The Pillowman

by Martin McDonagh

Directed by Joe Price

September 1 - 24, 2006
PREVIEWS August 30 & 31

Featuring Nathan Darrow, Darryl Stamp, Rusty Sneary, and Mateusz Lewczenko.

Talk back performances September 5, 10, and 12th.

Set in an unnamed totalitarian state, the play opens with Katurian, a writer of macabre fairy tales, being interrogated for his involvement regarding murders that mirror the happenings of his unpublished stories. The two investigators, Tupolski and Ariel also have his brother, Michal, in custody. As the police resort to increasingly absurd and hilariously unconventional methods to crack the case, Katurian’s stories come to life, blurring the line between fact and fiction, truth and storytelling. USA Today remarked that “McDonagh's argument isn't simple or rhetorical. Presenting Katurian as a psychically ravaged man who values his work more than his life, McDonagh reflects not only on the value of art but also its potential price.”

This play contains violence and strong language and is not recommended for children or those who are easily offended.
 

         And the reviews are in...

        The Kansas City Star--Posted on Wed, Sep. 6, 2006     
       Stuffed with Smarts (Requires Adobe Acrobat Reader)
        Sneary is spectacular in violent, dramatic comedy.
        By ROBERT TRUSSELL 

         The Pitch--Posted on Thurs, Sep. 7, 2006     
       Holy Sheet! (Requires Adobe Acrobat Reader)
        No matter how much you want to, don't close your eyes during The Pillowman.
        By Alan Scherstuhl

      Other Stories...      

         The Kansas City Star--Posted on Mon, Aug. 21, 2006     
       A cautionary tale for theatergoers (Requires Adobe Acrobat Reader)
        Some stage productions are issuing warnings about potentially offensive material.
        By ROBERT TRUSSELL 

        The Kansas City Star--Posted on Sun, Aug. 27, 2006     
      Fall Top 5  (Requires Adobe Acrobat Reader)
        Theatre critic Robert Trussell chooses his top five theatre events for the fall.
        By ROBERT TRUSSELL 

      The Kansas City Star--Posted on Thurs, Aug. 31, 2006     
      UNICORN THEATRE | Martin McDonagh does it again
       Dark, funny ‘Pillowman’ haunts  (Requires Adobe Acrobat Reader)                                                   Disturbing, comedic and relevant, this story will stay with you.
        By ROBERT TRUSSELL      

     View scenes from Pillowman  (from KansasCity.com)

       The Pitch--Posted on Wed, Aug. 30, 2006     
      The Impossible Dream (Requires Adobe Acrobat Reader)                                                                            You'll hear about the controversy before you hear about the play.
        By ALAN SCHERSTUHL   

        Kansas City InfoZine.com--Posted Thursday, August 10, 2006                                                         Unicorn Theatre Opens '06-'07 Season with Chilling Comedy (Requires Adobe Acrobat Reader)
:        The Pillowman, a disturbing look at what defines art, the realities of censorship,...

                                             Martin McDonagh (playwright) has seen his stage plays receive numerous awards and wide critical acclaim on both sides of the Atlantic. Born and raised in South London of Irish-born parents, Mr. McDonagh became familiar with the Connemara region of County Galway, the setting for most of his plays, during annual visits to relatives. His unsolicited script, The Beauty Queen of Leenane, had its world premiere in the new Town Hall Theatre, Galway, Ireland in February 1996 in a Druid Theatre/Royal Court Theatre co-production before playing the Royal Court Theatre Upstairs in March of that year. Reviews were exceptional across the board and houses were full to capacity. Beauty Queen was revived, amid a blaze of publicity, in October of the same year at the Royal Court’s main house at the West End venue The Duke of York’s Theatre, following an Irish tour and reviewed again with enormous enthusiasm. The Beauty Queen of Leenane, the first play in Mr. McDonagh’s Leenane Trilogy, was revived for a second time, together with the premieres of the second and third plays in the series, A Skull in Connemara and The Lonesome West, by Druid/Royal Court in Ireland and London in June to September 1997. After the The Beauty Queen of Leenane opened on Broadway, it received the 1998 Drama Desk Award, the 1998 Drama League Award and six Tony Award nominations including the nomination for Best Play. Mr. McDonagh’s plays have been sold in 28 countries in 21 languages.

