Electroacoustic Music Strategies: Composing with Technology

Speaker:

Dr. Jorge Rodrigo Sigal Sefchovich

Composer, Researcher, and Director

Centro Mexicano para la Música y las Artes Sonoras / Mexican Center for Music and Sound Art (CMMAS)

Professor, ENES–UNAM, Morelia

DESCRIPTION

In this talk, Dr. Rodrigo Sigal presents a range of creative and technical strategies for

composing electroacoustic music, with a focus on mixed and acousmatic formats. Drawing on

his experience as director of CMMAS, he will demonstrate methods for shaping timbre,

structuring processes, and articulating sound in space. Through musical examples and visual

tools, the presentation will explore how technology becomes an integral partner in the

compositional act.

Part of the 2025-2026 Florence Bayz Music Series

The Florence Bayz Music Series offers online concerts, lectures, and presentations of academic research by Department of Music faculty, postdoctoral researchers, students, and international guest artists and scholars.

Dr. Amy Skjerseth (she/her), Assistant Professor of Popular Music, Coordinator

Events are free and open to the public.

PARKING

Enjoy complimentary parking for this event! Please enter your vehicle info below before you park.

Follow these steps:

Step 1: Click on this linkStep 2: Enter your license plate in the “License Plate Number”Step 3: If the plate is non-California, select the appropriate state for the plate.Step 4: Press ‘Park’
For any other questions about event parking, please email parking@ucr.edu between the hours of 8 a.m. and 4 p.m., Monday to Friday, and allow up to one business day to receive a response.

Additional visitor parking info for events can be found at: performingarts.ucr.edu/parking

View on site | Email this event

FUENTEOVEJUNA, OR LIKE SHEEP TO WATER...

By Félix Lope de Vega y Carpio, translated by Curt Columbus

Director: Melanie Queponds
Scenic Designer: Kerry Jones
Costume Designer: Gee-gee Brass
Lighting Designer: Ben Tusher
Sound Designer: Kiah Fisher

In 1476, famine and unrest grip a fragile Spain newly united under Isabella and Ferdinand, even as King Alfonso of Portugal presses his claim. With the Knights of Calatrava wavering in loyalty, the fledgling kingdom teeters on the edge of civil war.

Please be advised that this production includes atmospheric smoke and loud sound effects, and contains some strong language, historic negative depictions of Moorish people and cultures, references to war, adult themes, sexual and tense situations, and scenes of violence.

The performance length is approximately 100 minutes, with no intermission.

View or download the program.

Please join us for a talkback with the dramaturg and members of the cast and production team following the February 20th performance.

TICKETS (ON SALE FEBRUARY 2, 2026 AT 8:00AM):
$15 General, $12 students, UCR alumni cardholders, senior citizens, & children.
Currently enrolled UCR Students can reserve one complimentary ticket online when tickets go on sale.
All ticket sales are online or via QR card at the venue. Cashless payments only (credit card, debit card, Apple Pay, Google Pay).

There is no reserved seating so arrive early for the best seats.
The performance will begin promptly at the announced curtain time and latecomers will only be seated at an appropriate pause in the program.
No exchanges or refunds will be made, except in the event a performance is canceled.

CAST:
Captain Flores / Manrique; Steven Tyson
Sergeant Ortuño / King Ferdinand of Aragon: Edwin Tolosagonzales
Commander Fernán Gómez De Guzmán: Nathan Reiner
Grand Master Rodrigo Téllez Girón / Alonso: Karen Paley
Laurencia: Kylah Kintaudi
Pascuala: Yennie Cannon
Frondoso: Kristion Antoine
Mengo / Second Councilor: Juan-Manuel Cardona-Flores
Barrildo / Cimbranos / First Councilor: James Medina
Jacinta / Queen Isabella of Castile: Aneliz Rios
Juana Roja: Ella Escobar
Esteban: Kalin Pont-Tate

PRODUCTION STAFF:
Stage Manager: Fern Woertink
Assistant Stage Managers: Diego Capriel, Jeremy Gutierrez
Dramaturg: Colin Loveland
Fight Choreographer: Ken Merckx
Intimacy Choreographer: Shinshin Tsai
Assistant Director: Isabella Singley
Assistant Scenic Designer: Daniella Escobar
Assistant Costume Designer: Isabella Hogan
Assistant Lighting Designer: Alex Corral
Assistant Sound Designer: Sonia Tinoco

PARKING:
Please click here for parking information and directions.

February 12, 8:00pm
February 13, 8:00pm
February 14, 8:00pm
February 19, 8:00pm
February 20, 8:00pm
February 21, 2:30pm
February 21, 8:00pm
ARTS Studio Theatre

View on site | Email this event

FUENTEOVEJUNA, OR LIKE SHEEP TO WATER...

By Félix Lope de Vega y Carpio, translated by Curt Columbus

Director: Melanie Queponds
Scenic Designer: Kerry Jones
Costume Designer: Gee-gee Brass
Lighting Designer: Ben Tusher
Sound Designer: Kiah Fisher

In 1476, famine and unrest grip a fragile Spain newly united under Isabella and Ferdinand, even as King Alfonso of Portugal presses his claim. With the Knights of Calatrava wavering in loyalty, the fledgling kingdom teeters on the edge of civil war.

Please be advised that this production includes atmospheric smoke and loud sound effects, and contains some strong language, historic negative depictions of Moorish people and cultures, references to war, adult themes, sexual and tense situations, and scenes of violence.

