Gallo Center Presents THE BOY WHO CRIED BULLY, 4/25

The Boy Who Cried Bully, a theatrical performance designed to address the sensitive topic of bullying, will be shown on Wednesday, April 25 at 7:00 PM. This is the public performance of the Center's 2011/2012 traveling production that has been shown throughout various elementary schools in Stanislaus, San Joaquin, Tuolumne and Merced counties since October 2011.

The Boy Who Cried Bully honestly examines bullying – how it starts, why it happens, and what can be done to stop it – in a fun, theatrical way. The story follows Nate, a typical third-grader who loves playing outside with friends, adding comic relief to Miss Thurgood's class and telling tall tales. Nate's biggest problem is Sam, a fifth-grade bully who has it in for him and his friends. With Sam and her sidekick stealing all of Nate's lunch money, his troubles seem to be getting worse. Fortunately, Bob the Bully-Buster is invited to Nate's classroom to talk about identifying and preventing bullying in their school.

"I selected The Boy Who Cried Bully for our traveling production because I have been told by educators that the issue that bullying is not acceptable under any circumstances needs to be presented to young students at the earliest possible time," said the Gallo Center's Arts Education Coordinator, Jim Johnson, Ph.D. "It's message is simple: 'SAY NO TO BULLIES."

The response from educators and students has been overwhelmingly positive. "The message of the play has made a lasting impact on our students," said Carol Brooks, principal at Martone Elementary School. "They now feel more empowered to tell an adult about bullying situations."

Well over 10,000 children have seen The Boy Who Cried Bully to date.

Tickets range from $8 to $15. A 15% discount is available for groups of 15 or more. For tickets and more information, visit www.galloarts.org or call (209) 338-2100.

The Boy Who Cried Bully is recommended for grades K-5.

This performance is sponsored by American Chevrolet. The Gallo Center for the Arts' 2011-12 Premier Partner is Boyett Petroleum.