Opening Night: Saturday, October 26, 2024
THE HEART SELLERS
Lloyd Suh
Directed by Vi Tran
THE CAST
Luna Jane
PRODUCTION TEAM
Production Stage Manager
Scenic Designer
Lighting Designer
Sound Designer
Costume Designer
Props Designer
Dramaturg
Dialect Coach
Scenic Painter
Production Assistant / Sound Operator
This production is sponsored in part by: by
Adrienne “Dri” Hernaez* Un Joo Christopher*
Tanya Brown*
Bradley Meyer
Taylor Jene Sullivan
David Kiehl
Daniella Toscano
Gavin Merrill
Dani Moran
Tom Zhang
Tanya Brown*
Natalie Burkett
* Denotes member of Actors’ Equity Association
THE HEART SELLERS is presented through special arrangement with TRW PLAYS 1180 Avenue of the Americas. Suite 640. New York, NY 10036. www.trwplays.com
The Heart Sellers was commissioned by Milwaukee Repertory Theater as part of the John (Jack) D. Lewis New Play Development Program Mark Clements, Artistic Director Chad Bauman, Executive Director and received its first public performance on February 7, 2023
Vi Tran Adrienne “Dri” Hernaez
Un Joo Christopher
Tanya Brown
Photo by Karin Shook
LLOYD SUH (Playwright) is the author of plays including The Far Country (2023 Pulitzer Prize Finalist), The Heart Sellers, The Chinese Lady, Franklinland, Bina’s Six Apples, American Hwangap, and many others. His work has been produced across the country, including at Atlantic Theater Company, The Public, Alliance, Huntington, Berkeley Rep, and with Ma-Yi Theatre Company and Ensemble Studio Theatre among others, and internationally at the Cultural Center of the Philippines and with PCPA at the Guerilla Theatre in Seoul, Korea. Awards include the Steinberg Playwright Award, the Horton Foote Prize, the Herb Alpert Award in the Arts, and the Guggenheim Fellowship. He was elected in 2016 to the Dramatists Guild Council, and serves as a Professor of the Practice at Princeton University.
ABOUT THE ARTISTIC DIRECTOR
ERNIE NOLAN (Artistic Director) is an award-winning playwright, director, and choreographer, and has made significant contributions to the world of theatre for young audiences and beyond. With a distinguished career spanning over two decades, Nolan brings a wealth of experience, creativity, and a profound passion for innovative and inclusive storytelling to Kansas City. Prior to joining Unicorn Theatre, Ernie served as the Executive Artistic Director of Nashville Children’s Theatre (NCT). He has been recognized for his excellence in theatre, receiving the Illinois Theatre Association’s 2014 award for Excellence in Theatre for Young Audiences. Nolan’s extensive experience includes his tenure as Artistic Director of Emerald City Theatre, where he pioneered The Little Theatre, the nation’s first performance space dedicated to interactive and immersive theatrical experiences for early theatre goers ages five and under. Nolan’s impressive resume includes directing and choreographing world premieres by Tony-nominated artists and adapting beloved storybook favorites into captivating theatrical productions. His work has been showcased both nationally and internationally. He holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Musical Theatre Performance from the University of Michigan and a Master of Fine Arts in Directing from The Theatre School at DePaul University. During his time in Chicago, he directed several diverse works, including Love and Human Remains which won New City’s Best Play of the Year Award. Nolan also served on the faculty of The Theatre School at DePaul University and helped develop new work at Chicago Dramatists.
