July 15, 2024 (Oklahoma City, OK)—Oklahoma Shakespeare in the Park announces the inaugural production of THE EMERGING ARTISTS COLLECTIVE with "Macbeth," in their Indoor Black Box Theatre, as part of their historic 40th Anniversary Season.
The mission of The Emerging Artists Collective of Oklahoma Shakespeare is to provide the opportunity for young professionals to craft bold, passionate interpretations of classical theatre through collaboration, generosity, innovation, & equanimity.
These artists are a collection of young professionals and recent graduates from BFA programs who have worked with Oklahoma Shakespeare or honed their craft in university for many years. They have been placed in leadership positions under the oversight of OSP Artistic Staff, including incoming Artistic & Executive Director, Tyler Woods. A long-time theatrical professional in Oklahoma City, Woods serves as only the second Artistic Director in the company’s 40-year history. Woods says he was inspired to create this program to foster growth in our young professionals, and to let them pursue leadership within the arts.
“I have been impressed with the level of talent in our city for many years and wanted to open the door for recent graduates to stay and take leadership positions on a production. They are diligent, thoughtful, and inspired, and their collaborative energy has been tremendous! What they have crafted is an inspired take on this famous play. Macbeth, set during the Oklahoma Land Runs, complete with buckles, boots, and barbed wire… you’ve never seen Shakespeare like it!” – Tyler Woods
Woods says this program furthers some of the driving principles behind his tenure as Artistic Director, “I want to inspire more young artists to find a home in OKC, encourage more collaboration in our artistic community, and to remind us all of the accessibility and relevance of classical texts.” The Emerging Artists Collective at Oklahoma Shakespeare sets a guidepost in the hope of reaching new artists and audiences alike.
Founding members of the collective, Justin Marlow, Dillon Rasberry, and Bell Reeves initially came up with the “cowboy” concept, and developed it in collaboration over months of pre-production, including other like-minded young artists along the way.
“Oklahoma Shakespeare has a long tradition of empowering young people at all stages in their artistry in the community. I look forward to seeing how the support of emerging professional artists will continue this legacy of inclusion. It’s an extremely exciting project to be a part of. To be asked, “what do you want to do that you’ve never been able to do?” and to get to try new aspects within your field as an artist is an incredible feeling. I’m grateful to be in the room and can already tell this will be a fantastic show!” - Abigail Schmitz, Outreach & Education
Kris Kuss, OSP Artistic Associate and Associate Professor of Movement at Oklahoma City University, serves as Combat & Intimacy Coordinator for the production, “We are incredibly fortunate to have a community of enthusiastic young artists eager to collaborate and create. Working with this collection of talented young artists is inspiring!”
“Creating a safe space for emerging artists to find their footing in the professional world is essential to the survival of the arts in any community. I’m grateful to Oklahoma Shakespeare for pouring their time and resources into our entire team and for supporting this specific concept. This is a Macbeth that you’ve never seen before. Don’t miss it.” - Dillon Rasberry, OSP Board Member and Production Director
“The emerging artists collective is so important for a number of reasons! It doesn’t need to be said, but Oklahoma theatre is just as creative, passionate, and moving as anything New York has to offer. This program has given us the opportunity to create the type of art that we would want to see. At its core, Theatre is enlightening, it is powerful, it has impact. The EAC is a chance to recontextualize words & themes from over 400 years ago. To see what new discoveries come from these experimental interpretations, and what conversations they spur. It is an utter privilege to be a part of such a dynamic, inclusive, and evolving program.” - Bell Reeves, Lady Macbeth and Director
The show opens August 1st and continues through August 18th in the intimate Indoor Black Box Theatre, located in the historic Paseo Arts District at 2920 Paseo, Oklahoma City, OK 73103.
The production will be the third in a Shakespeare-filled season including Twelfth Night, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Macbeth, and Hamlet. The season closes with the perennial favorite, Jane Austen’s Christmas Cracker. Tickets are on sale now at: www.okshakes.org