Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
‘Life Skills Through Stage Skills’
Children’s programs teach more than theater
Trike Theatre’s artistic director Kassie Misiewicz says the Bentonville-based children’s theater’s summer Youth Theatre Production Camp is operating a little differently this year.
“We have put two plays in a repertory that we’re rehearsing and performing at the same time,” says Misiewicz. Kids in grades three to six are working on a production of Madeline L’Engle’s “A Wrinkle in Time,” while kids in grades seven to 12 are performing “The Odyssey.” Misiewicz says the program has a total of 35 kids involved.
“They’re here for three weeks,” explains Misiewicz, who says the program is set up to mimic a traditional repertory theater. “In the morning, they’ll work on the scene work, and, in the afternoon, they’re on stage. We decided that would be the best use of time for our program. So the younger kids are in classes in the morning or working on stage work, and, in the afternoon, they’re blocking their scenes on the set. And then the other cast is doing the opposite. It’s an intensive young actor training program that’s resulting in a really solid ensemble-based performance.”
The culmination will be fully staged productions of each show.
Misiewicz says the program is designed to provide the young actors with a professional acting experience. Teaching artists involved with the program are all industry professionals.
“Jason Suel is directing the younger kids in ‘A Wrinkle in Time’,” says Misiewicz. Suel is a teacher and professional actor who created and stars in the local television show “Later with Jason Suel.” “Chris Tennison is a third-year MFA actor at the University of Arkansas who is directing ‘The Odyssey.’ The cool thing about Chris is, before he started the MFA program, he worked for many professional children’s theaters in Texas. When he moved into town, he quickly found us and has been directing for us [ever since].”
Both Misiewicz and Suel agree that the program goes far beyond simply teaching theatrical skills.
“We’re doing two shows at the same time, with different casts, but we also have a very community-oriented feel to the program,” Suel says. “Both casts feel like they’re part of the same team. We come together as a company in the morning and at break and lunch time and at the end of the day. Building that community is what Trike Theatre is all about.
“This program is about relationships. Creating problem-solving skills. Recognizing that we all bring our unique set of skills and talent to the table and that we need all of that to bring success.”
“Acting is a literacy,” says Misiewicz. “The arts are a literacy. We’re giving [the participants] the advantage to grow and stretch. Whether they’re going to be lawyers, doctors, social workers — all of these skills that they’re learning are going to benefit them as adults.”
Parent Mari Wetzel, whose daughter Abigail, now 16, is in the group producing “The Odyssey” this summer, says she loves seeing her kids develop skills she knows will be useful in other facets of their lives.
“They’re learning history, diving deep into research of these plays to get more in character, and then they’re sharing what they learned with the group to build this project. It’s a huge act of collaboration, which is a valuable skill they’ll need in the real world.”
“We often use the tag line, ‘Life skills through stage skills’,” says Misiewicz.