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COURTNEY SALE NANCY L.DONAHUE EXECUTIVE ARTISTIC DIRECTOR
MERRIMACK REPERTORY THEATRE
PRESENTS
KEVIN KLING: UNRAVELED WRITTEN AND PERFORMED BY
KEVIN KLING* MRT COMMISSION PRODUCED IN PARTNERSHIP WITH CONTEMPORARY AMERICAN THEATER FESTIVAL SCENIC DESIGNER
COSTUME DESIGNER
DAVID M. BARBER
PEGGY MCKOWEN
LIGHTING DESIGNER
MUSICIAN AND SOUND DESIGNER
HAROLD F. BURGESS II
ROBERTSON WITMER^
STAGE MANAGER
DEB ACQUAVELLA DIRECTOR
STEVEN DIETZ+ JANUARY 21 - FEBRUARY 8, 2026 *Appearing through an Agreement between this theatre, Merrimack Repertory Theatre, and Actors' Equity Association, the Union of Professional Actors and Stage Managers in the United States ^Member of United Scenic Artists +Member of the Society of Stage Directors and Choreographers
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LEARNING STANDARDS FOR GRADES 7-12 A Note from the Dramaturg: Rhapsodic Weaving An Interview with Musician and Composer Rob Witmer After the Show: Discussion Questions Theatre Arts – Responding, Connecting T.R.07, T.R.08, T.Co.10, T.Co.11 English Language Arts – Speaking and Listening, Reading Literature SL.1, SL.2, SL.4, RL.2, RL.7, RL.9 History and Social Science – Grade 7: Ancient and Classical Greece HSS.7.T4b.06
Types of Oral Storytelling Explore the World of Oral Storytelling Storytelling Structure English Language Arts – Reading Literature RL.1, RL.2, RL.9
Storytelling Improv Exercises
Theatre Arts – Performing, Creating, Responding T.P.05, T.P.06, T.Cr.03, T.R.09 English Language Arts – Speaking and Listening SL.1, SL.6
Components of the Craft: What Makes a Great Oral Narrative? Writing and Performing Personal Oral Narratives
English Language Arts – Reading Literature, Speaking and Listening, Writing, Language RL.1, RL.2, RL.4, RL.5, RL.10, SL.1, SL.6, W.3, W.4, W.5, L.3 Theatre Arts – Performing, Creating, Responding T.P.05, T.P.06, T.Cr.03, T.R.09
Storytelling, Adaptation, and Human Endurance Suggested Reading and Watching: “The Storytelling Species: How stories help us cooperate” Project: Cultural Storytelling Histories English Language Arts – Reading Informational Text, Reading in History and Social Sciences, Speaking and Listening, Writing RI.1, RI.10, RCA-H.4, SL.1, SL.2, SL.4, SL.5, W.2
Models of Disability
English Language Arts – Reading Literature, Reading Informational Text RL.1, RL.2, RL.6, RI.7 Theatre Arts – Responding T.R.07, T.R.08
Close Reading and Analysis: “Tickled Pink”
English Language Arts – Reading Literature, Language, Speaking and Listening RL.1, RL.2, RL.4, L.4, L.5, SL.4
More Threads to Unravel: Suggested Reading and Watching
English Language Arts – Reading Literature, Reading Informational Text RL.10, RI.10 History and Social Science – Ancient and Classical Greece (Grade 7), World History II HSS.7.T4b.06, HSS.WHII.T5.03, HSS. WHII.T5.08 3
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A Note from the Dramaturg: Rhapsodic Weaving
In Ancient Greece, the word for an epic storyteller was rhapsōidós, meaning “he who sews/weaves together songs.” These ancient storytellers who performed through verse and song often merged stories and characters to create complex, unified narratives. In the words of American classicist Gregory Nagy, the word rhapsōidós suggests a paradox: “the many and the various become the single and the uniform—and yet there is supposedly no loss in the multiplicity and variety of the constituent parts.” The fabrics woven and sewn together are complete in of themselves; however, through oratorical craft, they are “re-made into a unity, a single new continuous fabric, by being sewn together.”1 Drawing on his decades of experience as a professional storyteller, Kevin Kling presents audiences with an array of fabrics and threads, crossed and interwoven at often unexpected places of thematic juncture. In the finished tapestry of Unraveled, one thread pulls on numerous others, drawing audiences to Australia, Ireland, Czechoslovakia, and suburban Minnesota, through childhood memories, first loves, personal reflections, and different cultural histories. For the Ancient Greeks, the metaphor of threads and fabrics depicted not only the art of storytelling but also the intricacies of individual life. In Greek mythology, the three Fates, or Moirai, were three sisters responsible for the threads of each human life. Clotho spun the thread of a person’s destiny, Lachesis measured the thread to determine the length of a person’s life, and Atropos cut the thread, determining how and when that life would end. The myth of the Moirai, however, did not deny the existence of free will. The Greeks believed that while some life occurrences were beyond our control, the choices we made that led us to these predestined events, and how we ultimately navigated them, were matters that could only be decided by a given individual. This tension between destiny and volition has driven the plots of countless stories for centuries, reminding us that while there is fear in the unknown and the uncontrollable, there is also freedom, power, and joy in personal agency. While the rhapsōidós of Ancient Greece often performed solo, they also performed in paradosis, or relay, where one storyteller would pick up where another had left off, taking the offered thread of a narrative or song and continuing
1 Gregory Nagy, “On weaving and sewing as metaphors for ancient Greek verbal arts,” Classical Inquiries, The Center for Hellenic Studies, January 19, 2017, https://classical-inquiries.chs.harvard.edu/on-weaving-and-sewing-as-metaphors-for-ancient-greek-verbal-arts/.
