MAY 10 - 28, 2023
DiRECTED BY KATiE GiLCHRiST
FINANCIAL SUPPORT FOR UNICORN THEATRE THIS SEASON HAS BEEN PROVIDED BY:
Opening Night: Saturday, May 13, 2023
UNICORN THEATRE PRESENTS
By Duncan MacmillanDirected by Katie Gilchrist
THE CAST
Molly Denninghoff *
Francisco “Pancho” Javier Villegas *
PRODUCTION TEAM
Stage Manager
Scenic Designer
Scenic Painter
Lighting Designer
Lead Electrician
Sound Designer
Production Assistant
Tanya Brown *
Em Swenson
Eric Palmquist
Alex Perry
Taylor Jene Sullivan
David Kiehl
Michael LeDesma
* Denotes member of Actors’ Equity Association
LUNGS received its first performance at the Studio Theatre, Washington, D.C., USA on September 28th, 2011 , in a rolling world premiere with Paines Plough/Sheffield Theatres. The Paines Plough production opened at the Crucible Theatre, Sheffield, on October 19th, 2011, and has gone on to be performed all over the UK. The play has subsequently been produced all over the world.
LUNGS is presented by special arrangement with Dramatists Play Service, Inc., New York.
ABOUT THE PLAYWRIGHT
Duncan Macmillan (PLAYWRIGHT) Plays include: PEOPLE, PLACES AND THINGS (2015-2017, National Theatre/Wyndham’s Theatre, West End); 1984, adapted from George Orwell (2013-2017, Headlong/Nottingham Playhouse Theatre Company, West End, Broadway, international tours, co-adapted/codirected with Rob Icke); EVERY BRILLIANT THING (2013-2017, Paines Plough/ Pentabus Theatre, Edinburgh Festival, UK and international tours, HBO); CITY OF GLASS, adapted from Paul Auster (2017, 59 Productions, HOME, and Lyric Hammersmith); 2071, co-written with Chris Rapley (2014-2015, The Royal Court/ Hamburg Schauspielhaus); THE FORBIDDEN ZONE (2014-2016, Salzburg Festival and Schaubühne Berlin); WUNSCHLOSES UNGLÜCK, adapted from Peter Handke (2014, Burgtheater Vienna); REISE DURCH DIE NACHT, adapted from Friederike Mayröcker (2012-2014, Schauspiel Köln, Festival d’Avignon, Theatertreffen); LUNGS (2011-2016, Paines Plough and Sheffield Theatres/Studio Theatre, Washington, DC); and MONSTER (2006, Royal Exchange Theatre).
THE CAST & PRODUCTION TEAM
Cynthia Levin (PRODUCING ARTISTIC DIRECTOR) is in her 44th season with the Unicorn. Over the years she has served as a director, actor, designer or producer for over 300 productions. Most recently Cynthia directed Refuge, Our Black Death and Bernhardt/Hamlet. Some of the other productions she has directed here are Bond, Vietgone, Chesapeake, Priscilla Queen Of The Desert: The Musical (codirected with Missy Koonce), Eclipsed, Hand to God, Heathers: The Musical (again, with Missy), The Oldest Boy, Women Playing Hamlet (world premiere), Bad Jews, Grounded, Venus in Fur, My Name is Asher Lev, Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson, The Soul Collector (world premiere), Hungry (world premiere), Red, Two Jews Walk Into A War…, Distracted, Green Whales (world premiere), Miss Witherspoon, My First Time, The Clean House, Mauritius, 9 Parts of Desire, The Great American Trailer Park Musical, Bat Boy: The Musical and additionally the world premieres of rightnextto me (both at the Unicorn and Geva Theatre Center, Rochester, NY), How His Bride Came to Abraham, Light:Damage, Mercy Killing, Innocent Thoughts and Jack and Jill. At Coterie Theatre, she has directed Number the Stars, And Then They Came for Me, Frankenstein, Gatherings in Graveyards (I and II), Valley Song and To Kill A Mockingbird. At the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., she directed readings of Our Black Death, Occupants, In The Belly Of The Whale, The Friendship Of Her Thighs, The Last Pair Of Earlies, Tigers Be Still and White Devil and Loving Mother for the MFA Playwright’s Workshop. Cynthia is a graduate of Park University which also awarded her an Honorary Doctorate in 2002. She is a founding board member of the National New Play Network, an organization dedicated to the development and production of new works. She has been honored with the Pinnacle Award for Excellence in the Arts, the Human Rights Campaign Equality Award and most recently the Kathryn V. Lamkey Award from the Actors’ Equity Association for her ongoing commitment to inclusion and diversity. She shares her home with Zia (the beagle), and the spirits of Dodger (the cat) and the big red dog, Sylvia.
