“On the contrary, those technical elements are what sealed the deal in terms of making us excited about this adaptation!” said the duo in an email exchange when asked if they felt intimidated by the prospect of pulling off an onstage avalanche, a crashing flying saucer, and aliens who take the shape of ordinary earthlings. “We love working with seemingly impossible story elements, because it forces us to find creative, theatrical solutions. If it’s too simple or straightforward, you might as well just be watching the movie. But if—instead—you have one actor playing half the town while simultaneously operating a flying saucer on a fishing pole, suddenly it’s a unique, theatrical experience that really has to be witnessed live in a theater.”
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The research is clear: integrating theater arts into a regular school curriculum can have concrete benefits. According to the American Alliance for Theatre and Education, theater involvement improves academic performance and performance on standardized tests; increases student engagement and attendance; improves reading comprehension; builds self-esteem; and helps bridge the “achievement gap”. Given the research, are we doing enough in Arkansas to help fund the performing arts in our public schools?
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It can be hard for adults to find opportunities that help them dust off their thinking caps and polish their competitive edges, but starting August 24, TheatreSquared’s adult classes in acting and improvisation are the perfect prescription to help get you out of your comfort zone and into a fun, energetic learning environment.
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When a group of artists in Springdale realized they weren’t seeing their own faces—and the faces of their family and friends—represented in the arts and culture scene of Northwest Arkansas, they decided to do something about it—and around 2016, the LatinX Theatre Project was born. Initially, it was going to be a year-long project created by a group of friends looking for a creative outlet; but, says co-founder Martin Garay, the overwhelmingly enthusiastic reception they received from the community convinced them to stick around for a while. Six years later, they’re still going strong. Their devised project, “El Camiòn de Ensueño”, is featured at this year’s Arkansas New Play Festival, and Garay says he hopes the organization’s success will help other members of the community see themselves reflected in the vibrant NWA arts scene.
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To learn more about how the process fosters and nurtures new work, we talked to playwright Bryna Turner, whose play “At the Wedding” was featured at the 2019 ANPF, received a full production at T2 in 2021, and, this past spring, received its New York debut at the Lincoln Center to rave reviews —including a Critic’s Pick designation in the New York Times.
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In “Miss You Like Hell”, Janyce Caraballo plays Olivia, a complex, brainy teenager who starts out sullen and surly but blossoms in the course of this epic road trip musical. Caraballo isn’t just a talented actor—she’s a teaching artist at the Chicago High School for the Arts and Silk Road Rising, a community-centered art-making and arts service organization rooted in Asian, Middle Eastern, and Muslim experiences. We asked her a few questions about her experience working on this production at TheatreSquared.
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