Eden Prairie, 1971 at New Mexico Actors Lab

The NMAL 2024 season closes with Mat Smart’s Eden Prairie, 1971, directed by Nicholas Ballas. On the same night Apollo 15 makes its lunar landing, draft-dodger Pete (Koppany Pusztai) steals home to Eden Prairie after a 300-mile trek from Canada risking arrest to deliver an important message to his childhood friend, Rachel (Chloe Carson). Both are caught between duty to the ones they love and their own futures. In a moment of national tension that mirrors our own, Pete must defend his choices and grapple with the sacrifices he has made. This gentle drama, which also features Barbara Hatch, questions our notions of bravery and responsibility.