Fulbright College Partners with TheatreSquared to Expand Opportunities for Students

Photo Submitted

Justin Cunningham, Chris Crawford, Sarah Jane Robinson, Mark Landom Smith, Erika Wilhite, Jordan Haynes, Kathy Logelin, Arianne Ellison, Kristopher M. Stoker. Photo by Bettencourt Chase Photography.

Beginning with the 2012-2013 academic year, TheatreSquared has formalized its role as a learning laboratory and professional training outlet for the University of Arkansas department of drama in the J. William Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences. The partnership is evident in the latest TheartreSquared production, Noises Off, which features many of the university's faculty and students in acting roles as well as behind the scenes.

"It has been compelling to hear Chancellor Gearhart's strong support for fostering the arts as a integral part of our region's quality of life," said Martin Miller, managing director for TheatreSquared. "Over the past few months, we've learned how fully that philosophy is shared by Dean Roberts and the faculty of Fulbright College. We are thrilled to deepen our partnership with the department of drama—a training program of great quality, which has for years been a major source of talent and inspiration for our theatre. We're excited for what this partnership will mean for anyone learning, creating or enjoying great theatre here in Northwest Arkansas."

The theatre and Fulbright College will combine their resources to bring nationally accomplished artists to Northwest Arkansas, creating professional connections with students and faculty while working on TheatreSquared productions. Robert Ford, TheatreSquared's artistic director and University of Arkansas professor of drama, will continue leading the graduate playwriting program as well as supervising student apprenticeships at TheatreSquared. 

Noises Off stars a company of nine—six actors, two crewmembers and their long-suffering director—desperately trying to stage a British farce called “Nothing On.”

“If ever a comedy earned the word ‘epic,’ this is it,” said Ford. “It’s a director’s worst nightmare: stuck halfway through the show at midnight before opening, with backstage romance creating on-stage tension and parts of the set literally falling off. When you’re not living it, it’s riotously funny. We’ve wanted to do this one for years. It’s smart, requires a virtuosic cast, and reaches a comedic high that you can only experience through live theatre.”

The production’s cast and crew include current students, Melanie Chandler, Wanbli Hamilton-Ganache, Daniel Huston, Nathan Kyrouac, Ashley Lindsey, Sarah Jane Robinson, Patrick Templeton and Josh Tillotson and alumni Emily Bohannan, Chris Crawford, Justin Cunningham, Will Eubanks, Jordan Haynes, Kris Pruett, Mark Landon Smith, Kris Stoker, David Stoughton, Katharine Tully and Caden Worley—including three members of Fulbright College student apprentice program and four students employed through the University of Arkansas work study program. The play is directed by Morgan Hicks, visiting instructor for drama, and Ford serves as the theatre’s artistic director.

The theatre will continue to offer an extensive student ticket program and work study employment. TheatreSquared and the department of drama will share the use of production resources and materials whenever possible.  

Noises Off will run through September 23 in the Studio Theatre at the Nadine Baum Studios. Performances are at 7:30 p.m. on Thursdays and Fridays, 2 and 7:30 p.m. on Saturdays, and 2 and 7 p.m. on Sundays. Tickets and more information are available through TheatreSquared at theatre2.org.

A discussion with several cast members and crew that ran on KUAF 91.3 FM’s Ozarks at Large may be heard at http://kuaf.com/content/how-create-mayhem-stageon-purpose.