44 Years of Resistance: Multicultural Festival Brings a New Meaning to Community
As the Trump administration’s efforts to roll back Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives permeate public universities across the country, students are at the forefront of the resistance. Over 400 students and 19 vendors gathered at Oakes Lower Lawn to celebrate the 44th annual Multicultural...
Behind The Curtain: Rainbow Theater’s Spring Showcase
“It is such a beautiful thing to be a student, be able to write something, have it produced and actually get to see your work on a grand scale,” said Abigail Opeyemi, one of the co-marketing coordinators and directors for UC Santa Cruz’s Rainbow Theater....
More Than a Production: AATAT’s ‘Dreamgirls’
“When I say ‘AA,’ you say TAT!” The strong voice of Don Williams, founder of UC Santa Cruz’s African American Theater Arts Troupe (AATAT), can be heard from anywhere in the Theater Arts Center. In the mainstage, 20 students-members of AATAT, stand in a huddle,...
Rainbow Theater Celebrates 30 Years: An Illustrated History
This year marks the 30th anniversary of UC Santa Cruz’s Rainbow Theater. For the past 30 years, Rainbow Theater has showcased plays written, directed, and acted in by students of color, providing a safe space for self-expression and creativity. “There was a distinct need for...
Celebrating Culture and Identity: Don’t Miss Rainbow Theater’s 30th Anniversary
It’s 5 p.m. on a Sunday, and most students at UC Santa Cruz are catching up on homework or fighting the Sunday scaries — except for the group of directors, tech crew, performers, and writers gathered at the Stevenson Event Center. These students are tirelessly...
The Cultural Arts and Diversity Resource Center and Chester Gregory Kick Start the New Year with Motown Classics
The drums kick us off. Enter the piano, along with a funky bass line. Bringing in the guitar lick, the soulful vocals uplift the song to where it needed to go. Welcome to Hitsville, USA. UC Santa Cruz’s Mainstage Theater will transform into a time...
Your Guide to the Cultural Arts and Diversity Resource Center
What is CAD? The Cultural Arts and Diversity Resource Center (CAD) is a creative space for multicultural theater at UC Santa Cruz. In addition to housing both the African American Theater Arts Troupe (AATAT) and Rainbow Theater, CAD hosts lectures, workshops, and classes introducing students...
Rainbow Theatre Brings Underrepresented Perspectives to Light in Spring Productions
At first it seemed impracticable: to direct, memorize lines, and perform digitally would take away the essence of theater. Despite the obstacles, UC Santa Cruz’s Rainbow Theatre successfully created a new stage for four underrepresented stories over the course of two weekends. Rainbow Theatre presented...
Your Guide to Rainbow Theatre 2021
Rainbow Theatre held auditions on Mar. 30 and 31 for its four multicultural spring productions, welcoming artists from UC Santa Cruz, Cabrillo College, and the greater Santa Cruz community. One of the productions is a collaboration between Rainbow Theatre, the American Indian Resource Center (AIRC),...
An Illustrated History of the African American Theater Arts Troupe
1987: Don Williams was hired by UC Santa Cruz for a technical position within the Theater Arts department. At the same time, he mentored THEA 50: Fundamentals of Theater Production, which introduces students to lighting and sound. 1991: AATAT was officially founded under the leadership...