The Inheritance - Playbill

MAY 11 - JUNE 12, 2022 DiRECTED BY JEFF CHURCH, PART ONE DiRECTED BY IAN R. CRAWFORD, PART TWO

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

STAFF

President

Producing Artistic Director Cynthia Levin Director of Finance Jason Kralicek Associate Artistic Director Ian R. Crawford Director of Marketing Nathan Gwartney Director of Development Em Swenson Production Manager Taylor Jene Sullivan Technical Director Andy Peveler Box Office Manager Sarah Cooper Social Media Coordinator Anna Sell Production Stage Manager Tanya Brown Photography Cynthia Levin

Kevin Gabriel

Vice President

Carol Gee

Treasurer

Kirsty Melville Secretary

Sally Everhart Winnie Dunn Cynthia Levin Michael Nonbello Kimberly Stern Annie Swartz Meredith Webster Shannon Wooten Amy Wright Suzanne Wheeler

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.

Opening Night for Part One: May 14th, 2022 Opening Night for Part Two: May 21st, 2022

UNICORN THEATRE PRESENTS

By Matthew López Part One, Directed by Jeff Church Part Two, Directed by Ian R. Crawford THE CAST Margaret Toby Darling Morgan/Walter Young Henry Tristan Jason 2/Clinic Worker Toby’s Agent/Charles Eric Glass Jasper/Paul/Dealer Adam/Leo Henry Wilcox Young Walter/Tucker Jason 1/Agent/Doorman

Cheryl Benge Ryan Bernsten Robbert Gibby Brand * Christopher Jon Carlson * Darrington Clark * Thomas Delgado * J. Will Fritz Rob Glauz * Matt Leisy * Jordan Luty Terry O’Reagan Tanner Rose * Terraye Watson

PRODUCTION TEAM Stage Manager Assistant Stage Manager Scenic Designer Lighting Designer Costume Designer Sound Designer & Composer Props Designer Dramaturg Intimacy Coach Fight Choreographer Scenic Painter Lighting Lead Associate Sound Designer Sound Board Operator

Tanya Brown * Ashley Champion * Gary Mosby Em Swenson Blaine Shepherd Jon Robertson Eric Palmquist Josh Feye Chelsea Kinser Logan Black Kelli Harrod Taylor Sullivan Gianna Agostino Paul Vedros

* Denotes member of Actors’ Equity Association The Inheritance is presented by arrangement with Dramatists Play Service, Inc., New York.

3828 MAIN STREET | KANSAS CITY, MO 64111 | (816) 531-7529 | UNICORNTHEATRE.ORG

TIME & SETTING The Inheritance is performed in two parts.

TIME Part One: Summer 2015 - Spring 2017 Part Two: Spring 2017 - Spring 2018 SETTING New York City and its environs.

There will be ONE 15 minute intermission after the first act. (Bar Open) There will be ONE 5 minute interval after the second act. (Bar Closed)

SPECIAL THANKS TO Priscilla Cody, PT, DPT F.I.T. MUSCLE & JOINT CLINIC - Overland park Vincent Wagner Music for The Inheritance was recorded by

Jonathan Schriock, Violin Ahafia Jurkiewicz-Miles, Violin Gianna Agostino, Cello Brian Padavic, Double Bass Jon Robertson, Piano

ABOUT THE PLAYWRIGHT Matthew López (Playwright) is the author of The Whipping Man, one of the most celebrated and widely produced new American plays of the last decade. The Manhattan Theatre Club production received Obie, Lortel, and Outer Critics Circle awards including the John Gassner New Play Award. It has since been produced at over 100 U.S. theatres as well as internationally. The Legend Of Georgia Mcbride premiered at the Denver Center for the Performing Arts and ran off-Broadway at MCC Theatre in a production that received multiple Drama Desk, Lucille Lortel, and Outer Critics Circle nominations, including Best Play. Other plays include Somewhere (Old Globe, world premiere), Reverberation (Hartford Stage Company, world premiere), The Sentinels (London’s Headlong Theatre Company) and Zoey’s Perfect Wedding. Matthew holds commissions from Roundabout Theatre Company, Manhattan Theatre Club, South Coast Rep, Williamstown Theatre Festival, and Harford Stage Company, where he recently served as their AETNA New Voices Fellow. For the past two seasons, he has been the Inaugural Playwriting Fellow at the Denver Center Theatre Company. Matthew was a writer on the HBO series “The Newsroom” and has recently adapted Javier Marias’ “Your Face Tomorrow” trilogy for the screen as well as the biopic “Dr. Q” for Disney.

