Pepperdine’s Multi-Cultural Theatre Project will perform its sixth production Friday and Saturday
By Jared Battaglia
Staff Writer
Diverse theater has become increasingly celebrated in the Pepperdine community, from last week’s student-led Cognitive Dissonance to the Multi-Cultural Theatre Project, which will present its sixth production this weekend.
The Multi-Cultural Theater Project will be performing an original work called “A Different Mirror: A History of Multi-Cultural America,” by Pepperdine’s Joi Carr this Friday and Saturday. The play promises to shed new light on some forgotten aspects of history.
The cast includes Katrina Spencer, Sakkara Marsh, Bethel Lee, Lashawna Ngadivba, Candace Lopez and Corrie Zachariah.
The actresses will perform a story that will deal with one woman’s discovery of history she never knew. It traces the journey of Maura, who has a Master’s degree in history but realizes she’s been denied valuable voices of history through the education system.
Lopez describes the play as “a different perspective on American history, where we get to hear significant voices that were muted in our history books.”
Visiting professor Carr developed the play as a work in progress through the Multi-Cultural Theatre Project. Carr held an audition that was open to students of all backgrounds and genders. She looked for a certain quality in each performer and chose the six actresses because of “their talent and overall desire to participate in this conversation about diversity.”
After casting was complete Carr then began work creating the story, which is based on an argument presented in Ron Takaki’s “A Different Mirror: A History of Multi-Cultural America.”
In the book the author explains how everyone has a unique story to tell and how history should be viewed from many different angles.
Carr chose individuals in history based on each actress’s background and sought to shed light on their accomplishments through the theatre.
They include Ann Pointer, Jean Park, Julia A. Foot and Maria Stuart, all of whom will be showcased in this weekend’s performance.
The cast underwent intensive training throughout the entire process, which began in the beginning of September. Rehearsals have occurred almost daily, and each actress participated in a retreat that went over the entire theatre process.
Carr believes audiences this weekend will have a gratifying and enlightening experience through the play.
“(She hopes the play) will be a chance for viewers to reflect on their own educational experience with the and upon reflection they will have a desire to study material that would challenge their world view.”
“The play has a lot of spiritual aspects about it and will help the audience see that the educational experience does include faith,” Carr said.
October 31, 2002