T2's Rooftop Pop-up Bar, Area 52, Opens This Week

The Commons Bar/Café at TheatreSquared today announced a surprise pop-up bar on the rooftop terrace of the company's 2021 International Architecture Award-winning facility. Area 52 opens on September 1. Capacity is extremely limited, with first-come, first-served seating from 6-10 pm, Thursday through Saturday, on the theatre's rooftop terrace overlooking downtown Fayetteville.

Three cocktails-including one brand new recipe-by Washington Post "Best Bartender" Adam Bernbach will be on offer, along with popcorn and other movie-themed snacks.

The bar's aesthetic will transport visitors to another realm. Designer Ashleigh Burns, whose scenic design for The Half-Life of Marie Curie was featured in the Wall Street Journal, has filled the space with cult-favorite '50s sci-fi styling using lights, decor, and curated objects. The pop-up features quirky installations and near-life-sized aliens. (The bartenders are human.)

Mixologist Adam Bernbach, working with T2 as a consultant, has spent the last two decades as a Washington, D.C. fixture on the bar scene, earning his place on the Washington Post's "Best of" lists and garnering national press coverage for his work. Bernbach has designed three cocktails to feature at Area 52 in addition to the line-up of classics available from the Commons downstairs.

"My favorite is the Death Reyes," said T2 Director of Community Experience Tara Versey. "Mezcal, mango, ancho reyes verde and lemon-delicious. Though best handled with care."

On September 10, the 1953 cult sci-fi classic It Came From Outer Space will play on a loop in Walker Rehearsal Room, adjacent to the pop-up bar, to allow movie fans to see the movie upon which the stage adaptation is based.

There is no charge for entry and the pop-up bar is open to all members of the public, provided seats are available. Visitors attending It Came From Outer Space, the new musical, in the West Theatre are also welcomed. It Came From Outer Space began performances at TheatreSquared (477 W. Spring St., Fayetteville) on August 24 and will run through September 18. Tickets, from $20-$54, can be purchased by calling (479) 777-7477 or by visiting theatre2.org.

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