THE CAST & PRODUCTION TEAM

Cynthia Levin

Jeff Church

Ian R. Crawford

Cheryl Benge

Ryan Bernsten

Robert Gibby Brand

Christopher Jon Carlson

Darrington Clark

Thomas Delgado

J. Will Fritz

Rob Glauz

Matt Leisy

Jordan Luty

Terry O’Reagan

Tanner Rose

Terraye Watson

THE CAST & PRODUCTION TEAM Cynthia Levin (PRODUCING ARTISTIC DIRECTOR) is in her 43rd 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 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 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), Dodger (the cat) and the spirit of the big red dog, Sylvia.

Jeff Church (DIRECTOR, PART ONE) was privileged to direct Unicorn Theatre’s production of Love! Valour! Compassion! which featured Terry O’Reagen – who, exactly 25 years later, is in this play! Jeff directed Bob Brand in The Judas Kiss for Unicorn, and directed its productions of The Lisbon Traviata, The Laramie Project, Santaland Diaries, La Cage aux Folles, Loving Lucy, Sister Mary Ignatius Explains It All for You, Next Fall, I’m Gonna Pray for You So Hard, bare, and Cock. By day Jeff is Producing Artistic Director at The Coterie Theatre in Crown Center, which is a nationally recognized theatre for youth and family audiences. Prior to Kansas City, he was a playwright-inresidence for youth and family programs at The Kennedy Center and taught at D.C.’s Duke Ellington School of the Arts. Nationally, Jeff served as board officer for Theatre Communications Group (TCG), and was inducted into the College of Fellows of the American Theatre. For 15 years, he’s served as instructor of text analysis for UMKC Theatre.

THE CAST & PRODUCTION TEAM Ian R. Crawford (DIRECTOR, PART TWO) is proud to be Unicorn Theatre’s Associate Artistic Director. At the Unicorn, Ian has directed Babel, Death of a Driver, Sweat, Hir, Application Pending, The Ghosts of Lote Bravo (world premiere) & Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo and Co-Directed Nomad Motel with Andi Meyer. Other favorite directing credits include An Italian Straw Hat for UMKC Theatre in a new translation by Felicia Londre, The Importance of Being Earnest (for which he also designed the set, props, and costumes), Dada is Dead/Long Live DADA! (which he conceived and co-created for the KC Fringe Festival), The Baltimore Waltz, Life of Galileo, Far Away, and Quartett. At the Unicorn, Ian has designed costumes for Pipeline, Kill Move Paradise, Death of a Driver, Red Bike, Bond, Chesapeake, I’m Gonna Pray For You So Hard, Application Pending, The Way We Get By, Buyer & Cellar, The Oldest Boy, Bad Jews, and Water By The Spoonful, and the set for Tiny Beautiful Things, Chesapeake and Women Playing Hamlet. Unicorn Theatre’s production of The Ghosts of Lote Bravo, which Ian directed, was featured on the cover of American Theatre Magazine. Ian is an alum of the La Mama Umbria Directors’ Symposium and a graduate of Fordham College at Lincoln Center. Thank you to his family and to his husband Vince for his constant love and support.

Cheryl Benge (MARGARET) is so proud to return to The Unicorn Theatre in this remarkable play. She has appeared in many shows at the Unicorn over the years including Expiring Minds Want To Know, Ruthless, and The Laramie Project. Cheryl has been seen at Quality Hill Playhouse, The Coterie Theatre and Theatre for Young America. She would like to dedicate this show to all of our absent friends. Never forget!

