UCSC's renowned Rainbow Theater kicks off its 19th season of productions on November 1 at the Stevenson Event Center. The fall offerings consist of:
Program A — November 1, 3, and 9:
• This year’s African-American production is The Colored Museum. Written by George C. Wolfe, this play is a marvelously satirical look at the stereotypes, tropes, and historical figures of African American history. The play deconstructs aspects of the African American experience and the "cultural madness" of the community.
• The Asian-American production is Down and Out, a play written by Melinda Foley centered on a dysfunctional family living in Virginia. The play deals with the life of a family that has been ripped apart by a runaway mother, the death of a father, and a sister who has gone missing.
Program B — November 2, 4, and 10:
• The Chicano-Latino production for this year is the critically acclaimed Real Women Have Curves by Josefina Lopez. The play depicts the story of five women working in a small sewing factory in East Los Angeles in the summer of 1987. Through the conversations of these lively characters, the play provides an inside perspective on the struggles and lives of Latina women, who experience issues with body image, low wages, and the ever-present fear of deportation.
• Poet’s Corner, a performance poetry show written by 14 members of Rainbow Theater invoking themes of love, community, and social justice.
For the first time this year, the Rainbow Theater Dance Troupe will be showcasing a variety of dance performances as a part of program B.
5th Element — November 16, 17, and 18:
• The Fifth Element is an ethnic play that changes themes and content annually. Instead of being inherently based upon the lives of one ethnic group, the Fifth Element picks a multicultural play that tells the story of ethnic groups not represented by the four other productions. This year's production is Breath Boom, written by Kia Corthon, which deals with issues of identity, suicide, rape, AIDS, the prison industrial complex, and gang culture.
All shows are held at the Stevenson center; doors open at 6:30 and the shows start at 7 p.m.
Admission to all shows is free to UCSC students with ID; $7 for non-UCSC students with ID and for seniors; and $10 for everyone else.
"It is through these productions, our academic courses, and a multitude of year-round events that we support students from all cultures, backgrounds, ethnicities, and talents," says Don Williams, the longtime artistic director of Rainbow Theater. "We would like to sincerely thank the many faculty and staff members for the tremendous amounts of support, hard work, and dedication that continuously go into maintaining our programming."
For more information about the shows, how to obtain tickets, and how to provide scholarship support to students involved in these productions, please go to:
www.cadrc.org/