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it in their own way. The nature of Kling’s Unraveled encourages paradosis, allowing listeners and audiences to pluck any number of offered threads and reflect on their own lives and the stories within them. What do our own tapestries look like? What threads have been woven for us, and what threads will we weave ourselves?
An Interview with Musician and Composer Rob Witmer
Rob Witmer is a musician, composer, and sound designer based in Seattle. He has composed and designed for productions at Seattle Repertory Theatre, Seattle Opera, Seattle Children’s Theatre, Seattle Shakespeare Company, ACT Theatre, and Village Theatre. Merrimack Repertory Theatre credits include Kevin Kling’s Best Summer Ever (2022) and A Christmas Carol (2022-2024). He has taught sound design at the University of Washington, and outside of the theatre, he performs with the musical groups Toucans Steel Drum Band, Carrie Clark, and the Love Markets.2
You worked with Kevin Kling on his play, Best Summer Ever, at Merrimack Repertory Theatre. Was that your first time working together? How did you first become a collaborator? It was my first time working with Kevin, but I knew about him from seeing him in some of his performances at Seattle Rep. Steven Dietz introduced us and initiated the collaboration that has led us here.
How did you come to be involved in Unraveled? Initially, how did Kevin Kling and Steven Dietz explain the concept of this play to you? I knew that Kevin was working on a new piece, and we were invited to do a workshop reading at Merrimack Repertory Theater in January of last year. I knew that the idea was to take some of the stories Kevin has been telling over the years and combine them with some new ones in a theatrical way. Do you recall your initial thoughts on the play’s concept?
I was really excited to learn more about Kevin’s life and travel experiences. Best Summer Ever was very much about his childhood growing up. I think that this play will give us insight into his development as a performer and how he became a storyteller. 2 ob Witmer, “Rob Witmer,” Jack Straw Cultural Center, accessed August 15, 2025, https://www.jackstraw.org/artist/rob-witmer/.
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You've worked as a sound designer, a musician, and a composer. In Unraveled, you serve as all three. Is tackling all three roles for one production unusual for you? Did one role "come first," so to speak? In my work with Kevin and Steven, I think the decision to have a live musician came first. From there comes the question of what the music will be. There are often songs floating around in the conversation that might be incorporated, but I think there is always the need for original music to bring everything together. If I’m composing music for a show, I like to work as the sound designer as well, if possible. For me, the question of how to integrate a music cue is just as important as the cue itself, and that is something the designer does, working in relationship to the onstage action, scene changes, light cues, etc. Often, sound design elements function musically. For example, the pitch of a bell ringing or the rumble of a clap of thunder. If you think of these things as musical gestures, then the music naturally wants to build a shape around them. As a professional oral storyteller, Kevin Kling is used to working without a traditional script. Is there more variation and improvisation in Unraveled than in some of the other productions you've worked on? Are there challenges and joys to performing in this more untraditional format? How do you prepare for all the possibilities?
As a musician, I’m used to responding in the moment to what everyone else is doing. Working with Kevin is like following the lead singer in a band. They might change the set list or want to do a song a little differently from time to time. For me, this keeps things exciting and interesting. For the most part, though, we’ll keep things pretty consistent from show to show. At least that’s the plan! You're also on stage with Kevin for the entirety of this play. Have you had other audience-facing roles? I have done a fair amount of work as an onstage musician, usually playing the accordion. It’s such an expressive instrument, and the fact that you can move around with it makes it very nice for stage work. Can you share a bit about the dynamic between the two of you on stage in Unraveled?
