The University of Central Arkansas theatre program will stream a performance of Richard Brinsley Sheridanâs âThe Rivalsâ on Thursday, Oct. 29 and Friday, Oct. 30, at 7:30 p.m., and on Saturday, Oct. 31, at 2 p.m., on BTĚěĚĂTheatreâs and Channels.
âThe Rivalsâ is a comedy of manners centered around the complicated relationship of Lydia Languish and Capt. Jack Absolute and set in Bath, England, during the 18th century.
âA couple of pioneers made the switch to virtual theatre in March, when otherwise their productions would have been doomed,â said Kevin T. Browne, associate professor of theatre and director of âThe Rivals.â âBTĚěĚĂTheatre followed their lead so that students could still get the theatrical experiences they yearn for.â Â
This is BTĚěĚĂTheatre Programâs first livestream production to air over Twitch and YouTube. It has been a new experience for everyone involved in the show.Â
Instead of building actual scenery for the shows, the director and production team had to make 12 actors in various locations seem like theyâre in the same space.Â
âThe obvious challenge is not actually being in the same room as your scene partner,â said BTĚěĚĂsenior Blake Johnson, who plays Capt. Jack Absolute. âItâs definitely an exercise in imagination when you donât have someone right in front of you to react to. I have found that it isnât all that different acting-wise.âÂ
âOur students and theatre program have overcome tremendous challenges to bring theatre to the people in the middle of a pandemic,â said technical director Jamie Bray. âIt has been stressful and difficult at times, but the end product is something we are all very proud of.â
Individuals can watch the performances by visiting BTĚěĚĂTheatre on Twitch here: and on YouTube here: during performance times.Â
The College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences (CAHSS) includes the Departments of Art and Design; English; Film, Theatre, and Creative Writing; History; Language, Linguistics, Literatures, and Cultures; Music; Philosophy and Religion; Political Science, Sociology, Criminology, and Anthropology; and the School of Communication, as well as Reynolds Performance Hall and the Arkansas Shakespeare Theatre. The CAHSS office is located in McCastlain Hall, Suite 110 on the BTĚěĚĂcampus. Visit the CAHSS website at uca.edu/cahss or call (501) 450-3293 for more information.
