Know Theatre's Season to Continue with BUREAU OF MISSING PERSONS

A blue scarf.

A piece of chalk.

A pocketful of leaves.

These clues lead Angela on a quest from her New York apartment to a cave in Moscow in search of someone missing. Inspired by the magical realism of Jorge Luis Borges, Bureau of Missing Persons explores what it takes to come back to life when you've been smothered by grief.

Performances of Bureau of Missing Persons run November 29 - December 20.

Directed by Know Theatre Associate Artistic Director Tamara Winters in her MainStage directing debut, Bureau of Missing Persons is a poignant tale of loss and redemption. Part mystery, part love story, Bureau of Missing Persons is full of surprising imagery and unexpected storytelling-making it a perfect show for the Know.

Bureau of Missing Persons features a stellar ensemble cast of Cincinnati actors. Starring as Angela is Kate Glasheen, last seen at the Know in 2013's Bull. Joining her as Angela's beleaguered fiancé Richard is Rico Reid, alongside Sam Ray as Simon, a kindergarten teacher swept up into Angela's voyage to Moscow. Rico and Sam last appeared as Ahab and Ishmael in Moby Dick. Adrianne Underhill, previously seen 2013's in When the Rain Stops Falling, returns to the Know as Angela's feisty mother Vivian. Rounding out the cast is Know Theatre audience favorite Burgess Byrd as the mischievous and enigmatic Patrice.

In keeping with the magical realism style that inspired this tale, Lila Rose Kaplan has created a world in which realistic, believable characters find themselves in impossible scenarios of imagination and wonder. Director Tamara Winters says, "We are crafting an experience where the audience's imaginations can make whimsical leaps, all while exploring relationships that resound; connections that mirror our own desires. With this powerful cast and this poetic little script, I can promise our audience a night of magic, mischief, joy, and redemption. It is an elegant story of how we heal, and one I believe is perfectly timed for the holidays."

Artistic Director Andrew Hungerford adds, "I first heard a reading of this play in 2009, and ever since I've been looking for a way to produce it. It's the kind of script that calls to be staged, and it's exciting to have that become a reality with this fantastic cast and production team."

Bureau of Missing Persons is a regional premiere, only the second full production of this charming play, and the first outside of New York. It runs November 29 - December 20 at Know Theatre. This production's imaginative staging, beautiful imagery, and moving performances will make it a show to remember.

Cast

Kate Glasheen - Angela

Rico Reid - Richard

Sam Ray - Simon

Adrianne Underhill - Vivian

Burgess Byrd - Patrice

Production Team

Director - Tamara Winters

Scenic & Lighting Design - Andrew Hungerford

Costume Design - Noelle Wedig

Sound Design - Doug Borntrager

Properties Master and Scenic Painter - Sarah Beth Hall

Technical Director - Nick Koehlke

About the playwright:

Lila Rose Kaplan writes modern farces, bittersweet comic dramas, and musicals. Her play Wildflower made its Off-Broadway debut in 2009 at Second Stage Uptown and was published by Dramatists Play Service. Her plays have been produced by Second Stage, The A.R.T., The Old Vic, Perishable Theatre, Chalk Rep, Launch Pad, La Jolla Playhouse, and Harvard Business School (really!). Her plays have been developed by The Huntington Theatre, Arena Stage, The Kennedy Center, Ensemble Studio Theatre, Center Theatre Group, Theatreworks, PlayPenn, The Lark etc. Awards include The National Science Award in Playwriting, The International Women's Playwriting Award, The Shank Playwriting Fellowship, and the I.J. Kapstein Award in Playwriting. In 2010, she was selected as an Old Vic/New Voices T.S. Eliot Exchange Playwright and one of her short plays debuted at the Old Vic in London. Ms. Kaplan has been in residence at Cornerstone Theatre Company, Ensemble Studio Theatre, and the Kavli Institute for Theoretical Physics. She is a graduate of Brown University and received her MFA in Playwriting from UC San Diego. She is a proud founding member of The Playwrights Union in Los Angeles. Ms. Kaplan lives in Cambridge and is a Huntington Theatre Company Playwriting Fellow.

Calendar Listing

Production: Bureau of Missing Persons by Lila Rose Kaplan

When: 8:00pm November 29; December 3, 4, 5, 6, 10, 11, 12, 13, 17, 18, 19, 20

3:00pm November 30; December 7, 14

Where: Know Theatre of Cincinnati. 1120 Jackson Street, Cincinnati, OH 45202.

In historic Over-the-Rhine.

Tickets: $20 in advance

$10 Rush tickets at the door 10 minutes prior to curtain (when available; cash only)

FREE performances on Wednesdays, as part of Know's Welcome Experiment initiative. Subject to availability. Please note that pre-reserved Welcome Experiment tickets must be claimed 15 minutes before the performance or be subject to redistribution.

Tickets can be purchased by visiting knowtheatre.com or calling 513.300.5669.

2026 Theater Fans' Choice Awards - Live Stats

Best Revival of a Play - Top 3

1. Every Brilliant Thing

29% of votes

2. Death of a Salesman

26.7% of votes

3. Oedipus

9.7% of votes

Vote Now! View Live Stats