Hidden under a quiet grove of trees on the edge of the UNC campus, The PlayMakers Repertory Company There was an atmosphere of excitement on Saturday afternoon as community members gathered for the opening of the theater’s annual season.
The start of this season, called “PlayMakers Congress 2024”, Presented Food trucks, live entertainment, theater performances, and other activities for returning PlayMakers subscribers and new visitors alike. The event resembled the structure of a political convention, and the event brochures read, “No Politics, Just Drama.”
Hannah LaMarloweDeputy Marketing Manager at PlayMakers, said that this year’s event was inspired by the collection of performances presented in this year’s season, all of which explore and question the American dream.
Every of shows in the upcoming PlayMakers season featured a table with various activities, from crafts to a lively “Hot Take” debate, and attendees could vote for their favorite tables.
For PlayMakers, The The highlight of the season opener is the opportunity to network with participants and invite a new audience to potentially join the PlayMakers community.
“It’s about generating excitement, but also about people really getting to know us as people,” LaMarlowe said. said.
Jeff Aguiar, the Director of Engagement and Education at PlayMakers, said that PlayMakers engages the community primarily through the arts themselves, so it’s important to invite people to experience their shows. That engagement is also important at the beginning of the school year, when new students and their family members might explore theater at UNC, he said.
“We also invite our subscribers, who are a mix of people, whether they are former students in the form of alumni or retired faculty members, current faculty members, current staff – all kinds of people who have traveled with us and attended our main stage shows,” said Aguiar said.
Playmaker Is a professional theater company based at UNC that works closely with the College of Arts and Sciences’ Department of Dramatic Arts, and is therefore involved in the community on many levels and seeks to promote dialogue, Aguiar said.