The performance length is approximately 100 minutes, with no intermission.

View or download the program.

Please join us for a talkback with the dramaturg and members of the cast and production team following the February 20th performance.

TICKETS (ON SALE FEBRUARY 2, 2026 AT 8:00AM):
$15 General, $12 students, UCR alumni cardholders, senior citizens, & children.
Currently enrolled UCR Students can reserve one complimentary ticket online when tickets go on sale.
All ticket sales are online or via QR card at the venue. Cashless payments only (credit card, debit card, Apple Pay, Google Pay).

There is no reserved seating so arrive early for the best seats.
The performance will begin promptly at the announced curtain time and latecomers will only be seated at an appropriate pause in the program.
No exchanges or refunds will be made, except in the event a performance is canceled.

CAST:
Captain Flores / Manrique; Steven Tyson
Sergeant Ortuño / King Ferdinand of Aragon: Edwin Tolosagonzales
Commander Fernán Gómez De Guzmán: Nathan Reiner
Grand Master Rodrigo Téllez Girón / Alonso: Karen Paley
Laurencia: Kylah Kintaudi
Pascuala: Yennie Cannon
Frondoso: Kristion Antoine
Mengo / Second Councilor: Juan-Manuel Cardona-Flores
Barrildo / Cimbranos / First Councilor: James Medina
Jacinta / Queen Isabella of Castile: Aneliz Rios
Juana Roja: Ella Escobar
Esteban: Kalin Pont-Tate

PRODUCTION STAFF:
Stage Manager: Fern Woertink
Assistant Stage Managers: Diego Capriel, Jeremy Gutierrez
Dramaturg: Colin Loveland
Fight Choreographer: Ken Merckx
Intimacy Choreographer: Shinshin Tsai
Assistant Director: Isabella Singley
Assistant Scenic Designer: Daniella Escobar
Assistant Costume Designer: Isabella Hogan
Assistant Lighting Designer: Alex Corral
Assistant Sound Designer: Sonia Tinoco

PARKING:
Please click here for parking information and directions.

February 12, 8:00pm
February 13, 8:00pm
February 14, 8:00pm
February 19, 8:00pm
February 20, 8:00pm
February 21, 2:30pm
February 21, 8:00pm
ARTS Studio Theatre

View on site | Email this event

FUENTEOVEJUNA, OR LIKE SHEEP TO WATER...

By Félix Lope de Vega y Carpio, translated by Curt Columbus

Director: Melanie Queponds
Scenic Designer: Kerry Jones
Costume Designer: Gee-gee Brass
Lighting Designer: Ben Tusher
Sound Designer: Kiah Fisher

In 1476, famine and unrest grip a fragile Spain newly united under Isabella and Ferdinand, even as King Alfonso of Portugal presses his claim. With the Knights of Calatrava wavering in loyalty, the fledgling kingdom teeters on the edge of civil war.

Please be advised that this production includes atmospheric smoke and loud sound effects, and contains some strong language, historic negative depictions of Moorish people and cultures, references to war, adult themes, sexual and tense situations, and scenes of violence.

The performance length is approximately 100 minutes, with no intermission.

View or download the program.

Please join us for a talkback with the dramaturg and members of the cast and production team following the February 20th performance.

TICKETS (ON SALE FEBRUARY 2, 2026 AT 8:00AM):
$15 General, $12 students, UCR alumni cardholders, senior citizens, & children.
Currently enrolled UCR Students can reserve one complimentary ticket online when tickets go on sale.
All ticket sales are online or via QR card at the venue. Cashless payments only (credit card, debit card, Apple Pay, Google Pay).

There is no reserved seating so arrive early for the best seats.
The performance will begin promptly at the announced curtain time and latecomers will only be seated at an appropriate pause in the program.
No exchanges or refunds will be made, except in the event a performance is canceled.

CAST:
Captain Flores / Manrique; Steven Tyson
Sergeant Ortuño / King Ferdinand of Aragon: Edwin Tolosagonzales
Commander Fernán Gómez De Guzmán: Nathan Reiner
Grand Master Rodrigo Téllez Girón / Alonso: Karen Paley
Laurencia: Kylah Kintaudi
Pascuala: Yennie Cannon
Frondoso: Kristion Antoine
Mengo / Second Councilor: Juan-Manuel Cardona-Flores
Barrildo / Cimbranos / First Councilor: James Medina
Jacinta / Queen Isabella of Castile: Aneliz Rios
Juana Roja: Ella Escobar
Esteban: Kalin Pont-Tate

PRODUCTION STAFF:
Stage Manager: Fern Woertink
Assistant Stage Managers: Diego Capriel, Jeremy Gutierrez
Dramaturg: Colin Loveland
Fight Choreographer: Ken Merckx
Intimacy Choreographer: Shinshin Tsai
Assistant Director: Isabella Singley
Assistant Scenic Designer: Daniella Escobar
Assistant Costume Designer: Isabella Hogan
Assistant Lighting Designer: Alex Corral
Assistant Sound Designer: Sonia Tinoco

PARKING:
Please click here for parking information and directions.

February 12, 8:00pm
February 13, 8:00pm
February 14, 8:00pm
February 19, 8:00pm
February 20, 8:00pm
February 21, 2:30pm
February 21, 8:00pm
ARTS Studio Theatre

View on site | Email this event

FUENTEOVEJUNA, OR LIKE SHEEP TO WATER...

