Blending vibrant productions, compelling stories and diverse casts, The Color Box Production Company colors outside the lines of traditional theater.

Founded in 2017, The Color Box is a student-run theater production company that spotlights diverse communities and their stories. Since its inception, The Color Box has served as an outlet for Bruins of all backgrounds to foster their passion for theater and has showcased productions that examine topics ranging from gentrification with “In the Heights” to abortion with “JANE: Abortion and the Underground.” Seth Holt, a fourth-year theater student and The Color Box’s executive director, said the company’s founders had extensive experience in theater.

“Whether it be out of friendship, whether it be professionalism, they came together and saw a common goal,” Holt said. “We tell stories that are diverse in a number of ways … in the sense (of) what they’re representing, how they’re representing.”

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Janelle Soriano, a fourth-year theater student and The Color Box’s director of educational outreach, said the company was created because of a lack of opportunities for artists of color to share their stories. Every year, The Color Box provides new theater students with opportunities that UCLA’s theater department may not be able to provide them with, she added. Diversity and encouragement of artistic expression are the core values of The Color Box, Soriano said.

The Color Box Production Company consists of multiple teams, such as finance, media and marketing, and productions, that manage the various tasks for the showcases. When joining The Color Box, students quickly find a community, Soriano said. Although there is no need to keep the production company small to increase diversity, there are perks to having a smaller production company, Holt added.

“We are a smaller group of people because oftentimes the most passionate groups of people are the smaller groups of people,” Holt said. “When the production company is a smaller company, it also ensures that we have accountability for one another, and we’re able to put out better work because we work closely with one another and we’re always in contact.”

Brooke Lebidine, a fourth-year theater student who serves as the media team lead, said one of her favorite memories while working with The Color Box team was the familial atmosphere on set of its production of “In the Heights.” Lebidine added that The Color Box allowed her to gain and be involved in a community that she loves and trusts. The experiences of being part of the team have helped members gain and develop crucial skills such as organization and teamwork, Lebidine said.

“I would say that it teaches them how to network and also how to market themselves,” Lebidine said. “The Color Box emphasizes the idea of professionalism. … It’s more like, ‘OK, I’m a student. They’re students too. We’re all on the same level. But I’m going to try my best and treat this as if I am actually auditioning,’ because it provides experiences for those people who want to get into the acting space.”

Holt said in addition to developing leadership and acting skills, The Color Box gives novice playwrights a chance to submit their work through an application. Holt added that The Color Box’s ideal candidate is an applicant who is passionate, shows a willingness to learn and can ultimately carry out the company’s mission. In the wake of the 2024-2025 school year, Holt said he is excited for all the new students who are going to be a part of The Color Box and are in search of the space that it provides.

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Holt said he is hopeful not only that the legacy of The Color Box Production Company will continue, but also that new students will resonate with its mission and its importance within the UCLA community. Ultimately, Holt said The Color Box wants diversity within the entertainment industry to be the norm.

“All that Color Box can do is provide a vessel for these stories to be told,” Holt said. “But the most important thing to us always is that the stories are told, which is why it was formed. We wanted to be the people that told those stories because they needed a space where it could be told.”