Cal State East Bay Theatre & Dance

05/21/2026

The Wandering Ensemble and friends continue to process all that we learned through our first cycle of Parable of Belonging performances in early May. Here's a summary of this iteration of the piece.

Please reach out if you'd like to join the process in some way!

Parable of Belonging is being created by the Wandering Ensemble (Dandelion Dancetheater and the CSUEB Inclusive Interdisciplinary Ensemble) and a diverse col...

05/17/2026

Congratulations to our graduates!!! Best Wishes on your future! 🎓🎭💃🏻🕺🏾❤️

05/08/2026

As the Wandering Ensemble enters our post-performance rest, reflection and integration mode after Parable of Belonging Cycle 1 performances, we'll share a few behind the scenes moments that we didn't have time to post in the heat of performance prep.

Soon we'll start up again with the next phase of evolution of the process.

Please get in touch if you'd like to join in the project in some way, and/or would like to view videos of this recent stream of public sharings: [email protected] and learn more about the project here: www.dandeliondancetheater.org/parable-of-belonging

Here is a brief look behind the scenes of the prep for performance #2, with Haonan (in Mandarin!)

05/08/2026

The Wandering Ensemble shared our final performance last night (both in-person and livestreamed) of Parable of Belonging Cycle 1.

Thank you to all who participated as performer/collaborators, faculty thought partners, livestream wizards, Core Building co-conspirators, audiences, and helping spirits seen and unseen.

Now we enter rest, reflection and integration mode. Soon we'll start up again with the next phase of evolution of the process.

Please get in touch if you'd like to join in the project in some way, and/or would like to view videos of this recent stream of public sharings: [email protected] and learn more about the project here: www.dandeliondancetheater.org/parable-of-belonging

Here is a brief look behind the scenes of the post-performance clean up with the fabulous Lavon. Enjoy!

05/05/2026

Tonight, we begin Parable of Belonging Performances @ 7 pm at the Core Building. Come join us for the next three nights! FREE performances. Parable of Belonging is based on the books Parable of the Sower by Octavia E. Butler and Emergent Strategy by adrienne maree brown, and uses inclusive performance to explore what life in the Bay Area could be like in 30 years. Octavia Butler imagined 30 years into her future from the 1990’s to write her Parable series. And now we are living in a version of the future she saw.

05/04/2026

The Wandering Ensemble (joined by CSUEB Dance Ensemble) shared excerpts of Parable of Belonging at Ruth's Table in San Francisco as part of the SF International Arts Festival. Here's some video and photo from the performances taken by visiting scholar from Hubei Province, Chen Peng.

Don't miss the premiere of Act I of Parable of Belonging this week at CSUEB:
https://www.facebook.com/events/2373555673082958/

04/30/2026

Check out this article about Parable of Belonging in the Pioneer Campus Newspaper:

The Wandering Ensemble consists of performers from the CSUEB Inclusive Interdisciplinary Ensemble, members of Dandelion Dancetheater, and other community collaborators. Directed by CSUEB theatre and dance professor Eric Kupers, the collective explores inclusive performance as a vehicle for growth an...

04/29/2026

The Wandering Ensemble is on fire preparing for our upcoming premiere performances for Parable of Belonging: https://www.facebook.com/events/2373555673082958/

And these are part of an abundance of Inclusive Performance Offerings throughout April and May:
https://www.facebook.com/events/840509272409718/

Here we have another "behind the scenes" look at the Parable of Belonging dress rehearsal prep with performer extraordinaire Lavon Godfrey. Please join us May 5, 6th, and 7th as we give birth to this wildly complex interdimensional performance work!

04/28/2026

The Theatre and Dance Program helped to produce events for the College Link Program's 15th Anniversary celebration last week. As part of the festivities, CLP and Theatre & Dance hosted Actually Autistic Artists (Carrie Alita Carter and Yeeman "ManMan" Mui) for a week of workshops and performances. Carrie and ManMan joined our weekly Seiryo Taiko practice and co-taught with Naoko Amemiya. We had a wild and rousing practice session. Here's video of our Itsy Bitsy Spider Taiko rendition with featured solos by Ollie, Garrett, and Darren.

04/27/2026

The Me Nobody Knows — CSUEB Theatre & Dance
Studio Theatre • 📍Hayward, CA
April 24–26, 2026
Three Sold Out Performances ✨

☀️ THE CREATIVE TEAM
Co-Directors: Darryl V. Jones* & James Mercer II
Co-Choreographers & Vocal Coaches: Darryl V. Jones*, James Mercer II & Marie Alexandra Ibarra
Music Director: Greg Zema
Associate Musical Director: Darryl V. Jones*

Stage Manager: Isabelle Lorenzo
Assistant Stage Manager: Mavis Smith
Set Designer: Richard Olmsted**
Assistant Set Designer: Alyson Coles
Lighting Designer: Chris Badillo
Costume Designer: Courtney Flores
Costumes Assistant: Jasmine Milan Williams
Sound Designer: Dylan Sanchez
Sound Assistant: Leo Eynon
Props Master: Mavis Smith
Box Office Manager: Catherine Cyr
Department Chair: Richard Olmsted

*Member of Actors’ Equity Association, the Union of Professional Actors and Stage Managers in the United States
**Member of United Scenic Artists, Local 829

🌟 THE CAST
Beatrice “Bea” Aguirre, Jorge Almaraz, Ariana Casiano Baker, Christine “Skii” Bustamante, Vanessa Bonner, Judge Cantrell, Phillip Casco, Jasmine Guerrero, Ashleigh Johnson, Aiden Le, Consuelo Martinez-Quezada, Rita Reyes, Aryanna Lawrence Riggin, Logan Schluntz, Emily Thomas, Tyler Thomson

🌙 ABOUT THE MUSICAL
In a neglected inner city neighborhood, a group of children navigate poverty, violence, and instability with resilience beyond their years. Through games, storytelling, and shared imagination, they create vivid dream worlds that offer escape and possibility.