Eastern New Mexico University Presents Virtual Production, YOU'RE ON MUTE

The ENMU Department of Theatre and Digital Filmmaking's virtual Fall 2020 season closes with You're on Mute. For the past six weeks, ENMU theatre students have been creating an original piece of theatre, under the direction of instructor Ricky Quintana, based on themes and challenges that have been present during this pandemic.

Entirely done over Zoom, the process has presented many obstacles as well as triumphs as the department continues to navigate the emerging digital performance era.

"I feel like I'm drowning, there is an immense pressure holding my head down," cries ENMU senior Lara Harkness, who portrays a woman suffering from loneliness, yearning for something new.

The stories cultivated for this show have been pulled from personal experiences as well as research done from existing interviews, news articles, and images. Covering topics such as endless feelings of uncertainty to mental health, there is something for everyone to resonate with.

"I wanted to capture this moment in time," states Quintana, "to not only show us at our lowest, but just how resilient and strong we were." He hopes that "when we look back at this piece years from now, we can honor the time we lived in as well as see how much we've grown as a society. This is certainly a time for monumental self-reflection and looking forward to how we want to shape our future."

In addition to Harkness, the cast includes ENMU students Ariana Gasparlin, Kieran Verduzco, Mason Warner, and faculty member Dr. Anne Beck. The production is stage managed by Sarah Koss. The show will play November 12-14th at 7:00pm and on November 15th at 2:00pm. Performances are being presented for free over Zoom, but you must register in advance. To register, visit www.enmu.edu/TheatreLive.