Fishtank Theatre To Present Reading of THE CLINIC By William Brumley

Fishtank Theatre will host a reading of Lawrence, KS native Will Brumley's THE CLINIC, part of a national staged reading initiative created by the playwright to benefit reproductive rights.

Produced by Jen Appell and directed by Fishtank's Producing Artistic Director Heidi Van, the one-night-only event will feature Katie Gilchrist, Kathleen Warfel, Marilyn Lynch, Margaret Shelby, Melissa Fennewald, Athena Horton, Brianna Woods, Brad Thomas, Becky Rooney, Ana Marcela Maldonado Morales, and Sarah Montoya.

A Eugene O'Neill National Playwrights Conference Semi-Finalist, THE CLINIC depicts the lives of women's healthcare providers over the course of nine months in Wichita, Kansas. At the center is Lorrie Daniels, a meticulous transient abortionist who flies in each Saturday to Wichita Women's Health, one of the last clinics in the state and a battleground for reproductive freedom since the 1991 Summer of Mercy protests. Recently nominated for an Ethical Humanist Award, Lorrie's career as provider and medical researcher is at its height. She has learned, along with the clinic's multi-generational staff, to contend with the escalating conflict from outside forces, including hostile protesters, state legislature laws, and even respite from the local authorities. When Lorrie's identity becomes public knowledge, the threats grow more personal until the entire staff's lives are turned upside down in one day and they are faced with providing services under impossible conditions.

THE CLINIC staged reading will take place Friday, May 31 at 7:00 PM at The Black Box, 1060 Union Ave., KCMO. Ticket are $20 and available at Fishtank Theatre or (816) 809-7110. All proceeds to benefit Planned Parenthood Great Plains.