May 13, 2002 Arboretum's gardens to host literary, visual and performing arts By Ann M. Gibb If spring is here, can Art in the Arboretum be far behind? This annual event--to be held May 19 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.--showcases the literary, visual, and performing arts talent of UC Santa Cruz students and faculty. The free event at the Arboretum highlights a wide array of the arts at UCSC. The world-renowned gardens of the UCSC Arboretum, showing their full spring colors, are the venue for six hours of free theater, dance, music, readings, and more. Highlights of Art in the Arboretum will include: A 50-minute version of The Merry Wives of Windsor, presented by Shakespeare To Go. A cast of 10 actors, all UCSC students, perform multiple roles and demonstrate that theater as intricate and complex as Shakespeare's can be made clear and vital for audiences of all ages. Shakespeare To Go is coproduced by Shakespeare Santa Cruz and the UCSC Theater Arts Department. Internationally known dance artist and faculty member Mel Wong, and his company of UCSC dancers, will return for the third time with a new performance. A choreographer and visual artist, Wong explores the relationship between visual arts and the environment. UCSC students Julia Bell, a painter, and Evan Holm, a sculptor, will collaborate on the outdoor installation of a kinetic sculpture incorporating interconnected fish tanks mounted on tripods. UCSC literature and creative writing faculty Charles Atkinson, Peter Orner, Micah Perks, and David Swanger and their students will be reading selections from their recent works. UCSC student and percussionist Kellsey Johannes, and five fellow musicians, will perform during the event. New paintings by UCSC visual arts students will also be on display in the Horticulture Building. The exhibition will be open May 11, 12, 15, 16, 17, and 18 from noon to 3 p.m. and on May 19 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Food prepared under the direction of local chef Jozseph "India Joze" Schultz will be available for purchase. Event parking at $5 a car is available beginning at 9:30 a.m. in the Arboretum's Eucalyptus Grove, on High Street three-tenths of a mile north of Bay Street. From the Eucalyptus Grove visitors may take a shuttle bus or walk to the event in the main part of the Arboretum. The main entrance to the Arboretum is on Empire Grade (the continuation of High Street) six-tenths of a mile north of Bay Street. City buses serve the Arboretum and stop within one-eighth of a mile of the main entrance. There is no admission charge for Art in the Arboretum. For more information call (831) 427-2298 or see the UCSC Arboretum web site. Return to Front Page