Merced Arts Wrap for Feb. 13, 2015

Valentine’s Day Play

Playhouse Merced will present the renowned play “Love Letters” at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, featuring David and Holly Zacharias. The $25 charge includes dessert and champagne or cider. Tickets can be purchased at the box office, 452 W. Main St., or by calling (209) 725-8587.

Last weekend of ‘Crowns’

Playhouse Merced’s production of the musical “Crowns” plays at 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and at 2 p.m. Sunday, at the Merced Multicultural Center, 645 W. Main St. “Crowns” refers to the church hats that are such common sights in a predominantly black church. The play was written by Regina Taylor, winner of a Golden Globe and a NAACP Image Award for acting roles. She has also been nominated twice for an Emmy Award. Tickets for any show are available online at www.facebook.com/PlayhouseMerced, by phone at (209) 725-8587, or in person at the Playhouse Merced box office, 452 W. Main St.

Shakespearefest: ‘Winter’s Tale’

Merced Shakespearefest will present “The Winter’s Tale” on Feb. 20-22, Feb. 27-28 and March 1 at the Merced Multicultural Arts Center, 645 W. Main St. in Merced. Performances are at 7:30 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, and at 2 p.m. Sundays. Tickets are $12 general, $8 students; they can be purchased at the door or at the arts center during business hours, or be reserved by calling (209) 723-3265. For more information, visit mercedshakespearefest.org.

Black History Month program

Liberty Fellowship in Atwater has planned a Black Month History Program for 5 p.m. on Feb. 22. The event will include a community choir under direction of Gwen Amey, praise dancing by Liberty Fellowship, and more. The church is at 1900 Shaffer Road in Atwater and the event is free to the public.

Human Rights Film Festival

University of California, Merced, this month is hosting a Human Rights Watch Film Festival, with a different film shown every Friday. The films will be shown at 7 to 9 p.m. in Classroom Office Building (COB) 120 at the campus. For questions or more information, email professor Nigel Hatton at nhatton@ucmerced.edu.

South Pacific dance lessons

The South Pacific Dance Company is teaching traditional dance and music from the cultures of Hawaii and Tahiti. The school is now enrolling for the spring semester, ages 4 through adult, beginners through advanced. Males and females are welcome. Classes are held at Creation Station, 2408 Martin Luther King Jr. Way. In addition, the Soul Power Dance Crew is now taking enrollment for an eight-week session in hip-hop dance for ages 7 through teens. For more information, email kikiraina@hotmail.com or leave a message at (209) 383-1435.

Exhibits at the Arts Center

The Merced Multicultural Arts Center, 645 W. Main St., has opened an exhibit titled “Emergency/Emergence: Art After War.” Curated by Eli-Jelly Schapiro, it features the work of artists Aaron Hughes, Ehren Tool, Mark Pinto and Drew Cameron, who are all Iraq War veterans. For more information, visit artsmerced.org.

Merced Camera Club Meets

The Merced Camera Club invites all who are interested in photography to its meetings on the first Tuesday of each month at 6:30 p.m. at Merced County Farm Bureau, 646 S. Highway 59. Call (209) 382-0222 or (209) 761-0260.

Photography classes

Jay Sousa is offering a three-day intensive wedding photography workshop Feb. 20-22. He’s also offering a class that will combine beginning backpacking and a nighttime full-moon photography workshop in the 20 Lakes Basin, Aug. 28-30. For more information, call Sousa at (209) 617-1384.

This story was originally published February 12, 2015 at 4:13 PM with the headline "Merced Arts Wrap for Feb. 13, 2015."