‘Hadestown’ Director Transforms T2's West Theatre Into a Bluegrass Picking Party
- What: Eugene Onegin: A Bluegrass Musical by Sarah Gancher, directed by Rachel Chavkin
- Where: TheatreSquared West Theatre, 477 W. Spring St., Fayetteville, AR 72701
- Dates: June 10–28, 2026
- Showtimes: Tuesday–Saturday at 7:30 p.m.; Saturday and Sunday matinees at 2:00 p.m.
- Tickets: $25–$71.
Adrian Blake Enscoe (Lensky), Sydney Shepherd (Olga), Cody Jeacoma (Eugene), Jane Bruce (Tanya) | Credit: Wesley Hitt
TheatreSquared closes its 20th anniversary season with Eugene Onegin: A Bluegrass Musical, a new adaptation by Obie Award winner Sarah Gancher (Russian Troll Farm) directed by Tony Award winner Rachel Chavkin (Hadestown), running June 10–28 in a reconfigured West Theatre. For this production, T2 has transformed the space into an in-the-round jam circle — every seat within 20 feet of the stage — where 15 actor-musicians perform Gancher's original bluegrass score while inhabiting the roles of Pushkin's doomed lovers.
Set in 1940s rural Arkansas, Gancher’s script takes a classic tale and makes it feel at home in the Ozarks, with help from her own bluegrass background and family ties to Arkansas. The production marks the first time the West Theatre has been staged in the round.
"Bluegrass was never meant to be performed at a distance. It's music made in a circle, among friends, in someone's living room or on a back porch,” says T2 Artistic Director Bob Ford. “We've built that circle inside the West Theatre, every performer playing their own instrument, every seat within 20 feet of the stage. When 15 musicians are playing that close, you don't just hear the music. You feel it.”
Beyond the Stage
TheatreSquared has paired Eugene Onegin: A Bluegrass Musical with a robust slate of community programs.
- Meet the Creative Team
Wednesday, June 10, 2026 at 6:00 PM
A pre-show conversation with director Rachel Chavkin and playwright Sarah Gancher.
- Chris Cameron Trio Pre-Show Performances
Saturday, June 13th and 27th 2026 at 6:00 PM
Free pre-show performances in The Commons by the Chris Cameron Trio, led by International Blues Challenge-winner Chris Cameron.
- Sunday Night Social: Bluegrass Jam Sesh
Sunday, June 14th, 2026 from 5:00 to 8:00 PM
A free outdoor jam session followed by a performance by Brooklyn indie-folk-pop-Americana band Bandits on the Run, presented in partnership with Ozark Folkways.
- Meet the Artist: Albert Skiles
Wednesday, June 17th 2026 at 6:00 PM
A conversation with Albert Skiles, the photographer, architect, and curator behind the Commons exhibit inspired by Eugene Onegin: A Bluegrass Musical.
- Ashtyn Barbaree Pre-Show Performances
Thursday, June 18th and 25th, 2026 at 6:00 PM
Free pre-show performances in The Commons by award-winning Fayetteville singer-songwriter Ashtyn Barbaree.
- Script Circle
Sunday, June 28, 2026 at 12:30 PM
An interactive discussion in TheatreSquared’s Community Room exploring the script and themes of Eugene Onegin.
- Sunday Night Social: Square Dance
Sunday, June 28, 2026 from 5:00 to 7:00 PM
The Commons will come alive with live music, dancing, and free community fun in partnership with Ozark Folkways.
Production Details
In addition to Chavkin, the creative team features Tony winner Liam Robinson (Music Supervisor/Co-Orchestrator), Helen Hayes winner Steph Paul (Choreographer), Tony winner Rachel Hauck (Scenic Designer), Obie winner Haydee Zelideth Antuñano (Costume Designer), Marika Kent (Lighting Designer), Tony nominee Drew Levy (Sound Designer),Tony nominee Marina Montesanti (Associate Director), Pete Lanctot (Music Director), Tony Winner Todd Sickafoose (Co-Orchestrator), Brodie Jasch (Props Designer), Tony winner Ken Cerniglia (Dramaturg), Katie Girardot (Production Stage Manager), Gray Burdick (AEA Assistant Stage Manager), and Aowyn Anderson (Assistant Stage Manager).
Casting by Whitley Theatrical includes: Jane Bruce as Tanya, Cory Jeacoma as Eugene, Sydney Shepherd as Olga, Adrian Blake Enscoe as Lensky, with ensemble David Patrick Kelly, Mary Bacon, Matt Cusack, Allison Ann Kelly, Mike Lavender, Nikolai Margulis, and Belén Moyano. Live music will be played by the cast members, as well as by musicians Pete Lanctot, Dionne Hendricks, Clare Armenante, and Charles Lumar II.
Tickets and Access
Performances of Eugene Onegin: A Bluegrass Musical are scheduled from June 10 through June 28, with 7:30 pm performances Tuesday through Saturday and 2:00 pm matinees on Saturday and Sunday. The play is in the West Theatre at TheatreSquared, 477 W. Spring Street in downtown Fayetteville, Arkansas. Tickets range from $25-$71. All fees are included, with no additional charges at checkout.
Through T2’s Lights Up! For Access program, supported by the Walmart Foundation, SNAP benefit recipients can purchase $1 tickets, while students and patrons under the age of 30 can purchase $15 tickets. Fully subsidized, free tickets are also available for clients of a number of local community service organizations. For more information, visit theatre2.org/lights-up.