Broke-ology, KC Rep 2024-2025 Season

Page 1


FEB 11 - MAR 2, 2025

COPAKEN STAGE

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Welcome to Copaken Stage

for KCRep's 2025 production of Nathan Louis Jackson's

for KCRep's 2025 production of Nathan Jackson's

PHOTOGRAPHY

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Scenic Design: EDWARD E. HAYNES, JR.

Lighting Design: MICHELLE HARVEY

Note: Videotaping, photography or other video or audio recording of and during this production is strictly prohibited.

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VALUES INCLUSION, DIVERSITY, EQUITY,

CRep is engaged in a deliberate, strategic, and heart-expanding process of educating and involving our board and staff in the important work of Inclusion, Diversity, Equity and Anti-Racism (IDEA). An all-volunteer committee of staff and board members work to create a more inclusive company culture by identifying barriers and suggesting changes in practice and policy at KCRep.

One of the ways we practice our IDEA values is through a Land Acknowledgment: a formal statement that recognizes and respects Indigenous Peoples as traditional stewards of this land. To recognize the land is an expression of gratitude and appreciation to those whose territory you reside on, a way of showing awareness of Indigenous presence and land rights in everyday life.

EQUITY, AND ANTI-RACISM (IDEA) IN ALL WE DO.

Our Land Acknowledgment

You’ll hear our current land acknowledgment read before the production. This acknowledgment is ever evolving; scan the code above to read it in its latest form. We began developing our land acknowledgment after producing the world premiere of Native American playwright Larissa FastHorse’s What Would Crazy Horse Do in 2017 on our Copaken Stage. As part of our commitment to learning the stories of the people who are native to our area, we are currently working to bring more Indigenous voices to our stages. We have partnered with The Great Plains Theatre Commons (GPCT), Tofte Lakes Center, and Tulsa Artists Fellowship to create the Four Directions Playwright Residency for early career Native playwrights. Last fall, we staged

a reading of Representatives for Those at Peace, a new play by our first Four Directions recipient playwright, Madeline Easley. Additionally, we created the American Crossroads Residency program to highlight local stories and have commissioned Cherokee playwright Mary Kathryn Nagle to write an OriginKC: World Premiere play centered around Indigenous experiences in Kansas City. These residencies are multiyear investments in increasing the number of plays written by Indigenous playwrights that are available to be produced.

Get Involved

Learn more about these programs and the rest of our IDEA initiatives by scanning the QR code above to visit kcrep.org/inclusion — we have compiled a list of local and national resources there that you can use to get involved and further your own learning.

Image: (L-R) Jen Olivares DeLanna Studi, Jennifer Bobiwash, and Jennifer Attocknie in KCRep’s 2023 staged reading of REPRESENTATIVES FOR THOSE AT PEACE. Photo: Don Ipock

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HISTORY

CRep enters it’s 61st season as source of inspiration to thousands of our nation’s best artists and to millions of Americans in Kansas City and beyond. Missouri Repertory Theatre was founded in 1964 by Dr. Patricia A. McIlrath, who is among a select few pioneers of the regional theater movement who believed that theater could change the world and could change our town. Kansas City’s citizens continue to benefit from Dr. Mac’s passionate commitment to artistic excellence, innovation, education, and community transformation. Under her direction, KC’s theatre fans enjoyed many memorable shows, including an unforgettable 1983 production of The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby. Dr. Mac’s vision for providing professional experience to early career artists continues today through our partnership with UMKC.

Following Dr. Mac’s retirement in 1985, George Keathley was appointed as Artistic Director. During his tenure, and through his partnership with Executive Director James D. Costin, MRT was established as the pinnacle of artistic achievement for local theatre artists, creating a legacy of excellence through work in the civic community and with legendary MRT productions such as Dracula and Richard III.

In 2000, Peter Altman joined MRT as Artistic Director for a seven-year tenure. His vision included laying the groundwork to promote the city more aggressively as a center for nationally recognized theatre artists, and he spearheaded changing the theatre’s name to Kansas City Repertory Theatre in 2006 to help achieve this goal. He also helped create KCRep’s second permanent performance venue, Copaken

Stage, in Kansas City’s downtown Power & Light District.

Eric Rosen was hired as Producing Artistic Director in 2007. During his tenure, he was instrumental in cultivating a national reputation and brand for KCRep and the city as a destination for reimagined classics such as Into the Woods and Evita, and critically acclaimed new works, including Clay, Venice, and Between the Lines

In 2013, KCRep returned to the co-CEO structure when Rosen was partnered with Executive Director Angela Lee Gieras. Together, they led the company through a successful campaign for, and renovation of Spencer Theatre, crafted a five-year, $5 million campaign that increased investment in audiences, new works, and education, and rebranded the organization.

In 2019, director, producer, and educator Stuart Carden joined KCRep as its fifth Artistic Director. Deeply committed to centering KCRep in this region, Stuart believes the arts play a crucial role in strengthening communities. With an eye towards creating transformative theater experiences for all, Stuart brought KCRep productions to the grounds of the World War I Museum and Memorial, the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, and Roanoke Park. Further expanding our reach, in 2022 Stuart launched KCRep for All, our expansive community tour that takes KCRep to community centers, libraries, and other public spaces all over the region. He strives to provide greater access to our art form and to reflect the passions, curiosities, and stories of the diverse communities that make KC such a vibrant city.

Visit KCRep.org for more info and a list of all KCRep productions.

Stuart Carden
Dr. Mac
Peter Altman
Eric Rosen
James D. Costin (left) & George Keathley
Angela Lee Gieras

CONTACT US | QUESTIONS

Box Office: 816.235.2700

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ACCESS

Both of KCRep’s theatres — Spencer Theatre and Copaken Stage — are ADA accessible and parking spaces are readily available. Infrared hearing systems and large-print and Braille programs are available free of charge at the lobby coat check counter in both of our theatres. One performance of each show is interpreted in American Sign Language.

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When possible, latecomers will be seated toward the back of the house, at the discretion of KCRep’s House Management staff.

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Discounts are available for groups of nine or more, and many additional perks are offered, including private party spaces, assistance planning your special group event, and prime seating in the theatre. To schedule an event or for more information, please call Group Sales at 816.235.5771 or email us at tickets@kcrep.org.

EDUCATORS

Are you a teacher interested in bringing your class to a student matinee performance or participating in a custom-designed classroom workshop created around your curriculum? Call Melinda McCrary at 816.235.2707 or email her at mccrarym@kcrep.org for more info.

MAKE A GIFT TODAY!

KCRep is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization, which means we rely on the generosity of our fans and friends. If you are inspired by what you see on stage today, please consider making a donation by calling 816.235.5420 or online at KCRep.org/Support

There

BOARD of DIRECTORS

(Listing as of January 17, 2025)

CHAIR

Andrew Kaplan** VICE-CHAIR

Melea McRae**

TREASURER

Mary Cook Jorgenson**

COMMITTEE

CHAIRS Development

Ashlei Holznecht** Endowment

Laura E. Tucker McCubbin** Executive

Andrew Kaplan** Finance

Mary Cook Jorgenson** Governance

Ivan R. Batlle**

Judge Jon R. Gray (Ret.)** Human Resources & Compensation

Kerri S. Reisdorff**

IDEA Committee

Stewart S. Myers** Shawna Roath**

ADVISORY DIRECTORS

Donald J. Hall (1928-2024)

Irvine O. Hockaday, Jr.

John B. Francis (1917-2004)

William C. Nelson (1937-2014)

DIRECTORS

C. Mauli Agrawal, Ph.D.*

Becky Blades

Dr. Jennifer Collier

Bunni Copaken**

Courtney Crappell*

David W. Frantze **

Douglas N. Ghertner

Brett Gray

Laura Hall**

Scott Hall**

Hayley E. Hanson

Shannon Johnson

John H. (Topper) Johntz, Jr.**

Honorary Vice Chair

LaMonica Madden

David R. Morris

Robyn Murphy

Patricia O’Connor

Richard Singleton III

Hillary Stamper

Benjamin Stone, M.D.

Julie Towner

Michelle Webb

Sara E. Welch

Tina Youngblood

DISTINGUISHED DIRECTORS

Debby Ballard

Irvin V. Belzer

Bill Blessing

SECRETARY

Chris Hernandez**

Scott Boswell

Rob Bratcher

Ann King Dickinson (1944-2024)

Courtney Goddard

Deanna Graves

Greg Graves

Nancy P. Hatch

Mike Lochmann

George Shadid

Myra Siegel

Jo Ann Sullivan

Bert Trucksess

Abigail Wendel

DIRECTOR EMERITI

Emily Ballentine

Thomas R. Brous (1943-2023)

William L. Bruning

Linda Cozad

Barbara Fay

Robert Firnhaber (1935-2024)

Mark S. Gilman

J. Gordon Kingsley

Jeannette Nichols (1925-2024)

Marvin W. Ozley

Sally Rheinfrank

Sally West

*Ex-officio, UMKC **Executive Committee

ARTISTIC DIRECTOR'S NOTE

City’s most talented and most loved playwrights and artists.

As we gather in this space, we are reminded of the power of storytelling to connect us to our roots, our families, and to each other. Broke-ology is a testament to that power. In it, Nathan captured the heart and soul of a family struggling with love, loss, and the ties that bind, bringing to life the complexities of what it means to navigate hardship with grace, humor, and unwavering resilience.

Nathan was not just a brilliant writer, but a voice for our community— a voice that spoke with authenticity, wise wit, and an understanding of the human condition that touched everyone who encountered him and his writing. His passing just over

with this production, we invite you to experience the intimacy, the laughter, the sorrow, and the hope that he so effortlessly wove into the fabric of Brokeology. This play is more than a story; it is a living tribute to a man whose words have left an indelible mark on the world and on all of us who had the privilege to know him, whether through his work or in life.

