Wisconsin-Based Theater Company Looks to Collaborate

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Image via Antix! Productions

Since Alex Frantz found his passion in all things theater as he grew up in Appleton, and decided to pursue an education in directing at Carnegie Mellon, where he created ANTIX! Productions in 2016. Although 2020 put an end to in-person theater productions, Frantz didn’t stop creating. He started his video project titled “2020 Unmasked,” interviewing subjects on their experiences during the pandemic. 

Could you tell me about where you grew up?

When I was in middle school, I was cast in a local production at UW-Fox Valley called The Diviners and I played the title role of Buddy, and that is where my theater career began. I got bit by the bug, as they say. So, since I was really young, I wanted to do everything that I could with theater. When I got to high school, I wasn’t cast in many shows, so I decided to learn tech. I figured out really quickly that, in technical theater, you have to know what you're doing in order to get the good positions. So that began me consuming as much theater both as an audience member and a participant as much as I could. As a direct result, I came to understand how the components of theater work together, and the director was born. 

How would you label yourself now—are you a producer, a director, an actor? 

I would label myself as a producer and director. I really try to keep my finger to the pulse of what's going on in the local theater scene, and I’m still trying to make the most of every opportunity to collaborate. Now through ANTIX! I’m trying to create that same collaborative atmosphere for any artist.

What made you decide you wanted to go pursue an education in the arts? 

I did two years at UW-Fox Valley and I got my associates with an emphasis in theater, education and psychology. While I was there, I got the opportunity to stage my first show and I directed a show called Columbinus about Columbine, and it was an amazing experience. It was a story that needed to be told. I remember very distinctly, one day coming home shortly after the show had closed, my mom said, “You know, what you did there was incredible, and this is your dream. This is your passion. This is what you should be doing, so go for it.” And from there, I started researching schools and I found Carnegie Mellon University. I applied and was accepted into their directing program.

When did ANTIX! first begin? 

I first created ANTIX! when I was still at Carnegie Mellon. I had an itch to create; I had an itch to tell stories, and Carnegie Mellon is very structured around the stories they tell. For senior showcase, we were allowed to do fundraisers to fund our senior showcase. So, I put it on a half-hour short play at the party house at Carnegie Mellon, and I considered it a fundraiser, and it was the first ANTIX! Production. We sold out three shows. We fit 25 people in the living room, so that was probably about 30 or 40 square feet, and it was a really awesome experience to see such collaboration to make it work.

How would you describe ANTIX?

ANTIX! is a multimedia production company really dedicated to the artist. We're looking to bring on fellow artists as collaborators to head up their own projects. So, it’s an entirely project-based company where we ask the artist what they’re interested in and really challenge them to come up with innovative ideas to involve audiences in new ways. And we are big believers in the concept of fair trade art; that is, art that pays its collaborators appropriately for the art they’re making. We believed that if we created, the audiences would come.

Can you explain the process of proposing an idea to ANTIX? 

On our website, there’s a “Collaborate with Us” page, and there, any artists can fill out the appropriate application and start a conversation with us. We're currently seeking project proposals, so anyone can go on there and apply from there. We work with the artist to process the applications on kind of a one-on-one basis for development. And then our organization has a project approval board made up of five people, and you need a unanimous “yes” vote in order for your project to be introduced.

What are your biggest goals for ANTIX! in the future?

I really want to implement this idea of fair trade art. I think there are a lot of artists out there that have a story to tell, and I want to be a part of telling that story. I want to be part of empowering artists to pursue their passion and to really challenge themselves to create innovative work. And I also am really excited to get the community involved and to get the community to see our work.

They can see our work through following us on Facebook and social media, as well as our website. And most currently, there's the YouTube series that's coming out, so you can subscribe to our YouTube channel. 

Speaking of the new YouTube series, can you describe what 2020 Unmasked is?  

It's a series of 20 to 30 minute videos. What we did was, we asked each participant seven questions about their 2020 experience. So now we’re in the process of creating a video per question where you get to hear people authentically answer and reflect about their experiences in 2020. I got on a variety of Facebook groups and I put out, “Hey, I’m doing this oral history project. Would you like to be a part of it?” And there are a fair number of Appleton folks, but there are people from all over the country, and actually one from Costa Rica, so it's an international project. I had 45 participants.

How do you hope viewers feel when 2020 Unmasked?

You know, I have this theory that was my hunch at the beginning of this project, and my theory was that we’ve all been through collective trauma with everything that 2020 has held in store. What I hope audiences get from watching the project is that they're not alone, is that they are incredibly strong and incredibly resilient, just like my interview subjects, and it is this common ground that we can foster a greater sense of community and a sense of healing.

Read more about ANTIX! Productions at their website, and keep an eye out for 2020 Unmasked on their YouTube channel.