Returning to the Claire Trevor Theatre
After completing his graduate training during the pandemic, Evan Lugo, M.F.A ’22 returns to UC Irvine to perform in Noises Off
On Friday, March 6, 2026, the UC Irvine Claire Trevor School of the Arts Department of Drama presents Noises Off, Michael Frayn’s iconic backstage farce known for its sharp comedic timing and technical precision. Among the cast is M.F.A. graduate Evan Lugo, who returns to the Claire Trevor Theatre after completing his degree during one of the most challenging times in recent history. Since graduating, Lugo has built an impressive professional résumé, appearing as George Gibbs in Our Town at South Coast Repertory, Antipholus of Syracuse in The Comedy of Errors at New Swan and Pierre Curie in Curie, Curie, among other roles. Performances run March 6-14, 2026. Tickets are available at arts.uci.edu/event/noises.
For Lugo, returning to the UCI stage carries particular weight. Much of his graduate training unfolded during the height of the pandemic, when productions were canceled and performance opportunities were limited. Now, taking on a role in one of the most physically demanding comedies in the theatrical canon, he brings with him a deepened sense of presence, ensemble trust and gratitude.
Question (Q): What does it mean to return to your alma mater to perform at Claire Trevor School of the Arts, particularly in a production as demanding and celebratory of theater as Noises Off?
Evan Lugo (EL): It truly means the world to me to return to campus and perform on stage again. When I attended UC Irvine for my M.F.A., my experience was far from typical. I was in my first year when the pandemic hit, so my performance opportunities were extremely limited. I was only able to perform in one production during my time here.
To come back now and take on a role in a show as demanding and crazy as Noises Off feels like a gift. It’s an absolute monster of a play, in the best way, and I feel incredibly grateful to be doing it alongside artists who are just as passionate and committed as I am.
Image: Evan Lugo in The Comedy of Errors (2022), directed by Eli Simon at the New Swan Shakespeare Festival. Photo by Paul Kennedy.
Q: You completed your M.F.A. during the height of the pandemic, when live performance and in-person training were deeply disrupted. How has that experience shaped you as an artist, and how does it inform the way you approach this role now?
EL: “Deeply disrupted” is definitely an understatement. Not only was I taking acting classes over Zoom, which is just ridiculous. I was also teaching acting classes over Zoom, which is even more ridiculous because it was the first time I ever taught.
As difficult as it was, I’m still grateful for my time here. I think the pandemic forced my peers and me to create our own work. It also gave me space and time to explore other interests and develop new skills.
One of the hardest parts was knowing what I was missing. I had friends who went through the program before me, and I understood the richness of the experience that circumstances prevented us from fully having. It felt like a condensed version of something truly extraordinary.
The greatest lesson that I carry with me now into every rehearsal and performance is not take anything for granted. I was working on four different shows and productions right before the pandemic, and these were all things I was super excited about, and they all got canceled within 48 hours, and that was really hard. But people were also losing their lives and loved ones, so it made my problems feel insignificant in the grand scheme of things. After the pandemic slowed down, I was grateful to be in Our Town at South Coast Repertory. Right before closing weekend, we had three people, including myself, get covid so the rest of the run got cancelled abruptly. And again, I found myself without any closure.
So what did I learn? Those experiences taught me that nothing is guaranteed. Every rehearsal and every performance is a privilege. Whether you have one performance or a long run, each one matters. That awareness has profoundly shaped how I approach my work — with gratitude, presence and urgency.
Q: Noises Off requires extraordinary precision, physical comedy, and ensemble trust. What aspects of your training at UC Irvine have been most present for you in rehearsals for this production?
EL: My favorite part of the M.F.A. program here is all of the movement training. Annie Louie is the head of movement here at UCI, and we did a lot of physical exercises and physical techniques like contact improv, which is all about being in your body and responding to what you’re being given. There’s also a big emphasis on Fitzmaurice voice work, which is a voice and speech technique that is actually very physical as well. It’s just so important to live in your body as an actor and be fully present. And that’s what a lot of my training here focused on. I think my presence and being able to listen freely are skills that I still carry with me in rehearsals and performances
In a play like Noises Off, where precision and physical responsiveness are everything, ensemble trust and connection are essential. We rely completely on one another, and that sense of connection is something my training emphasized from day one. We are all counting on each other up there, so trust is super important, and it’s been such a gift to work with everyone in the cast and the crew. One can’t function without the other. The crew, especially for a show as technical as this, oftentimes gets overlooked, but they’re working just as hard as the people you see on stage.
Q: Looking back, were there specific moments, mentors, or productions during your time at UCI that helped prepare you for a career in the theater and ultimately for returning in this capacity?
EL: Several professional productions after graduating have prepared me to return in this capacity. Most recently, I performed in One Man, Two Guvnors at A Noise Within, which is also a British farce. Transitioning directly from that production into Noises Off has been incredibly helpful. Although I often consider myself more of a dramatic actor, some of my professional experiences have allowed me to explore comedy more deeply, which has been very rewarding.
I am also super grateful to be working with Eli Simon on this production. Eli knows how to do comedy right. He’s one of my favorite directors to work with because of how passionate he is. He creates an environment where actors feel supported, challenged and free to play. He’s always fully invested in every aspect of a production. Not just with the actors but with the entire team behind a production. I’ve been fortunate to work with Eli a handful of times now, and his commitment always pushes me to work harder.
Image: (center) Evan Lugo with cast members during Noises Off rehearsal. Photo by Diana Kalaji.
Q: Farce is often underestimated, despite how technically rigorous it is. What do you hope audiences notice or appreciate about the craft behind Noises Off once they see it onstage?
EL: Listen, comedy is hard! I think people who aren’t as familiar with theatre and acting always assume that drama and “crying on cue” is the challenge, but anyone who’s done both knows that comedy is challenging. I think even more so with farce. Farce is extremely physical, and the timing has to be perfect. There can’t be space or these long pauses unless they’re earned or specifically in the script. And all of that comes with practice, repetition and feeling it out.
Which, thankfully, we’ve had a lot of time to do! Comedy is important. I also think that, as actors, sometimes we don’t take comedy as “serious.” We get it into our heads that it’s the heavy, dramatic roles and shows that are going to “make people walk out changed” or “inspire others,” but honestly… laughter heals. Especially in a time as challenging as the one we’re facing right now. With all the chaos happening in the world around us, being able to unplug and laugh in a room with other people has never been more important.
Q: For current students who may still be navigating uncertainty about their artistic paths, especially in a post-pandemic landscape, what perspective or encouragement would you offer based on your own experience?
EL: I could write a whole essay on this, but I’ll say this. You really just have to keep going. You have to stop comparing yourself to other people. You have to realize that everybody is on their own path. As artists, we only have control over a certain amount of things, so don’t spend your time, energy and effort worrying about things that are out of your control. Sadly, art and creative endeavors are the most underfunded things in the entire world, so it’s really challenging to make a career out of them. So my advice is, while you are trying to make a career for yourself, you need to be doing something that’s paying the bills. Sure, some people are lucky enough that the thing that they love also pays the bills, but for the majority of people, that’s not the case. I think being able to separate your passion and what you do to live is massively important and not talked about enough. It’s important because as soon as you put the pressure that your passion needs to also support you financially, it can make you have resentment for the passion itself, and then you lose the passion. So don’t. Figure out why you got into the industry you got into in the first place. If it’s for the money, you’re probably in the wrong business. The bottom line is to keep your passion alive and protect it at all costs! The world needs you too.
To learn more about Noises Off, visit here. To learn more the Department of Drama, visit drama.arts.uci.edu.