Thank you for joining us in this celebration of Nathan Louis Jackson’s extraordinary talent and this rich and rewarding story set right across the river in Kansas City, Kansas. We are honored to bring his vision to life once more on KCRep stages where his journey as a playwright began.

At Kansas City Repertory Theatre, we believe in the power of performance — and in the power of giving .

Join our Legacy Society and ensure that future generations experience transformative theatre at Kansas City Repertory Theatre. Make a planned gift by including us in your will, revocable living trust, or name KCRep as a beneficiary on an IRA, 401(k), life insurance policy, or donor advised fund!

As a member, you will receive invitations to special events and inclusion in our Legacy Society listing. Create a lasting impact for future theatre lovers!

If you’ve already included the theatre in your plans – THANK YOU! Contact Carrie Lenahan at lenahanc@kcrep.org or call 816.235.5420 to be recognized. See a listing of current Legacy Society members on page 77 of this program.

Amari Lewis in KCRep’s 2024 production of LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS.
Photo: Don Ipock

Stuart Carden, Artistic Director

by NATHAN LOUIS JACKSON presents

BROKE-OLOGY

scenic design

EDWARD E. HAYNES, JR.

sound design

JOSHUA NGUYEN

casting ANDI MEYER

costume design

JESSICA TEAIRA CRAWFORD

associate director/ dramaturg

MELONNIE WALKER

production stage manager ALEX MURPHY*

directed by

lighting design MICHELLE HARVEY

assistant director

TERRACE WYATT, JR.

assistant stage manager ADDISON PRICE*

FRANCOIS BATTISTE

COPAKEN FAMILY FUND

supporting sponsors

ADDITIONAL SUPPORT PROVIDED BY HERB & BONNIE BUCHBINDER

The World Premiere of BROKE-OLOGY was produced by the Williamstown Theatre Festival, Nicholas Martin, Artistic Director, on July 9, 2008. Originally produced in New York City by Lincoln Center Theatre in 2009. "Broke-ology" is presented by special arrangement with Broadway Licensing, LLC, servicing the Dramatists Play Service imprint. (www.dramatists.com).

*DenotesMembersofActors’EquityAssociation,theUnionofProfessionalActors&StageManagersintheUnitedStates.

CAST

William King ................................................................................... MELVIN ABSTON*

Ennis King ............................................................................. ROBERT COPPAGE III*

Malcolm King RAFFEAL SEARS*

Sonia King .....................................................................................

TEONNA WESLEY*

UNDERSTUDIES

ASHLEY BOWEN for Sonia King

CAMERON FERGUSON* for William King

VAUGHAN W. HARRISON for Malcolm King

SHANE ST. JAMES for Ennis King

Understudies never substitute for the listed performers unless a specific announcement is made at the time of the appearance.

*Denotes Members of Actors’ Equity Association, the Union of Professional Actors and Stage Managers in the United States.

PLACE

The King household in Kansas City, Kansas.

TIME

In the 1980s and the summer of 2009.

Financial assistance for this project has been provided by the Missouri Arts Council, a state agency. This project is supported in part by an award from the National Endowment for the Arts BROKE-OLOGY will be performed with one 15-minute intermission.

This theatre operates under an agreement between the League of Resident Theatres and Actors’ Equity Association, the Union of Professional Actors and Stage Managers in the United States.

The Director is a member of the STAGE DIRECTORS AND CHOREOGRAPHERS SOCIETY, a national theatrical labor union.

The Scenic, Costume, Lighting and Sound Designers in LORT Theatres are represented by United Scenic Artists Local USA-829 IATSE.

Kansas City Repertory Theatre is the professional theatre in residence at UMKC.

Along with the nationwide theatre community, we were shocked and saddened by the loss of our friend, Nathan Louis Jackson, in 2023. To celebrate his legacy, we are proud to revisit Broke-ology, a long-time favorite of KCRep audiences, fifteen years after it was first produced on our Copaken Stage. A playwright and screenwriter, Nathan was born and raised in Kansas City, Kansas, and his plays were influenced by his Midwest upbringing.

NATHAN LOUIS JACKSON

DEC 4 , 1978 - AUG 22 , 2023

KCRep was fortunate to have had Nathan with us for six years as

an Andrew W. Mellon Foundation Artist-in-Residence. Between 2010 and 2018, we produced four of his plays (including two world premieres) at Copaken Stage: Broke-ology, When I Come to Die, Sticky Traps, and Brother Toad. He was also a featured storyteller appearing in our first ever Ghost Light: A Haunted Night of Songs and Stories from KC's Cultural Crossroads in 2020. His artistry left lasting impressions on our audiences, and his generosity of spirit, tenacious work-ethic, and passion for storytelling cemented deep and treasured friendships among many in the KCRep community. Read on to learn more about Nathan's life and legacy in the following excerpts from the article, Kansas City playwright Nathan Louis Jackson, who got to 'the real stuff,' dies at 44, by C. J. Janovy, KCUR's Director of Content - Journalism, published on the KCUR website on August 26, 2023.

NATHAN LOUIS JACKSON'S work often showcased his love for his hometown. Having lived and worked on both coasts, Nathan’s "heart belonged in Kansas City," his family said in the statement. "Nathan was especially passionate about bar-b-que and his Kansas City Chiefs. Jackson was a devoted supporter of the arts community within Kansas City." Jackson graduated from Washington High School, Kansas City, Kansas Community College, and Kansas State University. He then earned a Master of Fine Arts in playwriting at the Juilliard School in New York City. His plays were performed at the Lincoln Center Theater and other prestigious venues.

[In addition to being the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation Playwright in Residence at KCRep for six years,] Jackson also spent time in Los Angeles. His television credits include Netflix's "Luke Cage" and "13 Reasons Why," NBC's

“Southland," and Showtime's “Shameless,” among others. Jackson twice won the Lorraine Hansberry Playwriting Award, was the recipient of the Mark Twain Comedy Playwriting Award, and was awarded the Kennedy Center’s Gold Medallion.

One of his goals was to increase diversity in the theater, a mission reinforced by his experience in New York. Jackson knew one way to bring theater to all audiences was to get into communities. "And we’re talking about communities who have been silent, people haven’t listened to them," he said.

KCUR reporters witnessed Jackson's work with students at the Paseo Academy of Fine and Performing Arts and Central Academy of Excellence. At Central, Jackson was participating in a collaboration between KCUR and the Kansas City Public School District for an investigative project called The Argument. KCUR and its partners were exploring the motives behind Kansas City’s homicides.

"Nathan was working on staging his play at KCRep, Brother Toad," said KCUR's Laura Ziegler. "The play was about a black teenager who survives a shooting in which the teen's friend is killed."

Jackson visited the school every other week for the semester, working with kids on shaping their narratives. "[He] nurtured these young people as if they were his own kids," Ziegler said. "He listened, demonstrated technique, edited their words and directed them on stage as they performed their stories for classmates, their families and friends. It was an unforgettable experience for all of us," she said. "It’s a matter of coming in, being honest with them, opening up the room to say, 'Hey, let me tell you my story, let me be vulnerable for a minute,' because there’s a vulnerability in telling your story," Jackson told Ziegler. "I like to ask things that get them to dig deep: What’s your first memory growing up? Are you scared of anything? Hey, do you dream? How do you feel when you go home? What’s your home life like? And then once they start talking, we get to the real stuff."

Jackson told Ziegler he wanted to give students "a safe place where they’re not going to be made to feel lame or stupid." Once they understood they were in such an environment, he said, "I want to tell them it's OK to stand out:

Your mind is in a different place from everyone else.' All of us artists have been in that world and we may be a little weird, but that weirdness is going to take us to another level. It’s cool to be weird; weird is awesome. If there’s anything I want these kids to learn, it's that I want them to want to be the one who stands out, the one who people say: 'There’s something up with that guy.'"

Jackson's family statement said he would be "remembered by his loved ones for his warmth and kindness, and his phone calls. He did not believe in text messaging, preferring to speak voice-to-voice whenever possible." Jackson is survived by his wife, Megan Mascorro-Jackson, two children, Amaya and Savion Jackson, his mother, Bessie Jackson, and siblings Ebony Maddox and Wardell Jackson.

Images: (Page 35) Nathan Louis Jackson. Photo: T. Charles Erickson. | (Pages 36 & 37) Nathan Louis Jackson works with high school students at Central Academy of Excellence on a collaborative project with KCUR. Photos: Laura Ziegler / KCUR 89.3

Q: You have a long history with Broke-ology, from being a young actor performing the role of Ennis, to now directing it two times. What does this play mean to you personally?

A:Broke-ology, at its core, celebrates family at their most critical juncture, leaning in and lifting up each other letting love and laughter lead the way.

I suppose, with any great story, its meaning will take on different resonance at different periods based, in large part, on one’s age and life experience. Initially, when I read Broke-ology I felt an instant kinship with both brothers. Identifying with how they bounced off of one another and maneuvered through their respective journeys. Having grown up with two older brothers, I was well-versed in both the sibling synergy and conflict dynamics. An insight that provided me a unique window into Ennis’ and Malcolm's relationship.

Q & A with FRANCOIS BATTISTE

I was also struck with how William navigates a debilitating illness that renders him incapable of working a job that gives him purpose and providing for his sons. When William gingerly comes downstairs, at the top of the play, donning a pirate patch covering up his eye which shifted placement while he slept, took me directly back to my childhood. Once, when I was about six years old, I came downstairs to see my mother preparing breakfast with sunglasses on. When I asked her why she was wearing sunglasses indoors, she took them off and revealed that her eye had drifted overnight on its own. The look of perplexity and fear was etched on my Mother’s face. Being a child, it was hard to process. I recall feeling helpless, sad, and as though I'd seen something I shouldn’t've. Unbeknownst to me, my Mother, like William, had been diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. Nathan captured that moment so delicately.

As time has passed, and as I’ve matured, the play now lands a deeper existential blow. In accordance with absorbing life’s many challenges, like processing death, Broke-ology asks the question of “how exactly do we traverse the inevitable concern of providing an aging parent with the medical, psychological, and physical care they need, and deserve?”

