Students Create Commercials in Time for the Election

A production still from Chris Hathaway's production of "“Mindyabiz”

Students Create Commercials in Time for the Election

Professor Juliette Carrillo, a nationally recognized theatre director, writer and award-winning filmmaker, is teaching UCI Drama students more than the fundamentals of writing and directing for professional theatre. Her Drama 15 (Performance Now) The Alchemy of Theater: Creating Change in Community class recently produced videos inspired by the work of Fringe Benefits Theater, a community-based theatre company. The students in her class are investigating how performance can shed light on social issues.

Norma Bowles, artistic director of Fringe Benefits, visited with the class and provided a "Commercials For Social Justice" workshop. The students then created commercials based on the causes and subjects they wanted to cover, from "get out the vote" campaigns to fighting systemic racism. The class provided a kaleidoscope of comedic reactions and options for pressing social issues.   

View two of the standout productions from the class below, created and produced by Chris Hathaway ("Mindyabiz") and Leo Angelica Diaz ("Universal Remote").

 

Chris Hathaway - “Mindyabiz” 

Leo Angelica Diaz - “Universal Remote”