World Premiere of BOXED Comes to Whim Space in October

Whim Productions, KC's LGTBTQ+ theater company, will present the world premiere of Boxed, written by Kevin King. The play is a compelling drama that delves into the intricacies of relationship boundaries and consent, through a queer lens. 

Written by local playwright and Whim Productions' producing artistic director, Kevin King (he/him), Boxed challenges the expectations of who can be a victim and what constitutes sexual violence. The script is also a microcosm of race relations: in the central relationship, one of the characters is Black, the other is white. "The script tackles some heavy topics, but it also has some good laughs," said King. "It isn't just 90 minutes of the audience being hit over the head about why consent is important and the importance of being a good person."

Darrington Clark (he/him) directs the play. With this production, he’s making his professional directorial debut, having captivated audiences on stage throughout Kansas City and the region. Most recently, he was in the sold-out run of Dreamgirls at New Theatre Restaurant.

Presented "in the square," this intimate production situates the audience just above, and all around, the actors. The audience's experience and perspective of the events will shift depending on where they sit.

Facilitated discussions with the playwright and director will follow the performances. Representatives from MOCSA (Metropolitan Organization to Counter Sexual Assault) will participate in some of the talks.

Synopsis:

Nick and Freddy’s date was going so well - until suddenly it wasn’t.

The fallout forever changes their relationships with each other and their best friends.

Boxed looks at the complexities of boundaries and consent, intent vs. impact, and the boxes we put each other and ourselves into.

Performance Details:

Venue: Whim Space, 415 Prospect, Kansas City, MO 64124

Dates and Times:

Thu. Oct 12th, 2023, 8:00 pm

Fri. Oct 13th, 2023, 8:00 pm

Sat. Oct 14th, 2023, 2:00 pm

Sat. Oct 14th, 2023, 8:00 pm

Sun. Oct 15th, 2023, 2:00 pm

Mon. Oct 16th, 2023, 8:00 pm

Thu. Oct 19th, 2023, 8:00 pm

Fri. Oct 20th, 2023, 8:00 pm

Sat. Oct 21st, 2023, 2:00 pm

Sat. Oct 21st, 2023, 8:00 pm

Sun. Oct 22nd, 2023, 2:00 pm

Ticket Information:

• General Admission - Advanced Tickets: $20

• General Admission - Walk-Up Tickets: $25

• Tickets for Boxed are available now and can be purchased at whimproductions.org.

Cast:

The cast includes Jacque Davidson (he/him) as Freddy, Luke Knopke (he/him) as Nick, Terrace Wyatt, Jr. (he/him) as Dwayne, and Diana Watts (she/her) as Laura. 

Director and Creative Team:

Darrington Clark - Director

Kaitlin Nelke - Stage Management

Kevin King - Playwright, Intimacy Choreography

Bradley Meyer - Technical Director, Scenic Design

Karla M. Fennick - Costume Design

Ryan Urban - Lighting Design

Mabel Bell - Sound Design, Board Operator

About the Playwright:

Kevin King is a Playwright-in-Residence at the Midwest Dramatist Center and a member of the Dramatists Guild. He was a 2016 Playwright-in-Residence in The Charlotte Street Foundation's studio residency program. His short play "The Swallows" is published in the Smith & Kraus Best 10-Minute Plays of 2022 anthology. It was developed in the William Inge Festival's 2019 New Play Lab and has been produced across the country. His short play "Debating," included in Whim's 2023 Alphabet Soup: Theater from Queer Voices, was a 2021 semi-finalist for the Lanford Wilson New American Play Festival. Around KC, his short plays have been produced by Whim, Fishtank Theatre (2014), the KC Horror Fest (2016), The Barn Players (2018 & 2019), and the One-Minute Play Festival (2016). His full-length plays include "Film Classics Presents: Heaven So Far," "Flowers in the Wardrobe", and "Mimi Dafoe: Confessions of an Aging Starlet."