Photo: Doug Cupid

It’s a complicated, emotional issue, involving many factors, that currently my brother and I find ourselves entrenched in.

Q: The play addresses issues of economic hardship and familial responsibility. How do you bring these themes to life in a way that resonates with today’s audience, especially considering the play takes place in Kansas City, Kansas — a place many audiences members will be very familiar with?

A: This is a universal story told through a very specific lens. I believe that Nathan’s writing captures economic anxieties with such precision that my job is to provide a pathway for the actors to lean into both the humor, and the stresses of struggle. The more specific, the more universal. Encouraging them to excavate the psychological burdens that come with witnessing the degradation of your once thriving community, or the emotional pull that comes from despising your job while simultaneously carrying the obligation of providing for your significant other and newborn child, or the seemingly impossible task of financially supporting an ailing parent that may (or may not) be better served in an assisted living facility where the cost of care is astronomical, and the care itself seems highly questionable. These are issues that many grapple with no matter the demographic or socio-economic background.

Q: What have you learned, as a director and artist, from working on this production?

A: This play was pivotal to my development both as an actor, and director in ways still being revealed.

I feel Broke-ology is fundamentally a love story. A husband and wife (even in passing) that are deeply in love and devoted to one another. Siblings that share an unbreakable bond and tremendous respect for each other. Love for their neighborhood, their culture, and community from which they’ve sprung. Love of one’s vocation that has given their life meaning and has both creatively and practically sustained them. Identifying love, and its myriad ripple effects, has been the galvanizing navigational element that infuses my approach as director in story telling, even when considering various design elements that help amplify the story and deliver the production.

Q: Lastly, you had a close friendship with playwright Nathan Louis Jackson. What do you hope audiences learn about him and his legacy through this work?

A: Audiences will undoubtedly feel Nathan’s sense of humor, his heart, his intellect, his love for family, and passion for bar-b-que, and dominoes! Nate was the kind of brother that found humor in any situation. He could write about centaurs and cornbread in the same sentence and make it make sense! He absolutely loved his hometown, and yet wasn’t afraid to spread his wings and conquer distant lands. He possessed a confidence that allowed him to walk with giants and not lose the common touch. He was a master at using humor both as a diffusing mechanism and as a tool to broaden perspective. His ability to keep our mouths open with laughter while simultaneously delivering a gut-punch of truth is a characteristic richly embedded in his writing.

BROKE-OLOGY CAST

(In Alphabetical Order)

MELVIN ABSTON*

William King

RAFFEAL SEARS*

Malcolm King

ROBERT COPPAGE III*

Ennis King

Sonia King

UNDERSTUDIES

Sonia King U/S

William King U/S

Malcolm King U/S

Ennis King U/S

* Denotes Members of Actors’ Equity Association, the Union of Professional Actors & Stage Managers in the United States.

TEONNA WESLEY*
ASHLEY BOWEN
CAMERON FERGUSON*
VAUGHAN W. HARRISON
SHANE ST. JAMES

CAST

MELVIN ABSTON

(William King) (He/Him)

KCRep: debut. Broadway: Purlie Victorious, Death of a Salesman, Skittles Commercial The Broadway Musical and Sister Act The Musical. National Tours: The Little Mermaid, Sister Act the Musical, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat and The Lion King. Regional: Brokeology (B Street Theatre); ABCD (Barrington Stage Company); Toni Stone, Spunk (Roundabout Theatre); The Color Purple (Drury Lane); Animal Farm (Baltimore Center Stage/Milwaukee Rep); All The Way (ZACH Theatre); Memphis (La Jolla Playhouse/5th Avenue Theatre); Let Me Live, The Amen Corner (Goodman Theatre). Film/ TV: Law & Order: SVU, Blue Bloods, Gotham, Weeds, Awake, Raising Hope, Grey’s Anatomy, ER, Early Edition, Solace and Chastity Bites. Awards: Winner: Austin Critics Table Award-Best Supporting Actor for All The Way; Central Texas Excellence in Theatre Award-Best Supporting Actor for All The Way; 5th Ave Theatre Subscriber Choice AwardOutstanding Male Actor in a Featured Role for The Little Mermaid; BTAA-Best

Featured Actor in a Musical for The Color Purple. Member, SAG/AFTRA. AEA Member

ROBERT COPPAGE III

(Ennis King) (He/Him)

KCRep: Peter Pan & Wendy. Local: Toni Stone (Unicorn Theatre); Grapes of Wrath (Arts Asylum); We Shall Not Be Moved (The Coterie); A Raisin in the Sun, Two Trains Running (KC Melting Pot Theatre); Fair Ball (Theatre for Young America); Trouble In Mind (Kansas City Actors Theatre). Film: The Devil Comes to Kansas City (Tubi), Deadlock (Tubi), The Unseen (Amazon Prime), Winterset (TBA), Rise & Shine (TBA). Television: Love at First Bite (HSTV), Family Feud (CBS). Instagram: @robertecoppageiii, tribeuniversity.org

AEA Member

RAFFEAL SEARS

(Malcolm King) (He/Him)

KCRep: debut. Local: Alexander and the Terrible, No Good, Very Bad Day (The Coterie). Regional: Twelfth Night (Yale Repertory Theatre); Amazing the Change (Atlantic Theater Company); A Christmas Carol (St. Louis Rep); The African Company Presents Richard III, Twelfth Night (Great River Shakespeare Festival); A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Cymbeline (Illinois Shakespeare Festival); Dontrell, Who

Kissed the Sea, The Grapes of Wrath (University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign).

Voiceover: Grand Theft Auto: The Ballad of Gay Tony (Rockstar Games). Television: Chicago Fire (NBC). Awards: Shozo Sato: Excellence in Performance Award

Recipient. Education: MFA, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign; BS, Belmont University.

Instagram: @raffeal.sears, raffealsears.com

AEA Member

TEONNA WESLEY (Sonia King) (She/Her)

KCRep: the ripple, the wave that carried me home (Understudy/Janice), The Royale, for colored girls who have considered suicide/when the rainbow is enuf, A Christmas Carol. Local: Honky!, The Colored Museum (The Black Repertory Theatre of Kansas City); Tomorrow Inshallah (The Living Room Theatre); Regional: Steel Magnolias, Cinderella, The Royale, Mountain Octopus (Creede Repertory Theatre). Education: New York Conservatory for Dramatic Arts. @Tefamous AEA Member

UNDERSTUDIES

ASHLEY BOWEN (Sonia King Understudy) (She/They)

KCRep: A Christmas Carol, Cyrano

broke-ology

de Bergerac u/s. Local: Not I, Fixing King John, The 39 Steps, Thinner than Water (UMKC Theatre). Regional: War of the Roses- Part II: Curses & Queens, The Tempest (Advice to the Players); Romeo & Juliet, A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Hoosier Shakespeare Festival); Tamale Season (workshop at KC Public Theatre); As You Like It, Imbroglio, The African Company Presents Richard III, Twelfth Night, Romeo & Juliet, Romeo & Juliet podcast, The Tempest u/s (Great River Shakespeare Festival); The Session u/s (KC Melting Pot); The Battlefields of Clara Barton (workshop at Zach Theatre). Playwriting: Smile, You’re on Camera (staged reading at KC Public Theatre). Education: BA in Government, BA in Theatre & Dance with an emphasis in Performer’s Process, University of Texas at Austin; MFA in Acting & Directing, University of MissouriKansas City. Instagram: @teao3 ashbowen.com

CAMERON FEGUSON (William King Understudy) (He/Him) KCRep: debut. Regional: All the Rage, Oscar and Felix (Playhouse West). International: The Wizarding World of Harry Potter (Universal Studios Japan). TV/Film: The Bold and the Beautiful (CBS).

Education: MBA, MS Marketing and MA Arts Administration, University of Cincinnati; BM in Vocal Arts, University of Southern California. Upcoming: Turandot (Lyric Opera of Kansas City).

Affiliations: SAG-AFTRA, AGMA. AEA Member

VAUGHAN W. HARRISON

(Malcolm King Understudy) (He/Him) KCRep: debut. KCRep: debut. Local: Hip Hop Cinderella, Thoughts of a Colored Man, Blues in The Night (Black Rep KC); Sweeney Todd, Secret Garden (Music Theater Heritage); Parade (Metropolitan Ensemble Theater). Awards: The Kansas City Pitch – Best Debut for Parade. Upcoming: Thoughts of a Colored Man Reprisal (Black Rep KC). Instagram: @ImagineerVaughan

SHANE ST. JAMES

(Ennis King Understudy) (He/ Him) KCRep: debut. Local: Christmas Ain’t A Drag (The Black Box Kansas City); The Disappointments (Kansas City Public Theatre); Joseph…Dreamcoat (Theatre Atchison Pro); Porgy and Bess, It’s A Wonderful Life: Radio, Gypsy (Music Theater Heritage); Beautiful: Carole King, Rocky: The Musical (MTKC Pro), Oliver!, Judgement at Nuremberg (Metropolitan

Ensemble Theatre); Ragtime: Concert (The Barn Players); Bright Star, Sweeney Todd (STG); Kinky Boots, The Addams Family (The White Theatre); Clue: On Stage (Encore Theatre); Disney Descendants (TTIP); and more. TV/Commerical: Rally House (Rally House, Inc.); T-Mobile (Panay Films, Inc.); 2023 NFL Draft Featured Documentary (NFL Productions). Affiliations: Moxie Talent Agency (KC); TalentPlus (StL). @stshanejames

CREATIVE TEAM

NATHAN LOUIS JACKSON

(Playwright) Nathan Louis Jackson was an alum of Kansas City Kansas Community College and Kansas State University. He received the Lila Acheson Wallace fellowship and did his graduate work at The Juilliard School. His plays include Broke-ology (Kansas City Repertory Theatre, Williamstown Theatre Festival and Lincoln Center), When I Come to Die (Kansas City Repertory Theatre, Lincoln Center), Sticky Traps, Brother Toad (Kansas City Repertory Theatre), The Mancherios, and The Last Black Play. Jackson received commissions from Lincoln Center, The Roundabout

Theater Company, and Manhattan Theatre Club. At Kansas State University, he was actively involved with the Ebony Theatre (as a director and as president) and participated in The Kennedy Center Summer Playwriting Intensive. Jackson twice won the Lorraine Hansberry Playwriting Award, was the recipient of the Mark Twain Comedy Playwriting Award, and was awarded the Kennedy Center’s Gold Medallion. Jackson wrote for television as well, with credits for Southland (NBC), Shameless (Showtime), Luke Cage (Netflix), and 13 Reasons Why (Netflix), and for the film, Genius: Aretha. Nathan was an Andrew W. Mellon Foundation Artistin-Residence at Kansas City Repertory Theatre for six years. Learn more about him in the feature article on Page 35 of this program.

