Summary
Welcome to another great episode of the Startup Junkie Podcast! In this live recorded special episode, hosts Jeff Amerine and Caleb Talley join Amy Herzberg and Bob Ford, the co-founders of TheatreSquared (T2), and Shannon Jones, the executive director, on the set of A Christmas Carol for a captivating discussion about TheatreSquared’s origin and mission. Since its founding in 2005, TheatreSquared’s locally produced and nationally acclaimed productions have remained rooted in its founding vision that “theatre done well and with passion can transform lives and communities.” Throughout the episode, Amy, Bob, and Shannon share how TheatreSquared has impacted Arkansas’s artistic landscape and how its reputation continues to blossom in the performing arts world.
Show Notes
(1:45) Introduction to Bob Ford and Amy Herzberg
(2:23) TheatreSquared’s Origin Story
(15:59) TheatreSquared’s Impact on Arkansas’s Artistic Landscape
(19:53) Attracting Talent from the University of Arkansas
(26:29) Introduction to Shannon Jones
(33:29) Catering To New Audiences
(36:37) How TheatreSquared Approaches Innovation
(40:37) Measuring TheatreSquared’s Success
(44:32) Questions from the Audience
(52:54) Advice to Younger Self
(56:09) Closing Question and Thoughts
Links
Quotes
“Having this theatre [in Northwest Arkansas] makes a real statement about how the arts are valued in this area, and that means a lot to people who are coming from all over the place to study at the University of Arkansas in its theatre department.” – Amy Herzberg, (20:05)
“I think one of the things that theatre does really well is it touches lives. Like you said, in our mission, it transforms communities. And the thing about T2 and the thing I think that we do really well, and I think we’ll continue to expand upon, is making that human connection. And I think one thing that we use to help build upon what is already there is our ability to adapt.” – Shannon Jones, (33:52)
“When I see a young person say, ‘I’ve never seen me and my friends on stage before, I’ve never seen my story before. Thank you.’ That’s how I measure [success]. That’s what keeps me going, that to me is impact. We could fill this place, I guarantee, if we put on certain shows over and over again, and that would also look like a certain kind of success. But our goal is to do both because what we’re discovering is that our community wants to see a full range of stories because, as we know, everybody’s different, but also everybody’s the same. But that’s an amazing kind of conundrum.” – Bob Ford, (41:19)
Game Changers: The Story of TheatreSquared
Welcome to another great episode of the Startup Junkie Podcast! In this live recorded special episode, hosts Jeff Amerine and Caleb Talley join Amy Herzberg and Bob Ford, the co-founders of TheatreSquared (T2), and Shannon Jones, the executive director, on the set of A Christmas Carol for a captivating discussion about TheatreSquared’s origin and mission. Since its founding in 2005, TheatreSquared’s locally produced and nationally acclaimed productions have remained rooted in its founding vision that “theatre done well and with passion can transform lives and communities.” Throughout the episode, Amy, Bob, and Shannon share how TheatreSquared has impacted Arkansas’s artistic landscape and how its reputation continues to blossom in the performing arts world.
Nurturing Artistic Ambition in the Community
TheatreSquared is Northwest Arkansas’s year-round professional resident theatre, and its signature offering of bold, new plays in a unique, intimate setting has driven its growth to become the state’s largest theatre. Annually, it welcomes more than eighty thousand community members to three hundred and fifty performances and events. Its audience includes thousands of students and their teachers from schools in Northwest Arkansas and the Delta Region where T2 partners with their programs to give students access to live performances and art-based learning tools.
“When I see a young person say, ‘I’ve never seen me and my friends on stage before, I’ve never seen my story before. Thank you.’ That’s how I measure [success]. That’s what keeps me going, that to me is impact. We could fill this place, I guarantee, if we put on certain shows over and over again, and that would also look like a certain kind of success. But our goal is to do both because what we’re discovering is that our community wants to see a full range of stories because, as we know, everybody’s different, but also everybody’s the same. But that’s an amazing kind of conundrum.” – Bob Ford, (41:19)
TheatreSquared’s pioneering work has been recognized with the 2022 Obie Award and received critical acclaim from The New York Times Best Theatre of 2020 list, The New Yorker, The Wall Street Journal, and NPR’s All Things Considered. Additionally, in 2011, the theatre was deemed by the American Theatre Wing, founder of the Tony Awards, as one of the nation’s ten most promising emerging theatres.
Cultivating Artistic Excellence in NWA and Beyond
Moreover, as Arkansas’s home for professional playwrights, TheatreSquared is one of mid-America’s leading new play laboratories having supported the development of more than seventy scripts. The theatre has developed scripts through the Arkansas New Play Festival and produces new works and world premieres each year.
“Having this theatre [in Northwest Arkansas] makes a real statement about how the arts are valued in this area, and that means a lot to people who are coming from all over the place to study at the University of Arkansas in its theatre department.” – Amy Herzberg, (20:05)
TheatreSquare’s permanent home in Fayetteville is a fifty thousand square-foot cultural landmark that unites two intimate theatres, rehearsal space, a three-level commons and cafe, outdoor gathering spaces, production workshops, offices, and artists’ apartments. This impressive setting was the winner of the 2020 American Architecture Award, the 2021 International Architecture Award, AIA New York State Honor Award, an Interior Design Best of Year Honor, the 2023 AIA NY Design Merit Award, and USITT Architecture Award.
Connect with Us!
Do you consider yourself a startup junkie? Join the conversation by following us on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter! Startup Junkie wants to come alongside these entrepreneurs every step of the way. Want to learn more about our services?
English 
Spanish 
Korean