Feature: THE 42ND WILLIAM INGE THEATRE FESTIVAL at The William Inge Center For The Arts At Independence Community College, Independence KS

It’s a shame that this is my first time attending the William Inge Theatre Festival at Independence Community College in Independence, KS. This Festival has hosted some top notch playwrights over the years, with recent featured playwrights including Lauren Gunderson, Lynn Nottage, and Paula Vogel. This is the 42nd year of the Festival, which celebrates the legacy of the Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright William Inge, a native of Independence, KS.  It is also the official theatre festival of the state of Kansas. The event is not only a retreat for playwrights, but for any theatre practitioner who is looking for an inspirational and communal experience in a relaxing and welcoming environment. It is safe to say I will be attending next year, and if you are interested in the future of theatre, you should, too!

The week featured a plethora of activity, some geared towards the education of students as well as the public, most towards new playwrights and their plays, and fostered hours of fruitful discussion. The 8th New Play Lab featured 14 new short plays and featured a Response to each of these plays by a panel of distinguished theatre practitioners and playwrights. The Festival gave a full production of Helens of Troy New York by 2024 Playwright in Residence Emma Horwitz, and a reading of a new work by Playwright In Residence Bruce Walsh. There was also the very lively Unscripted: A Playwright’s Discussion, with Award Winning Playwright Tim J. Lord and Broadway Playwright Carson Kreitzer. The event was moderated by Paul Molnar, Director of Theatre at ICC. High School students presented scenes at the Inge House, and there were 2 full days of workshops for students and the public to attend. I was honored to attend as a guest artist, as were other teaching artists from Kansas, Arkansas, Oklahoma, and across the country. There were also tours of the city given by the local historian Dr. Isaias McCaffery.

Dee Byrd-Molnar, Director of the William Inge Center for the Arts, hosted the three day Festival, which ran like clockwork and sprawled across the Independence Community College campus into the charming buildings and businesses of the city. After a long day of play readings, discussions, and classes, attendees were able to experience casual after-hours events held at various venues in town, including a picnic in Riverside Park, and a closing celebration at the Independence Country Club. The Festival inspired a sense of community, camaraderie, and a renewed sense of purpose for all who attended. Since the Festival was a nutritionally dense three days, I will be releasing a few more episodes of my Inge Experience during the week, examining the new plays, Horwitz’s new work, and the discussion with Lord and Kreitzer. Stay tuned!