Katie Gilchrist (DIRECTOR) is thrilled to make her Unicorn directorial debut, almost exactly 20 years after taking her first AEA contract inside these walls. She’s directed dozens of readings/plays/musicals/burlesques and variety shows throughout her career. Her most recent theatrical projects include Steel Magnolias (now running) and Collective Rage: A Play in Five Betties (Fishtank Theatre). Katie has appeared on almost every stage in KC and will be seen this fall in the upcoming production of Natasha, Pierre and the Great Comet of 1812 at The Black Box. She is a member of the Conservatory Alumni Board at UMKC, The City of Fountains Sisters, the AIDS Service Foundation Steering Committee; Artistic Director of KC STRIPS (back in 2024) a member of Lost Wax, and the Booking/ Artist Liaison for The Black Box. She performed at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in 2022, and produces/hosts/curates the Powerhouse series, returning May 26. She loves her weird little family and dedicates this work in particular to her parents. Watching their continued conversation “over time through time” has been one of the most spectacular gifts of her life. More info: www.katiegkc.com
Molly Denninghoff Molly is delighted to be back at Unicorn Theatre! Previous Unicorn credits include Heathers, The Way We Get By, Disgraced, and Cock. Molly has been seen on numerous stages in and around the area: KC Rep, The New Theatre, Starlight, Coterie, MTH, Spinning Tree, and the Arrow Rock Lyceum, to name a few. She currently sings with the internationally acclaimed Chicago-based trio, The Lovettes, celebrating and honoring the history of the female icons & girl groups of the 1940s, 50s, and 60s. Molly splits her time between the Midwest and Vancouver, Canada, and will always feel at home in Kansas City. For more, visit MollyDenninghoff.com, or follow along @mollyjean_d on Instagram.
Francisco Javier Villegas would like to thank you for taking the time to be here at Unicorn Theatre, watching this production of LUNGS. As time progresses, the time shared together in this haven of creativity known as KC, means more to him than can be expressed in this bio. Francisco is proud of the work shown today and is even more proud of every single person who decides to get out of bed to try and make today better than it was the day before. One foot in front of the other, one day at a time. ¡Amor y paz! Go fast, take chances. (Pancho)
Tanya Brown (STAGE MANAGER) is in her 17th 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 (Unicorn Theatre).
Em Swenson (SCENIC DESIGNER) Recently at Unicorn Theatre, Em was the lighting designer for Refuge, Clyde’s and The Inheritance, Parts 1 & 2, scenic designer for The Lifespan of a Fact, Babel, Who’s Your Baghdaddy, Nomad Motel, The Effect and The Revolutionists; lighting designer for Sweat and Chesapeake; and projection designer for A Doll’s House, Part 2 and Bond. Em holds a Master of
Public Administration from UMKC, and serves as the Director of Development for Legal Aid of Western Missouri.
Alex Perry (LIGHTING DESIGNER) holds 9/10 of a Masters of Fine Arts from UMKC and is thrilled to light design for the Unicorn having also worked in the areas of scenery and props. Lighting designs include: Our Black Death, Who’s your Bahgdaddy, Heathers: The Musical, The Ghosts of Lote Bravo, The Oldest Boy, Hands on a Hardbody, Water by the Spoonful, Grounded, Venus in Fur, The Mountaintop, My Name is Asher Lev, Everyday Rapture, and Red. Alex has also worked as lighting and scenic designer with many other theatres in the KC area, and spends his days with A to Z Theatrical Supply and Service Inc.
David Kiehl (SOUND DESIGNER) is excited to be back at the Unicorn where he has worked as sound designer for over 80 productions. Previous Unicorn productions date back to 1997 and favorites include Sylvia, The Laramie Project, and Proof; more recently they include Marys Seacole, Tiny Beautiful Things, Toni Stone, and The Sound Inside. You may have heard his work around town at KCAT ) and over Only One Day a
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
President
Sally Everhart
Vice President
Kirsty Melville
Treasurer
Winnie Dunn
Secretary
Meredith Webster
Kevin Gabriel
Carol Gee
Cynthia Levin
Michael Nonbello
Kimberly Stern
Amy Wright
STAFF
Producing Artistic Director Cynthia Levin
Director of Finance Jason Kralicek
Director of Marketing Nathan Gwartney
Director of Development Em Swenson
Production Manager Taylor Jene Sullivan
Technical Director Andy Peveler
Box Office Manager Michael LeDesma
Social Media Coordinator Anna Sell
Production Stage Manager Tanya Brown
Front of House Staff Cheryl Benge, Anthony Beyer, Christopher Carlson, D’Anthony Casey, Megan Forbes, Paula Fry, Daniel Harkins, Imani Lewis, Tshombe Locke, Ethan Platt, Anna Sell, Em Swenson, Rosie Thomas
Photography Cynthia Levin
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.
AFFILIATIONS & MEMBERSHIPS
Unicorn Theatre is a constituent of Actors’ Equity Association; Theatre Communications Group, Inc.; The National New Play Network; Missouri Citizens for the Arts; The Downtown Council; Main Street Development Corporation; Nonprofit Connect; Urban Core Group; and The Kansas City Convention and Visitors Bureau.