Ryan Bernsten (TOBY DARLING) is thrilled to be making his Unicorn Theatre debut with such a wonderful team. Ryan studied theatre at Northwestern University and dramatic writing at the University of Oxford; his plays Dream Ticket, The New Order, and We Are Blood have been performed off-Broadway, across the U.K., and here in Kansas City. As an actor, he has appeared at the Players Theatre in New York, the Marriott-Lincolnshire Theatre in Chicago, the Broad Theatre in Los Angeles, the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, with the Barn Players in KC, and educationally at Northwestern and Oxford. You may have seen him as a Slytherin contestant on HBOMax’s “Harry Potter: Hogwarts Tournament of Houses” hosted by Helen Mirren. Thanks to Cynthia, Ian, and Jeff for making the dream of playing this role a reality. Instagram: @rybernsten Robbert Gibby Brand (MORGAN/WALTER) is amazed to find himself in this extraordinary production. After appearing on KC stages for thirty-four years, he is deeply moved to be surrounded by such a splendid cast and production team. Only connect!

THE CAST & PRODUCTION TEAM Christopher Jon Carlson (YOUNG HENRY) is excited to be back on stage in his hometown. Previous regional credits include Ragtime (Younger Brother, Father, Tateh u/s) and Shakespeare in Love (Sam) at the Asolo Rep, Julius Caesar (Lucius) with Asolo New Stages and Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer (Hermey) at The Coterie. He also works with the Coterie as a teaching artist and holds an MFA from the FSU/Asolo Conservatory. He would like to thank the production team at The Unicorn and his friends and family for their loving support. IG & Twitter: @tophercarlson Darrington Clark (TRISTAN) Kansas City: Unicorn Theatre (Tiny Beautiful Things, Dance Nation, Kill Move Paradise, Who’s Your Baghdaddy?), Starlight (Godspell, Hairspray), Coterie (Charlie Brown Christmas, Garfield, Puffs) Music Theater Heritage (Cats, My Fair Lady). Regional: Milwaukee Repertory Theater, First Stage, Circa 21, Children’s Theater of Madison. Thanks to Aly, Austin, Donna & Scott, If That Ain’t Us and everyone who believed in me way before I did. “I have a story to tell.” @darringtune Thomas Delgado (JASON 2/CLINIC WORKER) is thrilled to be returning to the Unicorn Theatre with The Inheritance as a proud, gay, Mexican man.

Thomas was last seen here as J.D. in Heathers: The Musical and Ensemble/ Young Bernadette in Priscilla: Queen of the Desert. Now based in New York City, Thomas has been seen in Off-Broadway productions of Camp Morning Wood (Randy), Trust the Process (Greyson), and Coming Out (Ben).

All my love to my amazing friends, family, and beautiful husband, Ardit, I love you boobuhluh boobuh! paz, amor y felicidad! #BlackLivesMatter #TransLivesMatter J. Will Fritz (TOBY’S AGENT/CHARLES) is very excited to be back on stage here at the Unicorn. He has also appeared here in the world premiere of How to Use a Knife as well as the staged reading of The Pitchforks. You may have also seen him at the Coterie Theatre, the Heart of America Shakespeare Festival, Kansas City Actors Theatre, Fishtank Theatre, Theatre for Young America, and others in the KC area. Most recently you may have caught him as Jeremy in the KC Public Theatre’s production of The Holy Trinity. He is a graduate of UMKC, with a BA in Theatre Performance. Enjoy the show!