FRANCOIS BATTISTE

(Director) (He/Him) Other Directing Credits include: Broke-ology (B-Street Theater Company), Hospice (Illinois State University). Acting Credits: Broadway: Bronx Bombers (Circle in the Square), Prelude to a Kiss (Roundabout), Magic/ Bird (Longacre) directed by Tommy Kail. OffBroadway: The Merchant of Venice w/ Al Pacino, and The Winter’s Tale w/

Jesse Tyler Furgeson in Shakespeare in the Park. Francois won the OBIE Award for his performance in The Good Negro at the Public Theater. World premiere of Broke-ology w/ Wendell Pierce (Lincoln Center), Head of Passes w/ Phylicia Rashad (Mark Taper), Dominique Morriseu’s Paradise Blue (Signature Theater), and Detroit ’67 (The Public). Francois received the 2023 Best Leading Actor AUDELCO award for Walter Lee Younger in A Raisin in the Sun at The Public Theater, where he appeared alongside his then ten-year-old son, Toussaint F. Battiste, who was making his stage debut as Travis Younger. Raisin’ received the 2023 Lucille Lortel Award for Best Revival, and was directed by the TONY-nominated director Robert O’ Hara. Last season he originated the role of Colonel Jock Martin in the World Premiere of Here We Are, Stephen Sondheim’s final musical, written by David Ives, Directed by Joe Mantello. Malcolm X in the London premiere of One Night in Miami at the Donmar Warehouse, (Olivier nomination). Broadway National Tour: TONY-Award winning production of August Wilson’s Jitney. TV: The

Caine Mutiny Court-Martial (Showtime); NBC’s Law & Order Organized Crime, and SVU; ABC’s 10 Days in the Valley, Godfather of Harlem (MGM+), New Amsterdam (NBC), Station 19 (ABC), EVIL (CBS), The Family (ABC), The Normal Heart (HBO), Person of Interest (CBS), Are We There Yet? (TBS), and The Good Wife (CBS). Training: Juilliard, BADA at Oxford University, and Illinois State University (ISU College of Fine Art Hall of Fame).

EDWARD E. HAYNES, JR. (Scenic Design) (He/Him) KCRep: debut. Regional: Several projects at The Muny Opera, The Pasadena Playhouse, Laguna Playhouse, La Jolla Playhouse, Geffen Playhouse, Oregon Shakespeare Festival, Mark Taper Forum, Ebony Repertory Theatre Co., South Coast Rep, Kirk Douglas Theatre, Berkeley Rep, East West Players, Hollywood Bowl, Marin Theatre Co., TheatreWorks, Intiman Theatre, Trinity Rep, Pittsburg City Theater, Alley Theatre, Alliance Theatre, and more. Televison: Spring Break (MTV, 2011-2012), Hip Hop Harry, The Tony Rock Project, and Culture Clash. edhaynes.carbonmade.com

broke-ology

JESSICA TEAIRA CRAWFORD

(Costume Design) (She/Her)

KCRep: debut. Regional: Pippin (SU Drama), Pippin (Weston Playhouse), The Fairy Queen (Manhattan School of Music), Singing In The Rain, Hair (Weston Playhouse), Hamlet (The Public Theater). Associate Design: El Nino, Champion (The Metropolitan Opera), Love Love Love (Studio Theater), Rigoletto (The Atlanta Opera), The Skin Of Our Teeth (Lincoln Center -Broadway). Television: Power (S4), November (The Shed). Education: Syracuse University 2017. Upcoming: Princess Ida (Manhattan School of Music). Instagram: @Jessibaxx, jessicatcrawford.com.

MICHELLE HARVEY

(Lighting Design) (She/Her)

KCRep: Stillwater, Fire in Dreamland, Lot’s Wife, What Would Crazy Horse Do?, Unreliable. Local: The Glass Menagerie (Musical Theatre Heritage). Regional: ShakesFear, Our Town (Nebraska Repertory Theatre); Dance Nation, POTUS (Bluebarn Theatre); The Wilds (Unreal Collaboration); Limitless (Mirage Theatre, Las Vegas); Presto (The Show Co.); The Marriage of Figaro, The Magic Flute, The Merry Widow (Show-Me

Opera). Lighting Director/ Supervisor: Coal+Ice (Kennedy Center), Rose. Rabbit. Lie. (Cosmopolitan, Las Vegas). Upcoming: Carousel (Musical Theatre Heritage); The Wild Party (Bluebarn Theatre). Education: MFA, University of Nevada-Las Vegas; BFA, University of Nebraska-Lincoln. michelleharveyld.com

JOSHUA NGUYEN

(Sound Design) (He/They)

KCRep: debut. (Sound Regional: Dracula: A Comedy of Terrors (Dallas Theater Center). Associate Designer: Diary of a Tap Dancer (American Repertory Theater); Clue, Disney’s The Little Mermaid, The Rocky Horror Show (Dallas Theater Center); In the Heights (Cleveland Playhouse); Side by Side by Sondheim (Repertory Theater of St. Louis). Education: BFA, Baylor University. Affiliations: TSDCA, CAATA. Instagram: @jashngooyen joshuanguyen.net

MELONNIE WALKER

(Associate Director/ Dramaturg) (She/Her)

KCRep: Freedom Rider, Fences. Local: The Colored Museum, Memphis, Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom,How I Learned What I Learned (The Black Repertory Theater of Kansas City); Eclipsed (Unicorn Theatre); Caroline,

or Change (Spinning Tree Theatre); Radio Golf, Funnyhouse of a Negro, King Hedley II, For Colored Girls, A Raisin in the Sun,Two Trains Running, The Piano Lesson, Fairview, The Amen Corner, Is God Is, Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf, Seven Guitars (KC Melting Pot Theatre). Education: MA Theatre History, UMKC. Upcoming: Fences (KC Melting Pot Theatre).

Affiliations: Literary Managers and Dramaturgs of the Americas

TERRACE WYATT, JR.

(Assistant Director) (He/Him)

KCRep: A Christmas Carol (2014 & 2015), The Royale, Peter Pan & Wendy. Local: Finding Nemo TYA (The Coterie Theatre), Horse Power: Tom Bass’ American Story, The Lightning Thief: The Percy Jackson Musical, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (The Coterie Theatre); The Grapes of Wrath (The Arts Asylum); Boxed (Whim Productions); Is God Is (KC Melting Pot Theatre); Dreamgirls (New Theatre & Restaurant); A Raisin in the Sun (The Black Repertory Theatre of Kansas City); Smart People (Kansas City Actors Theatre); Toni Stone (The Unicorn Theatre); Titanic: The Musical (Music Theatre Heritage); Something Rotten! (The White Theatre at the J), and many more. Film: Wide Awake

Films, Bark Productions, Tech N9ne’s Fatha Fig Ya (FoodFor Thought). Awards: Winner: KC Fringe 2024 – Best of Venue for Black Man, Missouri. Nomination: BroadwayWorld KC –Best Play for Black Man, Missouri. Upcoming: Fences (KC Melting Pot Theatre)

Instagram: @terracewyatt. jr / @terr.studios

Facebook: Terrace Wyatt, Jr. / Terr. Studios

ANDI MEYER (Casting) (She/Her) Based in Osage/Kikapoo/Kansa/ Sioux/Otoe Missouria ancestral territory (Kansas City), Andi is an awardwinning Kanaka Maoli/ Asian American theatre maker/activist, arts educator, and parent. She is the Producing Artistic Director of Tradewind Arts, a boutique arts organization devoted to illuminating, motivating, and amplifying the voice of Native Hawaiian, Oceanic, and Asian American artists. Andi was a 2017-18 Charlotte Street Foundation (CSF) Studio Resident. Her work has been recognized with support from ArtsKC, TCG, Asian Arts Initiative, The Kauffman Foundation, Charlotte Street Foundation, JOCO libraries, InterUrban ArtHouse, and the Dramatists Guild Fund,

as well as two NEA award winning projects in partnership with The Coterie Theatre including Hana’s Suitcase and Justice at War. Andi’s directorial credits include Edith Can Shoot Things and Hit Them for Tradewind Arts; Justice at War at The Coterie; and Nomad Motel and Poor Clare at The Unicorn. She has appeared in productions at The Unicorn Theatre, The New Theatre, The Coterie, The Kansas City Repertory Theatre, Disney’s Spirit of Aloha, with voice and on-camera clients including Hallmark, H&R Block, Sprint, and McDonald’s. AEA Member

ALEX MURPHY

(Production Stage Manager) (He/They). KCRep: Lady Day at Emerson's Bar & Grill, The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, Death of a Salesman, The Tallest Tree in the Forest, The Who and the What, The Santaland Diaries, Angels in America, Sticky Traps. Local: Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer: The Musical, Justice at War (Coterie Theatre); Death and the Maiden, A Moon for the Misbegotten, Blithe Spirit, Skylight, Sea Marks, A Lie of the Mind, And Then There Were None, The Realistic Joneses, My Old Lady, I’m Not Rappaort, At Home at the Zoo, The Gin Game (Kansas

City Actors Theatre). Regional: The Prom (First National Tour); The Harder They Come, Romeo and Bernadette, Two’s a Crowd (Off-Broadway); Gem of the Ocean, The Scarlet Letter, Two Sisters and a Piano, Wine in the Wilderness (Two River Theater); American Prophet (Arena Stage); A Christmas Carol: A Ghost Story, Still Ready (Actors Theatre of Louisville); How I Learned What I Learned, An Iliad (Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival). Education: MFA, University of Missouri–Kansas City. AEA Member

ADDISON PRICE

(Assistant Stage Manager) (She/Her) (KCRep: A Christmas Carol (ASM), Twelfth Night (ASM), Lady Day at Emerson’s Bar and Grill, Little Shop of Horrors, What the Constitution Means to Me, The Ripple The Wave that Carried Me Home, A Christmas Carol (Production Assistant), Nina Simone: Four Women, Peter Pan and Wendy (Run Crew), Ghost Light (Event Coordinator) Local: Trouble in Mind, Gaslight, Grand Horizons (ASM, Kansas City Actors Theatre) Alice’s Wonderland (Production Assistant/Deck Manager, The Coterie). Education: BA in Theatre, Kansas State University.

