Loyola University’s Department of Theatre Arts and Dance Tackles Immigration and Identity in “Alien Status”

The Department of Theatre Arts & Dance (TAD) at Loyola University New Orleans is pleased to present "Alien Status," a hilarious new play set in the city's Bywater neighborhood, where government agents hunt for aliens hiding in plain sight, from Oct. 22-30, at Marquette Theater, on the Loyola campus.

The play, written by James Bartelle and first produced as a NOLA Project PodPlay during the COVID-19 pandemic, explores immigration while skewering assumptions about race and refuge, said Helen Jaksch, chair of Theatre Arts & Dance at Loyola and a professor of practice in Theatre Arts.

"We chose 'Alien Status' because it uses humor to explore serious questions about immigration, identity and belonging, in a way that feels both accessible and deeply relevant," Jaksch said. "Although James Bartelle wrote the play several years ago, its themes continue to resonate, challenging audiences to examine their assumptions about who belongs and what it means to find refuge. We want our students to engage with work that entertains while also inviting meaningful conversation about the world around them."

The play's lead character is undocumented, a premise that remains particularly relevant amid current federal immigration enforcement efforts, Jaksch said. The production includes staged violence, xenophobia, and discussions of immigration, citizenship and deportation that may be difficult for some audience members. For example, a group called the ERASERS pretends to fumigate homes but is actually there to wipe people's memories.

Cristina "Cuba" Hatheway, who joined Loyola's faculty this fall, is directing "Alien Status." Jaksch said Hatheway is well-suited to lead the production, bringing expertise as an Advanced Actor Combatant with the Society of American Fight Directors, an organization that promotes the safe and effective dramatization of violence in the entertainment industry.

Performances will take place Oct. 22 and 23 at 7:30 p.m., Oct. 24 at 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m., and Oct. 28-30 at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $9 for students with an ID; $16 for senior citizens, and Loyola faculty and staff with an ID; and, $21 for adults.