TheatreSquared facts for kids

TheatreSquared is a professional theatre company located in downtown Fayetteville, Arkansas. It was started in 2005. Each year, they put on seven main shows. They also host the Arkansas New Play Festival, which helps new plays get started.

In total, TheatreSquared performs about 270 shows every year. Around 60,000 people come to watch, including 20,000 students and their teachers. This company is one of only two in Arkansas that performs all year long. They also work with the Actors' Equity Association, which is a union for professional actors.

The theatre is led by Robert Ford, who is the artistic director, and Martin Miller, who is the executive director. Besides their regular shows, TheatreSquared has special programs for schools. They offer tours to over 80 high schools. They also have a program called Word/Play to help students with reading. Plus, they offer training for teachers and host special student shows with discussions.

In 2011, TheatreSquared received a big award. It was a National Theatre Company Grant from the American Theatre Wing. This award recognized them as one of the top ten new professional theatres in the country. In 2016, they were also featured in a series called Working in the Theatre, which talked about theatre in Arkansas.

How TheatreSquared Started

TheatreSquared began in 2005. Their very first show was Bad Dates by Teresa Rebeck in 2006. Robert Ford, who helped start the company, became the artistic director in 2007. Martin Miller joined in 2009 as the executive director. He used to work at Chicago Shakespeare Theater.

Over the last ten years, the theatre's yearly budget has grown a lot. It went from $160,000 to $6 million. This makes TheatreSquared one of the biggest cultural places in Arkansas. In 2016, they started a program called "Lights Up!" with help from the Walmart Foundation. This program gives free tickets to people who don't have much money. It also offers $10 tickets for young people and $1 tickets for those who get SNAP benefits.

The company really focuses on creating new plays. They work with many different writers. Some of these playwrights include Qui Nguyen, Lisa D'Amour, Lee Blessing, and Mary Kathryn Nagle. They also work with Bryna Turner, Barbara Hammond, E.M. Lewis, Mona Mansour, and Amy Evans.

A New Home for TheatreSquared

TheatreSquared completed a brand new building in mid-2019. This project cost $34 million. The new building is 50,000 square feet. It has two performance spaces, offices, and apartments for artists. There are also workshops for building sets and costumes. Plus, it has a Commons Bar-Café that is open all day.

The building was designed by Charcoalblue and Marvel Architects. Before this new facility, shows were held at the 175-seat Studio Theatre. This was part of a rental agreement with the Walton Arts Center.

The new building has won several awards. In 2020, it received the American Architecture Award. It also won the AIA New York State Honor Award. And it was recognized with the Interior Design Best of Year Award.