Near/Far was developed in the fall of 2020 by Lauren and the community of theatre artisans and craftspeople in the Department of Theatre and Film at the University of Mississippi. The show was created at the height of the pandemic in an effort to keep student actors, designers, and technicians in creativity despite the many restrictions. Design meetings, rehearsals, and the performances were all remote and held over Zoom. The show you are about to watch was rehearsed and recorded in the actors’ homes and dorm rooms. They are in front of green screens designed to fit the specifications of their spaces. The design team created a world that seems lost to time and held in place as if a ship at the bottom of the sea. The technology required to make the show happen was extraordinary. The dedication of the student actors, isolated in their own spaces, is a testament to the human spirit. Follow the link below and enjoy this highly stylized piece in beautiful Larval Mask. It is an exploration of isolation, loss, and the importance of community.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TAYcLtW8rX8&t=9s