In Spring 2023, PMA produced a 65-minute play titled ‘Mine.’ Set in Russia, the play is a family drama exploring themes of the past and the future, technology and humanity, and authorship in a time of catastrophe.
‘Mine’ cannot be staged in Russia due to strict censorship laws. Determined to make the story accessible, both to a general audience and to people in Russia, writer-director Anna Evtushenko (PhD '24) recorded the live performances. More than two years later, after extensive effort, a fully realized pro-shot is now available on YouTube. The Cornell Daily Sun called it "a harrowing exploration of personal collapse and societal decay."
"Mine's run was very short, but with the pro-shot available publicly, people from anywhere may be able to find their way to this story, which is meaningful to me,” said Anna Evtushenko. “In working on the edit from a filmmaker's perspective, I also saw actors' choices much more closely and gained a deeper appreciation for their work. We did a few screenings prior to the release, and learned that the play does land for people via video, so I'm excited to share this story in this format."
Watch the recording in English with Russian and English subtitles.
Read the review by Katie Kim for The Cornell Daily Sun.
Image credit: Left to right: Dara Oyaniran ’24, Jianing Zhao ’24, a destroyed Ukrainian building, Yingxi Li ’23, Owen Reynolds ’26. Image provided by Anna Evtushenko.
