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Student ~rforma group aCidresses 
Cliversity issu 

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By Steve Waldhauser '70 

hile task forces and committees deliberate to develop plans for enhancing diversity at Gustavus, students often find more direct ways to achieve that goal. The studentled "I Am ... We Are" Theatre Company is not only ope of me most diverse groups on campus but also one that has fouhd a way to e ectively address respect lor other cultures and colors and different viewpoints using scenarios and language that particularly resonate with other students. 
"I I&n ... We Are" has been featured at the College's 1n al "Building Bridges" diversity conference every year since the conference was first organized. In addition, the group now leads the "E Pluribus Gustavus" community awareness session scheduled as part of First Year Orientation each fall, presenting blackout skits, improvisation, and story-telling to facilitate discussion of racism, sexism, homophobia, alcohol and drug abuse, verbal abuse, and physical violence. It also has been invited to develop presentations lor regiOl!al conferences and lor a number of other campus prog ams, induding Safe Zone training, "Take Back the Nigh ," and Disability Awareness Week. Some company m9mbel'S are theatre majors, but others represent a wid~1 range of majors across the campus=-all have been dawn to me potential of'perforrnance to work lor social ju tice. 

The company has its roots in a theatre-in-educe on (TIE) course taught during January Term 1995 by Vanita Vactor, who was in residence during the 1994-95 academic year on a Joycc Dissertation Fellowship. The course used techniques developed by Brazilian director Augusto Baal's Theatre of me Oppressed, Bertold Brecht's alienation, and SOUdl African theatre for development-techniques thar ~ncourage audience members 00 participate and feel r 

The current "1 Am ..• We Are" company (Fall 2004): Josh Boertje (junior), Adryane Calloway (first-year), Nick Dillenburg (senior), Tura Foster (junior), Andrew Howard (sophomore), Matt McGlennen (senior), Neo Moroka (junior), Olivia Roque (junior), lighting technician Erik Ruser (junior), Kaitlin Schaefer (senior), Emily Siedschlag (junior), Carlo Smith (sophomore), Dee Thao (junior), Phanat Vang (junior), and Marie Williams (junior). 
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powered by the performances-to address issues of race, gender, and class. Course participants created a production called Theatre for Diversity, and as part of me theatrical presentation (which came to be tided Voices of Diversity), they collaborated with Professor Mark Braun's media production class to create the multi-media portions of the production. The project was widely viewed and acclaimed by the College comrnunity and earned its participants a Magnuson Student Leadership Award in 1995. 
Following the TIE production of Voices of Diversity, another group of students approached Vactor with an idea for developing a similar program mat would promote diversity, social justice, and healthy lifestyles to high school audiences. As her dissertation research and writing responsibilities prevented her from assisting in their efforts, Vactor recommended mat the students work with Mariangela Maguire, associate professor in the Department of Communication Studies. Under Maguire's direction, the students organized an independent study project for January Term of 1996, and me Conundrum Performance Company was created. The company's production, Worth Fighting For, was presented at a number of area high schools. Conundrum too earned a Magnuson Award for its contributions to the campus community. 
Vactor, who was offered a three-quarter-time teaching position in the education and meatre departments tor 1995-96, was instrumental in creating me next incarnation. "I Am ... We Are" evolved from her 1996 spring semester theatre course, which used me techniques explored in her TIE course to create a production addressing me issue of date rape. Fonner Special Assistant to me President tor Diversity Denise Iverson-Payne, who had initiated a diversity awareness session tor First Year Orientation tided "E Pluribus GAG' when she joined the College's administration in 1991, recognized me potential ofVactor's students and training. She teamed with Vactor to develop a company that might assume responsibility for a wider-scale "E Pluribus Gustavus" performance during orientation. In succeeding years, Iverson-Payne provided a home and support tor me group in me Diversity Center. 
The "E Pluribus Gustavus" show has become "one of me most effective ways Gustavus students are ever addressed on subjects such as hate speech, stereotyping, and sexual assault," according to Amy Seharn, associate professor of theatre, who took on leadership and menroring responsibilities for me company when she joined the faculty in 1997. Seharn explains, "The students use improvisation, writing, ~Ild story-telling to develop material based on their own lives and experiences (with additional research when needed). The show is always created afresh . th each new group, and is thus a project that me entire troupe feels connecfed to and passionate about. This process creates shows that resonate with students, and are clearly heartfelt and genuine, making the shows more valu~ble man any pre-scripted show could be. 
Issues of social justice are always front and center." 
Raj Scthuraju took over Iverson- Payne's coordinaring role with me performing company when he arrived at Gustavus as diversity director in 2001. The group has continued with joint Diversity Center and theatre department sponsorship. "I Am ... We Are" has also continued in me tradition of its predecessors, winning Magnuson Awards in born 1998 and 2001 tor its contributions to the campus community. [!l 
22 -TheGusuV\JsQuarterly 

The pioneering Conundrum company in 1996-front row, from left: Zahilya Austin '99, Ken Feer '96, and Cortney Carlson '99; middle row: Eric Wolfram '96, Slade Thompson '97, and Rhonda Pruitt '96; back raw: 
Michael Strong '98, Erin Johnson Turner '97, and Kara Buckner R!terson '97. Missing from the photo is Shontea Snider '99.