By Félix Lope de Vega y Carpio, translated by Curt Columbus

Director: Melanie Queponds
Scenic Designer: Kerry Jones
Costume Designer: Gee-gee Brass
Lighting Designer: Ben Tusher
Sound Designer: Kiah Fisher

In 1476, famine and unrest grip a fragile Spain newly united under Isabella and Ferdinand, even as King Alfonso of Portugal presses his claim. With the Knights of Calatrava wavering in loyalty, the fledgling kingdom teeters on the edge of civil war.

Please be advised that this production includes atmospheric smoke and loud sound effects, and contains some strong language, historic negative depictions of Moorish people and cultures, references to war, adult themes, sexual and tense situations, and scenes of violence.

The performance length is approximately 100 minutes, with no intermission.

View or download the program.

Please join us for a talkback with the dramaturg and members of the cast and production team following the February 20th performance.

TICKETS (ON SALE FEBRUARY 2, 2026 AT 8:00AM):
$15 General, $12 students, UCR alumni cardholders, senior citizens, & children.
Currently enrolled UCR Students can reserve one complimentary ticket online when tickets go on sale.
All ticket sales are online or via QR card at the venue. Cashless payments only (credit card, debit card, Apple Pay, Google Pay).

There is no reserved seating so arrive early for the best seats.
The performance will begin promptly at the announced curtain time and latecomers will only be seated at an appropriate pause in the program.
No exchanges or refunds will be made, except in the event a performance is canceled.

CAST:
Captain Flores / Manrique; Steven Tyson
Sergeant Ortuño / King Ferdinand of Aragon: Edwin Tolosagonzales
Commander Fernán Gómez De Guzmán: Nathan Reiner
Grand Master Rodrigo Téllez Girón / Alonso: Karen Paley
Laurencia: Kylah Kintaudi
Pascuala: Yennie Cannon
Frondoso: Kristion Antoine
Mengo / Second Councilor: Juan-Manuel Cardona-Flores
Barrildo / Cimbranos / First Councilor: James Medina
Jacinta / Queen Isabella of Castile: Aneliz Rios
Juana Roja: Ella Escobar
Esteban: Kalin Pont-Tate

PRODUCTION STAFF:
Stage Manager: Fern Woertink
Assistant Stage Managers: Diego Capriel, Jeremy Gutierrez
Dramaturg: Colin Loveland
Fight Choreographer: Ken Merckx
Intimacy Choreographer: Shinshin Tsai
Assistant Director: Isabella Singley
Assistant Scenic Designer: Daniella Escobar
Assistant Costume Designer: Isabella Hogan
Assistant Lighting Designer: Alex Corral
Assistant Sound Designer: Sonia Tinoco

PARKING:
Please click here for parking information and directions.

February 12, 8:00pm
February 13, 8:00pm
February 14, 8:00pm
February 19, 8:00pm
February 20, 8:00pm
February 21, 2:30pm
February 21, 8:00pm
ARTS Studio Theatre

View on site | Email this event

“New Music for Two Voices”

Soprano Susan Narucki and Coloratura Soprano Kirsten Ashley Wiest

GRAMMY-winning soprano Susan Narucki and award-winning coloratura soprano Kirsten Ashley Wiest perform music written for two voices from the contemporary classical repertoire.

Part of the 2025-2026 Florence Bayz Music Series

The Florence Bayz Music Series offers online concerts, lectures, and presentations of academic research by Department of Music faculty, postdoctoral researchers, students, and international guest artists and scholars.

Dr. Amy Skjerseth (she/her), Assistant Professor of Popular Music, Coordinator

Events are free and open to the public.

PARKING

Enjoy complimentary parking for this event! Please enter your vehicle info below before you park.

Follow these steps:

Step 1: Click on this linkStep 2: Enter your license plate in the “License Plate Number”Step 3: If the plate is non-California, select the appropriate state for the plate.Step 4: Press ‘Park’
For any other questions about event parking, please email parking@ucr.edu between the hours of 8 a.m. and 4 p.m., Monday to Friday, and allow up to one business day to receive a response.

Additional visitor parking info for events can be found at: performingarts.ucr.edu/parking

View on site | Email this event

Student Performance and Composition Concert (Jonathan Keplinger)

UC Riverside’s own music students present a diverse program of individual and small ensemble performances. Works presented include newly composed music and pop selections, as well as songs, arias, and instrumental pieces from the classical, jazz, and musical theater traditions.

Part of the 2025-2026 Florence Bayz Music Series

The Florence Bayz Music Series offers online concerts, lectures, and presentations of academic research by Department of Music faculty, postdoctoral researchers, students, and international guest artists and scholars.

Dr. Amy Skjerseth (she/her), Assistant Professor of Popular Music, Coordinator

Events are free and open to the public.

PARKING

Enjoy complimentary parking for this event! Please enter your vehicle info below before you park.

Follow these steps:

Step 1: Click on this linkStep 2: Enter your license plate in the “License Plate Number”Step 3: If the plate is non-California, select the appropriate state for the plate.Step 4: Press ‘Park’
For any other questions about event parking, please email parking@ucr.edu between the hours of 8 a.m. and 4 p.m., Monday to Friday, and allow up to one business day to receive a response.

