BWW Previews: Girl Power Campaign Begins At The Kansas City Repertory Theatre

Kansas City Repertory Theatre presents its Girl Power Campaign for the last half of the 2018-2019 season, celebrating strong, powerful women everywhere. The remaining five plays are all written by women and about women and demonstrate the strength, intelligence, and bravery of women around the world.

When asked the motivation behind producing the five plays by women playwright's, Melinda McCrary Director of Education and Community Programs stated it was a fortuitous blend of intention and accident. She went on to say that Eric Rosen the previous Artistic Director was very intent on diversifying the productions of the KC Rep and that for many years American theatre was by men and stories about men and now new voices are being heard.

INDECENT a co-production with Arena Stage and Baltimore Center Stage is currently running at the Spencer Theatre through March 10. INDECENT written by Pulitzer Prize winner Paula Vogel and directed by Eric Rosen is based on true incidents surrounding the 1923 Broadway debut of GOD OF VENGENCE. McCrary after watching a dress rehearsal said, "Paula Vogel has really outdone herself this time". She went on to say that she believes the play will continue to have a lasting impact on theater.

Jocelyn Bios play SCHOOL GIRLS; OR, THE AFRICAN MEAN GIRLS PLAY, is directed by Chip Miller, and runs from February 22 through March 17 at the Copaken Stage in downtown Kansas City. It is the humorous story of Ericka a transfer student to Ghana's most exclusive boarding school and her desire to become Miss Universe. The most popular Paulina has her sites on the same pageant even though Ericka's talent and beauty have caught the attention of the pageant recruiter and Paulina's own groupies.

PRIDE AND PREJUDICE, written by Kate Hamill and directed by Marissa Wolf, an adaption of the Jane Austin novel of the same name, runs at the Spencer Theatre from March 22 through April 14. When Elizabeth Bennet meets Mr. Darcy all feelings of a relationship are muted by his pride and her prejudice. This theater classic is a hilarious adaption full of surprises in one of the greatest love stories ever told.

FRIDA ... A SELF PORTRAIT, directed by Joanie Schultz comes to the Copaken Stage from April 19 to May 19. KCRep's Fox Fellowship Resident Actor Vanessa Severo wrote and performs the one-woman play about painter Frida Kahlo's life and struggles. FRIDA ... A SELF PORTRAIT is the first of two projects presented in the KCRep's Origin KC: New Works Festival. McCrary stated the play will continue to evolve up till the time it is featured live. McCrary stated that Severo's unbelievable talent, creativity, and enthusiasm to tell the story brings an electric energy to her works.

Dipika Guha uses humor as tool in her play UNRELIABLE, which opens on the Copaken Stage on April 20 and runs through May 19. Directed by Ailin Conant the play involves three characters and how through their own sense of reality looks at a terrorist suspect and a love affair being conducted only by email. The new play looks at the slippery slope between culpability and expectations.

For ticket information to any of the shows visit www.kcrep.org or call 816-235-2700.

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