Cultural Arts Series ready to enter tenth year

Courtesy photo The 2010-2010 Cultural Arts Series line up includes a performance of “The Music Man.”

The Clovis Community College Cultural Arts Series schedule is set for its 10th year.

The schedule includes a plethora of entertainment ranging from a Broadway musical to a cirque show.

“The whole theme is bringing the world to you and we’ve done that,” series Director Christy Mendoza said.

Kicking off the series is top Eagles tribute band, Hotel California. For more than two decades, Hotel California has accurately reproduced the Grammy award winning sounds of the Eagles, showcasing hits such as “Take it Easy,” “Heartache Tonight” and “One of These Nights.”

Mendoza said she is thrilled to include regional presentations in the line up this year.

The southwest tour of “Bless Me, Ultima” is stopping in Clovis. The play is based on the book that was written by Rudolpho Anaya, who grew up in Santa Rosa. Anaya adapted the book for the stage and the play will be performed in his old home town of Santa Rosa after Clovis. The Clovis performance will include four Clovis youth, Mendoza said.

Hillary Smith, Chris Dracup & Soul Kitchen are from New Mexico as well as the Fiesta Navidad de Mariachi group. Mendoza said the mariachi group is the same group that drew in almost 1,000 people last year.

Mendoza said that while the variety hasn’t changed in the series’ 10 years, the quality of performances has.

“We’ve come a long way with a lot of things,” Mendoza said. “We had 30 people in the audience at any given performance when we first started and I was related to most of them.”

Mendoza said the last event held last year at Marshall Auditorium was attended by 950 people.

“Our program creates a niche for people in the community who really want this,” Mendoza said.

Mendoza and CCC's Director of Resource Development Stephanie Spencer focused on keeping season tickets affordable. Since the program began in 2000, season tickets have remained at $200.

“It’s important to make the arts available to those who wouldn’t otherwise see them or couldn’t afford to,” Mendoza said.

The program also has an outreach aspect. A few groups each year perform for Clovis Municipal Schools students for free, simply to bring something new to the students.