Actress Christine Marie Moses will perform in Maya Lilly’s one-woman play “MIXED” Thursday at 7 p.m. in the Gerlinger Hall Woodruff Gymnasium.
In her adaptation of Lilly’s original script, Moses explores the identity crisis that can be difficult for multi-racial and biracial people.
“Since President Barack Obama was elected, the idea of mixed identities has come up more,” Moses explained. “This show is a beautiful way to openly discuss the exclusion or lack of identity for individuals.”
Moses’ performance, “MIXED,” is in coordination with the ASUO Women’s Center.
Jill Torres and Gurunam Atwal, diversity coordinators for the Women’s Center, organized the show to provide students with an opportunity to watch real issues being discussed by unique talent.
“This show looks into identity,” Atwal said. “It’s about fitting into a box or realizing that there may not be a box. If students come to the show, they will leave wondering why we need to identify to one culture at all.”
Torres added that this play is not just about race. It’s about how to relate to others in life through marriage, organizations and friends. She explained that the play is about identity in every aspect of one’s life.
“It’s a really powerful piece that is taxing on both audience and performer because of the topic and stories being shared,” Torres said.
Although she has acted in blockbuster hits including “Star Trek: New Voyages”  and “The Invention of Lying” as well as countless theater performances, this will be her first college tour.
When Moses began performing in college theater at the Richland campus of Washington State University, she realized how powerful theater can be in overcoming social inequalities.
“Ultimately, to end racism we need to have open dialogues on race,” Moses said.
In addition to the main performance, students can speak to Moses on Thursday during a  lunch with Women’s Center staff or on Friday during a workshop in the EMU Multicultural Center.
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