I think of myself as sort of an invisible scene partner. Occasionally, I play a specific character, but more often, I feel like I'm helping establish the environment around him. My job is to listen to Kevin and reflect a point of view through music and sound. I think we help keep each other on track; sometimes he leads, sometimes I do. Kevin is free to engage with me if he wants, but I’m also happy not to be noticed! How has the music changed since earlier workshops? Has your role in the show changed at all?
We refined all of the music quite a bit during our run at the Contemporary American Theatre Festival (CATF). I wrote some new pieces of music and chose various folk songs and standards that weave their way throughout the score. I'm always trying to figure out how to make the music flow together, even when I'm changing instruments. I think my onstage role became clear once we saw how the set worked and how I could move around at various times to support the storytelling.
You play a mix of instruments in Unraveled. What was the selection process like for deciding what to play and when to play it?
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I had been playing the hammered dulcimer, which was a new instrument for me, and I realized that it has a sort of ancient and magical sound. It felt like it connected with the philosophical ideas of the show as well as Kevin’s travels in Europe and Czechoslovakia. The accordion and penny whistle are able to represent Ireland and the influence of Celtic storytelling. Do you have a favorite Kevin Kling story that is featured in this show? (spoiler-free version!)
I love his story about how “listening” can be a superpower. If you choose to listen, you, in a sense, become invisible for a moment around other people. This can lead to knowing and observing things that others may miss.
To your mind, what makes sound and music so integral to theatre and theatre-making? What makes it integral to the craft of storytelling? I think that music, especially played by a live musician, helps triangulate the relationship between performers and the audience. Sound and music create a third element, which can help give the audience another way to experience the play. Often, this is more subtle and emotional, and people might not even realize it’s happening! Music also gives the performers something to push off from; a strong musical gesture can invigorate an actor onstage, or a gentle sonic underscore can help create a comforting space that might help bring out more emotional performance.
After the Show: Discussion Questions 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7.
What do you know about the practice of oral storytelling? a) What do you associate with storytelling? b) Do you know any excellent storytellers? c) Why do you think humans tell stories? Among the many stories shared in Kevin Kling: Unraveled, what were your favorites? What made these stories compelling to you? What topics and themes are explored throughout the play? How do these topics and themes reemerge in different stories? Theatrically, what is conventional and unconventional about Unraveled? What is theatrical about storytelling? Is storytelling a kind of theatre? What is the difference between oral storytelling and literature? a) What are the possibilities and limitations of these storytelling formats? b) What is the difference between reading a story and hearing a story? Do these storytelling formats affect you in different ways? Kevin Kling has said: “I realize stories weren’t meant to explain the world, they were meant to place us within the world, as part of the mystery, because even better than to explain it is to belong. We are part of the mystery.” a) Do you agree? Why or why not? b) Do you think this is true for all literature? Is it true for theatre? What about art in general? 7
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Types of Oral Storytelling and Oral Tradition
Myths – Myths are stories that offer explanations for how and why the world works the way it does. Some myths explain how Earth and humanity came into existence, and others explain happenings in the natural world. Most myths take place in the distant past and often feature deities, heroes, and magical creatures. Folktales – Folktales are traditional, often culturally specific stories that are passed down from generation to generation. Many folktales seek to impart morals and values, and they traditionally feature ordinary people, personified animals and objects, and a repetitive structure. Fairytales are a subgenre of folktales, and typically feature magical or fantastical elements or creatures. Memorates – Memorates are personal narratives shared from memory.
Historical Recitation – Historical recitations are oral accounts of important historical events.
Legends – Legends are stories about historic events, people, and places. While these stories are often regarded as being true or based on factual happenings, legends are typically not historically verified. King Arthur and Robin Hood are characters featured in popular legends that are still told and reimaged today.
Song and Lyric Poetry – Songs and lyric poetry are set apart from other modes of oral storytelling by their musical nature. Both forms are in verse and are typically sung, with some kind of musical accompaniment. Proverbs – Proverbs are short expressions that usually impart wisdom or advice. Despite their pithiness and lack of plot and character, all proverbs suggest a story of some kind through their use of metaphorical language. “Strike while the iron is hot,” “a bad workman blames his tools,” and “a watched pot never boils” are common English proverbs.
Explore the World of Oral Storytelling
The following resources are an excellent starting point for those who are keen to explore more stories and storytellers.
