Laughter and excitement was brought to the CSU East Bay stage this past weekend with the Theatre and Dance Department’s annual ‘Performance Fusion’.  A mix of comical musical numbers, acting, and powerful dance ensembles had the crowd of 150 standing on their feet.

“I thought the show was amazing,” said Brandie Low, show attendee. “I loved the acting ones because I noticed that the directors weren’t in their own play, so it was cool to see as a director what they put out, it was amazing, I loved what they put out. I am amazed that people have worked so hard and they can produce something like that, because I know I could never do anything that good.”

The annual celebration, which started in the late 1960’s is known as Performance Fusion. The department’s past student run production has been previously called One Acts. The performance is directed and choreographed by advanced students in the theatre department and divided into two concise shows, Program “A” and “B” to put an enhanced spotlight on the vast range of the students’ work for the 2013 school year.

“It’s been an awesome time [at CSUEB], I love this department because it’s small and we get to do a lot of things,” said Jasmine Williams, a senior graduating in 2014.

“This is actually my first time directing, I am a theatre arts major with a focus in acting,” explained Williams. “Being in Fusion helps you do other things outside of the major and outside of your option so it’s really fun, and it gives you a lot of ideas and things to do.”

Program A consisted of three skits, “Crisis! The Musical”, “Unplugged” and “Wrong Direction”.Two beautifully executed dance numbers; “End of Time” and “Be Mi End” were also included in the program.

Each performance offered an assortment of subject matter from a humorous look at today’s society and their complete dependence on technology in Jasmine Williams’ “Unplugged”, to a parody of life, graduating college and choosing a career to find oneself in Francisco Garcia and John Vu’s “Crisis! The Musical.”

Following those skits was a piece about best friends who end up going different paths during high school, in “Wrong Directions” in which the director notes is “the most harsh and stressful time for youth.”

“I was little bit nervous, because of the profanity and the language used in the show,” said director of “Wrong Directions” Teresita Brown. “But then again this is college, and this is theatre, so there is a part of me that says ‘hey, I have something to say and express and I shouldn’t be ashamed of it’. I know someone is always going to be offended, but I feel like I wanted to go ahead and entertain and give a message to the audience.”

Also featured are the intense dance performances “End of Time” choreographed by Nathan Olivas, and finale dance performance “Be Mi End” directed, choreographed and designed by graduating senior Jennifer Stern, who also starred in the show.

“Dance, as always, is a crucial part of this program,” said Marc Jacobs, directing supervisor of the show. “Showing off the creativity of our student choreographers who must bring their pieces from conception to fully realized performances.”

Ten of the student performers will be graduating this year or early next year. Most of which are theatre majors with acting or dancing options. Many of them hope to continue in their field of theatre or dance when they graduate, and hope to find successful careers in what they love to do.

“Fusion brings new works and brings opportunities for students in the theatre department to be themselves and do what they want to do and gives us a different kind of connection with our peers,” said Williams. “And for the audience, I think it brings a lot of enjoyment, we are writing for the people now, we are the future of writers, actors, dancers, it brings out what we are now, and what we will be in the future.”

Program “B” of Performance Fusion will be showcased at 8 p.m. tomorrow, June 7 and Saturday June 8 and 2 p.m. on Sunday, June 9. The second half of Fusion will be in a more personal setting and is centered on the topic of women. Ranging from a comedic tale of a woman’s struggle with substance abuse, to a look into the chronicles of five black women from different places and times.

Program “B” will also feature a dance number infused with jokes and commentaries of the late comedian George Carlin on men’s attitudes towards women. Tickets are on sale online at www.csueastbaytickets.com.