TheatreSquared Oral History Project

The mission of the TheatreSquared Oral History Project is to explore the narrative of how TheatreSquared has connected the local and global theatre community through the inclusion of cultural diversity and innovative production since its inception, and how it continues to do so. This Arkansas Story Vault project is a collaboration between the University of Arkansas Honors College and the David and Barbara Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History.

As part of the Arkansas Story Vault project, the Honors students presented their findings about TheatreSquared’s oral history in the Pryor Center’s lecture series ‘Pryor Center Presents.’ View the recording of the presentation here.

Amy Herzberg

Amy Herzberg is a co-founder and assistant artistic director of TheatreSquared. She is also the director of the MFA/BA acting programs at the University of Arkansas, directing over 30 productions for the university. She has acted in and directed a wide variety of productions, including My Father’s War, a play about her father’s experiences in WWII.

Robert Ford

Bob Ford is a co-founder of TheatreSquared and is the current artistic director of the company. He is an accomplished playwright, novelist, and classical musician, with multiple MFAs from Rutgers University and the University of Texas at Austin.

Martin Miller

Martin Miller is the Executive Director of TheatreSquared. He holds an MFA in Arts Leadership from the Theatre School at DePaul University and is a trailblazer for the incredible development the company has seen since he started in 2009. Miller led the fundraising, design, and construction for the company’s new permanent home. He also created the National Stages Program, benefiting local theaters nationwide.

Todd Simmons

Todd Simmons is the CEO of Simmons Food and serves on a variety of boards in order to serve the Northwest Arkansas community and its residents and help further the regions continued development. He serves as the president of the board of directors here at TheatreSquared.

Leigh Hopkins

Leigh Hopkins currently serves as the Treasurer of the board of directors for TheatreSquared. Hopkins has been involved with TheatreSquared since 2014 after moving to Northwest Arkansas in 2011 for a job with Walmart International, where he is the Executive Vice President of International Strategy and Development, as well as the Regional CEO of the company.

Judy Schwab

Judy Schwab is the Board Secretary at TheatreSquared and is also a prominent art advocate in the Northwest Arkansas community. She was previously the vice chair of the Walton Arts Center board of directors and has received the 2013 Arts Advocate Award to celebrate her passion for the arts. Schwab has always played a fundamental role throughout the Northwest Arkansas community due to her innovative work.

Shannon Jones

Shannon Jones currently serves as the General Manager of TheatreSquared. Jones has been working with TheatreSquared since 2014 and has occupied a variety of roles in her time here, including assistant stage manager, production stage manager, and associate producer. She has been instrumental in connecting TheatreSquared to the local community and to the ever-growing Northwest Arkansas arts scene.

Elliott James

Elliott James serves as the Director of Finance for TheatreSquared. James is also an active member of the Mustache Running Club here in Fayetteville. He received a BFA in Theatre and Math from the University of Arkansas.

Kat Wepler

Kat Wepler serves as the Director of Production at Theatre Squared. Wepler has been at TheatreSquared since 2016. She holds an MFA in Technical Design and Production from Yale School of Drama and a BFA in International Theatre Production from Ohio Northern University. She has worked at performing arts companies all over the country and has a long history of work in theatre.

Bryce Kemph

Bryce Kemph is the scene shop supervisor at TheatreSquared. He holds a BFA in theatre from Emporia State University and an MFA in acting from the University of Arkansas. Kemph has been a carpenter at TheatreSquared since the 2015-2016 season, and he has a long history of acting in and outside the company.

Ruby Kemph

Ruby Kemph has been with TheatreSquared since 2008. She currently serves as the costume director and has designed costumes for over 40 TheatreSquared productions and Arkansas New Play Festival workshops. In addition, she has experience building costumes for many Broadway plays, from Phantom of the Opera to Mamma Mia! Kemph has her Master of Fine Arts in Costume Design and Technology from the University of Arkansas.

Tara Carr Versey

Tara Carr Versey has been the Director of Community Experience at TheatreSquared since 2021. She oversees both the Commons Bar/Café and Audience Services. In addition to her position at T2, Tara is also a talk-show host for her show, Tara Talks on KDIV 98.7FM (a.k.a. Voice of Diversity), where she discusses community events as well as local issues. Tara has her B.A. in Communication Studies from Longwood University in Virginia, and her M.D. in Higher Education from the University of Arkansas.