The Moth Radio Hour and Podcast – Hosted by the famous New York-based storytelling non-profit, The Moth Radio Hour and podcast features true, personal stories told live on stages worldwide. With a mission to “promote the art and craft of storytelling” and “honor and celebrate the diversity and commonality and human experience,” The Moth offers a
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remarkable assortment of stories and storytellers.3 Teaching resources provided by The Moth can be found HERE. This American Life – Ira Glass’s award-winning weekly radio program and podcast has been engaging listeners since 1995. Each week, a given theme is explored in numerous acts by different contributors. With a general focus on current events, This American Life merges journalism and storytelling in a way that is both compelling and accessible. Teaching resources provided by This American Life can be found HERE. The Dublin Story Slam Podcast – Created in 2017 and hosted by Colm O’Regan and Sharon Mannion, The Dublin Story Slam is a monthly podcast. Each episode features several storytellers sharing personal stories related to a specific word or topic. Topics explored include “the kindness of strangers,” “hope,” and “ghosts.”
Snap Judgment Radio Show and Podcast – Hosted by Glynn Washington, Snap Judgment features personal stories from global applicants. Accentuating every story with sound effects and music, Snap Judgment produces “cinematic, dramatic radio” that engages and enthralls.4
Humans of New York – Created by writer and photographer Brandon Stanton, Humans of New York is an ongoing project shared on social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram. Stanton photographs and interviews the people he meets. The portraits of these individuals are then posted alongside their stories and reflections, which are shared verbatim in the photo’s caption. While Stanton’s project initially featured New Yorkers exclusively, it has since come to include individuals from around the world
Storytelling Structure
Like books, films, and plays, oral narratives follow different dramatic structures. While some oral narratives may adhere to the structure of Freytag’s Pyramid, others may more closely resemble the Fichtean Curve or a Story Circle. A given story’s structure often depends on both the needs of the narrative and the storyteller's preferences and habits. However, regardless of dramatic structure, most stories feature an identifiable beginning, middle, and ending. While this may seem simplistic, focusing on these three sections while outlining an oral narrative can effectively provide structure while allowing students and storytellers to experiment with different dramatic arcs.
Beginnings – Stories can begin in all sorts of different ways. Some common ways to start a story are with an anecdote, a quote, dialogue, a question, a description, or a statement. Generally, the beginning of a story sets up the tone and the action, introduces the characters, and establishes the setting. Perhaps most importantly, the start of a story features a “hook” – a sentence or two that seizes the audience’s attention (often through conflict or mystery) and has them eager to know what happens next. Middles – Middles make up the bulk of a given story and typically expand upon the narrative's conflict, adding tension and action to the plot as the characters navigate the challenges presented at the start.
Endings – Story endings are typically short, since their primary objective is to resolve the story’s main conflict and wrap up any loose ends. While some stories end with a moral or lesson, others end with a description, a reflection, or an anecdote. Often, a story’s ending will reference a phrase, anecdote, or observation introduced at the story’s start, which can help bring the narrative “full circle.” 3 “The Story Behind the Story,” The Moth, accessed October 2, 2025, https://themoth.org/about/. 4 “About Us,” Snap Judgement, accessed October 2, 2025, https://snapjudgment.org/about/.
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Storytelling Improv Exercises Story Circle: In this classic improv game, students sit in a circle and communally create a story one sentence at a time. Have one student begin by thinking of and sharing an opening line, and move around the circle, having each student advance the story by sharing the narrative’s next sentence. Encourage students to move the story forward in a compelling way by utilizing their knowledge of dramatic structure, character development, and plot progression. After multiple rounds, discuss which story students felt was most compelling, and why.
Tell & Retell: In this exercise, students witness how stories change over time. Begin by dividing the class into pairs. Each student has a minute to tell their partner a fictional or personal story. The story listener should time their partner to ensure they do not exceed 1 minute. After each partner has shared their story, have students find another partner and recount the story they have just heard, again in one minute. Students should try to stay as faithful to the original story as possible, but they may elaborate on details if they choose. Scramble the pairs again and continue on. After multiple rounds, come together as a class and have students share the last story they heard. Have the original teller of the story comment on what changed and what remained the same.
Expand and Advance: Another popular improv classic, this exercise helps students hone their storytelling skills on the spot. Divide the class into pairs. Have Student A share a 1-2 minute story from their life. Student B may interrupt Student A’s story by saying either “expand” or “advance.” “Expand” should be said whenever Student B feels that Student A should share more details about what they are currently talking about, and “advance” should be said whenever Student B feels that Student A should move forward with the story by advancing the action and the plot. When Student A has finished their story, Student B may offer clarifications on their feedback if Student A has any questions. Students then switch roles. This exercise can be expanded through multiple rounds and different pairings, allowing students to improve their stories through the feedback of numerous peers. (If expanding this exercise to include multiple rounds, have students take notes on the feedback they receive.)