Rob Glauz (ERIC GLASS) is a NYC-based actor and is thrilled to return to Kansas City. Regional favorites include The Glass Menagerie, The Lion in Winter (FreeFall); The Great Society, The Little Foxes, Nora (Asolo Rep); Romeo and Juliet, Three Sisters, Macbeth (GreenHouse). Love to all Lee’s Summit/ Mizzou family and friends. Recent and upcoming TV/film: “Last Call”, “The History of Hollywood,” “American Dynasty,” HBOMax’s “Love Life.” MFA: FSU/ Asolo Conservatory. @robglauz

THE CAST & PRODUCTION TEAM Matt Leisy (YOUNG MAN 7/JASPER/PAUL/DEALER) In “the before times,” Matt played Raoul in the World Tour of The Phantom of the Opera. Other productions include Sweeney Todd (Barrow Street Theatre), A Gentleman’s Guide to Love & Murder (First National Tour). Off Broadway: The Fantasticks, Carousel (Lincoln Center). Regional: Red, The Importance of Being Earnest, Pride & Prejudice, The History Boys, Ragtime, The 39 Steps, and Witness for the Prosecution at such theatres as Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park, St. Louis Rep, Arizona Theatre Company, Clarence Brown Theatre, the Arden, Bristol Riverside and Alabama Shakespeare Festival. TV: “The Blacklist” (NBC), “Live from Lincoln Center” (PBS). Matt recently made his solo concert debut at the Kauffman Center. Debut EP available at www.mattleisy.com. @mattleisy Jordan Luty (ADAM/LEO) Jordan is thrilled to be performing once again after his Covid-induced theatrical absence. Before the pandemic, Jordan moved to New York City, but—before he was fully unpacked—he found himself packing up again and returning to Kansas City. This, however, led to Jordan discovering another passion in education, and he recently became a certified teacher in the states of Kansas and Missouri. He has appeared in Kansas City with The Coterie Theatre (Rise Up, A Charlie Brown Christmas, The White Rose), The KC Rep (Village of Vale), and he recently directed a production of Annie for Shawnee Mission School District. This role is especially significant to him, as he fell in love with The Inheritance during its run on the West End, and he couldn’t be more proud to present it in Kansas City. Enjoy the show!

Terry O’Reagan (HENRY WILCOX) It has been many years since Terry has been on this stage, and he is so honored and proud to be back among many longtime, and cherished colleagues and brilliantly talented new ones. Many thanks to them all, and to wonderful Kansas City theaters and audiences. And thanks to Pat and Lovens.

Tanner Rose (YOUNG WALTER/TUCKER) is an Animal Behavior Specialist serving the Greater Kansas City area when offstage. Stage credits include: Off-Broadway - Bells Are Ringing (The Lion Theatre NYC). International Vi Lieb Musikaler (Oslo National). Regional - Pryor Rendering (OKC City Rep); Thoroughly Modern Millie (Broadway Rose OR); La Cage aux Folles (Weitzenhoffer); The Rocky Horror Show (Weitzenhoffer); The Beth Leavel Christmas Show (OKC Philharmonic). Workshop - Something Wicked This Way Comes (Hill and Bartram). Up next: Clifford Bradshaw in the Musical Theatre Heritage production of Cabaret. Tanner is a recovered addict and works closely with Kansas City NA to give back to his community. All it takes is one phone call to find yourself again. 800-561-2250.

THE CAST & PRODUCTION TEAM Terraye Watson (JASON 1/AGENT/DOORMAN) is a Kansas City native and has appeared in theatre productions around the Kansas City area including Lynn Nottage’s Fabulation (UMKC), Lydia R. Diamond’s Stick Fly (Black Rep), Nathan Louis Jackson’s The Last Black Play (Buffalo Room), and Lewis J. Morrow’s Ain’t No Such Thing As Midnight Black (KCMPT). His love for theatre began in high school when he performed The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (Abridged). This is Terrayes first time performing at Unicorn Theatre and he could not be more excited to be playing with this talented cast.

Ray would like to thank his family and friends for the ongoing support!

Tanya Brown (STAGE MANAGER) is in her sixteenth 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.

Ashley Champion (ASSISTANT STAGE MANAGER) Ashley is thrilled to be back at the Unicorn! She is a graduate from the University of Missouri in 2019, where she obtained a bachelor’s degree for theatre, as well as one for English.