SEASON SPONSORS
Financial support for our 51st Season is provided in part by:
THE CAST & PRODUCTION TEAM
VI TRAN (Director) is a Kansas City-based actor, director, singer-songwriter, and playwright. Born in Vietnam and raised in Kansas, Vi is equal parts sea salt and wheat fields. His autobiographical refugee folk musical The Butcher’s Son chronicles his family’s journey to America and was nominated for 8 Chicago Musical Theatre Festival awards, winning Most Promising Musical and Best Leading Performer (Tran). Directing credits include Lucy & Charlie’s Honeymoon (Our Perspective: Asian American Play Readings/Victory Gardens); Will The Circle (Chicago Musical Theatre Festival, KC Fringe Festival at the Buffalo Room); The Primary Improv: The Political Elimination Game (Cards Against Humanity Theatre, The Buffalo Room); William Inge New Works Festival; and many parody-for-charity staged readings for Stuffed Buffalo Productions and Brother Octopus Productions at The Buffalo Room and The Black Box KC. Charlotte Street Foundation Generative Performing Artist fellow and ArtsKC Inspiration Grant recipient. MA Directing, Kansas State University. The Heart Sellers is his directing debut at the Unicorn, where audiences might recognize him from his onstage roles in Journey to the Poles of Inaccessibility, Vietgone, Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson, The Oldest Boy, or Take Me Out. He hopes you find this love letter to all immigrants everywhere to be thought-provoking, heartwarming, and resonant. Follow at Facebook/Twitter/Instagram: @vitranmusic. Watch/listen at youtube.com/vitranmusic.
ADRIENNE “DRI” HERNAEZ (Luna) is a Filipino-American actor and emerging writer. Dri is pursuing acting in Theatre, Film/TV, and Voice Over work. She is an aspiring screenwriter/playwright and is determined to tell stories about her experiences and culture as a Filipino-American. Her professional credits include: Gulag Girls with Rising Tide Productions in the 2024 KC Fringe Fest, Poor Clare with The Unicorn Theater, Cyrano De Bergerac, Peter Pan & Wendy and A Christmas Carol with Kansas City Repertory Theatre. Her Film experience includes feature film: Once I Was Engaged in 2021. Her Educational credits include an MFA in Acting and Directing from the University of Missouri - Kansas City Conservatory 2024 and the Labyrinth Theatre Intensive Ensemble in 2022.
UN JOO CHRISTOPHER (Jane). Local: Macbitches, The Wolves (Unicorn Theatre); Peter Pan and Wendy (KCRep); Hana’s Suitcase (The Coterie); Spilled Milk (The Black Box); A Midsummer Night’s Dream (White Theatre); When/ Time (Charlotte Street Foundation); The Crucible (The Barn Players). Regional: The Day You Begin (Bay Area Children’s Theater). Off-Broadway/New York: Heart Strings (Atlantic Theater), The Singularity Play (Columbia University), ASM: Lolita Lolita (Labyrinth Theater Company).
TANYA BROWN (Stage Manager) is in her 19th season with Unicorn Theatre. Some of her all-time favorites have been The Revolutionists, Venus in Fur, Hand to God, Cock, Stupid F##king Bird, and Priscilla Queen of the Desert.
BRADLEY MEYER (Senic Designer) is a freelance Theatre Designer and professional educator from Des Moines, Iowa. He moved to Kansas City in 2021
THE CAST & PRODUCTION TEAM
to pursue a career in theatre after growing up in Iowa where he taught Family and Consumer Sciences as well as directed theatre and speech programs at the high school level. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Family and Consumer Science from Iowa State University as well as a Master’s in Curriculum and Instruction, and studied Scenic Design in the graduate program at the University of Missouri-Kansas City. His recent design credits include; Misery (Padgett Productions), Charlie & The Chocolate Factory (Coterie Theatre), Last Summer At Bluefish Cove (Whim Productions), Flaming Guns Of The Purple Sage (JCCC), Journey To The Poles Of Inaccessibility (Unicorn Theater). Bradley has also served as the Props Artist for the Heart of America Shakespeare Festival for three seasons and counting. Upcoming Productions include; Idiot’s Delight (JCCC) and Charlie & The Chocolate Factory (TIP). For more information visit: bradleymeyerdesigns.com
TAYLOR JENE SULLIVAN
(Lighting Designer) is excited to be back as Lighting Designer for The Heart Sellers. In addition to being the Production Manager, Taylor has designed lights for macbitches and Clyde’s. Taylor has been working backstage at the Unicorn Theatre for the last 8 years in various other roles including: Production Assistant, Assistant Lighting Designer, Lead Electrician, and Scenic Painter. In addition to working at Unicorn Theatre, Taylor has also worked at Kansas City Actor’s Theatre and Coterie Theatre.