BROADWAY LICENSING GLOBAL

(Licensor) Broadway

Licensing Global and its family of imprints (Broadway Licensing, Dramatists Play Service, Playscripts, and Stageworks) is the global leader in theatrical licensing and distribution. The iconic works represented epitomize the greatest collection of authors, composers, lyricists, and underlying rights holders across the globe including Stephen King, Alan Menken,

Arthur Miller, Lynn Nottage, Elvis Presley, Paula Vogel, Tennessee Williams, the Beatles, the Bee-Gees, and Harry Potter Theatrical Productions. At Broadway Licensing Global, we value diversity and believe our differences are what make us special. We continuously strive to be a culture of belonging for all team members, with the aim to create an environment where everyone can bring their authentic selves to work. As a global company, we recognize the importance

of protecting our planet and fostering a sustainable future for the arts and entertainment industry. Our mission is to lead the way in promoting eco-conscious practices while continuing to inspire creativity and innovation. We are dedicated to reducing our environmental footprint and are committed to the responsible management of resources, ensuring that the magic of theater remains sustainable for generations to come.

by kate hamill
based on the novel by jane austen directed by meredith m c donough

LEADERSHIP

Stuart Carden (He/Him) is in his fifth season as Artistic Director of KCRep. An arts leader, director, deviser, producer, educator and new play specialist, Stuart has worked across the United States building new plays, ensemble generated projects, reimagined classics, multidisciplinary performance, and actor-musician driven theatrical storytelling. Including creating theatrical experiences with The Old Globe, Lyric Opera of Chicago, The Goodman Theatre, Lookingglass Theatre, Actors Theatre of Louisville, The Second City, New

STUART CARDEN

Artistic Director

Victory Theatre, Williamstown Theatre Festival, Silk Road Rising, Victory Gardens, People’s Light, Northlight Theatre, The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis, ArtsEmerson, The Wallis Annenberg Center, Philadelphia Theatre Company, Chicago Children’s Theatre, Virgin Voyages and PigPen Theatre Co. He is a member of the Society for Stage Directors and Choreographers and represented by Beth Blickers and the Agency for Performing Arts. Stuart is married to public art curator Neysa PageLieberman and dad to eleven-yearold twins, Dashiell and Griffin.

ADMINISTRATION/FINANCE

Director of Finance & Administration

Jared Freemon

Associate Director of Finance

Safiyah Grant

Manager of Information Services

Michelle Blaine

Finance Manager

Caycee Garlow

General Manager

Amy M. Abels Owen

ARTISTIC

Associate Artistic Director

Morgana Wilborn

Associate Artistic Director-KCRep/ UMKC Partnership

Jason Chanos

Director of Arts Engagement

Juliana Frey-Méndez

Artistic Associate/Casting

Andi Meyer

Artistic Manager

Lillian Rider

DEVELOPMENT

Director of Development

Nancy Steinacker

Associate Director of Development

Carrie Lenahan

Development Database Manager

Marie Kocher

Grant Writer

Diana Silver

Development Associates

Jenna Nowak

Lauren Peck

EDUCATION/ COMMUNITY PROGRAMS

Director of Education & Community Programs

Melinda McCrary

FRONT OF HOUSE

House Manager

Kelly Cooper

STAFF

Assistant House Managers

Warren Decker

LaVera Fleeks Snipes

Front of House Staff

Patricia Abts

Justin Balling

Samantha Balling

Dylan Cooper

Linda Fleeks

Cay Fogel

Vanessa Harper

Luigi Muscadin

Mark Noble

Lainey Obenshain

Wyatt Owen

Anthony Snipes

MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS

Director of Marketing & Communications

Jana Liles

Creative Director & Digital Marketing Specialist

Dayna Meyer

Design/Publications Specialist

Thaylia Smith

Social Media Manager & Content Creator

MacKenzie Turner

Public Relations (Press Contact)

Ellen McDonald

Publications Assistant

Tehreem Choudhry

PRODUCTION

Production Manager

Grace Hudson

Associate Production Manager

John Henningsen

Technical Director

W.R. Shinoski

Assistant Technical Director/ Automation

Tom Gault

Scene Shop Foreman

John Owen

Stage Management Production Assistant

Neil Andes

Run Crew

Grace Laughton

Wardrobe Supervisor

Marianne S. Rowse

Dresser

Scott Cordes

Materials Coordinator

Powell Brumm

Head Carpenter

Abbie Hixson

Carpenters

Luke Habjan

Jacob Maher

Griffin Rogers

Properties Director

Jamie Lindemann

Properties Artisans

Taylor Adams

Amaka Maduabuchi

Scenic Art Director

Shiloah Frederick

Scenic Artists

Adam Hooper

Costume Shop Manager

Jenny Green

Assistant Costume Shop Manager

Mary Caitland Williams

Craftsperson/Stitcher

Joey Gee

Cutter/Draper

Jana Jesse

Wardrobe Supervisor

Marianne Rowse

Lighting & Projections

Co-Directors

Michael Esposito

Shayna Phillips

Production Electricians

Phoenix Alexander

Reina Makimura

Director, Sound & Technology

Anakin Garner

Head Audio Technician

Gianna Augustino

TICKETING SERVICES

Manager, Ticketing Services

Karl Annable

Ticketing Services Representatives

Tehreem Chaudhry

Andrew Fogel

Justin Gannaway

Ginger Harris

Amanda Schuster

Cedar Valdez

Hope Beyond Hunger.

Addiction. Homelessness.

Scan the QR code to learn more about their story. Needs Met. Lives Transformed. Hope Lives Here.

Fewer Treatments. Better Outcomes.

The future of cancer care is here. The AdventHealth Cancer Institute will be the first and only health care provider in Kansas City to perform MRI-Guided Radiation. This advanced therapy allows us to see tumors as we treat them, resulting in pinpoint precision, fewer treatments, reduced side effects and better outcomes.

STUDENTS

“I was very amazed by the performance — the play was very cool and funny. The person who was playing the plant had amazing vocals and the other actors also did a great job. “

— Middle school student, Little Shop of Horrors

“It is wonderful to have live theater opportunities such as this one. The debate at the end of the play was extraordinary, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Thank you for the overall experience.”

— High School Student, What the Constitution Means to Me

Kicking off our 2023/24 season last summer with enthusiasm, creativity and buckets of strong talent was our 7th Summer Youth Theatre Ensemble, a free program for high schoolers. Young artists put their hearts and minds together over the four weeks (20 days!) devising, writing, moving, discussing, exploring, and collaborating to create their own original play, Here/After. The piece, both moving and hilarious, traveled to an afterlife during which characters worked to make a pitch to return to life on earth. Selfunderstanding was key and the revelations were meaningful. Led by teaching artists Raz, Sam, Em and Auryona, their final show was exceptional, joyfully-built, and a wonderful way to cap off our signature summer depth program.

Across our season we hosted over 7,500 young people — 2nd graders through college students, and their chaperones — from all over the region to our productions

STUDENTS & EDUCATION

“My students LOVED Nina! It definitely provoked a lot of great conversations once we got back to school. ”

— High School Teacher

Nina Simone: Four Women

“SYTE lets us be free and open with our thoughts and feelings. Together, we put those thoughts and feelings into a play that’s enjoyable for us and the audience. We’re all also able to connect pretty fast because of our similar interests and ideas.”

— SYTE High School Student

at a morning matinee. Close to 40% of those young people saw the play via our STARS program which offers fully free or discounted tickets. At each performance, the building shakes at the curtain calls as young people passionately applaud the stories which are now theirs forever.

Theatre director Kenny Leon said, “I’m looking for the day when every child in America can have a little piece of theatre in their daily educational lives.” This is a simple wish; a clear and joyful one towards which we work all season. Help us keep our education/ engagement work flying high! Smart, growing and vital to today’s community.

To learn more about our programs, at the theatre or at your site, or how to support them, reach out to Melinda, Director of Education, at mccrarym@kcrep.org.

Photo Credits (clockwise from top left) Melinda McCrary, Teonna Wesley, Melinda McCrary, Don Ipock, Tionna Wesley, Don Ipock.

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Jeffrey Adams

Season Opener with pianist Behzod Abduraimov in collaboration with Park University ICM SEPT. 20, 2024

Ingrid Stölzel: A Musical Portrait OCT. 12, 2024

Thanksgiving with NAVO NOV. 30, 2024

NAVO Chamber Orchestra with pianist Steven Spooner and violinist Véronique Mathieu

FEB. 22, 2025

The Art of Cello with Daniel Veis MAR. 22, 2025

Frontier String Quartet APR. 2025

Season Finale Fest with violinist Maria Ioudenitch MAY 7, 9, 11, 2025 TENTH ANNIVERSARY SEASON 2024 - 2025

THEATRE FOR ALL —

FROM OUR STAGES TO OUR COMMUNITIES,

KCRep supporters are at the heart of all that we do.

