A Brief Summary of the Program
The UCSC African American Theater Arts Troupe came together in 1991 with their first performance as a student group mentored by Don Williams. The first performance, Ceremonies in Dark Old Men, was produced and directed by Don Williams in May 1992. This production, through donations alone, raised $1500 to establish the African American Student Scholarship Fund. This production ran for four nights at Stevenson College. At attendance we had 250 staff, students, and community came out nightly.
The African American Theater Arts Troupe has several missions and goals that it is always striving to obtain. One of the primary missions of this Theater Arts Troupe is to have a direct affect on quality of life, for African American students. In terms of fund raising for African American Scholarship Fund, to encourage and support the professional growth of African American actors. To serve as a vehicle to expose African American theater to this campus and community.
The Troupe conceives itself as one which will foster the spirit o unity between races, provide an outlet for the creative talents of African-American artists, encourage the development of marked abilities through the awarding of annual scholarships, and supply the community with honest, vital, interesting, exciting, moving, and colorful theatre, reflecting the historic reality of the life of African American people. The group involves many students and community members who have never had the opportunity to experience or participate in theater arts. Through their active participation in production of professional quality, they gain confidence in themselves and a feeling of connection between the campus and local communities.
The Theater Troupe not only casts UCSC students of different educational backgrounds but often times it casts students have none or very little acting, technical, and administrative qualities. We also train, supervise, and oversee all aspects of production. We also make a strong effort in incorporating people from the greater community of Santa Cruz.
One of the objectives of this organization is to fully support the African American Scholarship Fund. There are four major scholarships that the troupe gives out yearly. Two of these are based primarily on financial need. One is based on academic standing. The fourth is based primarily on leadership and support within the African American Theater Arts Troupe's present production. These awards are given by a five panel committee consisting of a financial aid officer, African American Student Life Director, an African American student representative, an SAA/EOP representative, and the producer/director of the troupe, Don Williams.
The next objective of the Troupe is to develop, promote community outreach of African Americans. Since the Troupe's pioneer year, we have increased our productions and our outreach to the greater community by teaming up with the Santa Cruz Arts Commission, as well as the Seaside Arts Commission and the Community Partnership for Youth (CPY). CPY is an after school and intercession program that sponsors prevention programs for children from at-risk environments. The newest of our partnerships has been First Night Santa Cruz. The Troupe has an open door for such venues as the Louden Nelson Community Center, Cabrillo College, Monterey Peninsula College, the Oldemeyer Center at Seaside, Santa Cruz High, Harbor High, and several junior high schools in the Seaside, Monterey area.
The third objective is to aid in retention and support activities that help maintain quality educational programs for African American students as well as other cultures. We have been achieving this goal by means of scholarships that are awarded and through the years we have done several workshops on music, dance, acting, and have brought in professional artists to help implement this objective. Yet another means of retention has been through the Rainbow Theater in which the African American Theater Arts Troupe is the major sponsor of. The Rainbow Theater is an in-depth study of cultures such as African American, Asian American, and Chicano/Latino American. In which a collaboration of cultures is established through means of networking and highlighting various cultural groups on campus.