On Friday, April 16, the Department of Theatre and Dance at California State University, Dominguez Hills opened its production of Anton Chekov's classic play “Three Sisters,” directed by guest artist and CSU Dominguez Hills alumnus Clarence Gilyard and starring some of the university’s most talented students. The success of opening night was celebrated with a post- show reception at which the audience was invited to meet the cast and director and enjoy refreshments compliments of the cast and the department.

A memorandum of understanding was signed last month between California State University, Dominguez Hills and Hubert Kairuki Memorial University in Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania. Dr. Jim Katzenstein, a full time lecturer in the department of Management and Marketing at CSU Dominguez Hills, is the liaison between the two universities and will be working to create a collaboration that will provide a global learning opportunity for nursing and medical students in both Africa and the United States.

When Clarence Gilyard began working on his undergraduate degree at California State University, Dominguez Hills, he already had several television and film credits to his name, including parts in the series “CHiPS” and the movie “Top Gun.” However, the actor felt that he needed the polish of a college degree. Currently an associate professor of theatre arts at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, Gilyard has returned to CSU Dominguez Hills this spring to direct the current production of Chekov’s “Three Sisters.” He says the play explores a timeless story of the worth of human existence and that the production has provided students “the opportunity to work on one of the great plays by one of the great writers.”