Extension Activity: Using what they’ve learned in these exercises, have students write, edit, and perform a true, 1-2 page personal oral narrative of their choosing inspired by one of the topics explored in Unraveled: childhood, love, friendship, family, loss, music, or travel. In pairs, have students block and direct each other’s pieces before sharing them with the class.
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Components of the Craft: What Makes a Great Oral Narrative? In this series of exercises, students prepare to write their own story scripts by reflecting on the crucial elements involved in masterful oral storytelling.
Write and Reflect: Have students brainstorm and reflect on the following question: What makes a great oral narrative? Give students 5-10 minutes for this brainstorming session. Next, have students share their ideas and discuss them as a class. (Suggested topics for conversation include: conflict, character, imagery, story structure, action, language, emotion, and performance).
Close Listening and Analysis: Have students watch or listen to Kevin Kling delivering a story. The following stories are excellent options: • “MD Carnival” (featured in Unraveled, audio track) • “Grandpa’s Stars” (video) • “Mon Uncle” (audio track) • “Ashen Peter” (video) • “Teddy Rhodes” (audio track) Then, individually or in pairs, have students fill out a narrative analysis worksheet for the story they just heard.
Writing and Performing Personal Oral Narratives Once students have familiarized themselves with the components of compelling oral narratives, have them apply their knowledge to craft their own oral narrative scripts.
Quick Writing Prompts: The following Unraveled-related writing prompts can be used to help students brainstorm ideas for their oral narratives.
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1. 2. 3. 4.
What do you think of when you think about your mom/dad/guardian? Reflect on a memory of going to the hospital or the doctor. Reflect on a time you were with a childhood friend. What was your favorite and least favorite fairytale/folktale growing up? 5. Have you traveled to a different state or country? Write about a travel-related memory. 6. What do you associate with the word “love”? 7. What is one of your most vivid childhood memories? 8. Reflect on a time when something wasn’t what you expected. What did you do? 9. Reflect on an event that changed your perspective on something. 10. What is a song or quote that you love? Why do you love it? 11. Reflect on a time you felt you belonged.
Outline: Once students have decided on a story, have them draft an outline for a 1-2 page personal oral narrative. A basic suggested outline worksheet can be found HERE.
On the Hook: Once students have completed a first draft of their oral narrative, have them examine the beginning section of their story and write three possible “hooks.” Have students share their first drafts in small groups, so they can receive feedback on which “hook” is most effective, as well as general feedback on their oral narrative scripts. Practice: Practice is key to delivering a strong oral story! Provide students with class time to practice performing the final drafts of their stories to their peers. Encourage students to experiment with different performative elements while practicing (pace, inflection, pausing, facial expressions, gestures, etc.).
Storytelling, Adaptation, and Human Endurance
The craft of oral storytelling is nearly as old as human speech. With an estimated history of 500,000 to 1,000,000 years, the art of using song and speech to share history, memory, anecdotes, and imagined narratives is one of humanity’s most ancient traditions. From the Griot of West Africa to the Seanchaí of Ireland, oral storytellers have enraptured their listeners for thousands of generations, fostering connection and sustaining personal, cultural, and collective histories. As noted by anthropologist Daniel Smith, scientists have long hypothesized that “the universal presence and antiquity of storytelling indicates that it may be an important human adaptation.”5 In 2017, Smith and his colleagues published a study that suggested this may very well be the case. While examining the storytelling practices among the Agta people, a hunter-gatherer community indigenous to the north-east Luzon Islands, Smith’s team found that the Agta people viewed storytelling talent as one of the most valued 5 Daniel Smith, Philip Schlaepfer, Katie Major et al., “Cooperation and the evolution of hunter-gatherer storytelling,” Nature Communications 8, no. 1 (2017): 1853, https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-017-02036-8.
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characteristics. When asked who in their community they would most like to share a camp with, community members were twice as likely to choose storytellers over non-storytellers, even those with more practical skills, such as hunting and fishing.
By analyzing the content and themes of traditional Agta stories, along with those of other remaining hunter-gatherer communities, Smith’s team discovered that most of these stories coordinated the community’s behavior by imparting crucial knowledge about social norms, taboos, personal relationships, and the importance of sharing resources. These stories emphasized equality, communication, and “coordination over competition,” indicating that, beyond its obvious powers of entertainment, the ancient and universal practice of oral storytelling works to impart values that ensure our survival.6 For those of us who have ventured beyond the hunting and gathering traditions of our ancestors, considering storytelling as a means of survival may seem an absurd notion. However, the neurological process by which we share and comprehend stories indicates that the coordination, connection, and communitas provided by oral storytelling remain crucial to human interdependence and our subsequent understanding of one another and the world around us.