Ashley’s favorite thing about being an assistant stage manager is working backstage and running the deck. She loves orderly paperwork and making sure the show runs smoothly from her point of view. Recent credits include A Christmas Carol, Everybody, and UMKC’s Spring Dance Concert. In her spare time, Ashley loves playing with her eight pets.

Gary Mosby (SCENIC DESIGNER) is delighted to be back at Unicorn Theatre, working on these beautiful plays with this wonderful team. Gary is the Coordinator of Theatre at Kansas City Kansas Community College, where he teaches most of the theatre technology classes, including 2 levels of stagecraft and 2 levels of lighting and stage management and also designs the scenery and lighting for the department productions. Gary is proud to be a part of the Kansas City theatre community and enjoys collaborating with many area companies. He has recently joined the Board for KC Public theatre who was awarded the 2022 ArtsKc arts organization of the year. “My favorite part of theatre and teaching is collaboration, sharing ideas and experiences”.

You can see photos of more of Gary’s work at gmosby.com.

Em Swenson (LIGHTING DESIGNER) Recently at Unicorn, Em was the 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 recently earned a Master of Public Administration degree at UMKC, and has since become the Director of Development for Unicorn Theatre.

Blaine Shepherd (COSTUME DESIGNER) Blaine is a costume designer

THE CAST & PRODUCTION TEAM based in Kansas City, MO. He is wig and wardrobe personnel for IATSE 31/TWU 810, and is the Costume Director for the Des Moines Metro Opera 2022 Season. Previous works include Company (Musical Theatre Heritage), Camelot (Musical Theatre Heritage), Blame it on the Boogie (Costume Design Assistant- Musical Theatre Heritage), and Obamaology (Bay Street Theater). Blaine holds an MFA in Costume Design and Technology, University of Cincinnati College Conservatory of Music. Thank you to Cynthia, Ian, Jeff, and Josh! blaineshepherd.com Jon Robertson (SOUND DESIGNER & COMPOSER) is a sound designer, audio engineer and composer based in Kansas City, MO. During the pandemic era, Jon has turned his attention to developing methods of improving audio sync and audio quality in live virtual performances. In 2021, in collaboration with White Snake Projects, Jon developed the audio tool, Tutti Remote, which allows for performers to easily send, receive, and sync audio sources from anywhere in the world. Jon composes and designs for theatrical productions, radio plays, film and video, and his work has been featured at composition conferences and festivals such as SEAMUS, Electronic Music Midwest, Kansas City Fringe, UC Davis Summer Arts, and many others. Jon teaches electronic music and sound design, recently an adjunct at University of Missouri-Kansas City, the Kansas City Art Institute, and Missouri Western State University. Educational background: MFA Sound Design (UMKC 2015), Master of Music Composition (UMKC 2011), Bachelor of Music (University of Arizona 2005).

Eric Palmquist (PROPS DESIGNER) is a graduate of the University of Kansas theatre program and a founding member of Terra Femina Collective.

Recent work includes Tiny Beautiful Things, Our Black Death, Dance Nation, Pipeline, The Lifespan of a Fact, American Son, Babel, Bernhardt/Hamlet, Who’s Your Baghdaddy, The Revolutionists, The Humans (Unicorn), Caroline, or Change, Every Brilliant Thing, Billy Elliot (Spinning Tree), and A Moon for the Misbegotten (KCAT). An AEA member, he was last seen in Viper (Terra Femina) and Nomad Motel (Unicorn), and has performed with the Coterie, the Living Room, Equity Actors Reader Theatre, the MET, and the Buffalo Room.

Josh Feye (DRAMATURG) Josh received his BA in Theatre from the UMKC Conservatory. He is the co-host of the theatrical art podcast EVIL THESPIAN. Many thanks to God, family, friends, Ian, Jeff, Maddie, Blaine, and Dr. Felicia Londré.

A NOTE FROM THE DRAMATURG Only Connect; or The Gay Hauntings

by Josh Feye

One may as well begin with E.M. Forster and his 1910 novel Howards End. Forster believed in the human spirit and examines the search for human connection in his novels. Howards End tells the story of the Schlegel sisters and their quest to understand what role they are to play in an ever-changing society.

