Wednesday, July 29


Los Angeles Unveiled: Alumna’s production company aims to focus on showing diverse characters, cultures

Hollywood has never been so accessible for Muslim creators. Los Angeles is the go-to spot for fostering creativity and making it big – and it’s also home to dozens of promising Muslim artists who are breaking into the industry and redefining what it means to be Muslim. Read more...

Photo: Alumna Manaal Khan started her own production company Amyale, which translates to “those aspiring for infinity” from Arabic. Currently, Khan said she has many projects in development, including works from the Middle East, South Asia and the United States. (Ashley Kenney/Daily Bruin)


Theater review: ‘The Thanksgiving Play’ is not worth the pilgrimage, lacks in-depth insight

An attempt to create a Thanksgiving pageant without any Native American performers leads to chaos and commotion in “The Thanksgiving Play.” The 90-minute production features four adult nonindigenous characters attempting to construct a pageant in honor of both the holiday and Native American Heritage Month for an elementary school. Read more...

Photo: (Courtesy of Jeff Lorch)



Dating app hopes to offer transparency by letting users see each other’s interactions

This post was updated Nov. 8 at 4:26 p.m. SEEN Dating has users swipe on matches – and read their conversations. Much like other dating apps, the users of the newly released SEEN Dating app swipe to match, and can also message and video call, said founder Michael Montgomery. Read more...

Photo: SEEN Dating aims to increase transparency in the world of dating apps. Like most dating apps, users swipe right to match with people. However, on SEEN Dating user’s text messages and video chats are on display on their profile. Founder Michael Montgomery said this encourages openness and creates more honest interactions. (Daniel Leibowitz/Daily Bruin staff)


Historical play ‘Defenders’ offers political, environmental commentary

A trip to Iceland left Cailin Harrison with a crashed car and inspiration for a new play. The upcoming production “Defenders,” premiering Saturday at The Broadwater Black Box, takes place during World War II and follows three American GIs who become shipwrecked on a remote island in Iceland, which they have been sent to defend. Read more...

Photo: Alumnus Spencer Martin (right) stars alongside Travis Doucette (left) and Bryan Porter (middle) in “Defenders,” a play following Americans who go to defend Iceland in the midst of World War II. Martin said the chaotic natural elements in the play mirror the chaos that the Americans brought to the politically neutral island nation. (Courtesy of Darrett Sanders)


Student taps into her nightmares for inspiration for her music

Twisted dreams often inspire Subi Umakanth’s somber music. These dreams led Umakanth to Los Angeles, where she said she has made an effort to hone her songwriting process by focusing on herself as an individual artist. Read more...

Photo: Fourth-year neuroscience student Subi Umakanth makes somber music inspired by fictional storylines that take place in her own dreams. In one of her upcoming singles, “Tim,” she said she follows a seven-year-old boy named Tim and takes place in a natural forest environment. Through her emotional lyrics, Umakanth said she hopes to intrigue listeners through the empathy they feel listening to her music. (Ashley Kenney/Daily Bruin)