Any way you support KCRep — with a production sponsorship, a scholarship gift through our STARS (Support the ARTs in Schools) program, or an operating gift — you make world-class productions, Student Matinees, Summer Theatre Camp, the KCRep For All Community Tour, and much more available to everyone in Kansas City.

In gratitude of your support, KCRep offers a variety of donor benefits, including sponsor recognition and exclusive events. Explore donor benefits for each giving level at kcrep.org/donor-sponsorshipbenefits.

2024-2025 Signature Series:

Fri. Oct. 11th, 7pm UNFORGETTABLE

ft. Sachal Vascandani

Sat., Nov. 16th, 7pm BRIGHT SIZE LIFE

ft. Rod Fleeman

Tues., Dec. 10th, 7pm A CHARLIE BROWN CHRISTMAS

Selections from Charlie

Sat., March 1st, 7pm ALWAYS & FOREVER

ft. Brenna Whitaker Visit KCJO.org for ticket information

ft. Lucy and Bram Wijnands

Sat., April 5th, 7pm LEVEL UP!

Selections from Classic Video

Sat., May 31st, 7pm GLAMOUR OF OLD HOLLYWOOD

2024-2025 Concerts Including Works of Brahms, Parry, Rachmaninoff, Holst and many others along with American spirituals and gospels 2025 performance of Bach's immortal MASS IN B MINOR with chamber orchestra and soloists

PARK UNIVERSITY INTERNATIONAL CENTER FOR MUSIC

When Stanislav loudenitch first started the Park International Center for Music, he began with a simple concept. Find exceptional music teachers, and give them the time, tools, focus, and dedication needed to transform exceptional students into masters themselves. An internationally-recognized Van Cliburn gold medalist, Ioudenitch assembled a team that shared his world-class skills and his passion for teaching. Other outstanding programs have great master instructors. But no other American conservatory lets those masters devote the time to their students like they do at Park ICM.

Come experience the birth of our international stars. Visit ICM.PARK.EDU for our concert schedule today.

Stanislav loudenitch Artistic Director /Piano Studio
Ben Sayevich Violin Studio
Daniel Veis Cello Studio
Peter Chun Viola Studio

2024/25 SEASON UNDERWRITERS

ANNUAL SUPPORTERS

Kansas City Repertory

Theatre is grateful for the charitable contributions of the many donors who help make our productions, community outreach programs, and youth education programs possible. The following list represents annual and event support as of DECEMBER 19, 2024.

CONTRIBUTORS

$50,000+

Copaken Family Foundation

The Hearst Foundations

R & C Charitable Foundation

Victor E. and Caroline E. Schutte Foundation 1959, John Aisenbrey, John Davis, and David W. Frantze

Trustees *

Richard J. Stern Foundation for the Arts - Commerce Bank, Trustee *

$25,000 - $49,999

Anonymous(2)

E. Kemper Carter and Anna Curry Carter Community Memorial Trust, UMB Bank, n.a., Trustee

Ellen & Irv Hockaday *

Linda & Topper Johntz *

Enid and Crosby Kemper

Charitable Foundation, UMB Bank, n.a., Trustee

Miller Nichols

Charitable Foundation *

Pemberton Family

Charitable Foundation

$10,000 - $24,999

American Century Investments Foundation

Anonymous

Lynn Badaracco & Dwight Quiring

Ivan & Karla Batlle *

Kissick Construction / Pete B. Browne & Julie Walker Browne

Herb & Bonnie Buchbinder

Donor Advisory Fund *

Burns & McDonnell *

Louetta M. Cowden FoundationBank of America, Trustee

The DeBruce Foundation

Ann King Dickinson

Brad & Linda Finkle

Francis Family Foundation, discretionary of David and Janis Francis *

Dave & Geri Frantze

Arvin Gottlieb

Charitable Foundation *

The H&R Block Foundation

H&R Block *

Nancy P. & Robert W. Hatch *

Health Forward Foundation

Judy O. Kirk Charitable Fund

Frank & Margaret G. McGee Fund

Jessica & Matt Ralston

J. B. Reynolds Foundation *

JoMarie Scaglia

Marny & John Sherman

The Sosland Foundation *

Jo Ann & William D. Sullivan *

UMB Financial Corporation

US Bank *

Sara E. Welch *

Sally & Robert West *

Wylie Foundation

$5,000 - $9,999

Dana Abraham & Chuck McCann

Anonymous

Chris & Sharon Baxter

Marcia H. Bailey *

Becky Blades

Anne & Bill Blessing *

Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Kansas City

The Breidenthal-Snyder Foundation

Kay & John Callison *

Virginia & Charles Clark *

Ron & Kim Coker

Melanie Coleman & Todd Gafney

Commerce Bank

Country Club Bank

Rick & Barbie Dierks *

Steve & Cathy Doyal

Jane & Charles Eldredge

Evergy

FCI Advisors/Midwest Trust First Business Bank

Angela & John Gieras

Graceland University/ Kristi Hettrick & Alan Waterman

Deanna & Greg Graves

Judge Jon R. Gray (Ret.) & Dr. Valerie E. Chow

Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce

Sharon & Donald F. Greenwood, Jr.

Carla Griffin

Laura & David Hall *

Hayley E. Hanson & Todd McGuire

JE Dunn Construction Company

Mary & Mark Jorgenson

Andrew & Sheryl Kaplan

Kornitzer Capital Management, Inc.

KPMG, LLP *

Robb Krumlauf & Leanne Wiedemann

Mike & Candis Lochmann *

William J. & Frances Lynn * McCownGordon Construction Co.

Renita Mollman

Scott A. Moore

Neighborhood Tourist Development Fund

Barbara and Bill Nelson Foundation *

Graham & Margot Nelson

Meggan Newland, M.D. & Jon Henry

Ogletree Deakins

Oppenstein Brothers Foundation -

Commerce Bank, Trustee

Debra & Allen Parmet

Diane & John R. Phillips

Polsinelli PC

Jami & Fred Pryor

Seaboard Corporation

Stark Wolkoff Foundation, UMB Bank, n.a., Trustee

Stinson LLP *

Drs. Jessica & Benjamin Stone

Donna Thomason

Bert & Sue Trucksess *

Jayhawk Primary Care at The University of Kansas Health System

VanTrust Real Estate

Thomas & Sally Wood Family Foundation

$2,500 - $4,999

James & Mary Jennifer Amato

American Century Investments (matching gift)

Anonymous *

Anonymous

Jeff Anthony & Susann Ogg

Dick & Emily Ballentine *

G. Kenneth and Ann Baum

Philanthropic FundAnn Kaufmann Baum *

Jamey Bertram

BlueScope *

Darin Brickman

James Butler

Bryan & Justina Canzoneri

Centric Projects

Craig Coen & Jeffrey Bellamy

James & Ellen Copaken

Harper Rebecca Coulson

Crux KC LLC

Tom & Margaret Cummings *

Joel DeBoer

Melanie & Mike Fenske

Kenneth & Vanessa Ferguson

Paul & Stacey Fischer

Douglas & Ann Ghertner *

Scott & Suzy Hall

Shirley & Barnett C. Helzberg, Jr.

Chris Hernandez & Paul Monteil

Shawn & Melissa Hickey

Ryan Holmes

Edward & Camille Honesty

Joan Horan

Coleen & Chris Hotop

Patrick Hughes, MD

Steven Irwin

Laurie & Chuck Jarrett

Scott & Kelly Jeffcote

Nancy L. Kain *

Carol & Fred Logan

Beth & Gregg Lombardi

R. A. Long Foundation

Lauren E. Tucker McCubbin & Gabe McCubbin

Pamela Miller & Michael Cummings

* Shooting Stars — Donors of 10 or more consecutive years

CONTRIBUTORS

$2,500 - $4,999

(continued)

