Alumnus-directed PSA series ‘Just Sayin’!’ aims to fight fire with comedy

Comedian Nina Tarr discusses Islamophobia while sitting inside a blanket fort and holding a flashlight below her face for a spooky effect. She shares her feelings in a video as part of “Just Sayin’!,” an online series of weekly humorous PSAs featuring comedians, among other public figures. The series will begin Tuesday at its launch […]

Graduate student’s play examines privilege, brutality and enduring injustice

Cary Simowitz’s law school colleagues skipped exams to protest the 2014 Darren Wilson verdict in the streets – he wrote a play about the issue instead. The graduate playwriting student further developed and staged a reading of his play “Djarum Vanilla“ at the annual Kennedy Center New Play Festival at the beginning of August. The […]

LA hosts its first Matcha Fest, with foods ranging from cookies to creme brulees

The city of Los Angeles has never seen a festival with so matcha green. The Japanese powder produced by grinding green tea leaves was the centerpiece of a vibrantly verdant two-day festival in Miracle Mile. Matcha LA Fest, Los Angeles’ first matcha festival, welcomed hundreds of matcha enthusiasts with open doors and a green carpet […]

Cluster of choreographers bring unique hip-hop styles to dance workshops

Quick, sharp moves are a staple of most hip-hop styles, but ACA Hip Hop choreographer Jay Tran taught a workshop devoted to the opposite. The Association of Chinese Americans’ dance classes, which are held for free in UCLA’s Lot 4 throughout the summer, each feature a different in-house choreographer. The roster includes Tran as well […]

Alumnus composes original score for Emmy-nominated ‘Marvelous Mrs. Maisel’

Eric Gorfain never missed a beat when shifting from the world of the Gilmores in Stars Hollow to that of a Jewish housewife in the 1950s. The alumnus’ career in the music industry ranges from his work as a violinist to the creation of original compositions for television. His latest work has been for “The […]

Incoming student rises above personal adversity in debut song ‘Broken Wings’

Izzy Escobar flies with broken wings every day. The incoming first-year musical theater student released her debut song “Broken Wings” on June 25, stemming from her experience of abuse from a stepparent, which she turned into inspiration for her music at a young age. The four-minute pop song, accompanied by an original music video, celebrates […]

Director of Swarovski’s sustainability documentary shares angle, experiences

Swarovski’s Waterschool initiative spans across 2,400 centers in seven countries, along the world’s major rivers. The program, which aims to educate and empower communities toward water sustainability, is the focus of “Waterschool,” a 70-minute documentary that dropped on Netflix on July 25. Produced by UCLA School of Theater, Film and Television Dean Teri Schwartz and […]