Color Box Production Company is using all its hues to tell the most diverse stories it can through student theater.
The student-run production company’s mission is to create inclusive stories that accurately reflect the kaleidoscope of UCLA’s student experience and overall diversity. The company puts on plays each year, which are chosen by its production team over the summer. The team is open to doing pre-existing plays, stage readings of plays and even student films submitted for consideration, said Mehra Marzbani, a rising third-year public affairs student and Color Box’s executive director for the 2025-2026 school year.
After the play is chosen, the company works throughout the year to secure funding, build sets and cast the entire production. The company has several different teams that work to make their annual show happen, from casting to funding to social media and marketing. Marzbani said the company’s commitment to diversity can be seen in every step of the production process.
“We want to make sure that all our productions – from people we see performing to behind the scenes – all look different and come from different backgrounds because we all have a unique story to share, and that’s what makes us all stronger,” she said.
Marzbani said she joined Color Box after finding herself frustrated over the lack of diversity she saw while working in the film and television industry. Seeking out a space that would tell a wider range of stories, she found Color Box in her freshman year and joined. Since then, Marzbani served as the finance coordinator for the company and is now leading the production team as executive director.
Marzbani said she had been taught that the beauty of theater was distancing herself from her true identity and pretending to be someone else. However, once she joined Color Box, she said she was able to reclaim her identity. Marzbani said she views theater as a universal language, one that allowed her to overcome stereotypes and not be afraid of being herself.
“It’s (theater is) a great way to foster empathy and understanding, and in the process, it’s made me more appreciative of my culture and where I come from,” Marzbani said.
[Related: The Color Box spotlights stories of underrepresented communities in theater]
Similarly, alumnus Madelyn Davis said Color Box allowed her to embrace the various aspects of her identity. As a Middle Eastern and white American, Davis said the production company allowed her to marry both parts of herself and find solidarity with other people who have similar experiences. Davis also said specific shows Color Box produced such as “Queer My Song” allowed her to showcase her sexuality.
In addition to the company’s focus on diversity, Marzbani added that building a community for students interested in theater productions is another major priority for the organization as well. Marzbani said the company encourages students to contribute their own skills and visions to the productions.
“There’s a bunch of students on campus who love getting their hands on a production, so we let them have that avenue to explore. … If there’s certain lighting and materials that the equipment designer has in mind, we’ll try to rent it from local organizations,” Marzbani said. “It’s a very welcoming organization. We’re happy to have students contribute their own skills and vision to our productions because we are really grounded in that community aspect.”
The company’s previous productions include “Everybody’s Talking about Jamie,” “In the Heights” and “Grease.” Madurya Suresh, a UCLA alumnus and previous executive director for Color Box, said being part of such a versatile company strengthened her people skills and organizational abilities. Suresh started off as an actress in the “Grease” production, and her positive experience convinced her to join the leadership team as well. She said Color Box allowed her to explore the production side of theater through her roles as managing director and later, executive director of the production team.
During that time, Suresh emphasized the importance of diversity to Color Box’s mission. When putting on a production like “Grease,” which does not necessarily feature a diverse cast, Suresh said the company focused on having a diverse production, casting whoever they thought was best for the part rather than trying to adhere to the original castings. In this way, Suresh echoed Marzbani’s belief that inclusivity remains at the heart of every step of Color Box’s production.
“It starts with the selection of the works that we do for the year … and casting … and then also making it an open space in general, so not only are the people on stage coming from different backgrounds, but also the people doing production or crew. Everyone feels comfortable to join and that they will be accepted,” Suresh said.
Color Box’s mission is intrinsic to the company’s entire process, Marzbani said. She added that they hoped to have people from all walks of life contribute their life experiences and share their unique backgrounds with a wider audience.
“Getting to be a part of Color Box allowed me to show up authentically as who I was and as all the parts of who I was,” Davis said.
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