Hartnell College Students to Perform Original Play at Prestigious BorderLight Theatre Festival in Cleveland
SALINAS, Calif. — July 7, 2025 — A group of nine Hartnell College students and two faculty members is heading to Cleveland, Ohio, to present their original production, Get with the Times, Jane! at the acclaimed BorderLight Theatre Festival, an international showcase known for celebrating boundary-pushing, socially engaged, and independent theatre.
The opportunity marks a major milestone for the Hartnell College Theatre program and the student creators.
"We've been working on this project since 2024, so we've spent a lot of time with it," said Aleah Aguilar, a Hartnell College student. "The fact that we're taking it out of state to present at a festival says a lot about how far we've come."
Written and performed by an all-female cast of students, Get with the Times, Jane!
is a bilingual, time-traveling comedy that brings history and modern-day struggles
into a sharp, humorous focus. The story follows a Mexican-American suffragette from
1916 who awakens in 2016 and
finds herself clashing and connecting with three present-day college women confronting
challenges around politics, identity, and equality.
"This is a show we built together," said Karen Alfaro, a theatre student who is transferring to USC in the fall. "We wanted to create something that speaks to our community, especially our Hispanic community. It's been amazing to see how audiences connect with it."
The students first produced the show in Fall 2024 amid the backdrop of the national election, drawing on personal experiences and social issues to shape the script. After a successful run, theatre instructor River Navaille submitted the work to fringe festivals nationwide. BorderLight soon responded with an invitation to join its 2025 lineup.
"We got so much great feedback on the first version of the show," said Aguilar. "It made people laugh, think, and want to create something of their own. That's why people should see it."
Before traveling to Ohio, the cast will present a local preview performance at 7:00 p.m. on Friday, July 11, at the Black Box Theater inside MCAET (Media Center for Art, Education and Technology), located at 901 Blanco Circle in Salinas. Admission is free and the public is encouraged to RSVP.
Get with the Times, Jane! will also be performed at additional local venues following the group's return from Cleveland.
