ALAMOSA — “Airness”, currently in production at ASU, holds its own in continuing a wonderful tradition of the ASU’s Theatre Department by delivering a play that both surprises and entertains.

While the house lights are still up and before anything else is known about the play, the premise of Airness can only be described as unusual.  A group of young, enthusiastic people with a history of playing the “air guitar” gear up to compete in a national air guitar competition. 

But not long after the lights come down and the actors come on stage, it becomes clear to the audience that, yes, the play is about air guitar and, yes, it’s also very funny. But woven between the actors’ physicality of bringing air guitar to life and the dynamics between characters who are each very different from one another is a feeling very familiar to anyone who has sought out friendships and connections in a place that is safe and without judgment. The actors aren't just entertaining, they’re endearing.

While somewhat minimalist, the set is immediately recognizable to anyone who has ever been in a somewhat welcoming but still slightly grungy bar in a downtown neighborhood. The brick walls have seen better days, and one can almost smell the stale beer that’s been spilled on the floor.

But all that quickly fades into the background as the character D Vicious comes on stage. Played with tremendous energy and just the right amount of arrogance by Javier Rodriguez, D Vicious is last year's champion of nationals, and his performance sets a high bar for the others who follow. Dressed all black with hair spiked in all directions, Rodriguez plays the air guitar with a ferocity matched only by the expressions on his face as he air-riffs on his air guitar and slides across the stage on his knees.  Rodriguez plays it like he was born for the role.

He’s soon joined by three friends and fellow air guitar competitors.

Under the direction of ASU Professor Jenna Nielsen, Shreddy Eddy (played by Gabe Garcia), Facebender (played by Chaz Childress) and Golden Thunder (played by Miguel Ochoa) do an excellent job of – in their own ways - walking that fine line between taking their talent seriously while taking themselves much less so. It’s clear these three are close friends connected through air guitar and, in the words of the director, Prof Jenna Neilsen, “embrace the silliness of their chosen sport but more importantly, fight fiercely for comradery and collaboration.”

Into their midst walks newcomer Nina, there for her first air guitar competition. At first, she seems to somewhat echo the arrogance of D Vicious as she thinks winning will be easy.  But through interactions with her characters on stage and their zeitgeist of “we, not me”, she soon learns that there is much more to the sport than playing pretend.

Special performances must be called out.

Miguel Ochoa was as courageous as he was comedic in playing Golden Thunder, including his tear-away pants that, at just the right moment, had him playing the air guitar in his skivvies. 

Chaz Childress was heartwarming as Facebender, a kind and good-natured throwback to the sixties with his tie-dye shirt, matching head bandana and intense desire to finally do something that impresses his young daughter.

Eddy Shreddy was Nina’s coach, coming across as a nice guy with good advice yet very able to impress with a very athletic performance every time he "picked up" the air guitar.

As Nina, Awnee Montaño was a great contrast to the others - obviously skeptical that the sport was difficult while asking questions so mundane they almost seemed out of place. But, as the audience learns, she can’t help but be won over by the sheer goodness of the other 3 competitors.

Senior Jay Lobeck, as Cannibal Queen, once again shows her comedic strength and timing as she has done time and again in previous productions at ASU.

And William Kirk as the announcer responded, in many ways, like the “announcer” he was cast to be, always promoting no matter what was happening on stage.

It also must be said that the playlist was – as it should have been – a character in itself, bringing back quick cuts of tunes familiar to many in the audience and adding life and vibrancy to an already electric stage.

Finally, opening night was particularly lively as many in the audience were fellow theater students, friends and family members. It set the perfect backdrop for one of Nielsen’s most noteworthy comments in the program.

“Our world today feels fraught with difficulty; we are bombarded with messages about how divided we are as a society, a nation and a world. As Facebender says in scene 1, Airness and air guitar are 'a balm against these troubled times'.”

All are invited (and encouraged) to see Airness and soak up as much of that balm as possible. You’re guaranteed to be the better for it.

Airness has three more performances: Friday, May 1; Saturday, May 2 and matinee on Sunday, May 3. All performed on the ASU SLV Federal Bank Main Stage on the ASU campus.

To purchase tickets online, go to:
https://www.adams.edu/academics/undergraduate/theatre/purchase-tickets/ or call the box office at 719.587.TIXX