Mark Landon Smith, Executive Artistic Director
Mark served on the creative faculty of Arts Live Theatre for the three years prior to becoming Artistic Director, a position he held for three years before assuming the Executive Director position in 2009. In addition to teaching a series of classes and workshops, Mark also directed several Arts Live productions including Ascension Day, Androcles and the Lion, An Evening of Williams And Inge, Holes and The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. Mark was a member of the Graduate Acting Program at the University of Arkansas where he appeared in several productions and was a two time Irene Ryan Acting Scholarship Regional Finalist. As actor he has appeared with Centerstage, TheatreSquared, Tidal Theatre Company, Gaslight Dinner Theatre, The Playroom, Theatre Memphis, Starlight Productions, three seasons with the McCoy Repertory Theatre and starred in the film "Frog Hair" and on the television series, "Simple Pleasures." As a professional playwright, Mark has had eight scripts published by Baker's Plays/Samuel French. His plays are produced nationally and internationally and include three foreign translations and an Off-Broadway Production. He has authored adaptations of The Secret Garden and Alice In Wonderland for Arts Live and the original scripts Christmas Carol High School and The Pirate Show, which has been published by Baker's Plays/Samuel French. Mark has also served as adjunct faculty member with Tulsa University and MidSouth College and has served as former Artistic Director for the Actor's Workshop Theatre Company and the Youth Repertory Theatre. He is co-founder and co-producer of Ceramic Cow Productions, a fringe theatre/film/television company specializing in comedy and producers of the popular Dupont, Mississippistage series. Mark serves on the Board for Artamiss, is a former member of the Fayetteville Arts Council, Fayetteville Downtown Partners and teaches with Nck Talent Management. He is also a team member and director of the Ceramic Cow Productions comedy improv group, Phunbags!
Jan Luecking, Adminstrative Director
Jan has been with Arts Live Theatre for one year as Administrative Director, but has a history with the organization having been administrative assistant from 1992-2002. Jan also served as Interim Executive Director for approximately one year. During this time she also worked as House Manager at the Walton Arts Center. Jan's duties at Arts Live involved various adminstrative functions as well as bookkeeping duties.
info@artslivetheatre.com | 479.521.4932 Office
Jules Taylor, Resident Teaching Artist and Director
Jules comes to Fayetteville via Chicago where she taught early music and dance education at Old Town School of Folk Music, as well as hosted the Songwriters Circle and other events. Jules holds an MA from Texas A&M University and a BFA from the College of Santa Fe, NM. She has taught music, dance and drama to babies as young as six months old and to adults in their 80s. She has worked as Lead Teaching Artist for Gallery 37 for the city of Chicago teaching dance and drama to special needs high school students. She is a choreographer and director of many children's theater performances, as well as an actor herself. Jules also created and produced “Devin Rocks Presents,” a weekly showcase of musicians and poets from around the country which ran for over a year. Most recently, Jules was seen in Pearl's Sixth White Trash Wedding with Ceramic Cow Productions, of which she is a company member. She has directed several productions with Arts Live Theatre including The Secret Garden, The Pirate Show, The Emperor's New Clothes and James and the Giant Peach and codirected productions of Schoolhouse Rock Live!, High School Musical and Seussical. She recently directedAlice In Wonderland for ALT and appeared onstage with Arts Live in the mentor productions of Holes and Christmas Carol High School. Jules is the creator of the popular Shaky Bugs program, an interactive music program for toddles and is a member of the comedy improv group, Phunbags!.
Missy Gipson, Resident Teaching Artist and Director
Missy has a BA in Theatre as well as a minor in music from Lyon College. After college she moved to New York, where she studied acting and voice. While in New York, Missy originated the role of Mary Shelley in the off-off Broadway debut of Frankenstein: The Rock Musical at LaMaMa E.T.C. Some of the shows she has appeared in include A Streetcar Named Desire, The Beggar’s Opera, How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, South Pacific and Bandstand U.S.A. Locally she was seen as Donna in Tony ‘n Tina’s Wedding at the Walton Arts Center. Missy is also a vocal coach and tours regionally as part o ChaseMissy, an Americana band. They have opened for such acts as Lucy Kaplansky, Robert Earl Keen and other well-known performers. She has directed the Arts Live Theatre productions of How To Eat Like A Child, Aladdin, Grease and co-directed Schoolhouse Rock Live!, High School Musical, Seussical and appeared onstage in the ALT mentor production of Holes.
Faculty & Staff
ARTS LIVE THEATRE
Office Hours
Monday - Thursday
8am-12pm • 1pm-4pm
Friday • 9am-12noon
Hours may vary depending upon calls and production schedules. Any changes are posted at Ats live Theatre, the website & voice mail.
Phone • 479.521.4932 | After-Hours • 479.236.6849
E-mail • info@artslivetheatre.com
818 N. Sang Avenue • P.O. Box 4362
Fayetteville, AR 72702
Calls forwarded to EAD after hours contact number. Email checked regularly. To contact EAD, call 479.236.6849 and/or email: marksmith@artslivetheatre
