Hip-hop theater performance “What It Iz!” is like a modern-day version of Shakespeare for Ayanna McKnight. “Spoken word and poetry, in and of itself, go together,” said the third-year theater student. Read more...
Photo: Student actors explored themes of racial injustice and the incarceration system when preparing for the spokenwordical “What It Iz!” (Frank To/Daily Bruin)
Ofri Shmul’s broken phone sparked her interest in exploring how technology distracts students from the real world. The first-year art student began to notice students gazing not at the scenery on campus, but down at the brightly lit screens of their digital devices while walking to class. Read more...
Photo: First-year art student Ofri Shmul found inspiration for a sculpture, titled “Distracted,” after she noticed how much time students spent looking at their phones throughout their day. She used tools such as pliers to shape wire into a human figure holding a lightbulb. (Hannah Burnett/Daily Bruin)
Belly dancers rehearsed to the beat of traditional Arab doumbek drums in Freud Playhouse. This year’s iteration of the Iranian Student Group’s annual culture show Friday and Saturday will showcase such traditional and modern Iranian dances, along with singing and comedy skits displaying customs reaching as far back as A.D. Read more...
Photo: Paniz Arab, a fourth-year global studies student, will participate in the Iranian Student Group’s culture show, which will showcase both traditional and modern Iranian dances. (Photo illustration by Habeba Mostafa/Daily Bruin and Jintak Han/Assistant Photo editor)
Marguerite French is 5 feet 5 inches tall and of slender build. Yet she played a large, intimidating man and murderer in a gender-reversed production of the “The Revenger’s Tragedy.” French changed the way she walked so that she would appear bigger, and she spoke in a deeper, more confident voice to create the persona of a man. Read more...
Photo: UCLA alumna Marguerite French plays Mother God in a modern rendition of “Paradise Lost.” She tries to convey the celestial nature of the female God in her body movements during the silent play. (Austin Yu/Daily Bruin senior staff)
Ashley Cleveland stepped slowly onto a dark stage. Her veil swirled around her as she walked, and a recording of Richard Burton saying, “Was this the face that launched a thousand ships?” played in the background. Read more...
Photo: Theater graduate student Ashley Cleveland is double casted to play Helen of Troy in UCLA’s School of Theater, Film and Television’s production of “Helen,” along with graduate student Beth Lane. They were inspired by the strong and confident female character. (Chengcheng Zhang/Daily Bruin)
Although Karen Eilbacher plays Joan in the musical “Fun Home,” she strongly relates to the character of Medium Alison, a college student coming to terms with her sexuality. Read more...
Photo: The musical “Fun Home” is currently running in downtown Los Angeles. Karen Eilbacher plays Joan and Abby Corrigan plays Medium Alison (left to right) as college students in the show. (Courtesy of Joan Marcus)
President Donald Trump’s potential budget cuts may take a toll on the UCLA arts community, directors and faculty said. The Hill reported Jan. 19 that the Trump transition team outlined a budget plan that would eliminate the National Endowment for the Humanities and National Endowment for the Arts, the latter of which is the only funder of arts programs nationwide. Read more...
Photo: (Insun Park/Daily Bruin)
