THE CHILDREN Comes to the Kitchen Theatre Company

The Kitchen Theatre Company is set to begin its 2019-2020 season with The Children by Lucy Kirkwood, a thought-provoking play that tackles the themes of mortality, consequence, and environmental legacy. Performances of The Children begin at the Kitchen Theatre Company in the Percy Browning Performance Space on September 8 and will run through September 29. And thanks to the support of an anonymous donor, all three preview performances (9/8, 9/10, and 9/11) will offer patrons the opportunity to "Pay What You Want."

The Children centers around Hazel and Robin, two retired nuclear scientists who have retreated to a peaceful and secluded life of daily yoga exercises and ritual farming on the British Coast following a nuclear disaster. The unexpected arrival of a former colleague disrupts their isolation and forces them to reexamine the decisions of their past and the direction of their future. The Children is an astonishing and thrilling new play about the messes we make of our lives and our planet, and how we try to clean them up.

Director Margarett Perry says, "I am absolutely thrilled to be returning to KTC this season! When Bevin sent me The Children by Lucy Kirkwood, I couldn't say 'Yes!' fast enough. I can't imagine a better play for the Kitchen Theatre audience. It's a cautionary tale about our responsibility to our planet and explores the themes of ethics and self-sacrifice in the wake of a nuclear disaster."

Perry has directed more than 25 productions at the Kitchen Theatre since 2006, including Private Lives (the first production in the new theatre!), The Motherf**ker with the Hat, Sunset Baby, Cock, Old Times, A Marriage Minuet and world premieres by Brian Parks (The House), Rob Ackerman (Call Me Waldo), Rachel Axler (Archaeology) and six by Brian Dykstra (The Two of You, Strangerhorse, The Jesus Factor, Selling Out, Ho!, A Play on Words). Local actor Susannah Berryman, who has performed and directed multiple KTC performances, returns to the Kitchen to play the role of Rose.

Berryman says, "I love so many things about The Children-the writing is smart and beautiful. I think one of the aspects I find particularly wonderful is the play's exploration of the intersection where our higher-minded ideals meet our real-life personalities and experiences. That intersection can be a messy place!" Berryman was last seen in last season's The Roommate by Jen Silverman. Also returning to the KTC stage is Dean Robinson, who will play Robin. Robinson was recently seen in last season's Tribes by Nina Raine and in the Lip Sink Fundraiser.

Hazel will be portrayed by Jen Johansen, a Kitchen Theatre newcomer, who originally hails from Indianapolis. Scenic Design is by Daniel Zimmerman, Lighting Design is by Annie Wiegand, Costume Design is by Lisa Boquist, and Sound Design is by Chris Lane. Celia Madeoy will serve as dialect coach.

Special events for The Children include Pay What You Want Nights featuring post-show discussions with the cast on September 8, 10, and 11, and an Actors' Forum on the 20th and 27th. Opening Night of The Children is on September 12 and includes a post-show reception with delicious food and drinks. For more events and information, visit kitchentheatre.org.