Native Gardens
written by Karen Zacarias, directed by Dr. Anne Beck
Mainstage, University Theatre Center (UTC)
General admission $10, Free admission with valid ENMU Student ID,
Senior citizens (60+) admission $7,
Active military admission $7,
Season tickets available for $28
To purchase: www.enmu.edu/TheatreLive
Thursday, Feb 29 | 7 p.m.
Friday, March 1 | 7 p.m.
Saturday, March 2 | 7 p.m.
Sunday, March 3| 2 p.m.
STEFFENS: Welcome to Great Arts at Eastern. I’m David Steffens Dean of the College of Fine Arts, and today we preview a theatre production happening next week: Native Gardens, which will run Thursday through Sunday. Thursday, Friday and Saturday shows are at 7:00 PM and our Sunday matinee--- Sunday matinee will be at 2:00 PM. Those dates are February 29 through March 3rd, and the show will be in the Mainstage Theater of the University Theater Center. Tickets are $10 Per person available at the door through the box office, $7.00 for active military members and $7.00 for seniors. In ENMU, students can join free as long as they bring a student ID. Doctor Beck is directing the show and joins us today. Welcome, Doctor Beck.
DR. BECK: Well, thank you so much for having me.
STEFFENS: What should we expect with native gardens?
DR. BECK: I think a lot of laughs. It’s a comedy. It’s a border dispute between neighbors, so it’s something that we all can identify with. We have a young couple next who’ve moved into a fixer upper and they discover that they actually have more Land than they actually then their neighbors know and so there is a big fight over the- this garden, the- the yard. And So, what your audience, our audiences expect and actually we saw last night they’re going to laugh a lot, and it was written in 2016 so the everything is very current.
STEFFENS: So, while it’s funny, there are issues about a border disputes that are maybe more social.
DR. BECK: That’s right. That’s right there the young couple and then an older couples. And the young couple is a Hispanic Latin X and the older couple is white. And so, there’s a little bit of identity and as well as political, social issues
STEFFENS: and so, it’s a small cast of four?
DR. BECK: Of four, yes and we have extras, 3 extras who come on and perform non-speaking roles as the yards transform.
STEFFENS: Wonderful, we’re also joined today by two students. Santiago is here and what’s your role in the show, Santiago?
SANTIAGO: I play the role of Pablo de Via as well as the sound designer for the show.
STEFFENS: And so, what’s Pablo’s role in the drama?
SANTIAGO: He Is a lawyer who’s trying to make partner at his law firm. So obviously he sort of busy as a lot of the conflict takes place and therefore is only there for some of the time as he is able to react to what happens, but still has his fair share of talking to them and trying to figure out what happens with the land that rightfully belongs to them.
STEFFENS: So, in addition to trying to get people to laugh, have you learned anything about the social message of this show that’s interesting to you?
SANTIAGO: Ohh yes, definitely. This show is dealing with a lot of heavy themes that is treated in a very lightful way that makes it so much more of an approachable way to deal with it. And I think it’s nice that it talks about the differences that we have and how those play in a role, play a role and to how we deal with each other.
STEFFENS: Great. We’re also joined today by Isabel. What’s your role in the show Isabel?
ISABEL: I play Tanya Delville. She is a pregnant woman on the younger couple’s side. She is very sassy, but she is also trying to help. But I don’t think she helps any. I think things just escalate every time she tries to help. But she is such a fun character.
Dr. BECK: It’s wonderful.
STEFFENS: It sounds like a fun show. Doctor Beck, Is it appropriate for all ages?
DR. BECK: It is. It is, it I think young people under the age of 12 might not understand it and enjoy it, but it is definitely a general audience.
STEFFENS: And what’s the running time for the show?
DR. BECK: The running time is about 65 minutes, no intermission.
STEFFENS: Very good.
DR. BECK: Yeah.
STEFFENS: We hope to see you at the show that is Native Gardens. It runs February 29th Through March 3. That’s Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Tickets are $10 and we hope to see you there.
DR. BECK: Thank you so much.
SANTIAGO: Thank you.