UT Department of Theatre and Dance

Drawing by Costume Designer, Court Rogers

From January to April, UT’s Theatre & Dance Department rehearsed a production of a new play that premiered at the Microfarm in April of Spring 2021! MFA Playwright Renae Simone Jarrett’s new play Community Garden was presented as part of the UT New Theatre Festival and was directed by MFA Director Kristen Osborn. The production stars a combination of UT student actors and guest artists from the Austin community and tells the story of a woman who discovers a mysterious garden in her neighborhood where delicious fruits and dark secrets grow aplenty. She finds herself drawn in by the community and magnetism of three enchanting women who tend the garden and, over the course of the play, discovers that in order to truly find her place here, she must be willing to make a significant sacrifice.

“It has been a joy to work on this production in collaboration with the Microfarm! We are so grateful to be able to produce the play in this beautiful site-specific environment. As a result of the pandemic, it’s not safe or feasible to make theatre indoors for audiences, and the Microfarm, with its incredible community and fertile soil, has been so generous in welcoming our team and process. It has been deeply inspiring to see the growth of play take place alongside the plants we’ve nurtured in the garden and we are so looking forward to the harvest.” -Kristen Osborn, Director of Community Garden