Ben Loughary is graduate of Central High School. He was born in Utah where he spent his earliest childhood years. Ben has been involved in theatre through his schools as well as Springfield Little Theatre. Some of his highlighted performances include Hadestown (Hades), A Christmas Story (Ralphie’s friend), The Old Man and the Old Moon (Matheson), and Beauty and the Beast (ensemble) and most recently Dr. Buttridge/Jabberwock/Mock Turtle in Alice by Heart and Vova in The Nightmare Story as a part of the SLT Youth Entertainment Series. 

Ben has always loved expressing his thoughts and ideas through different means. Devising theatre has allowed him to pursue the discovery of new ways to demonstrate creativity through the arts.

I am a maker in Springfield who loves out-of-the-box theater. Creating original art in my small hometown has been a necessary part of my creative journey. It’s through the artists in this community that I find my own beauty and humanity. DOTS (Devising Original Theater Springfield) represents passion in manageable doses. With the tension of everyday life, I get worn out and feel defeated by the constant grinding of the gears. But on the stage with my friends, I can be fully present and devoted to the energy of creativity and love. I am not just a piece in a large system. I can think critically about the struggles and victories in every story that we tell. I am not alone in this rigamarole.

During the fringe festival, I encourage you to take a moment and reflect on the personalities that put this event together. These are your people and it’s where I belong too.

Anaya’s bio is coming soon! 

The eloquent Arsen Baker reigns from a little town named Springfield, Missouri. Theatre has been their muse since the year twenty and thirteen. Having taken a liking to such creative ambitions their fingers have grapple and entangled themselves into academic and municipal means of stagecraft and works of the sort with Springfield Little Theatre and Necrobroth to name a few.

Their passion for devising stems from a love for storytelling, sharing emotions, and a love for creating.  As long as they could recall, they’ve had a knack for creating, whether it be theatre, drawing, singing, dancing, or writing, Arsen knows what their heart desires, creating.

Gretchen is passionate about telling stories. She likes to explore all the ways the story can be told: physical theatre, movement, music, puppetry, and text. Devising original theatre continues to be a way she finds connections between all of these art forms and the community of artists 

Collaborating with the DOTS ensemble on Accidental Hero has been at all times full of  challenges to solve, community to build, stories to tell, and discovery of the best in us all. While laughing. Always. 

A graduate of Central High School in 2025, Keilei joined the DOTS ensemble for the workshop performance of Another Life Story and continues to perform and create with DOTS regularly before heading off to University in the fall.  She is passionate about dance and physical theatre 

She was recently seen as Persphone in Hadestown: Teen Edition, Veruca in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, The Old Man and the Old Moon, and How to Succeed in Business at Central High School.  She also performed in The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee with Springfield Little Theatre and Big Fish with Springfield Contemporary Theatre.