DAVID KIEHL (Sound Designer) is excited to be back at the Unicorn where he has worked as sound designer for over 90 productions. Previous Unicorn designs date back to 1997 and include Sylvia, The Laramie Project, and Proof; more recent shows include Backwards Forward Back, macbitches, Native Gardens, and Clyde’s. You may have heard his work around town at KCAT (Smart People, The Pests), the Living Room (Milking Christmas, Nocturne) and over 130 productions at the Coterie (Electric Poe, and Akeelah and the Bee).
DANIELLA TOSCANO (Costume Designer)is a costume designer and artist from Las Vegas, NV. Alongside costume projects, she has also developed skills in multimedia design to further explore theatrical storytelling in the digital landscape. She received her Masters in Fine Arts in Costume Design at UC San Diego, and is interested in new works and reimagining the classics. Recent design credits include: Native Gardens, Poor Clare (Unicorn Theatre); Sweeney Todd, The Secret Garden (Musical Theater Heritage); Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? (KC Melting Pot Theatre); Skeleton Crew (Kansas City Actors Theater); Fefu and Her Friends (Riverside Theatre); El Huracán (Cygnet Theatre).
GAVIN MERRILL (Props Designer) is excited to design props for the first time with Unicorn Theatre. He is currently the Technical Director for Musical Theatre Kansas City and Props Supervisor for Lyric Opera Kansas City. He is from a small town outside of Wichita, KS and moved to KC for undergrad. Gavin enjoys working behind the scenes as well as being on stage. He received his BFA in musical theatre and acting from Avila University. At the beginning of this year, he became the design
THE CAST & PRODUCTION TEAM
engineer for a new vintage store that has recently opened in April called Hula Hoop. It is a retro clothing store that curates vintage clothes, knickknacks, and local art located in Midtown. He wants to thank his friends and family for their continuous support and love.
DANI MORAN (Dramaturg) has been a professional sensitivity and authenticity reader since 2020. She’s worked with top publishers, New York Times bestselling authors, and writers at all stages of their creative journey to ensure that their portrayal of the Asian American experience, Korean or mixed race Asian characters, and interracial relationships is as authentic and sensitively handled as possiblewithout relying on stereotypes or harmful language. See tesseraeditorial.com to inquire about Dani’s availability and other editorial services. The Heart Sellers is her first dramaturgical work. When not reading, Dani can be found throughout the Kansas City Public Library system as a librarian.
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
President
Sally Everhart
Vice President
Kirsty Melville
Treasurer
Michael Nonbello
Secretary
Meredith Webster
Lori Beam
Carol Gee
Nancy Miller
Ryan Morehead
Clint Sears
Annie Swartz
Emily Swenson
Scott West
Amy Wright
STAFF
Artistic Director Ernie Nolan
Managing Director Jason Kralicek
Director of Marketing Nathan Gwartney
Production Manager Taylor Jene Sullivan
Box Office Manager Michael LeDesma
Production Stage Manager Tanya Brown
Front of House Staff Todd Becker, Cheryl Benge, Anthony Beyer, Christopher Carlson, Megan Forbes, Paula Fry, Andrew Gosling, Daniel Harkins, Imani Lewis, Tshombe Locke, Ethan Platt, Emma Post, Anna Sell, & Rosie Thomas
Photography Don Ipock
UNICORN THEATRE’S MISSION
Unicorn Theatre enhances the Kansas City community by developing and producing high-quality, thought-provoking plays that have never been seen in the region. We illuminate social issues by shining a light on diversity and inclusive stories which include race, religion and gender identity. Unicorn creates opportunities for the advancement of emerging and established actors, directors, playwrights, designers, technicians and administrative staff.
VISION STATEMENT
By producing provocative new plays Unicorn Theatre fosters the next generation of great American writers and artists, creating innovative and intimate theatrical experiences that transcend the ordinary. We inspire the community to think and feel deeply; to see the world in new and different ways. Unicorn strives to be one of the preeminent homes for new plays in the country.