A Western Audition is a live theatrical experiment set in 2026. At its center are two real historical figures: Samuel Lewis, a barber, magician, circus performer, and entrepreneur, and Edmonia Lewis, a groundbreaking sculptor. These siblings who built extraordinary lives in the late 19th century, then drifted apart and into the margins of history. Over two days, Montana performers of all backgrounds step in front of a live audience to help discover who Samuel and Edmonia actually were. They fill in the gaps, questioning the silences, and bringing two lives back into the same room.

Edgar Arceneaux

Edgar Arceneaux is a Los Angeles-based artist, director, and writer whose multidisciplinary practice spans drawing, installation, video, and film. He holds a BFA from the Art Center College of Design and an MFA from California Institute of the Arts, and is represented by Susanne Vielmetter Los Angeles Projects and Galerie Nathalie Obadia in Paris. His award-winning play Until, Until, Until… has toured internationally for a decade, and his newest work, The Western Auditions — co-written with Frank Lawson and centered on the extraordinary lives of sculptors Samuel and Edmonia Lewis — is slated to premiere at Tinworks Art in 2026.

FRANK LAWSON

Frank Lawson, an actor-singer-writer, was born in West Palm Beach, FL. He graduated from SMU Meadows School Of The Arts with a BFA in Theatre. Lawson has been seen on screen and stage, starring in musicals such as: Marilyn the Musical, Porgy and Bess, Mamma Mia, and Summer: The Donna Summer Musical, and many more. Lawson is a recipient of LA Ovation and NAACP Awards for his portrayal of Billy Strayhorn in When Jazz Had The Blues. Lawson has also played as Ben Vereen in Edgar Arceneaux’s play Until, Until…Until (2015-24), which won the top honor at Performa 15 in NYC. Arceneaux and Lawson have been creative partners for over ten years. Lawson has shared stages with legends Debbie Allen, Ben Vereen, Michelle Lee, Bernadette Peters, Ossie Davis and Grammy winner Angelique Kidjo.