Theatre performance at Berkeley
The performing arts animate all corners of our campus and are part of many interdisciplinary projects in research, education, and public engagement. Explore Berkeley’s campus programs where teaching, analysis, creation, exhibition, and presentation of performing arts are core activities.

Academics

Music

The UC Berkeley Department of Music has been ranked among the top music departments in the United States for several decades by successfully integrating a wide-ranging curriculum which complemented by an array of performance courses and opportunities.

Theatre, Dance, and Performance Studies

The Department of Theater, Dance and Performance Studies teaches performance as a mode of critical inquiry, creative expression and public engagement. Through performance training and research, we create liberal arts graduates with expanded analytical, technical and imaginative capacities. As a public institution, we make diversity and inclusion a key part of our teaching, art making and public programming.

Centers

Arts Research Center

The Arts Research Center is a think tank for the arts. It acts as a hub and a meeting place, a space for reflection where artists, scholars, curators, and civic arts leaders from a variety of disciplines can gather and learn from one another.

Center for New Music and Audio Technologies

The Center for New Music and Audio Technologies (CNMAT) houses a dynamic group of educational, performance and research programs focused on the creative interaction between music and technology. CNMAT links all of UC Berkeley’s disciplines dedicated to the study or creative use of sound, such as music, architecture, mathematics, statistics, mechanical engineering, computer science, electrical engineering, psychology, physics, space sciences, the Center for New Media, and the Department of Theater, Dance, and Performance Studies.

Future Histories Lab

Future Histories Lab is a UC Berkeley program that aims to reveal hidden histories and help us imagine and build better futures. We work with community organizations to research issues of interest to them and present the research publicly–through websites, exhibitions, installations, and other means.

Venues

Bancroft Dance Studio

The Bancroft Dance Studio is used by students and faculty and is used by the Department of Theater, Dance, and Performance Studies for performances and more. The studio is located on the UC Berkeley campus in the wood-shingled building on the corner of Bancroft and Dana streets.

Berkeley Art Museum and Pacific Film Archive

The UC Berkeley Art Museum and Pacific Film Archive (BAMPFA) is the visual arts center of UC Berkeley presenting more than 20 art exhibitions and 450 films annually. BAMPFA's mission is to inspire the imagination and ignite critical dialogue through art and film.

Cal Performances

The mission of Cal Performances is to produce and present performances of the highest artistic quality, enhanced by programs that explore compelling intersections of education and the performing arts.

Hearst Greek Theater

The William Randolph Hearst Greek Theatre, known locally as simply the Greek Theatre, is an 8,500-seat amphitheater owned and operated by the University of California, Berkeley.

Music Department Season

Department of Music performances held in Hertz and Morrison Halls include the annual Noon Concert Series, Evening and Weekend concerts, rehearsals for University Chorus, Chamber Chorus, African Music Ensemble, lectures, large classes, and music commencement. By arrangement with the department, it also hosts a lecture series, such as the Bloch Lectures and the Composition Colloquia.

Theater, Dance, and Performance Studies Season

The Theater, Dance, and Performance Studies Season includes performances, lectures, class showcases and more. This season you will discover ideas that challenge and inspire, performances that move the heart and provoke the mind, and experiences that touch the soul. Performances are held in Durham Studio Theater, Zellerbach Playhouse, Room 7, Z-Lab, and Bancroft Dance Studio. Visit the season's website for details. 

University Libraries

The UC Berkeley Library connects students and scholars to the world of information and ideas. With a daily commitment to excellence and innovation, the libraries select and create, organize and protect, provide and teach access to resources that are relevant to our campus programs and pursuits. The Library consists of twenty-three libraries and special collections. 

Student Clubs

ASUC - Arts and Design Groups

The Associated Students of the University of California is the official representative organization of students at UC Berkeley. Founded in 1887, it is one of the largest and most autonomous students' associations in the nation.  ASUC is  passionate about student voice and student self-governance on the UC Berkeley campus and throughout our communities.

Ballet Company At Berkeley

Ballet Company at Berkeley will be UC Berkeley’s first ballet company, committed to excellence in both ballet and the enrichment of the arts community at UC Berkeley, as well as expanding the aesthetic horizons of both dancers and audiences.