Additional visitor parking info for events can be found at: performingarts.ucr.edu/parking

View on site | Email this event

By calling in Hortense Spillers’ theory of flesh, we name the labor of Black women/femme scholars and artists who have contributed to shaping Dance Studies. We continue to interrogate racialized and gendered assumptions of personhood that underlie foundational terms and keywords in dance and performance, such as choreography, technique, performativity, and “the body.” We are interested in how academic research, aesthetic practices and teaching methodologies may contribute to disrupting or upholding hegemonic structures that condition our ways of being and perceiving the world.

Organizing Committee

dan delê, Chair

Michelle Cole, Co-Chair

SUR Sanford

Sam Briseno Jimenez

NO FEES FOR CONFERENCE. FOOD WILL BE PROVIDED.

RSVP HERE

We are excited to introduce two of the scholars that will be joining us for Critical Dance Experiments.

Dr. Mlondi Zondi (USC Dornsife) will join us as the conference's keynote speaker, bringing his work into conversation with our graduate student community with the lecture "The Loss of Loss: Dance and the Psychopolitics of Re-Assembly”. Our keynote is part of a collaboration with the 2026 Current Topics in Dance Research Colloquium Series.

Professor Moncell Durden (USC Kaufman) will join us as the conference's invited artist and scholar offering two intensive workshops entitled “In the Groove” & “Aesthetic Flow” connecting conceptual and movement aesthetics from Jazz to House and Hip Hop.

Parking Information

Step 1: Click Here

Step 2: Enter your license plate in the “License Plate Number”

Step 3: If the plate is non-California, select the appropriate state for the plate.

Step 4: Press ‘Park’

View on site | Email this event

Mlondi Zondi

Hybrid / Join In-Person or Join on Zoom

Faustin Linyekula’s performance practice addresses historical violence and the violence of History. Sustained in his inquiry is an effort to recover absented maternal heritage. To what extent does the recognition of this absented (maternal) knowledge reveal “truth” and transmit memory beyond the document, and how far does this recovery through performance reconsign African immaterial heritage into the logic of the archive? What kind of philosophy of history emerges through contemporary African dance?

Mlondi Zondi (they/he) is an assistant professor of global Black studies in comparative literature at the University of Southern California. They hold a PhD in Performance Studies from Northwestern University and an MFA in Dance from UC Irvine. Zondi is currently working on a monograph entitled Unmournable Void: Figuration, Violence, and Corporeal Integrity in Contemporary African (Diaspora) Expressive Arts. Forthcoming or published essays by Zondi appear in TDR: The Drama Review, ASAP Journal, Contemporary Literature, Espace Art Actuel, Liquid Blackness, Mortality, Performance Philosophy, and Safundi. In addition to scholarly research, Zondi practices performance and dramaturgy.

Part of “Transversal Re/Configurations: Flesh, Bodies, and Matter in Motion”
Current Topics in Dance Research Colloquium Series: January 08 - March 12, 2026.

– María Regina Firmino-Castillo, Curator & Coordinator.

Mlondi Zondi’s participation in “Transversal Re/Configurations: Flesh, Bodies, and Matter in Motion” was curated by the 2026 Dance GSA “Critical Dance Experiments” Conference Organizing Committee (Erika Villeroy da Costa, Chair; Michelle Cole, Co-Chair; SUR Sanford; and Sam Briseno-Jimenez) and co-cordinated with María Regina Firmino-Castillo. This collaboration centers graduate students’ vision in the forging of new directions in dance making and study.

Transversal Re/Configurations: Flesh, Bodies, and Matter in Motion was made possible through generous sponsorships from the California Center for Native Nations; the Rupert Costo Endowment in American Indian Affairs, University of California, Riverside; the CHASS Dean's Office and the Center for Ideas and Society; and the Departments of Music, Ethnic Studies, Gender & Sexuality Studies, and Media & Cultural Studies.

Many thanks to: taisha paggett (Department of Dance, Chairperson), Anthea Kraut (Department of Dance, Vice-Chair), Courtney Brubaker (Events Specialist), and Pete Pace (Technical Director) for their generous support of the Colloquium, and to Jonathan Ritter (Department of Music, Chairperson) and María del Rosario Acosta López (Professor, Hispanic Studies Department) for their vision and collaboration.

For Accessibility and Accommodations, contact mariafc@ucr.edu

Photo credits: ©Studio Kabako, 2018.

Download the poster here [LINK COMING SOON]

Parking Information

Step 1: Click Here

Step 2: Enter your license plate in the “License Plate Number”

Step 3: If the plate is non-California, select the appropriate state for the plate.

Step 4: Press ‘Park’

View on site | Email this event

By calling in Hortense Spillers’ theory of flesh, we name the labor of Black women/femme scholars and artists who have contributed to shaping Dance Studies. We continue to interrogate racialized and gendered assumptions of personhood that underlie foundational terms and keywords in dance and performance, such as choreography, technique, performativity, and “the body.” We are interested in how academic research, aesthetic practices and teaching methodologies may contribute to disrupting or upholding hegemonic structures that condition our ways of being and perceiving the world.

Organizing Committee

dan delê, Chair

Michelle Cole, Co-Chair

SUR Sanford

Sam Briseno Jimenez

NO FEES FOR CONFERENCE. FOOD WILL BE PROVIDED.

RSVP HERE

We are excited to introduce two of the scholars that will be joining us for Critical Dance Experiments.

