The Ensemble

Photo by Irene Soloway

The Farm Arts Collective Ensemble

Farm Arts Collective performance ensemble is a professional ensemble of local artists composed of performers, farmers (perfarmers), playwrights, musicians, designers, and community makers.

Led by artistic director Tannis Kowalchuk, a theatre artist trained in physical theatre and ensemble traditions, Kowalchuk leads the collective's play-making process while maintaining a weekly performer training research open to those interested in the practice of innovative performance creation.

Farm Arts Collective ensemble’s primary project is DREAM ON THE FARM, a 10 year decalogue of climate change themed plays being created and presented (one new play each year) from 2020-2030 performed in site-specific locations across the farm followed by touring.

Original Ensemble Theatre

Farm Arts Collective also tours smaller productions (Stone Soup Cooking Class, Alice in Scienceland, Dickens on the Delaware) to festivals, street fairs, parks, and performance venues. Farm Arts Collective devises all original works that incorporate live music, stilt walking, and visual elements, that address contemporary ideas, issues and themes.

The Creative Process

In our creative process, the actor is the original and primary focus in creating character and story. In her role as director, Tannis Kowalchuk takes the ideas of all collaborators (actors, writers, designers, composers) and weaves their contributions into a cohesive ensemble performance (text, music, song, action, design) that is visually beautiful and meaningful to both the doer and viewer.

Weekly Training

The ensemble of Farm Arts Collective meets every Thursday evening to develop skills and to create and rehearse repertory performances. Our work is process-oriented and it is this commitment to the creative process that opens opportunities to grow as artists and as a group.

Join the Ensemble

Interested in joining the ensemble? Please send a cover letter and your resume to Tannis.

Here’s what our ensemble has to say…

“In my eyes, Farm Arts is truly a Collective. It’s a collective of a diverse cross-section of performers; farmers, construction workers, teachers, musicians, and others. Everyone in the troupe is encouraged to give their voice to formulate and to help shape the performances. It’s a collective of ideas and visions which are developed organically - nurtured by the troupe, the writers, and directors. It certainly has molded me as a performer and as an individual, literally growing into a stilt walker with the troupe. The Collective is structured to welcome any community member to take part. The only requirements are a strong desire to create performance art along with a sincere commitment. Another aspect that appeals to me is that we reach out to other organizations and groups and offer a venue or collaborate with them, bringing their work to our community. I truly feel that I am a member of the Farm Arts Collective Family where respect and helping each other is the norm, and where bonding and a sense of comradeship are nurtured by everyone in the troupe and on the Board.”
- Michael Chojnicki
“I have worked with Farm Arts Collective since 2019. It has provided me with an artistic home here in the Catskills where I can write, devise, collaborate, sing, play my guitar, improvise, and throw anything against the wall to see what sticks. As a group, we are pushing boundaries and yet remain respectful and protective of ourselves and each other as artists. We choose to work on projects and move in and out of the collective as befits our time and talent. If you feel you have something to say and want to express it in a collaborative way that challenges and deepens your creative work, you will be happy working with us.”
- Melissa Bell
“Farm Arts Collective has been a lifeline for me during the pandemic. The opportunity to create and to connect with others who are expressing themselves through theater and music is essential to my mental and physical stability in these trying times.“
- Annie Hat
“Farm Arts Collective provides the nudge that gets me to explore my creative side. It's always fascinating to see a work develop through a collaborative effort that involves everyone in the ensemble. It is the intersection of science and art.”
- Gregg Erickson