The 3W Podcast

A Halloween costume party inside a working theater sounds like a gimmick until you hear how TheatreSquared is building it. We sit down with Chris Seawood, corporate giving manager at TheatreSquared, and Meredith Lowry from TheatreSquared's Corporate Council, to unpack Stagefright, a 21+ fundraising event on Oct. 30 that turns the TheatreSquared space into a full-night experience with theater-grade design, playful surprises, and multiple ways to hang out, whether you’re the dance-floor type or the lounge-and-talk type. Lowry also is the chairwoman of Stagefright.

We get into what guests can expect from 6 to 11 p.m., including a live DJ, a transformed common area that becomes the main party zone, and a VIP speakeasy. On top of that, the team is planning special themed cocktails and mocktails and a custom menu, powered by the theater’s in-house chef. If you’ve been searching for a Fayetteville Halloween event, a Northwest Arkansas costume party, or a nonprofit theater fundraiser with real production value, this is the blueprint.

Costumes are central to the fun, from a full costume contest to a partnership with Cheap Thrills that helps guests level up and even chase giveaways. We also talk about why Stagefright matters for the bigger mission: it’s a fresh way to activate the building, welcome first-time visitors, and invite the community into the creative world TheatreSquared builds every season. Hit play for ticket details and the best kind of behind-the-scenes enthusiasm. If you like what you hear, subscribe, share this with a friend who loves Halloween, and leave a review so more people can find the show.

This podcast episode is guest hosted by Ashley Fitzsimmons, managing editor of 3W Magazine.

A great theater doesn’t just put on plays. It builds a place where strangers sit shoulder to shoulder, feel something real at the same time, and walk back out into the city a little more connected. That’s what TheatreSquared is trying to do in Fayetteville, Arkansas, and the behind-the-scenes story is even more interesting than most people realize.

We’re joined by Chris Seawood, corporate giving manager at TheatreSquared, and Meredith Lowry from TheatreSquared's Corporate Council. Chris breaks down what it means to be a producing theater, where sets, lights, sound, costumes, and production talent are built and managed in house. We also talk candidly about being a nonprofit theater, why ticket accessibility matters, and how corporate partners and community donors help keep professional live theater within reach across Northwest Arkansas.

We chat about the rest of Season 21 with titles like "Louisa May Alcott's Little Women," "The 39 Steps," "Eureka Day," and "Cowboys & East Indians," plus the season-wide focus on community and relationship repair. Then we zoom out to the building itself: The Commons Bar/Cafe, rentals and events, and the intimate seating that makes every show feel close enough to touch.

If you care about arts in Arkansas, theater education, or simply want a better night out downtown, press play and come meet the people doing the work. Subscribe, share this with a friend who loves live performances, and leave us a review with the last show that stayed with you.

This week's podcast is guest hosted by Ashley Fitzsimmons, managing editor of 3W Magazine.

He started an architecture firm in January 2020, then watched the world change a few weeks later. Ryan Faust, founder of BUF Studio, joins us for a candid conversation about what it takes to build a design practice in Northwest Arkansas while the region grows at full speed and the economy keeps shifting under your feet. 

We dig into what BUF Studio actually does across architecture, interior design and the broader built environment, plus the story behind the name: buffalo don’t run from the storm, they turn into it. That simple idea turns into a real leadership framework for how we handle hard news, tight timelines and the everyday pressure to do good work for real people. We also talk about Ryan’s core values, including “how you do anything is how you do everything,” and what “no bad days” looks like when you take it seriously.

Some of the most memorable moments come from projects that carry meaning. Ryan shares the Children’s Safety Center story and how the team honored kids from the old space by projecting their handprints onto the new building, night after night. We also get practical about health care design and adaptive reuse, including how clinics inside existing buildings can expand access faster and how warmer, more familiar spaces can reduce fear while still meeting strict clinical standards. 

If you care about Northwest Arkansas growth, affordable housing, the missing middle, and how design shapes culture, this conversation is for you. Subscribe, share this with a friend who loves NWA, and leave a review so more people can find the show.

We talk about the winding path from a psychology degree at the University of Arkansas to weekend childcare at a children’s shelter, and how that “temporary” choice turns into a real calling in nonprofit work, social services and community impact.

Frankie also shares what it feels like to step into the CEO seat at the Single Parent Scholarship Fund of Northwest Arkansas after years of learning fundraising, development and endowment campaign work from the ground up. She’s honest about walking in confident, then realizing leadership is a daily education especially through curveballs like COVID and organizational change. If you’re searching for nonprofit leadership lessons, career pivots, or how people actually grow into executive roles, you’ll hear the unpolished version here.

