In anticipation of their 29th annual production, members of Rainbow Theater are spending this week finalizing costumes, marking their stage placements, and spending long hours rehearsing at the Stevenson Event Center.
In just two weekends, four different shows will be brought to the stage by Rainbow Theater. Two shows will begin on Friday, May 6 and close out on Sunday, May 8th. The remaining two shows will open on the following Friday, May 13.
Housed under the Cultural Arts and Diversity Resource Center, Rainbow Theater presents culturally and identity diverse shows to increase representation on stage. Annually, Rainbow Theater performs shows written by Latine, Black, and Asian American playwrights in addition to Poet’s Corner.
My Home on the Moon by Minna Lee and Blu by Virginia Grise will headline the first weekend, taking stage on May 6 and closing just two days later after a Sunday matinee.
My Home on the Moon, which explores Vietnamese ancestry, depicts a phở restaurant in danger of being pushed out of a gentrifying neighborhood. On the same night, audiences will also be transported to a politically geared show, Blu, which will implore audiences to imagine a time before war.
Poet’s Corner and Immediate Family by Paul Oakley Stovall begin their run on Friday, May 13 and close out on Sunday, May 15. Poet’s Corner is written by UC Santa Cruz students every year and evolves annually with what students want to present to audiences through spoken word. Immediate Family takes a unique spin on family dynamics, bringing into light conflicts of sexuality, race, and religion as the middle child of the Bryant family brings his boyfriend home to meet the family.
All Rainbow Theater shows are directed by students, and will have free admission for undergraduate students. They are $8-13 for students who want to bring friends or family. The shows will be held at the Stevenson Event Center, and performances on Friday and Saturday begin at 7:30 pm while Sunday matinees begin at 2:00 pm.
For information on each of the shows, click here.