Dr. Mlondi Zondi (USC Dornsife) will join us as the conference's keynote speaker, bringing his work into conversation with our graduate student community with the lecture "The Loss of Loss: Dance and the Psychopolitics of Re-Assembly”. Our keynote is part of a collaboration with the 2026 Current Topics in Dance Research Colloquium Series.

Professor Moncell Durden (USC Kaufman) will join us as the conference's invited artist and scholar offering two intensive workshops entitled “In the Groove” & “Aesthetic Flow” connecting conceptual and movement aesthetics from Jazz to House and Hip Hop.

Parking Information

Step 1: Click Here

Step 2: Enter your license plate in the “License Plate Number”

Step 3: If the plate is non-California, select the appropriate state for the plate.

Step 4: Press ‘Park’

View on site | Email this event

TILLY NO-BODY

A remarkable true story of resilience and love
Written and performed by Bella Merlin
Directed by Miles Anderson

March 6, 8:00pm
March 7, 2:00pm
ARTS Studio Theatre
Free and open to the public
No reservations required (first-come first-served). Doors open 30 minutes prior to show time.
The performance will begin promptly at the announced curtain time and latecomers will only be seated at an appropriate pause in the program.

Germany, 1917. A lone woman. A bottle of poison. A momentous decision…

In a deserted circus, drama, humour, music and songs tell the true story of actress Tilly Wedekind and her controlling, famous writer-husband, Frank Wedekind (Spring Awakening). When Frank robs Tilly of her acting roles he reduces her to a Nobody. Broken-hearted, she swallows poison. But following her recovery, she reclaims her career, discovers her voice, and as an 80-year-old woman she finally writes her own story. Tilly No-Body becomes a Somebody.

This internationally acclaimed, tour-de-force performance about sex and love, transformation and identity asks: Why do we stay in relationships long after they’ve turned toxic? How can we find our voices after we’ve been silenced? Can sharing our stories help us reshape our lives?

Award-winning actor and writer Bella Merlin brings her previous experience of a violent relationship: “Tilly’s resilience came through writing her own story – mine has come through playing her. It became a way of saying we can get through this, we can survive.”

BODY-WORD-VOICE is a practice-as-research initiative led by Drs. Annika Speer and Bella Merlin, funded by SoCal/OASIS/Office of Research and Economic Development. We use theatrical performance, actor-training skills, and public-speaking techniques as a means of listening to the body, finding words for the embodied information, and giving voice to those words. We explore creative frameworks and mindful practices for navigating complex emotions through shared storytelling, witnessing and listening.

Scenic Designer: Kerry Jones
Costume Designer: Maggie Morgan
Lighting Designer: Ben Tusher
Sound Designer: David Roesner
Dramaturg: Annika Speer
Stage Manager: Vanessa Baez

Winner, Edinburgh Festival Fringe Theatre Award (EFFTA)
Pick of the Fringe ‘Highly recommended’ ★★★★
‘flawlessly performed’ Three Weeks ★★★★
‘a chilling resonance’ Broadway Baby ★★★★
‘Where does actor end and character begin?... the effect is intoxicating’ LouReviews ★★★★
‘Performed by Merlin with precision and pathos’ The Scotsman
‘a masterclass in multi-talent…keen direction by Miles Anderson’ Binge Fringe Review
‘Costume is shed piece by piece, symbolic of Tilly sharing her story with us’ Musical Theatre Review

PARKING:
Please click here for parking information and directions.

View on site | Email this event

TILLY NO-BODY

A remarkable true story of resilience and love
Written and performed by Bella Merlin
Directed by Miles Anderson

March 6, 8:00pm
March 7, 2:00pm
ARTS Studio Theatre
Free and open to the public
No reservations required (first-come first-served). Doors open 30 minutes prior to show time.
The performance will begin promptly at the announced curtain time and latecomers will only be seated at an appropriate pause in the program.

Germany, 1917. A lone woman. A bottle of poison. A momentous decision…

In a deserted circus, drama, humour, music and songs tell the true story of actress Tilly Wedekind and her controlling, famous writer-husband, Frank Wedekind (Spring Awakening). When Frank robs Tilly of her acting roles he reduces her to a Nobody. Broken-hearted, she swallows poison. But following her recovery, she reclaims her career, discovers her voice, and as an 80-year-old woman she finally writes her own story. Tilly No-Body becomes a Somebody.

This internationally acclaimed, tour-de-force performance about sex and love, transformation and identity asks: Why do we stay in relationships long after they’ve turned toxic? How can we find our voices after we’ve been silenced? Can sharing our stories help us reshape our lives?

Award-winning actor and writer Bella Merlin brings her previous experience of a violent relationship: “Tilly’s resilience came through writing her own story – mine has come through playing her. It became a way of saying we can get through this, we can survive.”

BODY-WORD-VOICE is a practice-as-research initiative led by Drs. Annika Speer and Bella Merlin, funded by SoCal/OASIS/Office of Research and Economic Development. We use theatrical performance, actor-training skills, and public-speaking techniques as a means of listening to the body, finding words for the embodied information, and giving voice to those words. We explore creative frameworks and mindful practices for navigating complex emotions through shared storytelling, witnessing and listening.

