Mr. Madrid has been the Artistic Core of Blackout Theatre Company in Albuquerque since 2008.

His job duties include teaching, lighting design, scenic design, costume design, acting, improvisational acting, and puppetry, play writing, dramaturgy and community relations.

“An ensemble theatre is a dream to work for. It involves a group of people with similar beliefs and aesthetics,” said the three-time recipient of the Kennedy Center Latnidad award for Latino Playwrights.

The former Theatre Coordinator at Red Rocks Community College said the most challenging part of his current job is, “at times, having so many projects going on at the same that rehearsals have to take place in the middle of the night.”

His favorite part of the position is collaboration, a skill he learned during his time at ENMU from 1993-1997.

“Collaboration and team work is the primary skill that I learned from ENMU. I also got a solid basis in design, acting, directing and dramaturgy,” said the theatre major who had a minor in Spanish.

Mr. Madrid, who was born and raised in Portales and enjoys baking, sewing, leather craft and tin craft, chose to attend Eastern because “location, price and family history.”

Both of his parents and two of his brothers graduated from ENMU.

The University of New Mexico graduate, who has a Master of Fine Arts in Theatre: Dramatic Writing and a Bachelor of Arts in Theatre:

Design for Performance, said the ENMU theatre department “provided a grounding in many aspects in theatre. Most universities only teach you one aspect.

“I am lucky to have a job in what I love,” he said of his career goals. “The goal would be to do more of it. I believe that part of theatre making is theatre education. I hope to continue to teach as well.”