaudi, will include a panel discussion with members of the Einaudi family, several former Einaudi chair holders and Cornell faculty. A reception follows. Information: 607-255-7592.

Branford and Brazil

Jazz and classical saxophonist Branford Marsalis appears with members of the Philarmonia Brasileira and conductor Gil Jardim Oct. 30 at 8 p.m. in Bailey Hall. "Marsalis Brasilianos" celebrates the music of Brazilian composer Heitor Villa-Lobos (1887-1959) and commemorates the 49th anniversary of his death. Music by Camargo Guarnieri and Darius Milhaud will also be played. An online discount is available to Cornell students and employees with valid netID at cornellconcertseries.com or call 607-273-4497.

Rhythm nation

In advance of the university's "Celebrating Hip-Hop History" conference (Oct. 31-Nov. 1), Cornell Cinema will present two documentaries on hip-hop culture: "Scratch," about DJing, on Oct. 24 and 25; and "Planet B-Boy," about breakdancing. And on Oct. 30, filmmaker Charlie Ahearn will present his seminal 1983 documentary on the pioneers of hip-hop, "Wild Style." Many artists featured in the film will travel to Ithaca to participate in the conference, which celebrates Cornell University Library's acquisition of "Born in the Bronx: The Legacy and Evolution of Hip-Hop," a collection of recordings, photographs, posters and other memorabilia that documents the early days of hip-hop.