When we hear a story, our brains release various neurotransmitters, including cortisol, which increases our interest and focus, and dopamine, which helps us feel a pleasurable sense of reward. Perhaps most crucially, storytelling causes the release of oxytocin, a chemical responsible for increased emotional empathy and a sense of connection. In a process called “speaker-listener neuro-coupling,” the brainwave activity of the teller and the listener align, forming what neuroscientist Liz Neely describes as “echoes of each other.”7 In this neuro-coupling process, humans naturally make connections between the story they’re hearing and their own lives. As thoughts and memories bubble to the surface, the stories of others cannot help but become our own.
This convergence between teller and listener promotes affinity, emotional resiliency, and personal growth. As social work scholar Nieli Langer asserts, storytelling is a mutually beneficial practice. Just as humans regularly seek out stories and their tellers, a storyteller’s purpose is defeated without an audience to “find meaning in their experiences.” Indeed, “the most basic and powerful way to connect to another person,” writes Langer, “is to listen.”8
6 Smith et al., “Cooperation and the evolution of hunter-gatherer storytelling.” 7 Liz Neely, interview by Maddie Sofia, “Your Brain on Storytelling,” NPR, January 14, 2020, https://www.npr.org/transcripts/795977814. 8 Nieli Langer, “The power of storytelling and the preservation of memories,” Educational Gerontology 42, no. 11 (2016): 739, https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10 .1080/03601277.2016.1231515.
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Suggested Reading and Watching: “The Storytelling Species: How stories help us cooperate”
Laura Peek’s short and accessible article “The Storytelling Species: How stories help us cooperate” explores and summarizes the findings of Daniel Smith’s study. The article also features a 3-minute video titled “Resilience: Cooperation and the evolution of hunter-gatherer storytelling,” which illustrates some of Smith’s observations in addition to a story regularly told by the Agta people.9 Have students read the article and watch the video before answering the following comprehension questions and discussing what they’ve learned as a class.
Comprehension Questions: 1. Who are the Agta people? Where do they live? 2. How do the Agta people use stories? 3. What did the anthropologists from the University College of London learn about the storytellers in the Agta communities? 4. According to Daniel Smith, how is storytelling an important evolutionary adaptation? 5. What is historian Yuval Noah Harari’s hypothesis regarding the origins of oral storytelling? 6. How do stories help us cope with stress? 7. According to Smith and his colleagues, what are the three most common themes in Agta stories? 8. What happens in the story “The Sun and the Moon (“U aldew sakay u bulan”)? How does this story address the three themes named by Smith? Discussion Questions: 1. Previous anthropological research suggests that gossip can only bond communities of 150 people or fewer. Historian Yuval Noah Harari believes fictional stories bond community members and encourage cooperation in groups of more than 150 people. a) Why might fictional stories be able to bond larger communities? b) Do you think this hypothesis could be true for non-hunter-gatherer humans? Why or why not? c) Based on the information provided in the article, how would you define the word “gossip” as used by anthropologists? d) Is there an easy distinction to be made between gossip and fictional stories? Do you think all stories are one or the other? Are “story hybrids” possible? 9 Laura Peek, “The Storytelling Species: How stories help us cooperate,” StoryCode, September 15, 2021, https://storycode.co/story/the-storytelling-species/.
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2.
Peek’s article ends by stating that Daniel Smith is now exploring how his findings on storytelling and the Agta people could be applied within organizations “to increase cooperation.” a) How might stories be able to increase cooperation in organizations and other fields? b) What benefits have you experienced by telling stories and listening to stories?
Project: Cultural Storytelling Histories and Practices
For this research project, small student groups research and present on different oral storytelling practices from around the world. After assigning groups of 2-4 students a region or country, have students research an oral storytelling practice of their assigned country or region. Students should take notes while they research and have a list of the sources they use to gather information.
Have students organize their research and develop a plan for their presentation, dividing the work equally among all group members. Using Google Slides, PowerPoint, or Adobe, students can then create their presentations. Presentations should include a minimum of six slides featuring the information they have learned, as well as a title slide and a bibliography slide. Have each group present their presentations to the class.