David R. Morris

Paul John Odum

John & Shari Olander

Joseph Podrebarac

Hillary Stamper

Mark & Dette Swanson

Julie Stotlar-Towner

Ratana & Oscar Tshibanda

Veracity Consulting, Inc

Nancy J. Viets *

Susan & Jason Waldron

Brenda & Brett Williams

George & Beverley Wilson

$1,500 - $2,499

Anonymous

Ken & Sharon Bowman

Jon & Shelley Copaken

Donald J. Hall *

Ashlei & Charles

Holznecht

The Ingram Family Foundation *

Joy & Jerry Kaplan *

Bridgette & Jason Kling

Brandon & Melissa McManamy

Sharon & Michael Milens *

Marshall Miller

Stewart & Debbie Myers

Matt Nordhus

Rick & Tanya Ratliff

Lisa & Charles Schellhorn *

Joe & Susan Sims

Juliette & Ian Singer

Richard Singleton III

$1,000 - $1,499

Lisa & Scott Adams

Anonymous

Sherrie Bell

Terry & Bill Biggins

Marion and Henry Bloch

Family Foundation

William L. Bruning

Gerald & Judy Bukowski

Timothy & Jessie Burkhalter

Jennifer Collier

Denise Dowd & Jill Burton

Christie & Timothy Geier-Pratt

Brett Gerstenberger

Stephen & Patricia Gound

Family Foundation

Michael & Kathryn Harvel

Marc & Nina Hollabaugh

Shannon & Brent Johnson

Kim Jones

Doug Kallenberger & Lynn Blixrud

Mr. & Mrs. William S. Kanter

Brian Kaufman

Regina & Bill Kort

Meg Winslow Maffitt

McQuaid Brothers

Network for Good

Sara & David O'Connell/ What Matters 2 Us Fund *

John & Kendal Orlowski

Janet & Jack Podoll

William & Stacy Pratt

Joe & Lainey Puglisi

Damon & Shawna Roath

Holly Streeter-Schaefer & Ken Schaefer

Lindsey Patterson Smith

Brad & Gisele Sprong

Deb & Paul Turpin

Lynne & Carl Weilert

Kathryn Welch & John Wright

Molly & Steve Wendland

Audrey & Thomas Wiegmann

C. Stephen Metzler &

Brian D. Williams Fund *

Jon Wright

Christine Yannitelli & Dennis Manske *

$500 - $999

Joel & Elizabeth Allen

Debby & Gary Ballard

Ken Barnes & Abby Mocek

Robert H. & Kathleen M. Bender *

Joan and Bert Berkley Blue

Heron Foundation *

Cathi & David Brain

Bob & Karen Brush *

Robert Butcher & Madelyn Rudd

James & Linda Cole

Cindy & Richard Croskell

Kit & Jay Culver *

Deborah Dibal

Omar Farias

Sandi & Ed Fried

Al Geritz & Dick Leeson

Dr. James & Christine

Morgan Glenski

Chris Glissman *

Keith Goering &

Mary Ann Dvorcheck *

Brett Gray

Anita Toby Grow

Dennis & Donna Haines *

Cathi & Thomas Halberstadt

Amy & Nate Harris

Joan L. Hartung

Leslie & Martin Herst

Blair & Lyn Hosford *

Carol & Dennis Hudson

Melissa Jaramillo

John & Elaine Jepson *

Arlen & Patricia Johnson

Clayton & Anne Johnston

Buddy & Carolyn Jones

Stacy King

Willie & Sandra Lawrence

Ashley & Phil Mason

Patricia Ann Miles

Patricia E. Cleary Miller, Ph.D.

The Milligan Family

Mark & Janette Morgan

Sheryll & Thomas Myers

Carl & Pam Nitsche / Nitsche DAF

Mark & Lynne O'Connell

Jane & Charles Olsen

Patrick O'Rourke

Scott & Robin Page

Jeff & Angela Place

George & Wendy Powell *

Kerri Reisdorff

Mark & Janice

Schonwetter

James & Kathy Sear *

Lindsay & Matt Severns

George & Lisa Shadid *

Stan & Linda Shipman

Myra & Lester Siegel, Jr. *

Angela Andresen Smart

Carol Sokolenko

Nicolas Stefanescu

Kitty Steffens

Sterneck Capital Foundation

Charles Sun

Swift Construction, Inc./CEI Electrical & Mechanical

Jason & Libby Thomas

Robert & Cindy Thompson

William & Nancy Topper *

Rev. Paul Turner *

Two West Advisors

Leeann & Mark Van Dyne

Barbara McMahon & Dennis Varble

Michael & Miranda

Wagner

Michelle & Cornell Webb

Richard Wetzel

Diane & Roy Whitley *

Teddi Wolff

Debra S. Wood

$250 - $499

Anonymous

Ellen & John Aisenbrey *

Kathy Anderson

Anonymous

Nancy Artzer

Diane & Steve Azorsky

Edward & Linda Balzano

Barr Charitable Giving Fund

Jolynn Bartolotta

Brian & Jessica Best

Stewart

Ken & Jill Biesma

Amy Black

Fred & Cindy Bodker

Sue & George Brandt

Cindie & Bob Buchanan

Patrick & Thaylia

Smith Conway

Sarah & Clayton Cook *

Betty Ann Cortelyou

Don & Pat Dagenais

Dominique Davison

Denton Family Fund

Cheryl DeShon

Amy & Jared Dirks

Mike & Elizabeth

Disilvestro

David Douglass

Durkee Family Foundation

*Cindy & David

Edgington

Janann B. Eldredge

EPR Properties

Nancy Eslinger

Margaret Fishback

Chris & Julia Frantze

Jeff & Mary Fromm

Scott Giffen

Ronald & Susan Goldsmith

Philanthropic Fund *

Matt Gowen

Allen & Gail Gutovitz

Charitable Fund *

John & Bernice Hamra

Foundation

Eileen Hand

Grant & Claire Harrison

Richard & Julie Hellman *

Bill & Irma Lou Hirsch *

Sarah Hoestje

Mary & Eric Honour

Jennifer & Jason

Ingraham *

Nathan & Megan Jackson

Jay & Ann Kinnamon

Chad A. Kirby

Marli Klumb

Patricia Konopka

George Krebs

Jane & Bruce Kunz

Erika Kuster

Eric & Emily Larson

Elizabeth R. Lesan & Katsuyoshi Nishimoto

Troy Lillebo & Brian Ellison *

Sam Logan

Felicia & Venne Londre

Timothy J. Marchesi & John D. Lawrence / DeMarche

Laurie McCormack

Helen & Joel Miller

Virginia Miller

Koi Morford

David Nelson & Angela Turpin

Alexander Ong

Rudolph Pabon

Julie Polkinghorn

Maggie Presson *

Tom & Cynthia Ryan

Richard & Erin Sack

Linda S. Stevens

Phyllis Stevens

Ann & Daniel Sweeney

Chris & Brooke Sweeney

Kurtis L. Thiel

William & Elizabeth

Thomas, Jr.

Russ & Maralee Thompson

Mark Thornhill & Maria Donigan

Linda S. Trout

Eileen and Tom Weir

Ms. Barbara Wells

Anne & Keith Wiedenkeller

Vanessa Williams

Terri & Blake Williamson

Mr. Stephen & Martha Williamson

Elizabeth Hartley Winetroub

Dr. & Mrs. John S. Yungmeyer

$100 - $249

Kristina & Matt Aberle

Amanda Akers-Vornholt & Wayne Vornhold

Mollie Alexander & Frank

Hogan *

Kathryn & Chris Allen

Pat & Lauren Amey

Marilyn & Chris Anderson

Joseph Archias

Anonymous (2) Arvest Bank

Aimee Asbury & Richard S. Starks II

Barbara & Richard Atlas *

Sonny Aust & Lauren Aust-Yen

Linda & Erik Avery

Bob & Bridget Bagby

Laura & Nate Baldwin

John Ballard

Katherine & Larry Barnhart

Bradley & Wendy Barth

Heather Bath

Andrea & Will Becker

Kimberly Benjamin

Nathan & Margaret Benjamin

Jeffrey J. Bentley

Cindy & Ted Berard

Linda Birkenmeier

Charles R. Bise Jr.

Linda & Bruce Blazek

John & Marge Bott

Larry Braddy

Kathleen Bradford

Ms. Katherine Breen

William Moran

Liz & Warren Lewis

Debra & John Mahoney

Jerry & Meghan Carpenter

Arden & Mary Ann Carr *

Brittany & Michael Remmert

Robert Riccardi

Charles & Deb Brook

David Brown

Tom & Cherie Brown

CONTRIBUTORS

$100 - $249

(continued)

Matthew Brumleve

Stephen Butland

Janet Buttery

Melonee Cain

Stuart Carden & Neysa Page-Lieberman

Frank Carroll

Greg & Ann Carlson

Karen Cartlidge

Kenda Caskey

Jessica & Jason Chanos

Lupe & Greg Clouse

Meredith Collins

Martha Comment

Joe Constantino

Robert Cook

Larry Cork

Jody & Bill Craig

Robert & Nicolette

Croskell

Kymberli Cutler

Edmund P. & Donna J.

