When mingling goes bad: Caught in the net

Tamarick Johnson
MC Practicum

The Jackson State University Speech & Theatre Department is bringing the students yet another play production that you do not want to miss. “Caught in the Net” is based on a true story and was written by Prince Duren, an instructor in the Speech & Theatre Department, and also the director of the production.

The play features an all female cast and was actually written while Duren was in graduate school. It was his thesis play, which is the final piece of writing that you do in the Master of Fine Arts program.

“The play talks about the attraction and the lures of social media and you have the main character whose name is Faye. She gets involved with a guy she meets online and she becomes intimate with him only to find out he’s under age,” said Duren.

Social media dating is a topic that has definitely become popular in America. The hit show on MTV called “Catfish” is an example of when social media dating goes wrong, showing real life examples of people using fake social media accounts to mingle.

“I would go see a play based on social media and dating. I think it would be very informative and would give an insight to both the male and female perspective on what happens with on-line dating,” said Brandall Smith, a senior accounting major from Magee, Miss.

According to pewresearch.org, nearly 90 percent of Americans are online, and dating on the internet has increased in popularity especially with the constant growth of social media. While there is nothing wrong with meeting and interacting with other people online, some times a person can easily be manipulated.

“I am totally against online dating. I would rather meet in person so I can insure that they are who they say they are. Nowadays with social media; it is very easy to just steal somebody else’s picture and call it their own,” said Quatasia Fantory, a junior healthcare administration major from Tampa, Fla.

Duren continued to explain the importance of the play production.

“The thing about social media is you can be whoever you want to be. You can even be an underage kid on an adult site because the only thing they ask you to do is to check that you are above age. You don’t necessarily have to be of age but just check that you are to clear the site of wrong doing,” said Duren.

“Caught in the Net” will run on Feb. 25-29 in the Rose E. McCoy Auditorium. Ticket prices are $5 for students and $10 general admission. Even though it may be viewed as entertainment, it will also give a true life lesson on how to be careful on social media.