Countries/Regions well-suited to this project include: Ireland, Japan, West Africa, Hawaii, Australia, Arabian Peninsula, China, Scandinavia (the Vikings), Paraguay (the Guarani people), Choctaw Nation (Indigenous Americans), and Madagascar (the Malagasy people). Guiding Questions: 1. What country/region’s cultural oral storytelling practices are you researching? a) Where is this country/region located? 2. What are this region’s cultural storytelling practices like? (If there are multiple, choose one to focus on). a) Do storytellers have a specific title, name, or status? b) Is there a particular time period during which this mode of storytelling was popular? Is this storytelling tradition still practiced today? c) Is there a unique manner in which stories are told? d) Are there particular themes, motifs, symbols, and characters that are often featured in these stories? 3. Select a story from this country/region. a) What happened in this story? b) Who are the characters? c) What kind of story is it? A myth, a legend, a folktale, etc. d) Is there a moral or a lesson to the story? If so, what is it?
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KEVIN KLING: UNRAVELED | STUDY GUIDE | 2026
Models of Disability Disability is one of the many topics explored in Unraveled, where Kevin Kling shares his experiences of living with both congenital and acquired disabilities. Since antiquity, humans have defined and perceived disability in various, often vastly different ways. Within the field of disability studies, scholars refer to these definitions as models of disability. Understanding different models of disability encourages us–both those who identify as disabled and those who do not–to think critically about how our perceptions of disability and impairment shape the world around us. Medical Model – Likely the most utilized and recognized of the models, the medical model defines disability as a bodily defect or deficiency in need of a cure. The medical model rose to prominence during the 19th century due to the rise of medical advancements, mass industrialization, surplus city populations, poor living conditions, and freak shows.
Social Model – First defined in the 1970s and popularized in the 1990s during the disability rights movement, the social model defines disability as a social phenomenon. This model argues that disability is the result of societal barriers, lack of access and inclusion, and ableist attitudes. Under the social model, a wheelchair user is not considered disabled because they require a wheelchair, but because the building they need to enter may not have stair-free access. The social model prioritizes societal change over medical “cures” and is thus often viewed as a reaction against the medical model.
Moral Model – Also known as the religious model, the moral model is the oldest disability model in Judeo-Christian society. The moral model deems disability a punishment from a deity or an indication of moral failing. While it was once the dominant model in most Western cultures, the moral model has waned in popularity since the emergence of the medical model. Charity Model – The charity model perpetuates the idea that disability is a tragedy and that disabled people are deserving of pity. This model is still prominent today and is often perpetuated by the non-disabled populace.
Economic Model – The economic model defines disability as an impairment that hinders productivity and limits a person’s working capabilities. The economic model is primarily used by governments to discern who is worthy of receiving benefits.
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Limits Model – First defined in 2009, the limits model of disability argues that limitations— both societal and bodily—are part of life for all humans regardless of disability/ability. This model acknowledges that limitations are dynamic, can change throughout a person’s life, and can vary in severity and from person to person. The limits model encourages reflection on human diversity and a rejection of traditional ideas surrounding normativity and “ablebodiedness.”
Political/Relational Model: First defined by feminist and disability studies scholar Alison Kafer in 2013, this model is framed as a “friendly departure” from the social model. Like the social model, the political/relational model locates disability within a social framework. However, Kafer argues that the social model’s exclusive focus on disabling social barriers “renders pain and fatigue irrelevant to the project of disability politics.” Thus, this model neither “opposes nor valorizes” medical treatment, which Kafer acknowledges can aid those with chronic pain and other conditions that cannot be alleviated by accessibility, inclusion, and antiableist attitudes. To Kafer’s mind, the political/relational model “recognizes the possibility of simultaneously desiring to be cured of chronic pain and to be identified and allied with disabled people.”10 Discuss: 1. What do you find surprising or interesting about these models? Did any of them conceptualize disability in a way you hadn’t thought of before? 2. Consider depictions of disability in literature, television, film, and art. What models of disability do you feel are most prominent? Why do you think this is? 3. Consider Kevin Kling: Unraveled. What models of disability are explored throughout this play? How so? Which models are challenged in this play? What models are supported? 4. After seeing the play, has your perception of disability changed?
Suggested Viewing and Listening: Perspective, an interview project by composer and performer Molly Joyce (and featuring Kevin Kling).
Suggested Reading: “Moving from Disability Visibility to Disability Artistry” by Morgan Skolnik.
Close Reading and Analysis: “Tickled Pink” Kevin Kling concludes Unraveled with his poem, “Tickled Pink.” After watching the play, have students do a close reading of the poem and discuss it as a class.
10 Alison Kafer, Feminist, Queer, Crip (Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 2013), 4-8.
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KEVIN KLING: UNRAVELED | STUDY GUIDE | 2026
Guiding Questions: 1. What is this poem about? Summarize the text. 2. What literary devices do you recognize in this poem? Consider: imagery, metaphor, assonance, consonance, alliteration, juxtaposition, enjambment, paradox, anaphora, symbolism, rhyme, etc. Annotate the text. 3. What do the words “fallow” and “refract” mean? 4. What is the tone of the poem? What is the mood? 5. What is the poem’s narration style? How does this point of view affect the reader? 6. What does the color pink represent in this poem?
