1) Counting Crows at Centennial Hall
On April 18, the University Activities Board and the Associated Students of the University of Arizona announced the popular rock band Counting Crows would play at Centennial Hall the night before Dead Day.
Because the two organizations collaborated on the event, tickets were kept to a mere $11 and sales opened first to students. The band played to a sold out crowd.
2) Department of Theater Arts becomes a school
Formerly recognized as the department of Theater Arts, the Arizona Board of Regents upgraded the department to school status on Jan. 26.
One of less than 20 school's nationwide, the School of Theater Arts was named so after a year's worth of applying to the appropriate committees.
3) Shakespeare in The Cellar ends
Due to the demolition of the Memorial Student Union, University Activities Board's "Shakespeare in The Cellar" performed its last show, "Taming of the Shrew," on Nov. 30 after six years in The Cellar.
The series was originally created to give inexperienced students interested in theater a chance to strut their stuff on stage.
As of late, a new home for The Cellar has not been found.
4) Poetry Center director Jim Paul fired
UA Poetry Center director Jim Paul was removed from his position early in March by Dean of Humanities Charles Tatum little more than halfway through his term.
Paul was reassigned to write grant proposals for the Poetry Center's new facility. Former Poetry Center director Alison Deming is now acting as interim director.
There was no specific reason given for Paul's removal, but some suggested the decision was related to lack of diversity in the Center's reading series Paul promoted.
5) UA community assembles to discuss future of CCP
Approximately 125 concerned community members turned out April 16 to discuss the future of the Center of Creative Photography.
The main focus of the forum was to reshape the CCP's current mission and to address three specific aspects of the CCP: expectations of the CCP's role in the community concerning exhibits and programming; the CCP's most important qualities; and major factors determining the future of the Center.
6) Memorial Student Union galleries close
The Union's Arizona and Rotunda Galleries closed temporarily on March 8 due to the demolition of the Memorial Student Union.
So far, nearly 200 permanent works of art have had to be relocated due to the acceleration of construction on the gallery portion of the Union.
Both galleries are scheduled to be reopened upon the completion of the new student union later this year.
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Aaron Farnsworth/Arizona Daily Wildcat
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7) Wyclef at Centennial Hall
Rap artist Wyclef Jean performed Oct. 19 at Centennial Hall staying on stage nearly an hour later than he was originally scheduled.
The highlight of the evening was when Jean literally dragged Centennial Hall Director of Operations Ed Brown onto center stage to beg him for a time extension. Brown complied, allowing Jean to remain on stage until 11 p.m.
8) UApresents announces "Phantom of the Opera"
Nearly seven years in the works, UApresents was finally able to nail down the performance of "Phantom of the Opera" scheduled for April 2002.
In the past, the major Broadway production has only graced the stage of Gammage Auditorium at Arizona State University in Phoenix. The April performance will be the first showing in Tucson.
"Phantom" is said to be the biggest Broadway show to have hit the stage of Centennial yet, requiring stage crews to renovate the venue throughout the summer and fall in order to support the show.
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Eric M. Jukelevics/Arizona Daily Wildcat
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9) Facilities Management sweeps up public art works by UA students
On March 5, as part of a project for Art 104, a beginning-level 3D design class, students arranged several dozen oranges in a pattern around a group of orange trees located between Maricopa and Gila Residence Halls.
Conflict surrounding the project arose, however, when UA Facilities Management employees discovered the students had also arranged oranges in a line on the sidewalk passing through the trees, creating what some considered to be a "safety hazard" on the sidewalk.
The conflict shed light on the image public art portrays in a large public space such as that of the UA campus.
10) Velvet Tea Garden shuts down
Local hang out the Velvet Tea Garden, closed its doors at 450 N. Sixth Ave. in January after the owners of the building claimed the restaurant's owner since 1999, Bill Johnson, owed over $8,000 in back rent.
Disputing the claim, Johnson still lost the case in court, forcing him to relocate the Garden to a location further north on Fourth Avenue.
Johnson said the new location would be more spacious and benefit from walk-in traffic off Fourth Avenue.
