September 6-24, 2023
Directed by Vanessa Severo
FINANCIAL SUPPORT FOR UNICORN THEATRE THIS SEASON HAS BEEN PROVIDED BY:
Opening Night: Saturday, September 9, 2023
UNICORN THEATRE PRESENTS
Directed by Vanessa Severo
THE CAST
Frank Butley
Virginia Butley
Tania Del Valle
Pablo Del Valle
Mark Robbins*
Merle Moores*
Areli Gil
Justin Barron*
PRODUCTION TEAM
Stage Manager
Scenic & Props Designer
Scenic Painter
Lighting Designer
Lead Electrician
Sound Designer Costume Designer
Production Assistant
Production Assistant
Sound Board Operator
Tanya Brown*
Eric Palmquist
Bethany Elliott
Sally Farrand
Taylor Sullivan
David Kiehl
Daniella Toscano
Ashley Champion
Daniel Vazquez
Zach Oliver
* Denotes member of Actors’ Equity Association
NATIVE GARDENS is presented by arrangement with Concord Theatricals on behalf of Samuel French, Inc. www.concordtheatricals.com
NATIVE GARDENS was commissioned and first produced by Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park under Blake Robison (Artistic Director) and Buzz Ward (Managing Director)
OUR SPONSOR
ABOUT THE PLAYWRIGHT
Karen Zacarías (PLAYWRIGHT) was recently hailed by American Theater Magazine as one of the ten most-produced playwrights in the US. Her award-winning plays include The Copper Children, Destiny of Desire, Native Gardens, The Book Club Play, Legacy of Light, Mariela in the Desert, The Sins of Sor Juana and the adaptations of Just Like Us, Into the Beautiful North and How the Garcia Girls Lost Their Accent. She is the author of ten renowned TYA musicals (including Ella Enchanted: The Musical) and the librettist of several ballets. She is one of the inaugural resident playwrights at Arena Stage, a core founder of the Latinx Theatre Commons – a large national organization of artists seeking to update the American narrative with the stories of Latinos – and she is the founder of the award-winning Young Playwrights’ Theater (YPT). YPT was cited by the Obama administration as one of the best artseducation programs on the nation. Karen was voted 2018 Washingtonian of the Year by Washingtonian Magazine for her advocacy work involving the arts. She is an inaugural 2019 Sine Fellow for Policy Innovation at American University and is selected by The League of Professional Theatre Women to receive the 2019 Lee Reynolds Award, given annually to a woman in theater who has helped illuminate the possibilities for social, cultural or political change. In 2021, Karen was awarded a United States Artists Fellowship award. Karen lives in Washington, D.C. with her husband and three children. www.KarenZacarias.com
THE CAST & PRODUCTION TEAM
Cynthia Levin (PRODUCING ARTISTIC DIRECTOR) is in her 45th season with the Unicorn. This will be her final season with the Theatre! Cynthia started at the Unicorn in 1979 as an actor, stage manager, designer and director. In 1983, she was offered the position of Artistic Director, which was to become the role of a lifetime. Since that time, she has worked on 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 (co-directed 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
THE CAST & PRODUCTION TEAM
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 Dublin, the precocious Golden Retriever rescue and the spirits of Dodger and Zia.
Vanessa Severo (DIRECTOR) Past credits include: Unicorn Theatre: The Lifespan of a Fact; The Living Room Theatre: Nocturne, Milking Christmas; Spinning Tree Theatre: The Country of the Blind, Shipwrecked!; University of Missouri-Kansas City (graduate program): Antigonick, Constellations, Blood Wedding. MOVEMENT/ DIRECTION: Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park, as well as The Guthrie Theatre: Shane; The Living Room Theatre: Equus, Milking Christmas, The Death of Cupid; Spinning Tree Theatre: Children of Eden, Icarus Flew; The Coterie: The Wiz; National U.S. Army: What’s Your Warrior. AWARDS (2020 Kilroys List), 11th round of the 2017 Fox Foundation Resident Actor Fellowships. Artist in Residence, Carlsbad, California 2021. TRAINING Certified in Suzuki Method and Viewpoints under the instruction of Ellen Lauren of SITI Company. www.vanessasevero.com UP NEXT: Dracula. Adapted and Directed by Vanessa Severo in collaboration with Joanie Schultz, at Cincinnati Playhouse in the park. Vanessa would like to thank her family for their endless support, and Cynthia Levin for making a home for artists for 50 years!
Mark Robbins (FRANK BUTLEY) is thrilled to return to the Unicorn stage - his previous appearance was in The Lifespan of a Fact. He has worked extensively as an actor and director for the last 40 years for virtually every theatre company in the greater Kansas City area.
Merle Moores (VIRGINIA BUTLEY) is more than delighted to be back at Unicorn Theatre where some of her favorite roles have been, A Perfect Ganesh, Other Desert Cities, Retreat From Moscow and Faith Healer. KC Rep favorites are August, Osage County, Death Of A Salesman, Cat On A Hot Tin Roof, The Fantastics. Fond memories at Kansas City Actor’s Theatre Productions include Long Day’s Journey Into Night, A Lie Of The Mind and Mornings At Seven, Julius Caesar, Richard III and Midsummer Nights Dream at Heart of America Shakespeare Festival and other regional and local theatre productions of The Lion In Winter, Blythe Spirit, Private Lives, and many others. She appreciates our wonderful Kansas City audiences!! “Thank you!”
Areli Gil (TANIA DEL VALLE) is excited to return to the Unicorn stage after appearing in the rolling world premiere of Refuge last season. She would like to thank the cast, crew and Vanessa for an incredible experience. Tanya Brown you are salt to my pretzel, we would be nothing without you. To the designers, thank you for making us look good, grateful for all you do! To the extraordinary Unicorn staff, thank you for sharing your talents and passions with us. Cynthia, congratulations on your final season, your legacy will remain for many generations to come. Dublin, you’re doing great sweetie! What’s the best way to make a tree laugh? Tell it acorn-y joke.
Justin Barron (PABLO DEL VALLE) is delighted to return to the Unicorn for the big 50th season! A Kansas City native, Justin has worked over the last decade on
