By CAROL ROLF
Log Cabin Staff Writer

Sci-fi comes to the Donald W. Reynolds Performance Hall at the University of Central Arkansas tonight as a group of very special actors takes the stage in "Close Encounters of the ACTS Kind."

Curtain time is 7 p.m. and there is no admission charge. The public is welcome.

	MIKE KEMP PHOTO   University of Central Arkansas student Laticha Beasley goes over lines with Wesley Eggert during a rehearsal for a production by Acting Creates Therapeutic Success (ACTS) at Reynolds Performance Hall.

This performance is the annual production of participants in Acting Creates Therapeutic Success, a program sponsored by the UCA occupational therapy department. It is designed to provide opportunities in performing arts for individuals with disabilities.

According to Dr. Cathy Acre, who coordinates the program with Dr. Jennifer Johnson, the participants select the theme of the production and help write the script with the assistance of OT students. Brian Young and Lynne Hollaway assist them.

Several of the OT students have previously worked with the ACTS program. "This is a really good experience for them," said Vanessa Lawrence of Vilonia, who is assisting with the program for a second time. "It gives them a better sense of self-esteem and they learn how to work together."

Laticha Beasley of Little Rock, also a second-time volunteer with the program, agrees. "ACTS helps the actors feel like a part of something bigger than themselves." Beasley appears in the production as the assistant leader of the Linkeys.

As the story unfolds, audience members learn that aliens - Linkeys - from the planet Linkite have left their home to seek a better life than their own. Their planet is in turmoil, due to pollution, frequent earthquakes, and a lack of food, and clean water. NASA tracks their space ship in flight and when it lands, the President of the United States and Dr. Phil are there to greet them.

Acre said Dr. Phil then escorts them to a school, McDonalds, Wal-Mart and a doctor's office. "They have many close encounters in each place where they acquire intergalactic cooties every time a human touches them," she explained. "The 'haz-mat' team is there to hose them down each time they touch an earthling."

All the while the "Men in Black" are tracking them. "What they discover after visiting these different places is that life on earth is not any better than on Linkite," Acre said with a smile.

In the final scene, Wesley Eggert, leader of the Linkeys, tells the audience: "We will just stay on our own planet."

"They learn there is truly 'no place like home'," Acre observed. "That's the moral of our story."

The performers come from My House, Independent Living Services Inc., Counseling Associates Inc. and the community.

Other OT students assisting with this year's production are Tiffany Barnes, Tess Hardin, Chad Harvey, Brad Hendrix, Liza Hesselbein, Leslie Howell, Erik Johnson, Lindsi Johnson, Marci Kiehn, Tara Loyd, Kimberly Martin, Elizabeth McCullars, Jill Nokes, Wendi Pool, Jennifer Reed, Amie Sanders, Troy Smith, Crystal Tyus, Tiffany Welch, Julie Wilcox and Benji Williams.

Performers include Paulette Adams, Kathy Alverson, Terry Ashley, Dickey Bell, Margie Benetz, Kile Bennett, Patrice Burnside, Doris Branch, Fran Boyer, Dean Bridgewater, Kristina Brown, James Bryant, Tom Burgess, Sheri Burnett, Toni Burns, Summer Carson, Raymond Chambers, Kenny Cole, Marvin Dickson, Carolyn Dollar, Sandy Dowdy, Wesley Eggert, Andrew Evans, Tony Fisher, Victor Garner, Jason Goatcher, Susan Gordan, Heather Graham, Danny Hargrave, Lewis Hayden, Lori Jackson, Daniel Jones, Britany Jutz, David Kurpjewiet, Tom Leath, Pam Lynch, Sharlene Martin, Jamie McCullough, John McKinney, Lea Ann Neal, Cherry Nelson, Charles Newman, Pauline Northington, Ray Price, Michael Shearer, Gary Shettles, Daniel Siebenmorgen, Carole Smith, Daryl Smith, Julie Smith, Pamela Stinson, Carole Walker, Mary Walker, Amy Ward, Jacob Whitney, Casey Williams and Lynn Williams.

Acre pointed out that Tim Cummins, Metropolitan Bank, Dr. David Reese and Conway Community Arts Association provided funding for special shirts for the performers.

The program is funded by a grant from VSA arts - Vision, Strength and Artistic Expression in the Arts. The organization was founded in 1974 as an affiliate of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts and is an international organization with the purpose of creating learning opportunities for people with disabilities through the arts. Students aid the performers by shadowing them during the performance.

 

More Stories from Carol Rolf:     · Artists, educators honored by Arkansas Arts Council - 10/29/06     · Area young people earn awards for creative arts - 10/29/06     · 'More Fun for Everyone' - 10/29/06     · Good cooks garner - 10/24/06     · Eternity House opens Sunday - 10/20/06