Members of improv groups the Underground Theatrical Institute and Without A Box (WAB) say the appeal goes beyond the laughs: a stage where the only rule is “yes, and,” and a community where performers and audience build the show together.
Features
Library’s new catalogue opens 1,100 years of Chinese texts to 5C students
Beyond being a popular study spot, the Asian Library on the third floor of Honnold Mudd Library holds more than 16,000 volumes of Chinese ancient texts, from Buddhist sutras to Bible translations by Qing Dynasty missionaries. This summer, the library published an illustrated catalogue documenting the collection, which dates from 781 C.E. to 1911 C.E.
Coast brings live covers back to 5C parties
Since its first show at the Tiny Patio last spring, Coast has become a fixture at house shows, open mics and student events across the 5Cs, playing covers from Radiohead to Michael Jackson that get the whole room singing along.
Toasters, typewriters and family feuds: The Green Room stages ‘True West’
Toasters, typewriters and a golf club: The Green Room’s production of “True West” brought Sam Shepard’s story of two estranged brothers to the Seaver Theatre Large Studio from Oct. 23-25, directed by Ella Menton SC ’27.
Mac to the future: In the age of AI, Scripps looks back at the history of digital art
“Pixel Palettes: 40 Years of Digital Art at Scripps College,” which opened Oct. 21 and runs through Dec. 4, is co-curated by art professor Nancy Macko and art history professor Zsofi Valyi-Nagy as part of Scripps’ centennial celebration. The show offers a historical, materially grounded and feminist account that positions Scripps as an early seedbed for digital art in Southern California, featuring a talk by Amy Ellingson SC ’86.
Compas Discoteca: Local DJ crew spins vinyl at La Popular
On Sunday, Oct. 18, Adrian Silva, Elías Ruiz, Ricardo Carlos and Alberto Piña, the members of the local DJ crew Compas Discoteca, filled La Popular with the sound of soulful tropical funkadelia as part of their Viva Vinyl event series, where they mix vinyl records live every third Sunday of each month.
‘The Antipodes:’ a timeless play for current times
After millennia of storytelling, have we run out of stories to tell? Pomona College Theater Department’s production of “The Antipodes” explores the tension between creative expression and corporate demand, asking what happens when the stories we tell become commodities.
Simone Biles awarded Ellen Browning Scripps Medal in centennial year
Olympic gymnast Simone Biles received the Ellen Browning Scripps Medal at Scripps College on Friday, Oct. 9, reflecting on mental health, redefining success and the importance of giving back to her community. The ceremony drew a packed auditorium of students, families and young athletes eager to hear from one of the most decorated gymnasts in history.
Regency Theater opens in Claremont village after Laemmle’s closure
After the beloved Laemmle theater closed in 2025, Regency Theatres’ Directors Cut opened in Claremont Village on Oct. 2, bringing a mix of independent films and mainstream releases to the neighborhood. The new theater offers a different take on local moviegoing, but can it attract a broader audience without losing the spirit of its predecessor?
‘Hex Hexa:’ Are we putting too much faith in technology?
Why do we put so much faith in artificial intelligence? At Pitzer College, Los Angeles-based transdisciplinary artist Isabel Beavers explores humanity’s complicated relationship with technology through “Hex Hexa: forget nothing, have no dreams,” an exhibition blending ancient Greek mythology, copper mining and digital art.