Scenic Designer: Kerry Jones
Costume Designer: Maggie Morgan
Lighting Designer: Ben Tusher
Sound Designer: David Roesner
Dramaturg: Annika Speer
Stage Manager: Vanessa Baez

Winner, Edinburgh Festival Fringe Theatre Award (EFFTA)
Pick of the Fringe ‘Highly recommended’ ★★★★
‘flawlessly performed’ Three Weeks ★★★★
‘a chilling resonance’ Broadway Baby ★★★★
‘Where does actor end and character begin?... the effect is intoxicating’ LouReviews ★★★★
‘Performed by Merlin with precision and pathos’ The Scotsman
‘a masterclass in multi-talent…keen direction by Miles Anderson’ Binge Fringe Review
‘Costume is shed piece by piece, symbolic of Tilly sharing her story with us’ Musical Theatre Review

PARKING:
Please click here for parking information and directions.

View on site | Email this event

Maryam Farshadfar: A Piano Journey Along the Caucasus

A Piano Journey Along the Caucasus is a lecture-recital by Dr. Maryam Farshadfar, featuring piano works from Georgia, Azerbaijan, Armenia, Russia, and Iran. The program explores how traditional melodies and cultural heritage shape classical piano music across the region.

Part of the 2025-2026 Florence Bayz Music Series

The Florence Bayz Music Series offers online concerts, lectures, and presentations of academic research by Department of Music faculty, postdoctoral researchers, students, and international guest artists and scholars.

Dr. Amy Skjerseth (she/her), Assistant Professor of Popular Music, Coordinator

Events are free and open to the public.

PARKING

Enjoy complimentary parking for this event! Please enter your vehicle info below before you park.

Follow these steps:

Step 1: Click on this linkStep 2: Enter your license plate in the “License Plate Number”Step 3: If the plate is non-California, select the appropriate state for the plate.Step 4: Press ‘Park’
For any other questions about event parking, please email parking@ucr.edu between the hours of 8 a.m. and 4 p.m., Monday to Friday, and allow up to one business day to receive a response.

Additional visitor parking info for events can be found at: performingarts.ucr.edu/parking

View on site | Email this event

SOMETIMES THE RAIN, SOMETIMES THE SEA

By Julia Izumi

May 7-16, 2026
ARTS Studio Theatre

This playful and quirky adaptation of The Little Mermaid follows a Little Rain Cloud who falls in love with a human while also unpacking Hans Christian Andersen’s personal history - though, as our narrator insists, it’s not The Little Mermaid at all.

“Sometimes the Rain, Sometimes the Sea” is presented by arrangement with Concord Theatricals on behalf of Samuel French, Inc.
www.concordtheatricals.com

TICKETS (ON SALE APRIL 27, 2026 AT 8:00AM):
$15 General, $12 students, UCR alumni cardholders, senior citizens, & children.
Currently enrolled UCR Students can reserve one complimentary ticket online when tickets go on sale.
All ticket sales are online or via QR card at the venue. Cashless payments only (credit card, debit card, Apple Pay, Google Pay).

There is no reserved seating so arrive early for the best seats.
The performance will begin promptly at the announced curtain time and latecomers will only be seated at an appropriate pause in the program.
No exchanges or refunds will be made, except in the event a performance is canceled.

PARKING:
Please click here for parking information and directions.

View on site | Email this event

SOMETIMES THE RAIN, SOMETIMES THE SEA

By Julia Izumi

May 7-16, 2026
ARTS Studio Theatre

This playful and quirky adaptation of The Little Mermaid follows a Little Rain Cloud who falls in love with a human while also unpacking Hans Christian Andersen’s personal history - though, as our narrator insists, it’s not The Little Mermaid at all.

“Sometimes the Rain, Sometimes the Sea” is presented by arrangement with Concord Theatricals on behalf of Samuel French, Inc.
www.concordtheatricals.com

TICKETS (ON SALE APRIL 27, 2026 AT 8:00AM):
$15 General, $12 students, UCR alumni cardholders, senior citizens, & children.
Currently enrolled UCR Students can reserve one complimentary ticket online when tickets go on sale.
All ticket sales are online or via QR card at the venue. Cashless payments only (credit card, debit card, Apple Pay, Google Pay).

There is no reserved seating so arrive early for the best seats.
The performance will begin promptly at the announced curtain time and latecomers will only be seated at an appropriate pause in the program.
No exchanges or refunds will be made, except in the event a performance is canceled.

PARKING:
Please click here for parking information and directions.

View on site | Email this event

SOMETIMES THE RAIN, SOMETIMES THE SEA

By Julia Izumi

May 7-16, 2026
ARTS Studio Theatre

This playful and quirky adaptation of The Little Mermaid follows a Little Rain Cloud who falls in love with a human while also unpacking Hans Christian Andersen’s personal history - though, as our narrator insists, it’s not The Little Mermaid at all.

“Sometimes the Rain, Sometimes the Sea” is presented by arrangement with Concord Theatricals on behalf of Samuel French, Inc.
www.concordtheatricals.com

TICKETS (ON SALE APRIL 27, 2026 AT 8:00AM):
$15 General, $12 students, UCR alumni cardholders, senior citizens, & children.
Currently enrolled UCR Students can reserve one complimentary ticket online when tickets go on sale.
All ticket sales are online or via QR card at the venue. Cashless payments only (credit card, debit card, Apple Pay, Google Pay).

There is no reserved seating so arrive early for the best seats.
The performance will begin promptly at the announced curtain time and latecomers will only be seated at an appropriate pause in the program.
No exchanges or refunds will be made, except in the event a performance is canceled.

