Chico State’s theatre department will close its semester with a tribute to Lady Gaga.
The performance is this Saturday at Rowland-Taylor Recital Hall on campus.
Under the teamwork of Professor Matthew Teague Miller and Music Director and Accompanist Olivia Gomez-Cerullo, both have been working with the students for more than a month to complete this performance.
“Performing is what they hope to do as a career in the future, so they work so hard and put their heart into everything they're doing on the stage,” said Gomez-Cerullo.
Gomez-Cerullo marvels at the students’ dedication and effort.
“You'll be able to tell when you come to see the show, how much passion these kids have and how much work they put into their artistry,” Gomez-Cerullo said.
Gomez-Cerullo brought local musicians and students together for rehearsals, helping fine-tune the arrangements and make sure everyone is in sync before taking the stage.
“You get so many passionate people in the room, and so what I'm always striving to do is to make sure that I'm bringing those people's passion to life without trying to walk over any of their ideas,” Gomez-Cerullo said.
The night will feature performances from Lady Gaga’s catalog, including “Paparazzi” and her duet “Shallow” with Bradley Cooper from the Academy-Award winning film “A Star Is Born.”
“Her repertoire just has this massive range, and I think we cover a lot of that in this showcase,” Gomez-Cerullo said. “I think Lady Gaga used to be a theater kid, I think you hear a lot of that in her music.”
The night also serves as a fundraiser for the theatre department.
“I think getting out there into the community, especially getting out into the educational setting of theater, is so important,” Gomez-Cerullo said, “and to really show these kids that they do have a community that backs them and supports them.”
