Big Break

‘Cyrano’ offers actors big opportunities

Abigail Wetzel portrays Roxane opposite Anna Hope's Cyrano in Trike Theatre's production of "Cyrano". The show runs through Sunday.
Abigail Wetzel portrays Roxane opposite Anna Hope's Cyrano in Trike Theatre's production of "Cyrano". The show runs through Sunday.

School may not be in session just yet, but don't tell that to the actors in Trike Theatre's "Cyrano." They just completed a two-week camp where they learned all kinds of new things.

The "Next Generation" camp put the actors to work on all parts of the production -- costumes, lighting, props, marketing -- in addition to acting.

FAQ

‘Cyrano’

WHEN — 2 p.m. today, Saturday and Sunday & 5:30 p.m. today and Saturday

WHERE — Trike Theatre in Bentonville, 209 N.E. Second St.

COST — $10; free for children younger than 2

INFO — 464-5084 or triketheatre.org

"They get a real holistic approach to what's required in producing theater," says Chris Tennison, guest director. "Also, the expectations are a little higher, the workload is a little heavier, and the content is a little more advanced."

Tennison, a Texas native who has worked in arts education for about 15 years, is in Arkansas to complete his master's degree in fine arts at the University of Arkansas.

"Exposure to those off stage, but equally as critical, components, that goes a long way to creating theater artists that aren't just actors," he says. "You never know that you have an interest in lighting design or sound design or set design because so rarely does one get to do it at that age. If you can light that fire in them early, the chances of them having a more successful career and for sure a more financially stable career, that helps with that."

The show's actors range in age from 13 to 18.

"Cyrano" tells the story of Cyrano de Bergerac, a soldier/poet with a large nose, who allows Christian, a fellow soldier, to borrow his words to woo Roxane, the woman they both love.

The play is an almost textbook piece of romantic literature and is something teen actors don't really get to explore, Tennison says.

"You don't see a ton of that in modern media -- at least to the same degree," he says.

"Also this is an age group where the tendency is toward coolness and stifling those big broad-stroke passionate feelings that we have," he adds. "This is an opportunity for them to explore what it feels like to play something not from standing back but from leaning forward and leaning into the emotional arc of the story."

-- Kelly Barnett

[email protected]

NAN What's Up on 08/12/2016

Upcoming Events