Then we go full real-life: raising two boys into adulthood, surviving the “bro” phase, dealing with school calls, and trying not to laugh at the exact wrong moment. We also talk about being a people person who still needs quiet downtime, plus a few lighter detours into cornhole, horseshoes and karaoke picks.

If you like this kind of honest conversation, subscribe, share it with a friend who’s figuring out their next step and leave a review. What part of Frankie’s path sounds most like your own right now?

You can’t fake a venue that feels effortless. Ashley Starnes, owner of Osage House, joins us to share how one of the most sought-after wedding venues and event venues in Northwest Arkansas came to life, starting with 54 acres, a blank page, and a lot of listening. She walks us through the early research meetings with planners, photographers, caterers and DJs that shaped the core requirements: real capacity, true versatility and natural light that makes every photo look like a magazine spread.

We also tour the property through conversation, from the last-minute origin of The Reserve to the scale of The Hall and the emotional pull of The Chapel. Ashley explains what guests rarely notice but always feel, including flow, flexibility and those hidden rigging points that make massive floral installations possible. Along the way we talk wedding trends, how couples now care about the full planning experience, and why personal details beat “more stuff” every time.

As Northwest Arkansas grows, expectations rise, and Ashley gets candid about building relationships in a crowded market, maintaining hospitality without becoming transactional, and why the preferred vendor list is a real process, not a random spreadsheet. We wrap with practical advice for couples, nonprofits and corporate teams, plus a peek at Osage House open house themes and what new community-facing events might look like next. If you love weddings, entrepreneurship or hospitality done right, hit play, then subscribe, share this with a friend planning an event, and leave us a review.

Northwest Arkansas feels like it grows overnight, and sometimes the weirdest part is realizing you still haven’t explored the place you call home. We’re joined by Ashley Starnes of Osage House for a wide-ranging, very real conversation that starts with summer break logistics (two-boy households know) and turns into what it’s like to watch Fayetteville, Springdale, Rogers, Bentonville and Bella Vista transform from open stretches of green into a packed, opportunity-filled region. 

We also get personal about home design and decision fatigue. Ashley shares how an architect’s minimal instincts can clash with an eclectic, cozy vision, why committing to bold choices can be hard, and how low-commitment spaces like a powder bath can be the perfect place to take a swing. If you love interior design, architecture, and creating a home that actually feels like you, you’ll recognize the constant tug between timeless neutrals and the fun stuff you’re afraid you’ll regret. 

Then we trace the kind of career path that looks random until you see the pattern: fundraising and development, catering and events, and even an energy auditor job that literally involves crawling through attics. Those experiences build the people skills and grit that matter when you’re building something bigger. We end by teasing part two, where we dive deeper into Osage House, the 54-acre vision, and what it takes to turn land into a destination wedding and event venue. 

If you enjoyed this conversation, subscribe, share it with a friend in Northwest Arkansas, and leave a review so more listeners can find us. What’s one local spot you still haven’t made time for?

Bentonville isn’t supposed to feel like a film capital, and that’s exactly why the Bentonville Film Festival works. We’re joined by Twilla Brooks to unpack how BFF has evolved over 12 years into one of the most welcoming, intimate and mission-driven film festivals in the country, rooted right here in Northwest Arkansas.

We get into the real “why” behind BFF: Geena Davis’ passion project built to amplify underrepresented stories by women and people of color, in front of the camera and behind it. Twilla shares how partnerships with Walmart and Coca-Cola helped the festival scale without losing its heart, and why this year’s theme, “The Stories That Connect Us All,” matters when so many important films struggle to find screens.

Then we run through what to actually do during June 15–21: the opening night buzz around “Family Movie” with Kevin Bacon and Kyra Sedgwick in town, the emotional punch of “Cookie Queens,” and the free family programming at The Momentary’s Geena Davis Outdoor Theater, packed with movies, food and hands-on activations. We also highlight Coffee Talks with Ree Drummond, Chef JJ Johnson, and Bobby Flay, plus Juneteenth screenings like “The Ebony Canal” on maternal health of Black women and a powerful Brittney Griner documentary.

If you’ve ever wondered what makes Bentonville different, this is your guide. Subscribe, share this with a friend who needs a summer plan, and leave a review to help more listeners find the show.