Students in the theater department are taking a new twist on the traditional senior project by breaking free from the educational realm and entering the world of professional theater as they enter the 2013 Hollywood Fringe Festival.

What started as a typical light-hearted comedy turned out to be a show covering different social issues, from anti-semitism to feminism to the struggle of class within a wealthy Venetian society, as the Dailey Theater premiered William Shakespeare’s “The Merchant of Venice.”

William Shakespeare will take center stage at Dailey Theatre tonight as the theater department presents “The Merchant of Venice.”

Full of emotion and creativity, seniors Teresa Yslas Beardsley and Jose Arias debuted “Made­moiselle X: Ourselves in Disguise” and “Voices,” respectively, as their senior projects from April 4 through April 6 at the Jane Dibbell Cabaret Theatre.

Norman Marshall performs “John Brown: Trumpet of Freedom” Tuesday in the Campus Center.

The whimsical and romantic ways of Florence swept the Dailey Theatre last weekend as audiences were entranced by the flirtatious “Mirandolina.”

Nostalgia and charm filled the room as “Happy Days,” the musical, made its debut at Tibbies Center Stage Theater in Fontana selling out every performance this season.

Billie Holiday was brought back to life in honor of Black History Month at Upland’s Grove Theater Feb. 15 as actress Bonita Brisker retold the life story of one of jazz’s greatest legends in her play coined, “Bonita and Billie.”

Dailey Theater was filled with intrigue and laughs as the Theater Arts 315 class performed its original production of “The Virtuous Sinners” on Feb. 8, 9 and 10.

Theatre arts majors Amy Bolton, as Hope Cladwell, and Zachary Green, as Bobby Strong, embrace during the song “Follow Your Heart,” in Nov. 8 performance of “Urinetown” in Dailey Theatre.