Raised in sunny Sacramento, California, Tuger Xiong found a passion for the performing arts at an early age. Once Xiong auditioned for Oakland University’s Musical Theatre program, the rest became history. Xiong is now a BFA musical theatre major and a 2024 Keeper of the Dream Award recipient.
“I came here and I didn’t have any friends or family that lived here, so it was like a clean new slate,” Xiong said. “I started off pretty well. In the musical theatre major, everyone is really close with each other, so I was able to fit into the program and really felt a sense of community.”
During their sophomore year at OU, Xiong co-founded the event, Kaleidoscope Cabaret, which eventually transformed into a full student organization.
“My friend and I started a student organization for students of color in the theatre department called Kaleidoscope Theatre,” Xiong said. “It first started off as Kaleidoscope Cabaret, but this year, we’ve been focusing on more than just a cabaret by doing events and workshops.”
Xiong plans on growing Kaleidoscope Theatre further before they graduate.
“My personal goal here at Oakland University is to keep growing Kaleidoscope Theatre into an even bigger student organization that’s able to support itself,” Xiong said. “I want to be able to come back and visit Oakland University in 20 or 30 years and still feel that Kaleidoscope Theatre is still thriving.”
Xiong explains how they came across the Keeper of the Dream award through one of their friends and role models.
“The Keeper of the Dream Award was something that I actually wasn’t really aware about,” Xiong said. “One of my friends who worked at CMI, Aurora Ave-Lallemant, told me it’s something that you should apply for because of all of the work in breaking down racial barriers.”
Another role model that impacted Xiong’s journey in applying for the Keeper of the Dream Award was a past professor of theirs.
“My past professor, Rachel Stevens, was a really good role model,” Xiong said. “She really pushed me and a lot of my friends to champion breaking down racial barriers and having deep conversations about our place and making sure that we have a voice.”
Xiong explains the opportunities that the scholarship opens up for them.
“This award has opened a lot of opportunities for me,” Xiong said. “I have connected a lot more with the other recipients, and I have connected with past award recipients as well. There’s a big Keeper of the Dream family and it’s a really proud and happy family. I would also say just having that award and I mean, to me really establishes who I am, what I’ve accomplished, and what I can accomplish with my work.”
Xiong is planning on continuing to pursue performing arts once they graduate from OU. They have set their sights on becoming a big name in the performing arts industry, specifically in the role of a producer. Xiong dreams of being able to produce a show, welcoming people who have been marginalized, including their race or gender.
