The Grand Prairie Arts Council tells the tale of two of the country’s most notorious criminals in “Bonnie & Clyde”

Almost a century after their infamous crime spree came to an end, Bonnie and Clyde remain two of the most infamous figures in American history. A number of books, movies and shows have all told and retold tales based on their crimes throughout the years since their deaths.

They’re still especially well-known figures here in DFW. Bonnie and Clyde both grew up in Dallas and are buried in the city. If you look, you can still see landmarks from their lives and hear local stories of their crimes’ effects on others.

Now, the nearby Grand Prairie Arts Council (GPAC) is bringing the story of the notorious criminals to the stage with a production simply titled “Bonnie & Clyde” that aims to provide a deeper look at the criminal couple.

“Bonnie & Clyde” is a contemporary musical following the pair through their first meeting and subsequent romance into their crime spree and eventual deaths. Audiences will see the couple’s crime spree unfold, backed by rockabilly and country-infused numbers. Directed by Jacob Rivera-Sanchez, the GPAC production is set to run from September 13-22 at Uptown Theater.

Rivera-Sanchez wants his production of “Bonnie & Clyde” to highlight what people don’t consider when “we think about the words Bonnie and Clyde.” While the GPAC production still includes depictions of the couple’s various crimes, Rivera-Sanchez sees the show as an opportunity to explore the emotions that led the couple to that crime spree rather than focusing solely on portraying the trail of robberies and violence they leave.

The director explains that the GPAC production will emphasize weaving the childhood Bonnie and Clyde (played by Amrynn Wood and Reece Turley) throughout the story. Rivera-Sanchez views it as an effort to “give the audience a sense of understanding of who these troubled people were in these troubled times, and how they did what they thought was the best to overcome their circumstances” before they found themselves faced with the aftermath of their actions.

Prior to the production, the director delved into the lives of Bonnie and Clyde himself. He read books like Go Down Together: The True, Untold Story of Bonnie and Clyde by Jeff Guinn and My Life with Bonnie and Clyde by Blanche Caldwell Barrow to help inform his direction and even eventually created a timeline of Bonnie and Clyde’s life in the rehearsal space to aid the show’s cast.

Blanche Caldwell Barrow was the wife of Clyde’s brother, Buck. Both Blanche and Buck play significant roles in the production, with the director praising the hard work of Caitlin Martelle and Ben Meaders in bringing the characters to life.

Rivera-Sanchez highlights ballads from Martelle as Blanche and Brooke Matthews as Bonnie as some of the show’s best numbers. “I think that the music is just kind of fueling this whole project for me,” Robert Mata, who plays Clyde, says. “Right off the bat, Brooke’s an amazing singer, so I was like, ‘Oh, this is gonna work.’”

Rivera-Sanchez praises the “great chemistry” Matthews and Mata have as Bonnie and Clyde, dating back to their initial auditions. Their chemistry, along with the efforts of the show’s crew, has helped the actors work through some of the show’s intense, emotionally charged moments in rehearsals. “It certainly doesn’t hurt that we get along really well,” Matthews says. “We’re constantly joking, making fun of each other, and then I think we have really good onstage chemistry.”

“Every time we’re on stage, it’s so charged with whatever emotion is being portrayed in that moment that as soon as we got done with a scene…we just joke with each other,” Mata says. “Whatever it is that we’re doing on stage, it’s good that we were able to just snap out if it and have a normal relationship offstage as well.”

Mata says Rivera-Sanchez wants to “really dig deep into the why” when it comes to Bonnie and Clyde’s mindset, which helped him develop nuances to his character’s emotional range onstage. “I told Brooke, at one point, I feel like I’m always angry…but the deeper we got into it, even though his actions are not excused in any way, there’s reasoning why he does what he does,” Mata says.

Matthews describes how she works to “do as much as I can beforehand to feel good going into the (production) process” to physically and emotionally prepare for the demands of the role. She also credits intimacy choreographer Jorilyn Tasker for helping her and Mata quickly feel “really comfortable” with one another onstage. “We’ve had so much support from the backstage side of things,” Matthews says.

Rivera-Sanchez hopes that the Grand Prairie Arts Council production “challenges the audience” to reflect on Bonnie and Clyde’s unique standing in history and what they can learn and reflect on from their story. “I’m trying to give the audience a different person to root for that is not necessarily Bonnie and Clyde, but maybe it’s the young versions of themselves they lost along the way,” Rivera-Sanchez says.

The Grand Prairie Arts Council production of “Bonnie & Clyde” runs from September 13-22 at Uptown Theater. For more information, including how to purchase tickets, visit https://www.artsgp.org/.

These interviews were edited for clarity.