Cast and Creative Team Set for THROUGH THE SUNKEN LANDS World Premiere at the Kennedy Center

The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts has revealed the full cast and creative team for the upcoming world premiere Kennedy Center commissioned musical Through the Sunken Lands. A powerful, heartwarming tale about a young girl who finds her power and purpose, this new work features script and lyrics by Tim J. Lord, music and lyrics by Avi Amon, and direction by Cara Phipps. The movement director is Ronya Lee-Anderson and the music director is Angie Benson. Mike Brun is the orchestrator and Nathan Blustein is the copyist.

Tim J. Lord's story follows Artemis, a young wheelchair user, who's determined to fight to save her dying and flooded town with the help of her Aunt Maggie and a talking heron. In 2021, to share engaging stories during the pandemic with young audiences across the country, the Kennedy Center commissioned four new works as radio plays as part of its series WTYA Presents. First released as one of the selected plays, Sunken Lands now comes full circle in a new musical for the Family Theater stage.

This uplifting work about how to make the world a little better for everyone includes Meredith Aleigha Wells (Artemis Sims), Sarah Anne Sillers (Maggie Sims), Carl Williams (Nicodemus), Farrell Parker (CPA 1/Others), and Anna Theoni DiGiovanni (CPA 2/Others). The understudies are Emily Erickson, Lily Lord, Molly Nilsen, and Tre'mon Mills.

“It's been a real privilege to create and ‘work with' Artemis, who is a cool kid handling trying circumstances with aplomb. Too often we think of disability as an obstacle, but she shows us how it can actually be a benefit," said playwright and co-lyricist Tim J. Lord. “I really hope our audiences can get some insight into this idea that disability isn't a challenge that needs to be overcome—it's something to celebrate as yet another thing that makes each of us unique and interesting humans."

The full creative team includes costume design by Jeannette Christensen, set design by Andrew Cohen, lighting design by Sherrice Mojgani, sound design by Justin Schmitz, props design by Luke Hartwood, and puppet design by Matthew Pauli. Design assistants are Cidney Forkpah and Ryan Douglass. Marne Anderson is the stage manager, and Stephen Bubniak is the assistant stage manager. The assistant director is Fiona Rose Murphey.

Tickets for the production are currently on sale via the Kennedy Center website, at the box office, or by calling 202-467-4600.

Following the performance on Saturday, March 2 at 1:30 p.m., patrons are invited to stay for a creative conversation where young audience members can ask questions and hear stories from the show's artists and creative team.

The Saturday, March 9, 1:30 p.m. performance is a sensory-friendly performance designed to create a performing arts experience that is welcoming to all families, including those with children with autism or other sensory sensitivities.

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