What's Up - Your guide to what's happening in Fayetteville, AR this week!
Issue link: http://www.epageflip.net/i/1442943
BECCA MARTIN-BROWN NWA Democrat-Gazette E ven history has to keep up with the times. It's not that facts change, but our interpretation of them does — and did, when the Walton Arts Center and Trike Theatre prepared to mount a new production of "Digging Up Arkansas." Written more than a decade ago by actor, teacher and playwright Mike Thomas, "Digging Up Arkansas" was intended to help teachers find "new and fun ways to activate the teaching of the state's history," he remembers. "At the time I was teaching Arkansas history, and I was acting in the area," Thomas says. "So, I was asked to write a play that would engage students in their state's history. It has to be less than 50 minutes so it fits a typical class period in the public schools, it should cover as much of the state's history as possible and have some catchy songs for kids. "The play became an important resource for Walton Arts Center educational outreach," he adds. And "in the next four years 'Digging Up Arkansas' toured the state and hit all 75 counties." "Before rehearsals started this year, the creative team did a table read to review the content of 'Digging Up Arkansas,'" WAC publicist Jennifer Wilson picks up the story. "It's not that history has changed but how we look at history and whose perspective we view it from has changed. Updates were made in several places. "For example, in the play a French explorer meets with a member of the Quapaw tribe. They can't understand each other, but they must try to work together. In the past version the audiences saw the interaction from the explorer's point of view. Now they see it through the point of view of the Indigenous person — which is a more inclusive way to tell the story of that meeting." "Thanks to the creative team, we feel confident that we have successfully transitioned the show into the year 2022," adds Jason Suel, who is one of three co-directors of this year's production. "Leaving behind tropes, stereotypes and inaccurate portrayals of situations in order to adeptly maneuver the narrative of the show into the current climate of our time period while staying true to the history of our great state! "One example is how we have worked with culture and script consultant Candice Byrd to make sure we are presenting the Native American tribes that existed in Arkansas in the most authentic way we can," he says by way of example. "One specific example "The show takes place in 1936, Arkansas's 100th birthday, and President Franklin Delano Roosevelt is stopping in Little Rock on one of his famous whistle stop tours to celebrate Arkansas," Jules Taylor says of the plot of "Digging Up Arkansas." "This is an historically accurate fact, and the perfect jumping off place (beginning of the story) for 'Digging Up Arkansas.'" The play uses artifacts, songs, stories and student participation to teach Arkansas history from the year 1000-1936. JANUARY 16-22, 2022 WHAT'S UP! 5 See Digging Page 6 History Brought To Life Public gets chance to help 'Dig Up Arkansas' "By putting on a costume piece or a hat, [the actors] become the historical figure that originally wore that item," says Jason Suel, one of this year's directors of "Digging Up Arkansas." "They are literally digging up the state's history." (Courtesy Photos) FAYETTEVILLE FAQ 'Digging Up Arkansas' Public Performances WHEN — 2 & 4 p.m. Jan. 22 WHERE — Walton Arts Center's Starr Theater COST — $10-$15 INFO — 443-5600 or waltonartscenter.org FYI — Everyone 2 and older will be asked to wear a mask.