CORRECTION: The original story was missing paragraphs.
LBCC is hosting a Before the Spotlight art showcase on May 21st-24th at the LAC campus, at the same time, the premiere showing of 57’ Chevy opens doors at the LAC campus at Bob and Barbara Ellis Auditorium Mainstage Theatre.
A student reception will occur before the performance, where there will be food, music and student art for the audience watching the show to look at beforehand.
Before the art showcase, LBCC had a student art contest where the applicants were able to submit their own personal body or virtual piece of work that will be featured in the art showcase where they will announce the top three winners who will gain a cash prize.
In order for work to be looked over for the art showcase, students were to submit their work at LAC Student Union B105 by April 13-17.
“3D sculptures, paintings, a movie, or a short film can be submitted with a five-minute limitation,” said Dean Deborah Miller of student affairs. Miller, along with other deans and art faculty, will be judging the artwork.
While the art contest must follow the theme for 57’ Chevy, students are given the opportunity to showcase their work.
Writer of 57’ Chevy, Chris Franco carried a large imagination and got the majority of his inspiration from Hollywood in the 50’s-70’s TV shows, artists participating in the art show can get their inspiration for their work.
“He [Franco] has a lot of influence from Hollywood of his time, right in the 50s, 60s and 70s TV shows…that built up his imagination or he always had it actually,” said Abraham Figueroa, actor who plays Chris in the play.
Artists will make a piece on a theme for the play 57’ Chevy that follows the guidelines found in a flyer regarding the contest.
The flyer for the Student Art Contest says, “Dimensions: 4ft (W) x 5ft (H) x 3ft (D) or 11in x 17in – Weight Max 40 lbs.”
This separate event will then lead up to the world premiere of 57’ Chevy.
The play that the art will be featured in is 57’ Chevy that portrays the life of the writer of the play, Chris Franco, who shares memories with his father before and after his decision to uproot and immigrate the family from Mexico to America in search of new beginnings in Suburbia, 1957.
“We have the son who’s a narrator character and he walks us through all of his memories growing up with his father. Takes us a little bit into his father’s life, even when he was just a baby coming from Mexico to America,” said Jessica Beron, director of 57’ Chevy.
Besides the cash prize, where 1st place winner gets $300, 2nd place gets $200 and 3rd place gets $100, the winner of the contest will have their work included at the opening reception of the 57’ Chevy play.
The highlight of having these two events back to back is not only to admire the performers of 57’ Chevy, but also for all of LBCC’s fine art students.
Before the Spotlight art showcase happens on May 21st, the premiere of 57’ Chevy will happen May 21st-24th at the LAC campus.
