The creative minds at Artist Laboratory Theatre are interested in expanding the audience's role in theater. They stage site-specific performances in non-theater settings to engage and involve the Northwest Arkansas community. This includes a radio program -- titled Sunday Night Service -- that is spreading to the Farmers' Market for a new pop-up series.
"We're a theater company that has a radio program. We're not the talent involved -- we're curating it and just putting together the parts that are already here," says Erika Wilhite, the executive director of ALT.
FAQ
Singled Out:
Farmers’ Market Series
WHEN — Noon Saturday
WHERE — Odom Law Firm on the Fayetteville square
COST — Free
INFO — artlabtheatre.com
Sunday Night Service -- comprising the two programs "Singled Out" and "The All You Need to Know Show" -- began as a live event at Maxine's Taproom, which is later aired on KUAF on Sunday nights. This year, ALT is expanding "Singled Out" for three special shows to be recorded at the Fayetteville Farmers' Market. The program "singles out" each member of the featured band to explore their individual talents through interviews accompanying musical performances.
"Our contribution we're hoping we're making to the music community through the whole project is to showcase -- it's an intimate and personal look at these musicians and showcasing the talented people of the Northwest Arkansas community," Wilhite says. "We're certainly proud of where we live. We really value each other's works and the nature of these artistic communities. We're proud of the richness of the talent here."
The first event of the new Singled Out Farmers' Market Series will be Saturday at Odom Law Firm -- located in the historic Guisinger Music Store building on the downtown square. The first featured band? Farmer and the Markets, of course.
"I think it's adorable they're our first band!" Wilhite says. "In a way, they had a residency at the Farmers' Market. I thought I would bring them off the sidewalk and put them in a venue and get to know the band. I think it's going to be a special show because they're going to be able to talk about their experience at the market."
Wilhite hopes giving people multiple ways to enjoy the program will increase its accessibility and appeal. By coming to the free concert on Saturday, the audience will be part of the live recording. Or fans can tune in to KUAF later when the concert and interviews air on a Sunday night during the regularly scheduled Sunday Night Service.
"The idea is to make it accessible or available to people who can't or don't want to go to a bar on Sunday [night]," Wilhite says. "I had the thought I wanted to invite the bands that maybe younger audiences or audiences with families [can appreciate]. I'm looking for bands with a story. Every band has one, but it usually take a little time and longevity to get that history."
The pop-up nature of the program will bring bands to different locations for the September and October events.
"Our under-the-radar, experimental radio programming is really getting more exposure," Wilhite adds. "We're just hoping we can expand our audience as we [continue] to make more friends and make the show more accessible to more people."
NAN What's Up on 08/19/2016