PARKING:
Please click here for parking information and directions.

View on site | Email this event

SOMETIMES THE RAIN, SOMETIMES THE SEA

By Julia Izumi

May 7-16, 2026
ARTS Studio Theatre

This playful and quirky adaptation of The Little Mermaid follows a Little Rain Cloud who falls in love with a human while also unpacking Hans Christian Andersen’s personal history - though, as our narrator insists, it’s not The Little Mermaid at all.

“Sometimes the Rain, Sometimes the Sea” is presented by arrangement with Concord Theatricals on behalf of Samuel French, Inc.
www.concordtheatricals.com

TICKETS (ON SALE APRIL 27, 2026 AT 8:00AM):
$15 General, $12 students, UCR alumni cardholders, senior citizens, & children.
Currently enrolled UCR Students can reserve one complimentary ticket online when tickets go on sale.
All ticket sales are online or via QR card at the venue. Cashless payments only (credit card, debit card, Apple Pay, Google Pay).

There is no reserved seating so arrive early for the best seats.
The performance will begin promptly at the announced curtain time and latecomers will only be seated at an appropriate pause in the program.
No exchanges or refunds will be made, except in the event a performance is canceled.

PARKING:
Please click here for parking information and directions.

View on site | Email this event

SOMETIMES THE RAIN, SOMETIMES THE SEA

By Julia Izumi

May 7-16, 2026
ARTS Studio Theatre

This playful and quirky adaptation of The Little Mermaid follows a Little Rain Cloud who falls in love with a human while also unpacking Hans Christian Andersen’s personal history - though, as our narrator insists, it’s not The Little Mermaid at all.

“Sometimes the Rain, Sometimes the Sea” is presented by arrangement with Concord Theatricals on behalf of Samuel French, Inc.
www.concordtheatricals.com

TICKETS (ON SALE APRIL 27, 2026 AT 8:00AM):
$15 General, $12 students, UCR alumni cardholders, senior citizens, & children.
Currently enrolled UCR Students can reserve one complimentary ticket online when tickets go on sale.
All ticket sales are online or via QR card at the venue. Cashless payments only (credit card, debit card, Apple Pay, Google Pay).

There is no reserved seating so arrive early for the best seats.
The performance will begin promptly at the announced curtain time and latecomers will only be seated at an appropriate pause in the program.
No exchanges or refunds will be made, except in the event a performance is canceled.

PARKING:
Please click here for parking information and directions.

View on site | Email this event

SOMETIMES THE RAIN, SOMETIMES THE SEA

By Julia Izumi

May 7-16, 2026
ARTS Studio Theatre

This playful and quirky adaptation of The Little Mermaid follows a Little Rain Cloud who falls in love with a human while also unpacking Hans Christian Andersen’s personal history - though, as our narrator insists, it’s not The Little Mermaid at all.

“Sometimes the Rain, Sometimes the Sea” is presented by arrangement with Concord Theatricals on behalf of Samuel French, Inc.
www.concordtheatricals.com

TICKETS (ON SALE APRIL 27, 2026 AT 8:00AM):
$15 General, $12 students, UCR alumni cardholders, senior citizens, & children.
Currently enrolled UCR Students can reserve one complimentary ticket online when tickets go on sale.
All ticket sales are online or via QR card at the venue. Cashless payments only (credit card, debit card, Apple Pay, Google Pay).

There is no reserved seating so arrive early for the best seats.
The performance will begin promptly at the announced curtain time and latecomers will only be seated at an appropriate pause in the program.
No exchanges or refunds will be made, except in the event a performance is canceled.

PARKING:
Please click here for parking information and directions.

View on site | Email this event

SOMETIMES THE RAIN, SOMETIMES THE SEA

By Julia Izumi

May 7-16, 2026
ARTS Studio Theatre

This playful and quirky adaptation of The Little Mermaid follows a Little Rain Cloud who falls in love with a human while also unpacking Hans Christian Andersen’s personal history - though, as our narrator insists, it’s not The Little Mermaid at all.

“Sometimes the Rain, Sometimes the Sea” is presented by arrangement with Concord Theatricals on behalf of Samuel French, Inc.
www.concordtheatricals.com

TICKETS (ON SALE APRIL 27, 2026 AT 8:00AM):
$15 General, $12 students, UCR alumni cardholders, senior citizens, & children.
Currently enrolled UCR Students can reserve one complimentary ticket online when tickets go on sale.
All ticket sales are online or via QR card at the venue. Cashless payments only (credit card, debit card, Apple Pay, Google Pay).

There is no reserved seating so arrive early for the best seats.
The performance will begin promptly at the announced curtain time and latecomers will only be seated at an appropriate pause in the program.
No exchanges or refunds will be made, except in the event a performance is canceled.

PARKING:
Please click here for parking information and directions.

View on site | Email this event

May 19 @ 8 p.m. Performance Lab ARTS 166

Frances Moore, Director

Free and open to the public.

LOCATION

Performance Lab (ARTS 166)

There is no reserved seating, so please arrive early for the best selection of seats.

The performance will start promptly at the announced curtain time and latecomers will only be seated at an appropriate pause in the program.

If you’ve never been to campus, here are directions to UCR.

PARKING

Enjoy complimentary parking for this event! Please enter your vehicle info below before you park.

Follow these steps:

Click on this linkEnter the license plate number (LPN) in the 'Plate' section

Select the appropriate state, if not California.