Rebecca Rivas

Rebecca Rivas is the program director of the LatinX Theatre Project or LXTP, and the Artistic Associate for TheatreSquared. She is a former assistant professor in the department of Theatre and Dance at the University of Texas in El Paso. She has directed a few TheatreSquared productions such as American Mariachi and Native Gardens, which have also appeared in several works in the Arkansas New Play Festival. She has her Master of Fine Arts in Acting from the University of Arkansas.

Dexter Singleton

Dexter Singleton is the Director of New Play Development at TheatreSquared. He is an accomplished director and producer from Detroit, Michigan. Singleton’s plays have been seen at many places, such as San Diego Repertory Theatre, Pittsburgh Public Theater, Connecticut Repertory Theatre, Long Wharf Theatre, Playhouse on Park, the University of Arkansas, the University of Michigan, and our very own TheatreSquared.

Chad Dike

Chad Dike is the current Director of Education at TheatreSquared. Dike has extensive experience in educational programming, having previously served as educational director and program manager at esteemed theater organizations such as ZACH Theatre, the Austin Theatre Alliance, DC Arts and Humanities Education Collaborative, Imagination Stage, and the North Shore Music Theatre. He received his B.A. in Dramatic Arts from Centre College in 2006.

Emily Tomlinson

Emily Tomlinson is currently serving as an Education Specialist at TheatreSquared. Emily is an actor and teaching artist who has appeared in over 20 live productions at TheatreSquared, Trike Theatre, Arkansas New Play Fest, the Savannah College of Art and Design, and our very own University of Arkansas. Emily received her B.A. in Drama from the University of Arkansas in 2013 and later received her MFA in performing arts from the Savannah College of Art and Design in 2016.

This Arkansas Story Vault project is a collaboration between the University of Arkansas Honors College and the David and Barbara Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History.

Ella Scurlock

I am a sophomore Honors College Fellow studying history, anthropology, and religious studies at the University of Arkansas. What I love most about my discipline is the opportunity to explore the cultural exchange, social dynamics, and individual bonds that make up a community, and I could not be more thrilled to be a part of a project that does just that in my own community with an organization as wonderful and impactful as TheatreSquared!

Ethan Brown

I am a senior Honors students studying Political Science, Anthropology, and Religious Studies at the University of Arkansas. I am very interested in the formation of cultural memory and narrative arising from my own community, and I joined this project to better understand how a community institution such as TheatreSquared develops and leads to the creation of a local culture that operates along and inside a larger, grand narrative such as the theatrical arts.

Janna Morse

I am an Honors College Path Program freshman currently studying International and Global Studies, with a concentration on peace, security, and human rights. While my studies are not directly linked to history, I have a passion for being involved in learning about modern projects and how they bring life to specific environments. I have past experience interviewing individuals which I believe will prove useful to this project, and I am ecstatic to learn more throughout the semester.

Sarah Wilson

I am currently a Senior in Industrial Engineering. Though I am not a history major, I have always had an interest in history and am excited to work on this project. This summer, I happened to take an online digital media course and loved it. In that course, I got to do many interesting projects which included researching political bias in news sources, creating magazines, creating podcasts reviews, and drafting mock articles. Throughout this term, I hope to get to know y’all a little bit more and to learn as much as I can about oral history and TheatreSquared.

Sydnie Smith

I am a senior Honors student majoring in History and Political Science with a minor in Legal Studies. With my time spent in the field of history, I have gained an appreciation for the significance of preserving local history. I previously worked with the Pryor Center and the Honors College on the Symphony of Northwest Arkansas oral history project, which grew my love for the fine arts community and strengthened my skills in oral history. With that, I have been enthused to delve into the history of TheatreSquared and what it means to Northwest Arkansas.

Miceala Morano

I am a freshman and first-year Bob and Ruth Shipley Fellow studying English and Journalism. I am excited to be working on this project in order to strengthen my anthropological research and interview skills while promoting and uplifting the growing arts scene in Fayetteville.

Aiden McGinn

Editor

Hello, my name is Aidan McGinn. I am a 2021 UARK psychology graduate and I have been working at the Pryor Center as a video editor since 2019. During that time, I have been privileged to meet a diverse group of interesting people, discover exciting local organizations and events, and expand my skills and expertise in digital media creation. I am always looking forward to the next project!

Jesús Garcia

Photographer

My name is Jesús M. Garcia, and I am a student at the University of Arkansas where I’m currently pursuing my Bachelor’s Degree in Studio Arts with a primary focus in photography. I enjoy practicing my artistic craft in photo and video, where I share my work with like-minded people like those at the Pryor Center. I like to take inspiration from people with similar passions within the arts and I am glad to be a part of the growth of art within Northwest Arkansas as our community is forever changing.