Merlin CCC

Building Community through Laughter: Comedy & the Good Life
2026-06-07 18:00 - 21:00 (America/Denver) | The Ming Opera House (Shriner’s Temple), 15 N. Jackson Street, Helena, Montana, 59601, United States
About the Program

Comedy, community, and philosophy go hand in hand — especially when comedian and philosopher Rodney Norman is on the mic! In this fun “thinky” comedy show and post-show talk-back program, get ready to laugh and ponder BIG questions about life.

Known for his hilariously unassuming, dead-pan, and delightfully disarming vulnerability, Rodney’s humor blends clean, family-friendly comedy with an infectious and uncontainable amount of joyful exuberance replete with philosophical wisdom.

Laughter without a tinge of philosophy is but a sneeze of humor. Genuine humor is replete with wisdom. mark twain, quoted in mark twain and i

Through raw and honest stories from his life that are belly-laugh inspiring and relatable to all, audiences will be invited to think about things like friendship, courage, justice, humility, happiness, love, and community. Post-show conversation will build on and explore some of the themes present in Rodney’s comedic work and Q & A.

Free and open to the public. Doors open at 6pm. Show starts at 6:30pm, with an opening act by local comedian Kaiser Leib. Post-show talkback with Rodney Norman to follow performance facilitated by community philosophers Marisa Diaz-Waian & Mitch Conway.

event detailsSunday, June 7th (6pm-9pm)Doors Open @6pmShow starts @ 6:30pmOpening Performance: Kaiser LeibHeadliner Performance: Rodney Norman~ Post-show talk-back w/ Rodney to follow ~Cash Bar.FREE. Limited capacity. Registration requested to ensure seating. Save Your Seat

While this event is free to the public, we are asking people to register so that we can keep track of anticipated attendance. The Ming Opera House is a large venue but still has limits on its seating capacity. Your ticket registration helps us ensure that we have enough seats for you and your guests!

Secure your seat for this free community event here!

Want to See more?Visit our project page for more details, watch some stand-up videos of Rodney, and learn more about this fun program, our comedian, and facilitators. Click here to be whisked away to our Comedy & the Good Life project page!

Laughter without a tinge of philosophy is but a sneeze of humor. Genuine humor is replete with wisdom. mark twain, quoted in mark twain and i

Photo by Marija Zaric on Unsplash

Photo by Mauricio Manzato on Unsplash

Photo by Lydia Williams on Unsplash

Philosophy Think & Drink
2026-06-11 19:00 - 21:00 | Reeder’s Alley Conference Center, 101 Reeder's Alley, Helena, MT, 59601, United States
Fun Gatherings that Stimulate the Mind!
Our Philosophy Think & Drinks are casual, community-oriented gatherings that are intellectually stimulating and fun. You don’t need a background in philosophy to enjoy & participate. An open mind & desire to engage in thoughtful dialogue (whether from a listening or contribution standpoint) is all that’s needed! For those who love philosophy but prefer not to partake in the libations side of things, don’t let that stop you from participating in the fun. We emphasize the think over the drink!
When
2nd Thursday of every month from 7pm-9pm
Where
Reeder’s Alley — In the colder months, we’ll meet indoors in the Conference Center. In the warmer, we’ll meet outdoors in the Pavilion.
Other
Light snacks provided. BYOB.

How Do They Work?
Step into the dojo! Our Think & Drinks are monthly gatherings that consist of a “meeting of minds” over libations. After nabbing goodies and seats, getting acquainted & settling in…the eve begins.

No topics are off-limit; no questions are too broad, narrow, abstract, or concrete. Questions are posed by participants in a “round-robin” fashion, clarified, and then voted upon collectively.
Once our “avenue of philosophical pursuit” is in place, we’re ready to dive into a fun night of facilitated philosophical discussion.

Making Society a Better Place: On Accountability & Responsibility
2026-09-02 18:00 - 20:30 | Montana
What We’ll Explore
From pedophile church scandals and Wall Street Fraud, to improper sports betting by athletes and addiction-related tragedies…how might we make society a better place?

In this evening’s program led by Hon. Mark C. Dillon, we’ll examine this question through the lens of philosophy and ask:

What kinds of personal responsibilities do we have to others?
Does our society have a tolerance level? If so, where are we at? What kinds of things contribute to our tolerances (or lack thereof)?
Do we have fewer guardrails now than we did in the past? Are the guardrails we have sometimes ineffective?
How can we hold ourselves and institutions accountable?

