PUC students reap the benefits of Lafayette Convocations
Joelle Halon
Issue date: 3/8/10 Section: Entertainment
As students at PUC, we sometimes forget Purdue University Lafayette is the main campus and about a two hour drive away from NWI. For some students, weekends may consist of going to the Lafayette campus for research or to visit friends, for others, PUL might as well be on a distant planet.
However, many PUC students may not know PUL has many shows and events that go on during the course of a semester. In addition to these shows, as Purdue students, we have an opportunity to buy tickets early and see those shows at a special rate.
"All students at Purdue campuses and Ivy Tech Lafayette are eligible to receive discounted tickets," Abigail Eddy said, the Director of Marketing at Purdue Convocations.
According to their website, Purdue Convocations is one of the oldest collegiate performing arts presenters in the U.S. Each year, Convocations offers around 40 shows to the student body and surrounding community.
During these 40 performances, many different genres are featured including Broadway shows, children's theatre, world music, comedy, and rock, pop and country music shows.
"Past artists/shows include Lewis Black, Robin Williams, Jason Mraz, O.A.R [and] the Broadway musical 'Mamma Mia,'" Eddy said.
In January, Lady GaGa performed and on March 5 Skillet made an appearance.
"The director of Convocations, Todd Wetzel, begins planning each season almost a year in advance," Eddy said. "Sometimes it takes that long to know if shows such as 'Mamma Mia,' 'Jesus Christ Superstar,' 'Avenue Q' will be routed through West Lafayette."
Given Convocations history of great performances, 2010 also promises to be a good year. Some performances include country singer Dierks Bentley on April 10 and Tony Award winning Broadway show "Avenue Q," which, for those who are not familiar with the show, is a musical featuring puppets.
With promoting, Convocations Assistant Director Laura Clavio and the Student Concert Committee help promote shows headlined by big name stars. Clavio and the SCC also interview students to find out what shows they want to see, then the information is relayed to Wetzel who tries to book the shows.
Additionally, for those of you who are K-12 educators attending PUC, Convocations also has on-campus student matinees. These matinees are designed to connect to your school's curriculum in order to help enhance student learning. For example, this past January, Convocations put on Crockett Johnson's "The Adventures of Harold and the Purple Crayon," a puppet-play designed for preschool to third grade classes and connects to reading, literacy, creative writing, art and problem solving curriculums.
Tickets are $5 per student and study guides are available online.
Besides big name and educational shows, Convocations also occasionally hosts professional touring acts. Sometimes, student choirs are allowed to perform, but not always.
"A few years ago one of the campus choruses performed with the Kronos Quartet," Eddy said. "One piece that the quartet performed, "Sun Rings," called for a choir of 30-40 voices. Each time the piece is performed the quartet likes to invite a local choir to sing with them."
Convocations shows should not be missed, and as a student, you have an opportunity to get your tickets early and at a discounted price. What are you waiting for?
For ticket information, visit this website.
However, many PUC students may not know PUL has many shows and events that go on during the course of a semester. In addition to these shows, as Purdue students, we have an opportunity to buy tickets early and see those shows at a special rate.
"All students at Purdue campuses and Ivy Tech Lafayette are eligible to receive discounted tickets," Abigail Eddy said, the Director of Marketing at Purdue Convocations.
According to their website, Purdue Convocations is one of the oldest collegiate performing arts presenters in the U.S. Each year, Convocations offers around 40 shows to the student body and surrounding community.
During these 40 performances, many different genres are featured including Broadway shows, children's theatre, world music, comedy, and rock, pop and country music shows.
"Past artists/shows include Lewis Black, Robin Williams, Jason Mraz, O.A.R [and] the Broadway musical 'Mamma Mia,'" Eddy said.
In January, Lady GaGa performed and on March 5 Skillet made an appearance.
"The director of Convocations, Todd Wetzel, begins planning each season almost a year in advance," Eddy said. "Sometimes it takes that long to know if shows such as 'Mamma Mia,' 'Jesus Christ Superstar,' 'Avenue Q' will be routed through West Lafayette."
Given Convocations history of great performances, 2010 also promises to be a good year. Some performances include country singer Dierks Bentley on April 10 and Tony Award winning Broadway show "Avenue Q," which, for those who are not familiar with the show, is a musical featuring puppets.
With promoting, Convocations Assistant Director Laura Clavio and the Student Concert Committee help promote shows headlined by big name stars. Clavio and the SCC also interview students to find out what shows they want to see, then the information is relayed to Wetzel who tries to book the shows.
Additionally, for those of you who are K-12 educators attending PUC, Convocations also has on-campus student matinees. These matinees are designed to connect to your school's curriculum in order to help enhance student learning. For example, this past January, Convocations put on Crockett Johnson's "The Adventures of Harold and the Purple Crayon," a puppet-play designed for preschool to third grade classes and connects to reading, literacy, creative writing, art and problem solving curriculums.
Tickets are $5 per student and study guides are available online.
Besides big name and educational shows, Convocations also occasionally hosts professional touring acts. Sometimes, student choirs are allowed to perform, but not always.
"A few years ago one of the campus choruses performed with the Kronos Quartet," Eddy said. "One piece that the quartet performed, "Sun Rings," called for a choir of 30-40 voices. Each time the piece is performed the quartet likes to invite a local choir to sing with them."
Convocations shows should not be missed, and as a student, you have an opportunity to get your tickets early and at a discounted price. What are you waiting for?
For ticket information, visit this website.
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