MERCED — A partnership between the University of California, Merced, and the Gallo Center for the Arts allows members of the community to support cultural and artistic experiences for students.
The university will take a chartered bus of students and community members to see performances at the new arts center in Modesto. “Break! The Urban Funk Spectacular,” a show highlighting the history of hip-hop dance, will take the stage later this month, and the national Broadway tour of “CATS” will make its stop in May.
Thanks to the generous sponsorship of Mason, Robbins, Gnass & Browning, UC Merced students will be able to see shows on April 26 and May 3 for $10 apiece, which includes transportation via chartered bus. Tickets will be available to the public at $60 apiece for “Break!” and $65 for “CATS.”
“A portion of the public’s ticket price will go toward subsidizing students’ transportation costs,” said Charles Nies, associate vice chancellor of Student Affairs at UC Merced. “This allows members of the community to enjoy a great night of entertainment while also supporting our student body.”
Though purchasing tickets to the show through the university entitles community members to ride along with students to Modesto, they are not obligated to do so.
Dave Pier, executive director of the Gallo Center for the Arts, commented, “this is the beginning of a terrific partnership, which we expect to grow and blossom in the future.
“One of the primary thrusts of the center’s mission is arts education, so it makes perfect sense to be working together to create opportunities for UC Merced students to participate in events taking place at the center and to connect with the world-class artists now visiting the region.”
As part of the partnership, “Break!” cast members will be on campus at noon April 23 to present a street-dancing demonstration, which should further inspire students to attend the April 26 show in Modesto.
“It’s an opportunity to expose students to the arts in a way that’s both fun and convenient,” Nies said.
Tickets may be purchased through the UC Merced Cashier’s Office on the first floor of the Kolligian Library, and paid for with cash or personal check. Buses will leave the UC Merced Lake Lot (near the campus entrance at 5200 N. Lake Road, in Merced) at 6 p.m. April 26 and May 3. For information, contact the Office of Student Life, (209) 228-5433.