OPTIONAL: Add your email address to receive a confirmation email

Click 'Park' to complete.

For any other questions about event parking, please email parking@ucr.edu between the hours of 8 a.m. and 4 p.m., Monday to Friday, and allow up to one business day to receive a response.

Additional visitor parking info for events can be found at: performingarts.ucr.edu/parking

View on site | Email this event

May 20 @ 8 p.m. Performance Lab ARTS 166

Ralph Cato, Vocal Instructor

ADMISSION

Free and open to the public.

Though admission is free, a ticket is required. One ticket per person will be distributed at the venue one hour before the concert. Seating is limited and on a first-come, first-served basis.

LOCATION

Performance Lab (ARTS 166)

There is no reserved seating, so please arrive early for the best selection of seats.

The performance will start promptly at the announced curtain time and latecomers will only be seated at an appropriate pause in the program.

If you’ve never been to campus, here are directions to UCR.

PARKING

Enjoy complimentary parking for this event! Please enter your vehicle info below before you park.

Follow these steps:

Click on this linkEnter the license plate number (LPN) in the 'Plate' sectionSelect the appropriate state, if not California.OPTIONAL: Add your email address to receive a confirmation emailClick 'Park' to complete.
For any other questions about event parking, please email parking@ucr.edu between the hours of 8 a.m. and 4 p.m., Monday to Friday, and allow up to one business day to receive a response.

Additional visitor parking info for events can be found at: performingarts.ucr.edu/parking

View on site | Email this event

PLAYWORKS

by UCR Undergraduate and MFA Playwrights

Erith Jaffe-Berg, Artistic Director

May 26-27, 2026
7:00pm
ARTS Studio Theatre
Free and open to the public

Premiere productions exploring issues and textures of contemporary life by the best UCR student playwrights. A different slate of work is scheduled for each performance.

PARKING:
Please click here for parking information and directions.

View on site | Email this event

PLAYWORKS

by UCR Undergraduate and MFA Playwrights

Erith Jaffe-Berg, Artistic Director

May 26-27, 2026
7:00pm
ARTS Studio Theatre
Free and open to the public

Premiere productions exploring issues and textures of contemporary life by the best UCR student playwrights. A different slate of work is scheduled for each performance.

PARKING:
Please click here for parking information and directions.

View on site | Email this event

New works by UCR undergraduate and graduate composers

Jun. 2 @ 8 p.m. Performance Lab ARTS 166

Paulo Chagas, Event Coordinator

ADMISSION

Free and open to the public.

Though admission is free, a ticket is required. One ticket per person will be distributed at the venue one hour before the concert. Seating is limited and on a first-come, first-served basis.

LOCATION

Performance Lab (ARTS 166)

There is no reserved seating, so please arrive early for the best selection of seats.

The performance will start promptly at the announced curtain time and latecomers will only be seated at an appropriate pause in the program.

If you’ve never been to campus, here are directions to UCR.

PARKING

Enjoy complimentary parking for this event! Please enter your vehicle info below before you park.

Follow these steps:

Click on this linkEnter the license plate number (LPN) in the 'Plate' sectionSelect the appropriate state, if not California.OPTIONAL: Add your email address to receive a confirmation emailClick 'Park' to complete.
For any other questions about event parking, please email parking@ucr.edu between the hours of 8 a.m. and 4 p.m., Monday to Friday, and allow up to one business day to receive a response.

Additional visitor parking info for events can be found at: performingarts.ucr.edu/parking

View on site | Email this event

NEW WORKS FESTIVAL

by UCR MFA Playwrights and Screenwriters
Megan Tabaque, Artistic Director

June 3 & 5, 2026
7:00pm
ARTS Studio Theatre
Free and open to the public

The New Works Festival proudly presents developmental staged readings of new plays written by our graduating MFA Playwriting Candidates in UCR’s Creative Writing and Writing for the Performing Arts MFA Program. This three night event brings student playwrights, student actors, and student dramaturgs into process with professional directors to model the rigor, curiosity, collaboration, and revision required at a professional level to give new plays life! The New Works Festival celebrates tomorrow’s emerging theater makers TODAY.

PARKING:
Please click here for parking information and directions.​​

View on site | Email this event

CULMINATION CELEBRATION

June 5, 2026
1:00pm
ARTS Studio Theatre
Free and open to the public

Join us for this exciting event featuring a presentation of the winners of this year’s Marius de Brabant Chancellor’s Performance Awards, the Eric Barr Acting Award, the Richard Risso Award, and the Emory Elliott Award followed by a luncheon.

PARKING:
Please click here for parking information and directions.

View on site | Email this event

NEW WORKS FESTIVAL

by UCR MFA Playwrights and Screenwriters
Megan Tabaque, Artistic Director

June 3 & 5, 2026
7:00pm
ARTS Studio Theatre
Free and open to the public

The New Works Festival proudly presents developmental staged readings of new plays written by our graduating MFA Playwriting Candidates in UCR’s Creative Writing and Writing for the Performing Arts MFA Program. This three night event brings student playwrights, student actors, and student dramaturgs into process with professional directors to model the rigor, curiosity, collaboration, and revision required at a professional level to give new plays life! The New Works Festival celebrates tomorrow’s emerging theater makers TODAY.

PARKING:
Please click here for parking information and directions.​​

View on site | Email this event