Ballet Folklorico Reflejos De Mexico

Ballet Folklorico Reflejos de Mexico, abbreviated as “Reflejos”, is a Mexican folklorico dance group that promotes cultural diversity at UC Berkeley and in the greater San Francisco/Bay area. Our hope is to educate the university and the community about Mexican culture through music, art, and dance. As a performance group, we strive to participate in performances for educational and community organizations.

BareStage Productions

Berkeley’s longest running student theater organization, Barestage is committed to the development of student creativity through the performing arts. Barestage provides a pre-professional environment for student actors, directors, writers, producers, technicians, and musicians to develop their crafts in the context of a supported student environment.

Cal Ballroom

UCBD is a sport club dedicated to social and competitive ballroom dance. Their team welcomes everyone from beginners with no experience through gold syllabus or open level dancers. Competitive dances include international and American style waltz, tango, cha-cha, rumba. At their Wednesday evening social dance lessons, they teach dances, including salsa, swing, and hustle.

Cal Cheerleading

The California Cheerleaders perform at football, men’s and women’s basketball, and volleyball games. They work with the Mic Men to lead stadium wide cheers and increase crowd participation, as well as perform on the sidelines and during halftimes alongside the Cal Dance Team. They also participate in various rallies, and at alumni and community events. Cal Cheerleading hopes to create new traditions, while continuing to carry out the longstanding traditions of the University of California, Berkeley.

Cal Community Music

Cal Community Music (CCM), composed of UC Berkeley students and local musicians, holds concerts throughout the year at various retirement homes in Berkeley and surrounding areas. All types of music and skill levels are welcome, solo and ensemble performances are both encouraged.

Cal Dance Team

The Cal Dance Team is composed of twenty-four women who are committed to upholding the traditions of Cal Spirit at Cal athletic events, alumni events, and various spirit rallies on campus. During the Fall semester, the Dance Team primarily performs song-leading style cheers at all Cal football games and pre-game rallies. Members of the team are also provided with the exciting opportunity to travel to other campuses throughout the Pac-10 and other universities to cheer on Cal fans at televised Cal football games.

Cal Jazz Choir

The Cal Jazz Choir, a member of UC Choral Ensembles, is a ten-member group dedicated to exploring the colorings of vocal jazz. CJC draws its repertoire from traditional standards and contemporary compositions alike. Performances sometimes feature the talents of local jazz combos but are generally a cappella and will almost certainly include plentiful scat solos!

Cal Taiko

To promote cultural expression and musical creativity through the medium of Japanese Taiko drumming. Cal Taiko aims to maintain an established performing group with a full and original repertoire.

CalTV

CalTV is UC Berkeley’s only student run online television station. They are a passionate group of students dedicated to informing and entertaining the student body about all things Cal.

Decadence

DeCadence is a mixed a cappella group with twelve members that performs on Sproul every Wednesday at noon.

DeCal

The DeCal Program (or just DeCal) is an aggregate of student-run courses at the University of California, Berkeley – here, students create and facilitate their own classes on a variety of subjects, many of which are not addressed in the traditional curriculum.
 

Dil Se

Founded in 2004, Dil Se is Berkeley’s only co-ed South Asian a cappella group, combining the melody-based ragas of Indian music with the Western a cappella tradition. The Group brings together a wide rained of experience, from years of training in Hindustani and Carnatic music, to Western Classical and Jazz Choirs, and even countless mornings of singing in the shower. Our goal is to entertain the audience with a fresh take on music that emanates Dil Se, or “from the heart.”

Dwinelle Hall Breakers

Dwinelle Hall Breakers is a community comprised of dancers of varying hip-hop styles, coming together in the same practice space to share ideas, collaborate, develop character, and to progress in their respective artistic crafts.With nothing more than each other’s company and a stereo, Dwinelle Hall Breakers aims to provide dancers with a welcoming and progressive environment to develop their craft together.

Fei Tian Dancers

UC Berkeley’s only Chinese dance performing group, Fei Tian Dancers (FTD), strives to cultivate an on-campus atmosphere that welcomes and appreciates the abundant diversity of the Berkeley community. FTD performs at many functions in Berkeley and around the Bay Area, showcasing the multifarious ethnic dances of China.

Jericho! Improv & Sketch Comedy

Jericho! is a long form improvisation, sketch comedy, and guerrilla theater group. Jericho! is dedicated to bringing laughter to the world. They regularly perform on the UC Berkeley campus and around the San Francisco Bay Area.

