The Artistic Repertoire Theater Collaboration is offering a visual/performing arts show — “When Art Speaks, We Move” — at the Carnegie Arts Center on Oct. 20 at 6 p.m.
Tickets are $15 for Carnegie members and $20 for non-members.
“We’ve taken our core values to collaborate, create and cultivate with local visual and performance artists to not only create this show but to drive the whole non-profit,” said Christina Rhoads, founder of the A.R.T. CO-LAB. “This is our first time doing a big show. We want to make sure we test the waters and see what we’ve got for an audience, and that will guide us for our next several shows.”
The A.R.T. CO-LAB debuted its first show, “The Voice Within,” inside the Lightly Used Books store in May.
"It was great,” said Rhoads. “We were squished into the fantastic Lightly Used Books and it was standing-room only. We live-streamed the performance on our Instagram channel. From there, we connected with Crostini Restaurant and did several more performances there, for several more weeks. We enjoyed it.”
The A.R.T. CO-LAB has now partnered with the Carnegie Arts Center and will potentially become a resident company there.
Rhoads, who grew up in Turlock and danced at Back Stage Academy most of her life and eventually taught there, has been involved in musical theater productions in Turlock, Merced and Modesto. She also spent two summers as the choreographer with Turlock Youth Performing Arts. She founded the A.R.T. CO-LAB in December 2022 as a way to offer a theater program for those 13 and older.
“We’re not a children’s theater group,” said Rhoads. “Teens to adults, that’s really our focus. TYPA and YES Company (Modesto) and others are excellent in what they do, but there was just a lack for teens and adults in Turlock. It grew out of that.”
The general theme of “When Art Speaks, We Move” is connecting visual and performing artists.
“While a dancer is doing a dance,” behind her, projected on the screen, is a piece of art created specifically for this dance,” said Rhoads. “In other words, the backdrop behind her is artwork that further rounds out the dance and the music and the costume to tell the story for that piece.”
In all, about 28 performers and artists and tech people are part of A.R.T. CO-LAB.
“I’ve got a few shows in my brain, ready to go, that are more thematic,” said Rhoads. “I don’t want to call this one a test show, but we’re trying to determine what it all means. This is novel, and if it works, then other shows that I have in my head will solidify.”
Tickets for the show can be purchased at the Carnegie Arts Center, 250 N. Broadway, or by using the Eventbrite ticket-purchasing app.
