Home Grown One-Act Weekend at Community Arts Association of Conway - The Lantern Theatre

The Home Grown One-Act Weekend is a celebration of original theatre, showcasing new one-act plays written by local and regional playwrights. Produced by Lantern Theatre, this weekend brings together emerging and established artists to present fresh, original stories created right here in our community.

Audiences will experience a diverse lineup of short plays ranging in tone from heartfelt and humorous to intimate and thought-provoking. Each piece highlights the power of storytelling and the collaborative spirit of live theatre, giving playwrights the opportunity to hear their work fully realized onstage while inviting audiences into the process of developing new work.

Featured Plays

Dandelion Fuzz
Written and Directed by Anna Ruth Merritt
A humorous and deeply human play about the healing power of connection. When Q, a well-intentioned homeless man, meets R, a person bent on suicide, their conversation cycles through the many ways people attempt to help someone struggling with depression. Loosely based on real people and experiences, Dandelion Fuzz balances humor and honesty while exploring empathy, misunderstanding, and hope.

Pound for Pound
Written and Directed by Randy Stringer Jr
A heartfelt dramedy about self-image, friendship, and learning to love yourself in progress. Roman, a big-hearted man in his late 20s, struggles with weight, confidence, and self-worth. Set across a gym, a bedroom, and a coffee date, the play blends humor with vulnerability as Roman navigates friendships, romance, and the question of what it truly means to change.

Bus Stop
Written by Treece Ealy
Directed by Macy Morris
Two strangers at very different stages of life meet at a bus stop and share a conversation that explores the small moments and big questions that make us human. Quiet, reflective, and intimate, Bus Stop finds connection in the ordinary and meaning in a brief encounter between strangers.

The Home Grown One-Act Weekend reflects Lantern Theatre’s commitment to developing original work, supporting artists at every stage of their creative journey, and sharing the theatrical process with the community.