 

Joe Price (Director) is happy to be back at the Unicorn where he directed Painted Alice last season. He is a founding member of A Red Orchid Theatre in Chicago and the Oasis Theatre Company in Buffalo, where he has served as associate artistic director. He has worked as an actor and director throughout the country. Last winter, he played Biff in Riverside Theatre’s production of Death of a Salesman. Other projects include: acting in Missouri Repertory's Indian Ink and in a workshop production of a new musical based on the Cohen brother's movie The Hudsucker Proxy. Recent directing credits include: Blue/Orange and Bright Ideas the Unicorn Theatre and The Cripple of Innishmaan for Kansas City Actors Theatre.

 

Nathan Darrow (Katurian) is very honored to be working again at the Unicorn where he has appeared in The Retreat from Moscow directed by Sidonie Garrett as well as Painted Alice and Bright Ideas both directed by Joseph Price. A Kansas City native, Nathan was seen most recently in King Henry V at the Heart of America Shakespeare Festival. He has worked at the American Heartland Theatre and has played professionally at the Roundabout, Berkeley Repertory Theatre, and Madison Rep. Nathan is a graduate of the University of Evansville and NYU.

Darryl Stamp (Tupolski) is pleased to be appearing once again at the Unicorn where he performed last season in The Exonerated. Some of his favorite Unicorn productions include Take Me Out, Wit , BecauseHeCan, As Bees in Honey Drown, Blues for an Alabama Sky, Flyin West, Ev'ry Time I Feel the Spirit, The Salvation of Iggy Scrooge, Red Scare on Sunset , Innocent Thoughts and Betrayal of the Black Jesus. A former recipient of a Kansas City Drama Desk award, he has performed at the American Heartland Theatre, New Theatre, the Coterie, Theatre for Young America, Great Plains Theatre Festival, Actors' Equity Showcase and the 15th Annual William Inge Festival honoring August Wilson. He sends his love and thanks to his wife Melinda, his daughter Sophia and wishes Walter a full and speedy recovery.

Rusty Sneary (Michal) is pleased as always to return to the Unicorn stage. He was last seen here as Ralph in Frozen. You may also remember him from past shows such as The Exonerated, Omnium Gatherum, and Take Me Out. Other Kansas City professional credits include A Christmas Carol and Liliom at the Kansas City Rep, Much Ado About Nothing and King Henry V at the Heart of America Shakespeare Festival, and Killer Joe at the Just Off Broadway Theatre. Rusty has also done some film and television work and most recently portrayed Jeffrey Dahmer in the still-in-production film Raising Jeffrey Dahmer. He is also a proud co-founder and ensemble member of Open Cage Ensemble in Chicago.
 

Mateusz Lewczenko (Ariel) is excited and honored to make his Unicorn debut in The Pillowman. After three years at UMKC obtaining his MFA in acting, Mateusz is proud to call Kansas City his new home. You may have seen him in the Heart of America Shakespeare Festival’s last three productions including Henry V, Much Ado About Nothing and Julius Caesar. He has appeared in the Coterie’s production of The Witch of Blackbird Pond and has also worked with Kansas City Repertory Theatre as an understudy in their production of Lilliom. Past UMKC productions include Black Snow, The Maids’ Tragedy, The Importance of Being Earnest and The Circus Show among many others.
 

Buy Tickets Online! or call 816-531-PLAY x 10

Box Office Hours:

Monday-Friday 10-5pm

Saturday 12-4pm (During the run of the show)

 

 Unicorn Theatre offers $5.00 off for senior citizens and full-time students (with valid I.D.). Group rates are available, and students with valid I.D. can purchase Rush Tickets for $7.00 five minutes before curtain (based on availability)

SPECIAL THANKS
to those who generously donated their time, talents and services to this production:

Mark Titus

Adriana Sandoval

Bungalow Creative

Financial assistance has been provided by Missouri Arts Council, a state agency.

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