M.F.A. Theatre Students Present Bookends, Earn Certification From Tectonic Theater Project

A devised theatre project that began with visits to a local bookshop has led to national-level recognition for U of A graduate students. Twelve M.F.A. theatre candidates earned Certificates of Training from the internationally acclaimed Tectonic Theater Project after presenting their original, company-devised play, Bookends.

The production was performed in March as part of the Arkansas New Play Festival in collaboration with TheatreSquared. It marked the culmination of three years of intensive training in the trademarked Moment Work, Tectonic's innovative devising methodology.

Developed under the leadership of artistic director Moisés Kaufman, Moment Work builds performance from discrete theatrical "moments" that explore light, sound, movement, design and text before being assembled into a full script. The method has shaped acclaimed Tectonic works such as The Laramie Project, Here There Are Blueberries and 33 Variations.

Leigh Fondakowski, director of Tectonic Theater Project's Moment Work Institute, began working with the M.F.A. cohort in the 2023-2024 academic year, embedding Tectonic's devising methodology at the heart of their training. Over three years and more than 250 hours alongside Tectonic teaching artists and guest mentors, the students developed a shared aesthetic vocabulary and a collaborative process that would shape the foundation of their work.

"Moment Work completely revolutionized the way I think about making theatre," said Basil Parnell, an M.F.A. playwriting student. "It flips the traditional process on its head, allowing everyone in the room to develop the piece and make discoveries that might never emerge in solitude, resulting in a more dynamic and exciting play."

By their final year, the project had gained significant momentum. Kaufman joined Fondakowski in residence at the U of A through the 2026 McIlroy Family Visiting Professorship in the Visual and Performing Arts, helping guide the piece from concept to fully realized presentation.

Speaking about the training, Fondakowski said, "For decades, the Moment Work Institute at Tectonic Theater Project had been searching for an institution to partner with for a multi-year residency. Through this long-term residency with the Department of Theatre, we were not only able to train the students, but we could also mentor the students to create an original play using our methodology of playmaking. The resulting Bookends is truly the high-water mark for our institution. The students made a work of sheer beauty both in terms of story and theatrical imagination."

A Play Rooted in Collaboration

Bookends gave students the opportunity to conceive, devise and develop an original work, with Moment Work serving as both creative catalyst and guiding framework throughout the collaborative process.

Inspired by visits to Dickson Street Bookshop, Bookends transports audiences into a magical world where books speak, and hidden histories surface. What begins as a love letter to a Fayetteville institution becomes a deeper exploration of storytelling itself: who gets to tell it, what remains unsaid between a book's covers and how community spaces keep those stories alive and preserve collective memory.

"Bookends takes threads from each of our artistic selves to weave one fantastical yarn," said Sean Patrick Ryan, a member of the M.F.A. acting ensemble. "The story grew from our shared love for a revered local institution, and every day we spend crafting it is in service of sharing the beauty and magic a 'third space' can hold — and its role in connecting a community."

A Process Rooted in Professional Mentorship

The McIlroy Family Visiting Professorship brings leading artists to campus to engage directly with students through hands-on, process-driven work.

"Tectonic was a remarkable partner," said John Walch, associate professor and head of the M.F.A. playwriting program. "They opened our students to new modes of working and empowered them to see themselves as artists both within our community and beyond."

The project received additional professional support from TheatreSquared in the Arkansas New Play Festival, including presentations for a general audience. Bob Ford, artistic director of TheatreSquared, said of the presentations, "What a privilege to introduce our TheatreSquared audience to these brilliant young theatre artists and to Tectonic, one of the most influential theatre companies in the country. Bookends was not only gorgeous theatre, it was a true highlight of the festival."

Walch adds that, thanks to professional relationships with TheatreSquared, Tectonic, funding from the McIlroy family and support of the Department of Theatre, "The Moment Work training for this cohort began in their first semester and concluded in their final semester, making it a fitting bookend to their graduate studies here."

About the McIlroy Family Visiting Professorship in the Visual and Performing Arts: The professorship, established in the university's Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences, supports the teaching and work of professional artists who impart highly specialized knowledge essential to students' artistic, educational and career enrichment and of value to the community at large. It was made possible through the philanthropy of Hayden and Mary Joe McIlroy and the Walton Family Charitable Support Foundation.

About the Department of Theatre: The Department of Theatre has been providing exciting and affordable live theatre for more than 70 years. The department combines a first-rate theatrical education full of hands-on experience with a wide selection of titles to challenge students and the community. The department offers the Bachelor of Arts degree in Theatre, a broad-spectrum program in the context of a liberal arts education, and the Master of Fine Arts degree in six concentrations: Acting, Directing, Playwriting, Costume Design, Scene Design and Lighting Design.

The Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences is the academic heart and soul of the University of Arkansas — where discovery, creativity, and curiosity meet to create a transformational education. Encompassing three schools, 16 departments, and numerous programs and research centers, Fulbright College connects the arts, humanities, natural sciences, and social sciences to advance knowledge, discovery, and serve Arkansas and the world. Discover more at fulbright.uark.edu.

More About Bookends: Step inside this funky secondhand bookshop, where the shelves lean in and the books call out. Whimsy and tall tales, uncomfortable histories and personal truths, sweet scribbles in the margins and forgotten voices are all hiding here, waiting to be uncovered. This collectively devised new play by the U of A M.F.A. Theatre Cohort '26 in collaboration with Tectonic Theater Project was inspired by visits to Dickson Street Bookshop and by all the independent community spaces that keep stories alive.

Bookends was collectively created, devised and performed by M.F.A. students Harrison Baxley, Sarah Behrend-Wilcox, Bellah Crawford, Marjorie Gast, Selena Mykenzie Gordon, Connor Johnson, Olivia Mack, Gabbay Madu, Basil Parnell and Sean Patrick Ryan. Additional creative contributions were from company members P. Rob Brown and Claire Wewers.

Bookends was developed with Tectonic Theater Project Moisés Kaufman (artistic director) and Leigh Fondakowski (director of the Moment Work Institute). John Walch, associate professor, served as dramaturg and faculty liaison.

Watch interview with student creators of Bookends on KNWA's Good Day NWA.

Listen to an interview with Kaufman and students on KUAF's Ozarks at Large.