UCI Claire Trevor School of the Arts

It’s graduation season! 🎓 💙💛 Congratulations to the Class of 2026. We can’t wait to see where your artistry takes you. The world needs your creativity now more than ever! 🎉

First, third and fourth photos by Sarah Hentges sarah’s photos

Second photo by Kate Sheehan kate

Tonight at the Irvine Barclay Theatre! 🎼 The Spring 2026 UCI Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Professor Geoffrey Pope, closes the season with a vibrant program designed to be shared with friends and community members. As one of Orange County’s premier large-performance ensembles, the orchestra has been a cornerstone of the Department of Music since 1966, bringing together students, faculty, and local musicians to perform symphonic works across the ages. Tickets are at https://bit.ly/4fJ3Z1p.

Photos by Jasmine Miranda.

UCI Symphony Orchestra takeover! Tickets are available at https://bit.ly/4fJ3Z1p. Hitesh Benny ’26 is a graduating music and business administration student at UC Irvine Claire Trevor School of the Arts. He currently serves as the assistant conductor of the UCI Symphony Orchestra and Opera, a role he has served in since 2024. He regularly conducts at orchestra and opera concerts, and in 2025 made his professional operatic debut with Lawrence Opera in Bizet’s Docteur Miracle. Alongside conducting, Hitesh has dedicated himself to uplifting his community through arts administration. He currently serves as the education and community engagement intern for the Philharmonic Society of Orange County through the Claire Trevor School of the Arts' office of Access & Engagement Arts Launch internship program.

Join us tomorrow through June 6, 2025, for the final week of performances of at the very bottom of a body of water! Experience the poignant developmental production ahead of its world premiere at the Robert Cohen Theatre. Tickets are available at https://bit.ly/4uWTIDg. 🐟

Photos by Jeanine Hill.

takeover of Hair! Tickets are sold out, but waiting in standby is highly encouraged. Robbie McFarlane ’27 is a junior transfer music theatre major with a huge passion for songwriting, Dungeons and Dragons and adorable cat videos. Follow along for a behind-the-scenes look at a student-run production at UCI Arts!

at the very bottom of a body of water takeover! Tickets are available at https://bit.ly/4uWTIDg. Thomas Trammell ’27 is a third-year drama major and is thrilled to be the assistant director for at the very bottom of a body of water! His journey at UC Irvine has involved exploring every aspect theatre has to offer. Some projects he has worked on at UCI include The Prom (Sheldon Saperstein), Railroad (Janni/Daniel/Stephen), Beyond Prison Walls (assistant stage manager), After My First Guinness (choreographer), and The Last Five Years (director/choreographer). He recently got back from the New York Satellite Program and immediately started working on this wonderful and complex production. A new work like at the very bottom of a body of water is such a unique process to be a part of and to undertake. It has been a privilege to work with director Juliette Carrillo to ensure playwright Benjamin Benne's text is brought to life in a meaningful, impactful way alongside such an amazing cast and design team. Thomas is extremely thankful to his family and friends for supporting him in all that he does. He can't believe his senior year is fast approaching and is excited to see where his journey brings him next! ✨

UCI Drama is pleased to present the developmental production of at the very bottom of a body of water, a new play by Benjamin Benne, M.F.A. '22, David Geffen School of Drama, running May 28–June 6 at the Robert Cohen Theatre.

Rooted in memory, grief, and the surreal beauty of everyday ritual, the play follows Marina, a woman anchored by the weekly act of buying a catfish and making soup — as she grapples with loss, spiritual disconnection and the enduring ties of family. Lourdes Castillo, M.F.A. '27, stars as Roza Luz, Marina's daughter.

"The surrealism in this play came from a very intuitive place and a desire to show bigger feelings harbored within the body that might not be obvious to the naked eye," said Benne.

Directed by UCI Professor of Directing Juliette Carrillo, this developmental staging precedes the play's world premiere at Boston Court Pasadena this fall.

Read the full story at https://bit.ly/42LYRC9. For tickets and information, visit https://bit.ly/4uWTIDg.

A New Play Finds Its Form at UCI Drama | UCI Arts A New Play Finds Its Form at UCI Drama May 22, 2026 Share Image Image design by Fae Crane ('27), Kiya Ashley ('25) and Kate Sheehan ('27) Benjamin Benne’s at the very bottom of a body of water, receives a developmental production at the Robert Cohen Theatre ahead of its world premiereThe UC Irvine...

The UC Irvine Department of Music presents the UCI Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Geoffrey Pope. 🎼

One of Orange County's premier large-performance ensembles, the UCI Symphony Orchestra closes the season with a vibrant program designed to be shared with friends and community, featuring the winners of the 2026 UCI Symphony Concerto Competition.

Pre-concert conversation at 7 p.m. | Performance at 8 p.m. Friday, June 5 at the Irvine Barclay Theatre. Tickets and info are available at https://bit.ly/4wrt4E4.

Generous support provided by Charlie and Ling Zhang, Friends of UC Irvine Music, and the Marjorie and Robert Rawlins Endowment Fund.

UCI Drama presents at the very bottom of a body of water, written by Benjamin Benne and directed by Juliette Carrillo.

Marina swims in a circle of routine every week — she goes to the local fish store, buys a catfish, and makes soup. But when her usual fishmonger disappears, the comfort of ritual is destroyed. Does destruction only mean pain and suffering, or could it also mean the possibility for something grander? Through surreal storytelling and dreamlike sequences, this piece explores grief, spiritual disconnection, and the enduring ties of family.

Performances run May 28-June 6 in the Robert Cohen Theatre. Tickets and info are available at https://bit.ly/4u2LgSJ.

Open captions available Sunday, May 31 at 2 p.m. | Post-show talkback with company members and scholars to follow.

Image design by Fae Crane ('27), Kiya Ashley ('25) and Kate Sheehan ('27).

Recommended for ages 18+. Contains adult themes and language, including explorations of death and dying. Contains fog/haze and flashing/strobe lights.

It’s SHOWTIME! Excited to perform our amazing production of Menotti’s OLD MAID AND THE THIEF — it’ll be one for the books!

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