“Rainbow, Rainbow”: Rainbow Theater Opens Its 32nd Season
“Rainbow, Rainbow!” rang voices throughout the Stevenson Event Center, as the audience joined in on Rainbow Theater’s pre-show tradition of a nightly chant, kicking off last weekend’s opening performance. Rainbow Theater has provided a stage for multicultural stories at UC Santa Cruz for 32 years. ...
“We are here, We are Alive, and We are Part of This Country.”: Senderos’ 20th Guelaguetza Festival
“This is activism,” said Maestra Fe Silva-Robles, the co-founder of Senderos, as she pointed to a lively crowd dancing on Cooper Street in Downtown Santa Cruz. “This is the way that we are active …. This is the way that we show how proud we...
48 Hours, Strict Vows, and a Lemon: UCSC Students Create a Film Against the Clock
How do you make a film with no genre, a lemon and the phrase “what just happened?” This is the question 20 filmmakers had to answer in under 48 hours. So began the second annual Slug 48 challenge, a fast-paced contest facilitated by the film...
Joy in the Face of Uncertainty: Preparing for the XXXIV Pilipino Cultural Celebration
The squeaking of shoe soles and echoing laughter rings throughout Stevenson Courtyard. The Isang Himig (One Melody, in English) a cappella group begins to lead a range of voices in Tagalog to create the tune of the Pilipino national anthem, “Lupang Hinirang” (Chosen Land, in...
“It’s About Not Forgetting”: New Exhibit Captures Images of Hunger & Resilience
Alejandro’s difficult childhood in poverty challenged him and his sister to be creative when finding their next meal, often eating pecans they collected from trees. His story is one of the 46 individuals whose black and white portraits currently line the walls of the Eloise...
“Cine Se Puede”: Watsonville Film Festival Uplifts Latine Filmmakers
“We are underserved by film festivals and other cultural organizations,” said Brenda Avila-Hanna. “We are a filmgoing community, and we deserve a good festival.” Avila-Hanna is a board member for Watsonville Film Festival (WFF), an event and non-profit organization that highlights films directed by Latinx...
“Paso Seguro”: Demanding Safe Passage For All
On a field of green grass overlooking Monterey Bay, around 150 people sat with their hands held together, frozen in intricate poses. Some sat with their legs stretched out, others with their legs crossed. Above, a drone circled the group, taking pictures and videos of...
Showcasing Expression and Diversity: Unity 2025
Glasses clinked and echoed through the room, traditional folklórico skirts swirled across the stage and crimson fans fluttered through the air. Cultural performance groups from across campus assembled for the 2025 Unity showcase, a culmination of months of preparation. On March 1, the Porter Dining...
Love, Struggle and Community: AATAT brings ‘Paradise Blue’ to Life
The lights dimmed, and thunder rolled in the UC Santa Cruz Mainstage Theater. A lone man flickered into view, and the warm tones of a trumpet swung into the air. Beside him, glowing brilliantly against the wall, was a blue neon sign: “Paradise Blue.” And...
Familial Love and Laughs in Theater Arts Department’s “The Comedy of Errors”
Sets of twins running madly around an audience, a business exchange that ends with jump-roping and fight scenes that weaponize farting. If you’re looking for a foolishly over-the-top good time, the UC Santa Cruz Theater Arts Department’s performance of Shakespeare’s “The Comedy of Errors” has...