Rogers resident Damian Dena studied to become an actor in Texas and played roles traditionally filled by white people — Dracula, for example — despite his brown skin and Hispanic ethnicity, he said.
He said he wants to see that become the usual method of casting in Arkansas so Hispanic performers could play any character.
“I’ve seen that [colorblind casting] works, and it gives the next generation something to look up to,” Dena said.
The Hispanic population in Northwest Arkansas continues to increase, leading to more interest in Hispanic-influenced theater, said Joe Randel, senior programming officer for arts and culture in the Walton Family Foundation home region program.
“I think with that growth in the population at large and in the region, the demand for culture and arts is going up,” Randel said.
The LatinX Theatre Project and Hamlet Grupo de Teatro — Spanish for “Hamlet Theater Group” — are two groups striving to meet the demand by gaining nonprofit status and applying for grants with the Walton Family Foundation.
The LatinX Theatre Project developed in late 2016 to bring light to issues prevalent in the Hispanic community and in the community as a whole through performing arts, said David Jolliffe, executive director. Founders decided to use the term LatinX based on “Latinx,” a gender-inclusive word that replaces both “Latinos” and “Latinas.”
Joining the LatinX Theatre Project allowed Dena and other Northwest Arkansas residents to create and perform plays that reflect their diverse experiences in Northwest Arkansas, company members said. Most of the group’s performers identify as Hispanic, and characters are based on the actors and actresses, increasing visibility for Hispanic performers not often seen onstage.
Dena studied theater at the University of Texas at El Paso and earned his master’s of fine arts in drama from the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville.
As the LatinX Theatre Project approaches its third season, project leaders are working toward establishing an independent structure and finding financial support to sustain the organization, Edwards said. They are also planning to expand outreach efforts in the fall by performing at more community events and visiting Springdale High School and other schools in the area.
Dena views Northwest Arkansas as progressive and hopes that as Hispanic representation in local theater grows, the LatinX Theatre Project will be seen as a vital part of the artistic community.
“We are just artists, but we are Latinx as well, and we have a pride in that,” Dena said.