Discuss: 1. Kling has stated that the idea for this poem came from an idiom his mother used to say: “In the pink,” meaning feeling healthy. How does this inform your understanding of the poem? 2. Consider the last three lines of the poem. What does it mean to “grow toward” loss? How does the narrator of the poem feel about growing toward loss? 3. What topics and/or themes are explored in “Tickled Pink” that are explored elsewhere in the play? 4. Why might Kevin Kling have chosen to end Unraveled with this particular poem? Listen to Kevin Kling reciting “Tickled Pink” HERE.
More Threads to Unravel: Suggested Reading and Viewing Looking to explore the contextual world of Kevin Kling: Unraveled further? From Shriners Hospital for Children to Soviet Czechoslovakia, these short and accessible readings and videos offer compelling insight into many of the places and topics explored in Kling’s play. * If you’re looking to avoid spoilers, check out these resources after seeing the play at MRT!
“A Short History: Shriners Hospital for Children & Shriners of North America” This reading offers a concise history of the Ancient Arabic Order of the Nobles of the Mystic Shrine (A.A.O.N.M.S.) and its philanthropy, the founding of Shriners Hospital, and information on the hospital’s orthopedic research. “Jerry Lewis MDA Telethon Carnival Kit” by WeirdPaul on YouTube From 1966 to 2010, actor and comedian Jerry Lewis hosted an annual telethon to raise funds for the Muscular Dystrophy Association. Children watching the telethon were encouraged to purchase a carnival kit, which they could use to host a carnival at home and raise money for the cause. In this short video, Paul Petrovsky shows viewers what these carnival kits include.
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Note: This video contains a couple of brief jokes that may not be appropriate for younger students.
“Jerry Lewis and ‘The Crippler’” by Stephen Kuusisto In this article, American poet Stephen Kuuisto reflects on the complicated nature of Jerry Lewis’s MDA Telethons. Kuusisto describes the problematic rise of the telethon in post-WWII America and references the work of disability historian Paul K. Longmore. Note: This article contains a quotation from Lewis that expresses ableist views and explicit language.
“The Wanderings of Oisin” from Selected Poems by William Butler Yeats In William Butler Yeats’s epic poem, Oisin, a hero, poet, and warrior of Irish legend, recounts his centuries-long stay in the Immortal Islands to St. Patrick. In these extracts, Oisin falls in love with the fairy Niamh, who whisks him away to the faerie realm.
“Introduction” and “Performing Arts” from Cultural Exchange and the Cold War: Raising the Iron Curtain by Yale Richmond In Unraveled, Kling reflects on his time in Soviet Czechoslovakia, where he performed with the Louisville Actors’ Theatre. These brief chapters from Cultural Exchange and the Cold War: Raising the Iron Curtain provide additional context by explaining and exploring the cultural exchanges that took place between the United States and the Soviet Union during the Cold War. “Velvet Revolution in Czechoslovakia” by Thomas Tandy Lewis This article provides an overview of the Velvet Revolution and its preceding events. “Czechoslovakia’s Velvet Revolution, 1989 – in pictures” by Bohumil Eichler These photographs, taken by Czech photographer Bohumil Eichler, depict life in Czechoslovakia during the Velvet Revolution.
“Hephaestus” by John K. Manos This article describes Hephaestus, the Greek god of blacksmiths, artisans, metallurgy, and fire. Widely considered the only disabled Greco-Roman deity, Hephaestus was expelled from Olympus for possessing a physical difference that caused lameness, but was ultimately welcomed back among the gods due to his remarkable skill and craftsmanship.
“Why Shakespeare’s Richard III became a controversial villain” by Tracey Sinclair This article explores the history and legacy of Shakespeare’s infamous villain, Richard III, by examining the polarizing historical figure, Shakespeare’s complicated portrayal of disability in Richard III, and calls from disabled theatre-makers who feel the title role should be played by more disabled actors. “David Bowie at the Berlin Wall: the incredible story of a concert and its role in history” by Max Fisher This article explores the cultural and historical impact of David Bowie’s 1977 song, “Heroes,” and Bowie's now-iconic performance of the song in West Berlin in 1987.
“David Bowie – Heroes” (Performed Live in 2002) by Broken Ridge Records on YouTube In this video, David Bowie performs “Heroes” live in Berlin, 15 years after playing the song in front of the Reichstag in West Berlin in 1987.
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KEVIN KLING: UNRAVELED
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