Cytacki

John G. Daniel

Cara David

Robert Denzel

Dennis L. Dobson

Brad Douglas

Tim & Trisha Drape

Barry & Marilyn Dryer

Family of Eric & Katie Dufur

Susan & Jared Ebel

Kristen Ellis Johnson

David M. Emerick

Dr. Kristin M. Easley

Barbara Fay

Sandy Feaker

Iman Fennell

Susan Fershee

Patricia Fitzpatrick

Whitney Skye Flaska

Mick & Denise Fletcher

Rocco & Karen Florio

Dr. Alan & Cathy Foster

Dianne & R. Dennis Fowler

Kelly & Michael Fowler

Mark & Sandi Fowler *

Randy Fowler

Alberzine & Abby Freeman

Sondra Gale

Sidonie Garrett

Ellen Gatz

Brag Gee

Pam & Dr. Fred Geer *

Sharon Glass

Courtney Goddard

Ismael Gonzalez

Max & Harriet Gordon

Christine Granger

Doreen & Norman Greczyn

C.W. & Nancy Green

Don Grodecki &

Cheryl Ricke

Heather M Gudgel

Rex & Jody Gunn

Rupal Christine Gupta

Beth & Chris Hafner

Kristen & Tyler Harrelson

Kristen Harris

John Hart & Katelyn Peter

Chris Hess

Kristi Hettrick

Zach Hickman

Lisa Hickok

Richard & Merri-Ann

Higgason

Paget & Tom Higgins

Mr. Brad & Dr. Amy Hogan

Bruce & Cindy Hogle

Edward Honestly

Edwin & Mary Hood

Dick & Rose Marie Huber

Leslie & Mark Huffhines *

Amanda Humiston

Mary Hungerford

Justin & Rita Huntington

Joan & Steve Israelite

Pat & Lance Jessee

Charles Johnson

Ellen Johnson

Gary Neal Johnson & Lynne Beachner

Karen Johnson & Angus Stoddart

Joyce Jonasson

Colby Jones

Katherine Jorgenson & Marc Harman

Sarilee Kahn

Paul & Connie Kamps

Kauffman Foundation

Matching Gifts

Jessica Keal

Olivia H Keller

Annie & Alan Keneipp

Joan & Chris Kennedy

Lesley Ketzel

Jenn Killpack

Susan King-Kostelac & Martin Kostelac

Elise Kirchhofer

Arthur & Carol Faucher

Kowalski

Patrice Krampff

John & Patricia Kurtz

Jennifer Lane

Hannah Lanier

Kathy & Craig Laursen

Carrie & Patrick Lenahan

Eloise Lenahan

David & Susan Leonard

Gayle Levy & Whitney Terrell

Virginia Lieberman

Jana & Curtis Liles

Mark & Karen Long

Marilyn & Bruce Lowrey

Sharon Lynch & Jane Nichols

LaMonica & Christopher

Madden

Sue & Dev Malik

Natalie A Manchon

Tom Mardikes

Richard & Lydia Marien

Carol Marks

Tiffany Marr

Robert & Heather

Maynard

P. Alan McDermott *

Tim McMulin & Emilee Rose

Gerald & Jean McNamara *

Melea McRae

Mr. & Mrs. Bob Merrigan

Julia & Dennis Meyer

Kathlene Keck Meyer

Kim Meyer

Alan & Judy Michelson

Kelsea Miller

William Sr. & Melanie Miller

Laurie Mitchell & Rob Beeson

Janice & Phillip Montgomery

Marti Moore & John Kinsey

Patricia A. Moore

Susan Morrissey

Heather & Tom Morrow

Gretchen Muir

Judy & Carl Mullins

Bailey Mae Munson

Robyn Murphy

Doris Negaard

Brent Never

Kathryn & Stephen Nichols

Jane J. Olson

Bonita & Thomas Oothoudt

Amy M. Abels & John Owen

Dr. Christina Marie Pacheco

Jenny Palmer

James Parrott

Mr. & Mrs. Dahya K. Patel

John Pearson

Wanda R. Perkins

Kathy Peters

Candice Petersonmoon

Sheilah Philip

Dr. Andrea Picciotto

Mary Ann Pinkerton

Allison & Kevin Pinkowski

Rob & Joy Preacher

Lena Price

Angela Rabin

Don & Phyllis Ranum

Kelly Rawlings

Betsy Rayl

Dr. Carl B. Reed &

Melody A. Miller

Kevin Regan & Cathy Francis

Greg & Rebecca Reid

Libby Rivers

Pat Roane

Charles & Cristine

Roberts *

Kathy A Robertson

Julie Robinson

Melinda Rocha

Lindsey Rood-Clifford & Chris Clifford

Paula & Jack Rowe

Martha Russell

Anton & Barbara Schaefer *

Mary Schindler

Chris Schlenker

Donald & Martha Schlosser

Jack & Errett Schmid

Janet W. Sears

Michelle Self-Loveland

Darren Sextro & John Rensenhouse

Kavya Shankar

Janardana Sharma

Gail E. Shaw

The Sheppard Family

Phil & Lurae Shreves

Kurt Rasmussen &

Cheryl L. Simmons

Janet & Andrew Simonsen

Cuthbert & Severns

Simpkins

Rik Siro and Teresa Woody

Thomas & Mitzi Slover

Anita Louise Smith

Michelle Smith

Vicki & Thomas Smith

Kristin Smithson

* Shooting Stars — Donors of 10 or more consecutive years

Larry & Jean Snider

Nicholle Soendker

Whitney Sojka

Diana Spare

Jonathan Specht

Karlie Speicher *

Betty Ann Springer

Kath Stanley

Nancy Steinacker

Mr. & Mrs. Rodger Stelter

Dr. Joy Stevenson

Linda Stinnet

Steven & Sandra Stites

Jeffrey Stitt

Annelies Stoecklin

Kim & Randal Stout

Rebecca Stowe

Tom Strumillo

Mark Stuecheli

Bridget Sturr

Brandi Tabor

Juliann & Mark Tapko

James H Taylor

Starr Terrell

James Thomas & Kathy Burke-Thomas

Kristina Thompson

Heidi Thummel

Lauren & Nick Tobaben

Adam Todd

Diana & Tim Toman

Ann Trask

Cliff & Leslie Van Blarcom *

Linda Vande Garde

Kevin Vanderweide

Todd Vorachek

Gayla & Jon Voss

Wayne & Debora

Wainwright

Christine Waldschmidt

David & Leanna Walters

Kathleen L Warfel

Christal Watson

Vicki Webber

Dr. Audrey V Wegst

Susie Weis

Charles & Linda Wells

Regina Wells

Ronda & Bill White

Julie & Louis Williams

Amy Winger

Geri Wise

John R. Wise

Karen Woodbury

Michael Wright &

Christa Cavanaugh *

Damon & Patricia Yurchak

Cathy Zitnik

Thank you to all of those who support KCRep with charitable donations via funds at the Greater Kansas City Community Foundation, Jewish Community Foundation of Greater Kansas City, and United Way of Greater Kansas City, as well as other donor advised fund entities and programs.

The following list represents sponsors as of January 17, 2024.

CELEBRATION

($25,000)

Mark Edelman Theater Fund at the Jewish

Community Foundation of Greater Kansas City

Kissick Construction Company/ Pete Browne & Julie Walker Browne

The McDonnell Foundation OVATION

($15,000)

Ellen & Irv Hockaday

Linda & Topper Johntz

SPOTLIGHT

($10,000)

Harper & Rebecca Coulson

The DeBruce FoundationPaul & Linda DeBruce

H&R Block

Muriel McBrien Kauffman

Family Foundation

Marny & John Sherman

UMB Financial Corporation

ENCORE

($5,000)

Anonymous

Ivan & Karla Batlle

Becky Blades & Cary Phillips

Anne & Bill Blessing

Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Kansas City

Wendy & Grant Burcham

Commerce Bank

CommunityAmerica

Credit Union

Bunni & Paul Copaken

Evergy

FCI Advisors/Midwest Trust

First Business Bank

Judge Jon R. Gray (Ret.) & Dr. Valerie E. Chow

Laura & David Hall

J.E. Dunn Construction Co.

Mary & Mark Jorgenson

Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce

KPMG

McCownGordon Construction

Bill & Barbara Nelson

Family in memory of Bill Nelson

Debra & Allen Parmet

Matt & Jessica Ralston

Richard J. Stern Foundation for the ArtsCommerce Bank, Trustee

Hillary Stamper/ Veracity Consulting, Inc.

Stinson LLP

Sara Welch

MARCH 29, 2025

Tickets & Tables ON SALE NOW! Visit kcrep.org/event/gala for more information about becoming a sponsor, or contact the Development team at

or 816.235.6106.

GIFTS IN HONOR & MEMORY

In Honor of A CHRISTMAS CAROL CAST & CREW from Barr Charitable Giving Fund

In Honor of EMILY BALLENTINE from Patty Ramsour

In Honor of DAVID B. BROWNE from John Hogan & Amy Browne-Hogan

In Memory of VICKI S. CATLIN from Nathan Schecter MD Trust

In Honor of my Dear Friends PAUL & BUNNI COPAKEN from G. Kenneth & Ann Baum Philanthropic Fund –Ann Kauffman Baum

In Memory of ROBERT FIRNHABER from Buddy & Carolyn Jones

In Memory of ANN KING DICKINSON from Heather Paxton

Mary Ann Pinkerton

Whitney Sojka

Bert & Sue Trucksess

In Honor of ANGELA LEE GIERAS from Jerry & Meghan Carpenter

Pamela Miller & Michael Cummings

Robb Krumlauf & Leanne Wiedemann

Angela Andresen Smart

Richard Wetzel

In Honor of DOROTHEA & NATHAN JAGODA from The Jagoda Family Foundation

In Memory of LEE JONES from Buddy & Carolyn Jones

In Memory of RITA & GILBERT KAHN from Sarilee Kahn

In Memory of JENNIFER MARTIN from Ellen Wagner

In Honor of COURTNEY O'NEILL Set Designer for Little Shop of Horrors

In Honor of BRAD SPRONG from Pamela Miller & Michael Cummings

In Honor of ABBY & RYAN STURM from Kimberley Bray

In Memory of JANE UHLRICH from Barbara Wells

MAKE AN IMPACT WITH CHARITABLE GIFT PLANNING

Partner with KCRep in producing extraordinary live theatre vital for all, and potentially save on your taxes, through charitable gift planning. Examples include: donor advised funds, bequests, trusts, gifts of stock, IRAs, and more. Your financial advisor can help determine the best options for you! For more information, contact Carrie Lenahan at lenahanc@kcrep.org or call 816.235.5420.

LEAVE A LEGACY

THANK YOU to the following members of our Legacy Society and their families. Generous commitments through estate planning ensure that KCRep will continue to thrive for the next 60 years and beyond. To read more about joining our Legacy Society, see page 29.

Anonymous (2)

~ Dr. & Mrs. Keith W. Ashcraft

~ William W. Baker Trust

Anne & Bill Blessing

~ Mrs. W. Coleman Branton

Mary Lou & ~ Tom Brous

Cindie Buchanan

Jerry & Meghan Carpenter

Nathan Schechter MD Trust

in memory of Vicki S. Catlin ~

~ Richard R. Cawthorn

~ Ann King Dickinson

~ Estate of Joseph F. Finch

Pam & Dr. Fred Geer

Courtney Goddard

~ Elizabeth Irwin Gordon

Nancy P. & Robert W. Hatch

Ellen & Irv Hockaday

Linda & Topper Johntz

Mary & Mark Jorgenson

~ Helen Louise Kassebaum Trust

Dr. & Mrs. J. Gordon Kingsley

~ Lothar P. Krause

Rev. Susan Langhauser

Lindsay Meyer & ~ Corey Brunk

Pamela Miller & Michael Cummings

~ Dr. Mary Jo Rahatz

George & Lisa Shadid

~ Dr. Nathan & Ruth G. Shechter

Brad Voelker

Hal vonBohnhoff

~ Betty Widmier

~ In Memoriam

ONE OF A KIND.

The performance you expect.

At FNBO, we make it easy for you to shine. Face-toface or behind the scenes, we’re here to help you earn, save and do more.

For me, it’s not just...
‘I’m the doctor and you’re the patient.’ We’re partners.”

I don’t know any other way to treat my cancer patients than to become their partner. To be available to them whenever they need me. And that’s not just when they’re sitting across from me at an appointment. Cancer is a unique journey. And for me and all of my team, the only way to undertake it is together.

To schedule an appointment, call 913-588-1227 or visit KUCancerCenter.org to learn more.

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