K-Popular At Berkeley

K-Popular is an organization for all Korean pop music fans, enthusiasts, and performers. Our mission is to keep the K-pop community at Berkeley informed of all the latest news, showcase K-pop dance performances, and to coordinate group events like dances, concerts, and K-pop related games.

Korean Performance Group

The “Korean Performance Group”, KPG, is a social K-pop dance/performance group founded by Andy Jongwon Kim and JM Lee. It is currently the only permanent dance group that represents K-Pop culture in UC Berkeley. Through performances and dancing, KPG strives to deliver the arts of K-Pop culture to the diverse UC Berkeley community so that more people can learn the Korean Culture.

Lindy on Sproul

Lindy on Sproul is a free outdoor DJ’ed swing event on Saturdays afternoons on the UC Berkeley Campus. No partner and no experience is necessary. The skill level of the dancers vary from beginners (<3 months) to intermediate-advanced (4+ years).

Main Stacks Dance Team

Main Stacks Dance Team aims to promote growth of dancers and choreographers in the Berkeley community through performances, workshops, and competitions.

Student Ambassadors for the Arts

A hub for performing arts at UC Berkeley, Student Ambassadors for the Arts (SAFTA) immerse students in world-class performances right here on campus.

SUPERB

Founded in 1964, SUPERB is dedicated to providing entertainment for the campus and community through the work of ten departments: General Management, Concerts, Games, Films, Sneak Previews, Comedy, Marketing, Photography, Web, and Art & Design. The 80-person production team is composed entirely of undergraduate students who are passionate about bringing great entertainment to the UC Berkeley campus and community. 

TBD

In the absence of a place to perform, practice, and study the medicine of the heart, true laughter inducing comedy, we have banded together to create one. We plan to reach out into new comedic territory, but as of yet it is TBD (to be determined). However, we have narrowed the list down to: improv (short form and long form), sketch, standup, guerilla, and any other type of comedy that has not been anticipated nor predicated. Our comedy co-operative ultimately aims to supply the public with the general health and welfare that comedy can provide.

The B-Side

The B-Side connects campus and community music networks with the local, national, and global scene by discovering, curating, sharing, documenting, and embracing the culture of sound.

Theater For Charity

Theater for Charity is a student organization dedicated to producing theater in order to raise money for charity. The group produces one or two shows every semester, most of which are comprised of one-act comedies. Though the primary goal is to raise money for the world’s neediest people, the group also aims to provide students with an opportunity to write, direct, and act on campus.

Theatre Rice

Theatre Rice is UC Berkeley’s first Asian American theater group. Theatre Rice is taking important steps to combat misrepresentation, as well as the lack of representation, of the Asian community in American popular culture while providing students with the opportunity to participate in the theatrical arts.

UC Choral Ensembles

UC Choral Ensembles is comprised of nine groups: BareStage, Noteworthy, Cal Jazz Choir, UC Men’s Octet, California Golden Overtones, Perfect Fifth, UC Alumni Chorus, UC Men’s Chorale and UC Women’s Chorale.

UC Jazz Ensembles

UC Jazz Ensembles is dedicated to the performance, study and promotion of jazz at UC Berkeley. Currently, UC Jazz consists of multiple combos, ranging in size from 3 to 8 musicians, and one big band. The combos are divided into Intermediate and Advanced categories.

UC Rally Committee

The University of California Rally Committee’s members are the “Official Guardians of California Spirit and Traditions.” They serve as the “Ambassadors of the University,” and as such, are composed of students who loyally dedicate themselves to the University. By accepting the goals and aims of this organization, members dedicate themselves to the furthering of the Spirit of California.

UCB Marching Band

The University of California Marching Band is one of the oldest college marching bands on the West Coast with over 100 years of tradition. Over the years, members of the Cal Band have attended over 150 consecutive Cal football games, with the full band at every home game and the Straw Hat Band traveling to games as far as Wisconsin and Hawaii. The current Cal Band, under the baton of Robert Calonico, boasts a membership of over 200 students, and is one of the few bands in the nation and in the Pac-12 Conference that still marches the traditional and demanding high-step form.

V-Day At UC Berkeley

V-Day at UC Berkeley is not only a student group that puts on playwright Eve Ensler’s The Vagina Monologues every year to raise money to end violence against women, but we are a movement on campus and in our community. Every fall, we assemble a cast and crew through auditions to form a community for strong, motivated students who have, will or currently identify as women.