Marc D. Rich, Ph.D., is an Associate Professor of Performance Studies at California State University, Long Beach. He teaches undergraduate courses in performance and social change, performing literature, ensemble performance and intercultural communication. At the graduate level he teaches seminars in performance studies and performance ethnography. As a nationally recognized leader in Theatre of the Oppressed (TO) techniques, Dr. Rich has served on the Advisory Board of the Los Angeles Theatre of the Oppressed/Applied Theatre Arts organization and facilitated TO workshops throughout the United States. Having trained in TO, drama therapy and psychodrama, Dr. Rich was responsible for developing and implementing a performance therapy program with homeless women veterans who survived sexual assault. interACT, a performance troupe under his direction, uses proactive performance techniques on and off campus to engage audience members on a variety of sociopolitical issues. Dr. Rich’s publications appear in journals such as Text and Performance Quarterly, the Journal of Contemporary Ethnography, the American Communication Journal, Race, Ethnicity and Education and the International and Intercultural Communication Journal. He also has book chapters in Communication Activism, The Intercultural Reader, and A Boal Companion: Dialogues on Theatre and Cultural Politics. His essays on the efficacy of the interACT sexual assault prevention program represent the first published studies to measure proactive performance from a quantitative perspective. His hobbies include surfing, martial arts and enjoying the outdoors.
I started as a performer in InterACT about four years ago and currently serve as the Assistant Director. When I was an undergraduate, Dr. Rich was my professor and he encouraged me to audition for the troupe. It was the best decision I made in my life. The troupe inspired me to further pursue my education and I graduated with a Master’s Degree in Communication Studies in 2006. The troupe is truly a unique and effective way of educating both men and women about sexual assault and other sociopolitical issues. I always think about how many lives this troupe has touched and the changes that some people go through after “interacting” in a performance. I have come to significant insights by being involved in this troupe, and I continue to grow everyday in relation to the issues we address. I know that through my efforts in the troupe I am a part of the solution to very real problems in our society. For fun I enjoy swimming (I get upset if a day goes by when I can’t swim). I also skateboard and I am the world champion of The Simpson’s Trivia Challenge…. Seriously! I am their biggest fan and have tons of collectables and every episode on DVD or VHS. I hope I see you sometime at one of our performances!
Lucretia Robinson has been working with the troupe for three years; first as a graduate student and now as a lecturer at CSULB. She currently teaches Public Speaking and Small Group Discussion at CSULB and El Camino College. She has published work in the Ronald McNair Scholars Journal entitled "Deconstructing the myth of the ‘tragic mulatto’: A biracial perspective" and, in the Samovar and Porter Intercultural Communication Reader. She was the Vice President for the Black Association of Graduate Students at CSULB. She is active in the community and has been involved in numerous community projects such as: Ameri-Corp’s Jumpstart of San Francisco, Young Black Scholars of Los Angeles, Upward Bound of Long Beach, and the Institute on Domestic Violence in the African American Community in partnership with the U.S. Department of Justice. She is specifically interested in the social politics of race, gender and violence against women. She is committed to the struggle for social justice.
Marc was my public speaking professor during freshman year. He approached me to try-out for the interACT Troupe with no strings attached. Not really knowing what I was getting myself into, I said, “What the heck—I’ll try it out!" I have been a member of the troupe since 2001 (as a performer and a trainer) and I wouldn't have it any other way. interACT has made a big impact in my life and opened my eyes tremendously to the issues we address such as racism and sexual assault. I now have a completely different approach to everyday life and issues. I am proud to say that I am part of social change. I am very honored to be able to touch people through our performances and make a difference in peoples’ lifes by giving them the courage to speak up and "NOT BE SILENT!" As a performer and trainer I am continuously learning about the issues we address, and I and look forward to seeing you in our performances to work through the issues together. Remember that Social Change starts with you! I am a Graphic Design Major here at CSULB, hoping to graduate soon. For fun, I enjoy playing softball, going ATV riding, and watching basketball and football. I love to hang out with my friends and loved ones. But most of all I love being a mom to my 3 year old twins, who are always keeping me on my toes!
I am honored to say that I have been a member of interAct for 6 years as an actor and a lead trainer. When I first joined the group I had no idea what to expect, but I knew that it would be life changing in some way. I thought I knew it all when it came to the issues of sexual assault and racism, and as you can imagine, I was dead wrong. The group challenged me in many ways and made me question my views on patriarchy and racism. Through the challenges I faced, I gained the knowledge to educate others on these issues and the strength to speak out against oppression that I have faced. Performing as a member of this tremendous group has been exciting and even thrilling at times. But the greatest reward has come from empowering audiences to speak out and find the courage in themselves to face outward oppressions and/or their own residual antagonists. A moment that I will never forget is from a performance we did in Michigan. After we performed our sexual assault scene we spent over an hour hearing the stories of multiple woman from the audience who had been sexually assaulted. They thanked us continually for our willingness to step out into the community and bring these issues that no one wants to talk about to the table. I truly believe that "SILENCE IS ACCEPTANCE" and in order for us to move forward as a society we must face these issues head on. Anyone can be an ally. No matter who you are or where you come from, the simple decisions that you make in your everyday life can easily affect others around you. The ball is in your court to make change. It's a matter of whether you decide to take the shot, or let the clock run out.
I was taking an intercultural communication course, and the presentation for the day was a performance on racism. Not sure what to expect, I stuck around and my college career changed in that moment. Assuming it was another, “We Are the World” lecture, I was astonished by the intensity, truth, and cultural lessons of this performance, and I signed up right then and there. Later on, I came to discover racism was only half of the performance troupe. Sexual assault, a very touching subject was also a part of the agenda and I knew I was hooked. I have been a part of InterACT for three years; two being an undergrad, and one being a lead trainer. It has been the best experience of my college career, and something I will never forget. Those moments that we reach out to audience are the most rewarding, for we have the knowledge of change. Further, it is rare to come across people who openly discuss these touching subjects, but life changing when you come across those allies. We forget how to speak up in such a loud world, and this troupe has taught me to do so.
