USC’s CommUnity Arts Collective, one of the newest independent student theater productions on campus, doesn’t let the stress of producing an entire show get to them: they approach the challenge with a sense of fun.

CAC produces a full-fledged show in the spring as well as an arts festival in the fall. This year’s arts festival consists of a staged reading of the musical “Ride the Cyclone,” which was voted on by School of Dramatic Arts students, alongside an artist showcase.

Since the club’s first production in the fall of 2023, CAC has been a staple among USC’s independent student productions (ISPs), often collaborating with other ISPs; however, CAC differentiates itself by focusing on breaking down barriers and providing as many opportunities as possible for diverse students.

Cesar Serrano, CAC’s president, joined CAC for its opening production of “Little Women” in Fall 2023 and hasn’t left since. Serrano said he quickly realized that students love CAC for the curation of the productions that it puts on.

“Students just come because they love the actual intellectual property,” said Serrano, a junior majoring in theatre as well as public relations and advertising. “Even if it is a more rundown and stripped-down production with script cuts and smaller rehearsal times, people still put all their heart and soul into it, and it just makes for as good a show as any other.”

Raya Hassanpour, vice president of CAC, said the collective emphasizes the joy of theater rather than spectacle.

“The thing that separates CAC from other clubs is that it rarely focuses on how great a show may be. And that sounds bad, but what I’m trying to say is that we prioritize allowing people to enter the theater space,” said Hassanpour, a sophomore majoring in cinema and media studies.

Beyond its productions, CAC’s defining feature is its accessibility. Hassanpour describes CAC’s environment as a uniquely open and welcoming space, and one that allows students from other disciplines to explore the arts.

Isabella Lobaina, CAC’s treasurer and a sophomore majoring in theatre with an emphasis in musical theatre as well as public relations and advertising, said that collaboration is at the core of the club’s inclusivity.

“Our whole mission is to bring a community together, whether it’s theater, whether it is music or songwriting or just magic. We really do want to foster a community that supports all kinds of performance,” Lobaina said.

Hassanpour said CAC’s role in supporting students is to help them expand across disciplines and experiment as interdisciplinary artists.

“It allows people to branch out a lot. I know that we’ve worked with a lot of people in [the School of Cinematic Arts]; I’m in SCA,” Hassanpour said. “A lot of people get sort of intimidated with the idea of entering the arts, and especially being in that space with a lot of other peers who are in the dramatic arts school, but CAC creates a space where anybody can join with no pretense or no expectations.”

As a result of this accessibility, Serrano said CAC often serves as a starting point for many first-year students, especially since they have so many roles and positions available.

“We tend to get a large freshman population in all our shows,” Serrano said. “And a lot of time, [in the] fall semester especially, the freshmen come in, just trying to look for any opportunity … And we recognize passion more than we, necessarily, recognize experience.”

Serrano said community is at the core of CAC behind the scenes as well. He said having a smaller executive board fosters stronger relationships among its members.

“We only have eight e-board members,” Serrano said. “I found that having a smaller e-board team allows us to always meet in person every week. … So it allows us to keep a community within the e-board. It allows the e-board to be like really close friends, like we’re just all best friends.”

This strong sense of friendship within CAC’s executive board sets the tone for the rest of the organization. When leadership is connected and supportive of each other, that positive energy filters down to every rehearsal, making members’ experience much better.

For Hassanpour, CAC’s emphasis on accessibility has had a personal impact, helping her navigate the uncertainty that comes with stepping out of comfort zones.

“When I entered CAC, I had major imposter syndrome, because all the people here are super talented,” Hassanpour said. “It’s really important for people to put themselves out there and join, even if, at the beginning, they feel that little pain of imposter syndrome. … Everybody here wants each other to grow and get better. … And I think that’s super, super worth it.”

Disclaimer: Isabella Lobaina formerly served as a staff member on the Daily Trojan’s Diversity, Equity & Inclusion committee as well as the social media (TikTok/Reels) section in Fall 2024. She is no longer affiliated with this paper.