WHEN & WHEREWednesday, September 2nd6pm-8:30pm (MST)Venue: TBDCOSTFree (Donations appreciated)BYOB & snacks provided

About Our Discussion Facilitator

A Justice of the New York State Appellate Division, Second Judicial Department, and senior associate justice of the court, Mark C. Dillon has over 19 years of experience on the bench. An adjunct professor of Practice at Fordham Law School and celebrated author (Montana Vigilantes 1863-1870: Gold, Guns & Gallows and The First Chief Justice: John Jay and the Struggle of a New Nation), he earned his B.A. from Colgate University, M.A. from NYU, and J.D. from Fordham Law School. Through Fordham, Mark has volunteered time over three summers teaching mediation techniques to tribal chiefs, priests, and imams in remote regions of western Africa. A lifetime long distance runner, he has four children are grown, and he resides with his wife in Dutchess County, NY.

Read more about Hon. Mark C. Dillon…
Justice Dillon was elected to the state’s Supreme Court in the Ninth Judicial District in 1999 and re-elected in 2013. Prior, he served as a Judge of the Westchester County Court in 1997 and as a Town Justice of the Town of Yorktown from 1988 to 1997. His career also includes three years as a Westchester County Assistant District Attorney, and a total of twelve years as a trial attorney at the law firms of Cerussi & Spring P.C. and Dillon & Sarcone, LLP. in White Plains, NY.

A contributing author of McKinney’s CPLR Practice Commentaries beginning with the 2019 supplements, and has written six new hard cover volumes that have replaced those earlier authored by the late Professor David Siegel. He has published seven law review articles during the past decade through the Albany, Pace, NYU, Cardozo, and Hofstra Law Schools.

Justice Dillon also published a 449-page hard cover book of legal history entitled Montana Vigilantes 1863-1870: Gold, Guns & Gallows (Univ. of Colorado Press, 2013), one of five books nominated for A History Book of the Year by the Mountains and Plains Independent Booksellers Association. More recently, he authored a book of legal history entitled The First Chief Justice: John Jay and the Struggle of a New Nation (SUNY Press, 2022), which focuses on Jay’s career and cases while the first Chief Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court. The Jay book was one of ten books nominated nationally for History Book of the Year by the Foreward Independent Booksellers’ Association.

Make a Donation Here!

Thank you to Our Community Partners

Art as Transformation: Art & the Good Life
2026-10-11 17:00 - 21:00 | The Ming Opera House (Shriner’s Temple), 15 N. Jackson Street, Helena, Montana, 59601, United States
About the Program

Featuring live music, visual and performance art, storytelling, dialogue, and more, our “Art as Transformation” program is an innovative public philosophy project that explores the role of art in our everyday lives and its relationship to human flourishing. Inspired by the ancient Greek concept of eudaimonia*, our program invites people to experience and reflect on the transformative power of art, and how and why it contributes to good living.

What to ExpectACT 1: Kick up your feet, settle in, and get ready for a one-of-a-kind, interactive, and engaging live performance by local musicians and performance artists. 3 “mash-up” musical sets accompanied by visual imagery, dance, narration, and a mic…with brushstrokes of art, history, and philosophy throughout.INTERMISSION ACT: Be swept into a world of ideas with our toga-clad thespians. Is happiness & pleasure where it’s at? Meaning & purpose? Justice & Beauty? Explore artwork and see what glimpses of these look like through local artists’eyes.ACT 2: Lean back and hear from some of our guest artists about what the arts have to do with good living. Facilitated conversation, inquiry, and audience Q & A.BONUS: As part of our arts & the good life programming this year, we also have an event scheduled for the Summer of 2026 that is sure to have you in stitches. Click on the arrow below to get a quick sneak peek or visit our Building Community through Laughter: Comedy & the Good Life.

Photo by Jason Rosewell on Unsplash

Want to See more?Visit our project page for more details and to peek at the awesome group of humans and organizations involved in this project.Click here to be whisked away to our Art as Transformation page!

Photo by Clem Onojeghuo on Unsplash

Photo by Ron Smith on Unsplash

Photo by Jon Tyson on Unsplash

Giving Tuesday 2026
2026-12-01 00:00 - 23:59
WHAT IS GIVING TUESDAY?
GivingTuesday was created in 2012 as a simple idea: a day that encourages people to do good. Since then, it has grown into a year-round global movement that inspires hundreds of millions of people to give, collaborate, and celebrate generosity.
When: Tuesday, December 1st (Starting @ 12am for 24-Hours)
How to give: Stay tuned…
Give by check: Make out to ‘Merlin CCC’, write ‘GivingTuesday’ in the memo line, and mail to 119 Reeder’s Alley, Helena MT 59601

WHY GIVE TO MERLIN?
Imagine a world where thoughtful dialogue & community co-exist. Where differing perspectives break bread. Where understanding, truth, and wisdom is a goal. Imagine you live in that world, that city, that neighborhood, that community.
Be part of that vision. Invest in that community. Support philosophy.
Your contributions on GivingTuesday will help to support our Winter & Spring philosophy in the community programming, critical, creative thinking, the exchange of ideas, and the application of philosophy to everyday living. Our programs are free to the community and are opportunities for people of all backgrounds and ages — from children to elders — to gather, to learn from and with one another, and to uniquely cultivate their personal and civic selves.
