When most people think of cultural centers in America they tend to imagine the bustling museums of Chicago or the world renowned Broadway theaters in New York.
Even in this state people tend to associate culture primarily with Ann Arbor or Grand Rapids. But despite its rough-around-the-edges (and parts of the areas in between) image, Detroit’s cultural offerings are among the best in the country.
Later this month Campus Life will help Eastern Michigan University students discover some of Detroit’s unique culture with two trips as part of the Eastern Excursion series.
On Saturday, Eastern Excursions will take students to the Detroit Symphony Orchestra’s “Disco Days and Boogie Nights,” a night of classical music based on classic Motown R&B, disco and jazz.
Before the show students will dine at Traffic Jam & Snug, a renowned Detroit restaurant famous for their fresh-baked bread, homemade dairy and beer brewed in their own brewery.
Tickets to this excursion are $25 for EMU students and $50 for the general public. The bus will be leaving at 5:45 p.m.
On Nov. 18 students will have another chance to experience one of Detroit’s most famous attractions, The Detroit Opera House.
The evening’s performance is entitled “A Little Night Music,” and will be preceded by a short lecture discussing the history of The Detroit Opera House and dinner at Traffic Jam & Snug.
Tickets for this excursion are $20 for EMU students and $50 for the general public. The bus will be leaving at 4:30 p.m.
While each trip includes a discount ticket to a performance, Eastern Excursions are about more than just attending an event for cheap: They are a chance for students to get a well-rounded cultural experience while meeting new people. These excursions also count towards Learning Beyond the Classroom credit.
“It’s an important aspect of life that people don’t really open themselves up to as much as they should,” said Jack Cassedy, a senior pre-med student at EMU. “It’s important for life-long learning of things that you aren’t familiar with in order to have the best functioning, the best creativity level. It’s very important for psycho-social development that people open themselves up to cultural experiences.”
According to Gregg Costanzo, head of arts, entertainment, cultural, and intellectual programming at Campus Life, the primary purpose of Eastern Excursions is to present students with trips that are both fun and engaging on a cultural and social level.
“My general goal is to provide a mix of fun activities for students with some of our excursions, whether it’s a Pistons Game or a trip to Cedar Point—in addition to the cultural experiences, like a museum or a concert series,” Costanzo said.
“It’s exposure to community and the culture. It’s an affordable opportunity that’s unique to being an Eastern Michigan University student. The fact that [students] can go at such affordable rates is because they go to EMU. Their student activities fees contribute to these kinds of opportunities for them,” he said.
Tickets for the two excursions can be purchased at any EMU ticket office. Tickets for the Detroit Symphony Orchestra are on sale until Wednesday, and tickets to the Detroit Opera House will be available until Friday.
Tickets include admission to the performance, dinner and transportation. All participants are required to ride the bus.
