History

CUPAL was founded in the year 2000 by Natalie Robin and Stacey McMath, who were at that time leaders in KCST and Latenite Theatre, respectively, with the aim to increase cooperation and communication among CU performing groups. In 2001, CUPAL began the tradition of presenting an annual Showcase for the Performing Arts, which united member groups in a common effort to reach wider audiences, including the administration.

Since that time, CUPAL has made a priority of advocating for student needs. We work in cooperation with the the undergraduate student councils, advisory boards, and undergraduate school administrators. Past initiatives have included:

  • ◦ coordinating pre-calendaring for campus venues
  • ◦ developing a costume/materials exchange
  • ◦ publishing season calendars of arts events
  • ◦ facilitating campus-wide and community-wide communication via e-mail
  • ◦ working with administration to reevaluate policy in the Lerner Black Box Theatre
  • ◦ helping to establish PASAG (the Performance Space Advocacy Group) to increase available rehearsal/performance space
  • ◦ assisting in making risers available for productions in the Roone Arledge Auditorium
  • ◦ lobbying for a new black box theatre to be included in Barnard’s new student center

We continue to present the annual Showcase for the Performing Arts each spring semester, now in its 15th year. CUPAL also sponsors one or two Special Projects per semester, which have ranged included dance, opera, comedy, musical, and theatrical endeavors.

We extend our sincere thanks to all those who support performing arts at Columbia University and the efforts of CUPAL, especially the Columbia College Student Council, Barnard College’s Student Government Association, the Columbia Engineering Council, the General Studies Student Council, the Office of Undergraduate Student Life, the Activities Board at Columbia, the Governing Board at Barnard and the Barnard College Activities Office for their continuing support.

Special thanks to the dedicated alumni of the CUPAL executive board, wherever they are now:

Stacey McMath (BC ‘01, Founding Co-President) Natalie Robin (CC ‘02, Founding Co-President) Katie Adams (BC ‘02) Rishi Manepalli (CC ‘02, First Showcase Co-Producer) Noam Lupu (CC ‘03, First Showcase Co-Producer) Sarah Matteucci (BC ‘03) Lisette Silva (CC ‘03) Patrick Higgiston (CC ‘04) Chris Keitel (CC ‘04) David Paul (CC ‘04) Yuma Terada (CC ‘05) Lauren Mancia (CC ‘05) Stephen Podowitz (CC ‘05) Julia Kelly (CC ‘05) Janine McGuire (CC ‘05)

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