Exploring the LGBTQ+ experience at religious schools, a Shakespearean crossover

New documentary to shed light on experiences of LGBTQ+ students at religious colleges

Kyle Kellams

Makenna Cofer made a pair of short documentaries while attending John Brown University. One was called “Part of the Kingdom” and shared the stories of queer students attending southern religious schools. Now based in New York, Cofer is creating a feature-length film of the same name. She spoke with Ozarks at Large's Kyle Kellams about how old projects are informing her new film.

Arts and Culture

A shared Shakespearean universe

Kyle Kellams

Hamlet and Mercutio never met in their respective plays, but their paths will cross this weekend. Tonight, Northwest Arkansas Community College will premiere “Shaken Up,” an imagining of several Shakespearean characters sharing the same universe. Adjunct professor of theater at NWACC Damien Dena is overseeing the production, and she says it was co-created by students as an example of devised theater.

Arts and Culture

An artistic, non-holiday weekend

Becca Martin Brown

Becca Martin Brown, the arts and entertainment editor with the Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, provides some artistic happenings around the region, such as an art gallery and opera from the University of Arkansas Fort Smith and a Tina Turner musical at the Walton Arts Center.

Arts and Culture

Japan reminds everyone it created Godzilla in ‘Minus One’

Courtney Lanning

America has tried its hand at making Godzilla movies. It was more successful in 2014 than it was in 1998. And while recent attempts have been fun popcorn flicks, Japan’s most recent film, “Godzilla: Minus One,” reminds everyone that they had the atomic lizard first. And they know how to best tell his story.

Local News from Ozarks at Large

Home sales dipping, Baptists Health's future rooftop garden.

Michael Tilley

Michael Tilley of Talk Business & Politics joins Kyle Kellams to discuss a continuing decline in Fort Smith metro home sales and how a rooftop garden is in the works at Baptist Health Fort Smith.

Local News from Ozarks at Large

GORP expands services statewide

Jack Travis

The UofA’s outdoor recreation incubator, better known as GORP, is due for a growth spurt. Soon, small businesses across the state will have better access to the program thanks to federal and state funding. Ozarks at Large’s Jack Travis has more.