Eastern Connecticut State University

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Eastern's Theatre Program to present 'The Nether'

by Noel Teter

Willimantic, CT (02/27/2023) — Eastern Connecticut State University's theatre program is presenting "The Nether," an award-winning play written by Jennifer Haley, on March 2-5 in the Fine Arts Instructional Center (FAIC) Delmonte Bernstein Studio Theater. The play is directed by Kristen Morgan, associate professor of theatre.

"The Nether" depicts a virtual wonderland in which users can choose an identity and indulge their desires. However, a young detective discovers a disturbing brand of entertainment within the realm, triggering an investigation into the dark corners of the mind.

The script of the play has been modified to allow additional acting opportunities for students. Originally, there were two characters played by the same actor, but Morgan split this into two roles. She also added two characters called Shades, who "left their human bodies on life support to live full-time in the virtual world of the Nether."

"The Nether" won the Susan Smith Blackburn Prize in 2012, an award for women who have written outstanding works for English-speaking theatre. "There is a pressure to do the story justice; Jennifer Haley has written such an intelligent and thought-provoking script," said Morgan.

In an era of widespread online activity, "The Nether" holds relevance in the lives of audience members. "The story is a cautionary tale about the need for real human connection and the dangers of thinking that virtual behavior won't have real-world effects," said Morgan.

After the play's March 2 showing, a faculty panel will discuss the themes of the play. This discussion will be moderated by Miriam Chirico, professor of English, and will feature professors Ana Funes Maderey of philosophy, Sukeshini Grandhi of business administration, Jenna Scisco of psychology, and Theresa Severance of criminology.

The shows will occur March 2 at 5:30 p.m.; March 3 at 11 a.m. and 7: 30 p.m.; March 4 at 7:30 p.m.; and March 5 at 4 p.m. For tickets, contact https://easternct.showare.com/thenether . For more information, contact the FAIC box office at theatreboxoffice@easternct.edu or (860) 465-5123.

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Eastern Connecticut State University is the state of Connecticut's public liberal arts university, serving more than 4,300 students annually on its Willimantic campus. In addition to attracting students from 160 of Connecticut's 169 towns, Eastern also draws students from 31 states and eight countries. A residential campus offering 41 majors and 65 minors, Eastern offers students a strong liberal art foundation grounded in a variety of applied learning opportunities. Ranked among the top 20 public institutions in the North by U.S. News & World Report in its 2022 Best Colleges ratings, Eastern has also been awarded 'Green Campus' status by the Princeton Review 13 years in a row. For more information, visit www.easternct.edu.

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