Play director signing out with 'Noises Off'

CLOVIS — After working "on-and-off" for 20 years at Clovis Community College, play director Christy Mendoza is calling it a career with "Noises Off."

"I've always been intrigued by 'Noises Off' and I have a talented group of actors that I work with and I thought this would be a good choice for them because it would stretch them and stretch me as well," Mendoza said.

The comedy, which opens Thursday and runs through Sunday, revolves around a group of actors putting on a play.

The resulting hijinks are an apt choice to wrap up Mendoza's time at CCC, according to cast member Jennifer Brandon.

"It's just a really fun, energetic play and I think it's reflective of Christy who herself is very fun and energetic," Brandon said.

Mendoza said working with actors has been her favorite part of directing because it allows her to dig deep into the mechanics of a play.

"Together we're picking the play apart to find out what it's about and to put it on stage," Mendoza said.

Actors who have worked with Mendoza said she always knows what she wants and how to get the performance she wants.

"She helped me re-blossom into theater and helped me get re-involved. She helped me boost my confidence and self esteem," Brandon said of the Introduction to theater class where she first met Mendoza.

Mendoza said "Buried Child" and "Rent" were her two favorite plays she directed while at CCC.

'"Buried Child' is where I first met all this group of actors who I'm still working with today and 'Rent' is a wonderful musical and it brought out actors from the base, from Eastern (New Mexico University). I even had an actress from (the University of New Mexico). It was just so much fun to do because it's like a modern rock-type show; we loved it," Mendoza said.

Mendoza does not have much in the way of plans following her retirement in May, but she hopes to remain involved in the arts.

"I'm not going to say that I'm not going to direct again because I probably will direct again, but not in this capacity," Mendoza said. "At this point I don't even know, I'm just looking forward to (retirement) and looking forward to doing something in a creative capacity. I do other things as well, like I'm a playwright and I would like to get back into that and I'd also like to get into painting."