Kenn Woodard Five & Dime Drama Collective

Three Minutes, Three Questions

The audience around here knows that we tend to be on the less conventional side of community theater,” says Ann Hopkins, one of the founders of the Eureka Springs Five and Dime Drama Collective, “a synergistic relationship between writers and performers that originated with Eureka Springs’ Writer’s Colony at Dairy Hollow.” Like the Fall Performance Series in 2017, this month’s “Multiverse” offerings — described as seven micro-plays, seven world premieres “and the spaces in between” — feature a “profound, thoughtprovoking twist.”

The “fearless leader” of the “Multiverse” project, Kenn Woodard, answered these questions for What’s Up!

Q. What brought you to Arkansas and specifically to Eureka Springs?

A. Born in Magnolia, Ark., I came to Eureka Springs to help a friend whose mom was dying. I fell in love with the city, people and talent here.

Q. What are the goals of your theater company?

A. Five & Dime Drama Collective was originally established to bring original, new performance art to the stage in Eureka Springs. Our mission is to provide opportunities for emerging performance authors to present their new works to live audiences and to receive the feedback needed to further develop their artistic vision. We are committed to cultivating the fertile ground of creativity in Eureka Springs by involving local talent [and] we have expanded our horizons by seeking scripts from around the world. Further, we are building a sustainable organization by drawing in regional theater lovers with the skill sets needed to successfully manage the details behind the scenes.

Q. How did the idea for this event come about?

A. I was involved with last year’s Fall Performance Series as an actor and actor mentor for the 2017 production. The inspiration for “Multiverse” came after reading the 360 plays and choosing the top seven. I was inspired by the metaphysical elements of each piece chosen, and challenged by the opportunity to nurture a community, artistically, and encouraged by our participation in a global dialogue.