The novel asks the question: what responsibility do the upper classes have to the working class? In Howards End, Forster tells us to “only connect.” The Schlegels connect themselves to the working class character Leonard Bast. Mr. Wilcox, who is Margaret Schlegel’s husband and a staunch businessman, refuses to connect himself with the working class, or the past. Without connection, we fail to understand ourselves and the whole story. An often forgotten piece of Forster’s story is his closeted homosexuality which he channeled into his artistic works.

His posthumous novel Maurice (1971) shows gay relationships in the early 20th century. The manuscript was kept hidden due to gross indecency laws that prohibited homosexuality, though Forster was pressured by his close literary friends to publish the novel throughout his life. He also cited his fear of humiliating his mother, with whom he had a very close relationship, as one of the major reasons the novel never saw the light of day.

Forster died the year following the Stonewall uprising. Stonewall was a major turning point in gay culture that thrust gays into the national political consciousness. Gay men seized the energies of the sexual revolution and the civil rights movement to create a decadent culture for themselves. The gay culture of the 1970s is where the great sex parties of Fire Island and discotheques take place which we see depicted in Larry Kramer’s gay satire Faggots 1978). It was a grand party that all came crashing down in 1981 with AIDS. Gay men faced a cruel new reality with a vicious virus that attacks the body’s ability to fight off infection. Fear and grief quickly took over gay life as young gay men were dying at alarming rates. However, gay men know how to take tragedy and turn it into art.

As Is (1985), The Normal Heart (1985), Angels in America (1991), and Love! Valour!

Compassion! (1994) all belong to a great artistic lineage within the American theatre that honors gay men and their sufferings from this horrific disease. As Is was produced at Unicorn Theatre in 1987, making it the first play dealing with the AIDS crisis produced in Kansas City. Unicorn Theatre also went on to produce Angels in America and Love! Valour! Compassion! in the 1990s. This theatrical lineage brings us all the way to Matthew López’s 2018 play The Inheritance.

Matthew López first saw the Merchant Ivory film adaptation of Howards End (1992) when he was a teenager and was instantly captivated by the story of the Schlegel sisters. He “fell madly in love with Forster” the day he saw the film, and López even says, “I was picking up on what I call the ‘vibrations’ and the vibrations were a closeted gay man in the early 20th century, at the time, speaking to a closeted gay boy at the end of the 20th century.” The men of The

A NOTE FROM THE DRAMATURG, cont’d Inheritance turn to the novel Howards End to help them explore their lives as gay men in the early 21st century. The different generations of gay men come together to ask the question: what responsibility do they owe to each other? Mentors play an important role in gay culture, and older gay men will often take younger gay men under their wings to show them the art of being gay. Forster acts as a kind of gay and artistic mentor to López through his novel. Through The Inheritance, E.M. Forster and Matthew López fuse together to contemplate the triumphs and tragedies of gay life.

In the era of PrEP (Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis) and other advanced medical treatments, gay men are haunted by the AIDS crisis. AIDS robbed us of a generation of critical voices and gay culture has still not fully recovered from it.

Many gay men are left wondering how different life would be had a generation of men not lost their lives to this plague, and until these hauntings are reckoned with our present will continually be visited by the ghosts of our past. The question at the heart of The Inheritance is how do we begin to deal with these hauntings?

Eric Glass says in Part One: “We need our community, we need our history. How else can we teach the next generation who they are and how they got here?

Human culture from time immemorial has been transmitted through stories.” The Inheritance asks us to reflect on art, storytelling, community, and history as a means of connecting ourselves with the past to heal our present and forge a vital future.

Josh Feye, has given us access to some great resource material he has compiled for our production of The Inheritance. Take a deep-dive and learn more about the stories, history, and themes that make the narrative of The Inheritance so rich.

View the Resource Site HERE. FINANCIAL SUPPORT FOR UNICORN THEATRE THIS SEASON HAS BEEN PROVIDED BY:

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.