Members of Birdstrike Theatre Improv, The Basement Gallery and more share reasons why their club may be the perfect fit for you
By SAVANNAH ANNO — arts@theaggie.org
Whether it’s the start of your first year or your fourth, fall quarter marks the beginning of a new chapter in your life. As you settle into the school year, you may have certain goals, like adding more experience to your resume, making new friends or even trying out an entirely different hobby. Sitting at the intersection of all three is a simple solution: join a new organization on campus.
If you’re interested in pursuing a career in the arts or are looking to find an activity outside of your professional life to bring you some joy, try getting involved with one of the many arts and entertainment clubs on campus.
With focuses ranging from creative writing to stand-up comedy to game design, it may be hard to know where to start in the search for your perfect match. For anyone who may be overwhelmed by the possibilities, or happened to be busy during the annual involvement fair on Oct. 9, we’ve compiled a list of seven different arts and entertainment clubs on campus that regularly welcome new members.
Aggie Fiction
If you want to write the next best American novel, attend workshops on character building or be a member of a club whose mascot is a purple otter named Jackie, look no further than Aggie Fiction. UC Davis’ creative writing club will begin meeting this month on Mondays from 6 to 7 p.m. in Olson Hall 217 and is open to anyone at any time of the year. Meetings include exercises like dialogue writing, improv and sometimes lectures from various English professors.
Functioning as an ongoing writing workshop, members can submit any piece they may be working on at the beginning of the quarter — the first chapter of a fantasy novel, a short personal essay or a collection of poems — and sign up for an available time slot in which the other club members provide the writer with constructive feedback.
The Basement Gallery (BG)
Exactly like it sounds, the BG is the Art Building’s best, not-so-hidden secret. Entirely student-led, the gallery space works to give students hands-on experience creating and curating their own shows. With different themes and artists exhibited every quarter, The Basement Gallery is committed to displaying a wide variety of art: sculptures, video installations, photography, textile work and more.
Lola Jung, a fourth-year art studio major and The Basement Gallery’s preparator, weighed in on why she thinks the organization is so valuable.
“It’s the only fully student-run, student-focused art gallery in the UC system,” Jung said. “This kind of accessibility to creative freedom unfortunately doesn’t really exist in real art institutions, so us BG girls just want to stir things up as much as we can in ways that our community will find fruitful.”
If you’re interested in submitting your own work to be featured in an upcoming show or working with the BG as a volunteer, you can follow their Instagram, @ucd_basement_gallery, for updates.
Birdstrike Theatre Improv and Cherry Pie Comedy
In search of a good laugh? Look no further than Davis’ improv comedy clubs. Often working in tandem, Birdstrike Theatre is a long-form improv troupe while Cherry Pie Comedy focuses on the art of short-form. With past show themes like “Saturday Night Pie,” and “The Bird Strikes Back,” possibilities are truly endless for what’s said and done in their one-night-only specials.
Beyond their shows, the two troupes also hold improv jams throughout the year, open to anyone that’s interested in getting a feel for performing alongside them. If you want a space to loosen up a bit or think you might be the next great Saturday Night Live writer, stay up to date with the troupes through their Instagram pages, @birdstrike_theatre and @cherry.pie.comedy.
Associated Students of Interior Design (ASID)
For anyone interested in adding new material to their design portfolio, ASID has you covered with feedback workshops, guest speakers on design careers and even tours of companies like Signum Architecture in Napa Valley. Whether interior design is your biggest passion or something new you’d like to explore, ASID meetings are open to everyone. Meeting announcements and information can be found through @asidatucd on Instagram.
Gracie Paterson, a third-year design and psychology double major and ASID’s graphic designer, shared her thoughts on the club.
“As a design major with little experience in interior design, I found ASID to be the perfect place to try out something different,” Paterson said. “The club’s warm community and engaging events made me feel right at home.”
Open Ceilings
The largest literary magazine on campus, Open Ceilings features all forms of prose, poetry, art and photography pieces, focusing on providing UC Davis creatives with an opportunity to be published professionally. With positions ranging from business manager to layout director to submissions reader, the organization proves to be a great opportunity not just for English majors but anyone looking to build professional skills.
Outside of their publications, Open Ceilings also hosts open mic nights and various fundraisers each season — giving you the perfect opportunity to get a feel for the organization and its members. To stay updated on future events or open positions, you can peruse their website or instagram, @open.ceilings.
Erotic Nightmares Rocky Horror Club
If you haven’t experienced “The Rocky Horror Picture Show” with a shadow cast, are you really a fan? A tradition since the ‘80s, shadowcasting blends the magic of film and live theater as cast members wear costumes and use props to act out scenes while the original “Rocky Horror” plays on the screen behind them.
Encouraging the audience to yell, sing and throw around various props along with them, our very own Rocky Horror Club, Erotic Nightmares, performs almost every month of the school year. If you’re interested in theater, or just want to get dressed up on a Friday night, no experience is needed to join their ensemble cast of Transylvanians or tech crew.
Vivian Sapovitz, a third-year microbiology major and club president, shared that beyond the act of performing itself, the group also serves as an invaluable community for its members.
“It’s brought me so much joy and fulfillment by providing an inclusive, queer-centered experience that is truly unlike any other,” Sapovitz said. “I’m so proud to be part of a group that’s keeping the shadowcasting tradition alive and creating a safe space for queer people to be themselves.”
From exhibition design to comedy improv to creative writing, the UC Davis campus offers a million different starting points for your next favorite hobby or passion. With over 700 different registered student organizations, you can explore further options through the Aggie Life database, check out ongoing tabling at the Memorial Union or pick up a copy of The California Aggie to stay in the know on upcoming events.
Written by: Savannah Anno — arts@theaggie.org
