Public Relations

NWACC, Village Players group enter into agreement

            BENTONVILLE (Monday, Aug. 20, 2007) – NorthWest Arkansas Community College students will have more access to theatrical expertise due in great part to an agreement signed here.

            NWACC and the Bella Vista Village Players signed a memorandum of understanding that will create an educational and performance partnership between the two organizations.

            “The partnership is intended to enhance performance opportunities for the Village Players and increase drama exposure and educational opportunities for our students,” College President Dr. Becky Paneitz said. “Our partnership creates some exciting possibilities. The agreement creates further access for our students to greater theatrical expertise.”

            The MOU was signed by Dr. Paneitz and Fran Kolbe, board chair for the Village Players.

            Under its terms, the Village Players will have access to White Auditorium at Burns Hall. NWACC students will have broader exposure and opportunities to engage in drama activities made possible through the partnership with the Village Players.

            “The agreement opens new opportunities for our drama students,” NWACC Communication and Art Department Chair Dr. Anita Jones said. “The Village Players posses a great deal of technical experience that will be of benefit to our students.

            “Our students will have the chance to observe some first rate productions.”

            Kolbe said the Village Players prefer to produce musicals and comedies, in which NWACC students have not had many opportunities.

            “We bring a nice group of people to our performances,” she said of those involved in productions and those who attend. “We like to send them away smiling and laughing.”

            The Village Players will have access to the 350-seat White Auditorium that Kolbe said is ideal for her group’s performances.

            “There’s a lot of synergy here,” Kolbe said. “The facility is the right size and very intimate. The location is ideal. The partnership creates a lot of opportunities and potential for our new season, which we are in the middle of planning right now.”

            Kolbe said the Village Players will share with NWACC its collection of costumes and scenery.

            “Another area we have a lot of expertise in is set design and construction,” she said. “We have a workshop dedicated to set production. Several of the Village Players have degrees in theatre technology.”

            The Village Players, Inc. is Bella Vista’s community theater company.

            Its purpose is to produce plays and other dramatic productions for the enjoyment of and benefit to the community; to encourage community participation in productions and to encourage inexperienced, would-be performers to learn, discover and enhance skills.

            The Village Players will rent White Auditorium from NWACC at regular rates charged by NWACC for the facility for the number of days required for each production beginning in this month.

            The Village Players expect to hold about three productions each year.

            The productions will occur on Friday and Saturday evenings and Sunday afternoons.

            The Village Players will not be required to pay for the use of NWACC facilities for rehearsal times, which may take place on weekday evenings, so long as NWACC students are involved in some way in their rehearsals and participate in drama workshops held by the Village Players.

            The Village Players will be responsible for its productions. NWACC does not assume any responsibility for any aspect of these productions.

            No NWACC faculty or staff members are required to assist in any Village Players performance or rehearsal, although it is anticipated that NWACC employees may participate in Village Player productions as members of the cast or crew or provide other services.

            It is expected that NWACC students will have opportunities to participate in the Village Players productions and participate in drama workshops put on by Village Players members.

            The Village Players will be granted access to the lighting and or any future sound system in White Auditorium and the use of NWACC scenery, costumes, and props with the prior written consent of the NWACC drama department chair.

            The initial agreement continues through December 31, 2007, and can be continued annually after that.

CAPTION: Fran Kolbe (seated), board chair for the Village Players, signs an agreement with NWACC. Looking on are Dr. Anita Jones, Dean of NWACC Communication and Arts Department, and NWACC Executive Director Steve Pelphrey, both of whom worked with Kolbe and NWACC President Dr. Becky Paneitz on the agreement.

For questions/comments on this content, please contact Jim Hall jhall@nwacc.edu (479) 619-4182

This page was last updated on:  December 21, 2009 @ 8:51 am