NMSU The Merge
March 9, 2012

Love performing arts? Don't miss NMSU events!

Story by Suzanna Lester

So many great performances go on at New Mexico State University that deserve the community's support. Programs for the arts struggle across the board as it is. When asking around Las Cruces, it is rare to find many people, whether involved at NMSU or not, who know what's happening in the arts on campus.

The Merge is proud to be kicking off a series of stories focusing on different aspects of performing arts at NMSU. Each article will feature upcoming events to keep you in the know! Watch for new information each month on these events and the talented individuals who are keeping the arts alive at NMSU.

Theater

This month's performing arts spotlight is on a theatre junky named Jordan Kelley. She is the president and head of publicity for the Creative Student Theatre Company, a subset of the American Southwest Theatre Company at New Mexico State University. Kelly is a senior at NMSU, graduating in May with a degree in Theatre Arts. She has an interest in costume design and has been extremely involved in theater during her college career at NMSU.

Kelly and her other CSTC board members have worked very hard this year to bring life to the program with events like movie nights, acting nights and tabling on campus to promote the group and the shows they put on.

Adult comedy today and tomorrow

This weekend, the small theatre company presents a fairly controversial show - one that adults with a certain lewd sense of humor will not want to miss. The title alone should set the tone: "Poona the F**k Dog,"by Jeff Goode.

But don't let the profane title throw you off! This show still manages to address moral issues and life lessons.

Kelly said the show is about a dog named Poona who "wants to make friends but chooses the wrong ones. Poona meets many different characters... along the way who try to teach her a valuable lesson," she explained.

"'Poona' is a subject all on its own... ; plays are known to be eccentric and confusing and classic and romantic and dramatic, and if it were any thing else no one would be interested in the surprising moments of live theatre," Jordan said.

The show opens Friday, March 9 at 10:15 p.m. and only two more shows run on Saturday at 2:00 p.m. and 10:15 p.m. in the Isabelle M. Crouch Readers Theatre between the NMSU Speech Department and the English Department. It's easily accessible from Jordan Street - use the first parking lot on your way to Corbett Center as the performance space is in the far southwest corner of that lot. Check back next month for a review of "Poona" and see the new calendar to find out the dates of CSTC's next big thing: a showcase of student-produced skits, scheduled for the end of April.