INTIMATE APPAREL to Open at Kansas City Actors Theatre's Season 22

Kansas City Actors Theatre's Season 22 continues with Intimate Apparel by two-time Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Lynn Nottage. This production features a fantastic cast of local actors, starring KCAT Ensemble Member Chioma Anyanwu, and featuring Lynn King, Allison F. Rich, David Sadzin, Joe Serrano, and Teonna Wesley; directed by Teresa Leggard. Starting August 5 at the City Stage in Union Station, tickets are on sale now.

Set in 1905 New York City, Esther works as a seamstress sewing exquisite lingerie for an array of clients, but her skill with needle and thread has led to an absence of a personal life. As Esther explores a forbidden romance with an Orthodox Jewish fabric vendor and a long-distance courtship with a worker building the Panama Canal, she also gets exclusive access into the private lives of her clients. “A justly acclaimed, beautifully written, and intensely personal play…” (Chicago Tribune) from one of the most lauded modern playwrights of all time.

Intimate Apparel stars KCAT Ensemble Member Chioma Anyanwu as Esther, a talented seamstress who sews “intimate apparel” for ladies of all levels of society. Chioma returns to KCAT's stage having previously appeared in KCAT's productions of Uncle Vanya, Trouble in Mind, Little Women, and more, as well as on many stages across Kansas City. Lynn King returns to KCAT's stage as Mrs. Dickson, the widowed woman who owns the boarding house where Esther lives. Lynn previously starred in KCAT's production of Trouble in Mind.

Allison F. Rich makes her KCAT debut as Mrs. Van Buren, a wealthy white client, and friend, to Esther. Allison is a recent transplant to Kansas City, and not only makes her KCAT debut, but her Kansas City debut as well. David Sadzin appears as George, a Barbadian man who corresponds with Esther while he is working on the Panama Canal. David makes his KCAT debut in Intimate Apparel, and has appeared locally with OCTA, KC Melting Pot Theare, The Barn Players, and more. Joe Serrano makes his KCAT debut as Mr. Marks, an Orthodox Jewish fabric seller who is friends (and maybe more) with Esther. Joe has appeared on local stages with The Coterie, Metropolitan Ensemble Theatre, and the New Theatre & Restaurant. Teonna Wesley plays Mayme, a sex worker who is another one of Esther's clients. Teonna makes her KCAT debut in this production, and has appeared with the KC Rep, The Unicorn Theatre, The Black Repertory Theatre of Kansas City, and more.

Jayden Bryan, Jordan Fox, McKenzie Greenwood, and Amber Redmond are the understudies for this production.

Intimate Apparel is directed by Teresa Leggard who has directed at The Unicorn Theatre, The Coterie, KC Melting Pot Theatre, and makes her KCAT directorial debut with this production. The creative team for Intimate Apparel includes Ta'ja Snipes as scenic designer (KCAT scenic design debut, properties design Mrs. Christie); Whitney Manney as Costume Designer (KCAT debut); lighting design by Selena Gonzalez-Lopez (KCAT lighting design debut; scenic design Deathtrap); sound design by Mary Louise Robinson (KCAT's Uncle Vanya, Doubt, Trouble in Mind, and more); and properties design by Taylor Jene Sullivan (KCAT's The Roommate, The Lehman Trilogy, and more).

Stage management by KCAT Ensemble Member Tinna Rivera, assistant stage management by Mackenzie Reppy, production assistance and wardrobe supervision by Elizabeth Hilvert, and production management from KCAT Ensemble Member Ari Hernandez. Technical direction by KCAT Ensemble Member Tyler Lindquist, dialect coaching provided by Yetunde Felix-Ukwu, and intimacy direction by Jenise Cook.

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