What's Up - Your guide to what's happening in Fayetteville, AR this week!
Issue link: https://www.epageflip.net/i/1369423
LARA JO HIGHTOWER NWA Democrat-Gazette F or Missy Gipson, founder and executive director of Pilot Arts Theatre, things seem like they're finally getting back to normal — or, at least, the new normal. She and her cast — all women — are currently in rehearsals for "Passion Project," a song cycle written by Angela Sclafani that highlights the little-known achievements of 12 brilliant women and their groundbreaking work. This will be the first in-person performance presented by Pilot Arts since the pandemic began in March 2020. "We had our first photo shoot and first rehearsal on Sunday night, and it was just really fun," says Gipson, her trademark infectious enthusiasm at a high point. "It was really fun for a bunch of women to just sit around, talking about the things they're starting to do, laughing and singing in front of each other. Getting up, singing solos and just being brave — it was great. And, you know, it just felt right." Sclafani's intense research introduces audiences to many names they may not have heard before, like Maria Mitchell, America's first female astronomer; Josephine Johnson, the youngest Pulitzer Prize winner and an anti-war, environmental and equality activist; and Noor Inayat Kahn, an Indian- American who joined the British Women's Auxiliary Air Force and trained as a wireless operator. "[Sclafani] basically picked these women that most of us have never heard about, researched them and wrote songs from their perspective," explains Gipson. "So, for example, Lillian Bland, who was one of the first female aviators to actually design and fully build her own airplane — her song is literally to her airplane. All the songs are like that. They're all women singing to whatever their great passion was, and, for a lot of them, it was their work." Gipson couldn't be more thrilled that Pilot Arts' steps towards normalcy are starting with this project. After all, it's one she's been planning to do for a year now. She had actually figured out a way to shoot it at different locations and then stream it on the Internet. But when falling virus rates and rising numbers of vaccinated people meant live events were slowly kicking back into gear, she was delighted, because she felt the show was one that really needed to be performed in person. And when the turnout for auditions exceeded her expectations, she knew she had made the right decision. "I thought, 'What if I do a one-night concert, and I limit the seating?'" she says. "And people could come if they felt comfortable? What if this was something I could manage to produce financially and see if there are people out there who want to perform, give them an outlet, because everyone has just been crawling up the walls? And I will tell you: The people came out to audition. It was an incredibly talented bevy of women." MAY 9-15, 2021 WHAT'S UP! 3 See Pilot Arts Page 4 Missy Gipson, founder and executive director of Pilot Arts Theatre and director of "Passion Project," says the cast and crew for this show are all women from the Northwest Arkansas area. The cast includes (front row, left to right): Shiloh Jones, Alison Kaseberg, Emma Martin, Brittany Tavernaro, Rachel Mills; (second row, left to right) Jennifer Shaver, Kandace Bowen, Rebecca McBride, Victoria Greer, Blakeley Knox, Shoon Wai, Kariman Alsein and Melonie Moore. (Courtesy Photo) Pilot Arts' 'Passion Project' Women sing to their muses in new song cycle FAYETTEVILLE FAQ 'Passion Project' WHEN — Pre-show Garden Party, 6:30-7:15 p.m.; show at 7:30 p.m. May 15 WHERE — Fayette Junction Warehouse, 1208 W. Cato Springs Road in Fayetteville COST — $20-$50 INFO — pilotarts.org COVID PRECAUTIONS — Seating will be socially distanced. Masks are recommended per the city of Fayetteville mandate.