For the 43rd time, the small Kansas town of Independence welcomes renowned playwrights across the country to the William Inge Theatre Festival, with Qui Nyuyen as Honoree at the Festival April 23-25.
Nguyen joins the prestigious roster of previous Honorees who have traveled to southeast Kansas since 1981, including Arthur Miller, Stephen Sondheim, and, in more recent years, Lauren Gunderson and Lynn Nottage.
The Inge Festival celebrates playwrights in the hometown of its namesake, who was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for Drama (“Picnic”) and the Oscar for Best Screenplay (“Splendor in the Grass.”)
On Sat. April 25, Nguyen will share his creative journey at a free public Conversation at 4 p.m. at the campus of Independence Community College after the matinee of the college’s production of Nguyen’s play LIVING DEAD IN DENMARK. Nguyen’s plays are known for vibrant narratives, pop-culture flair, and genre-bending theatrical style. He has become one of the most influential voices in contemporary American theatre. Beyond the stage, Nguyen’s storytelling spans television and film, with credits for Marvel Studios, Netflix, AMC, SYFY, Disney, and PBS.
The Conversation is moderated by director and writer Robert Ross Parker, co-founder of the Obie-winning Vampire Cowboys with Qui Nguyen
The award presentation culminates a gathering of accomplished artists from across the nation for three days of performances, workshops, panel discussions, and the New Play Lab. The Lab features 13 playwrights whose scripts are presented in rehearsed readings; respondents share critiques as part of the development process.
The New Play Lab respondents are: Carla Steen, Literary Manager and Resident Dramaturg at the Guthrie Theatre, Minneapolis; Ernie Nolan, Artistic Director of the Unicorn Theatre, Kansas City; and Robert Ross Parker, Canadian-based co-founder of Vampire Cowboys. New Play Lab workshop leader is Andrew Rosendorf, Director of the Wellsprings program at Six Points Theater, St. Paul.
The 2026 New Play Lab writers are: Jerico Bleu, Astoria, NY; Thomas Boudreau, NYC, NY; John P. Bray, Athens, GA; Carol Croland, NYC, NY and Santa Monica, CA; Kym Fraher, Chicago, IL; Dan McGeehan, Chicago, IL; Vince Melocchi, Los Angeles, CA; Jim Moss, Chicago, IL; Jennifer Ramsey, Paola, KS; Lizzy Santana, Lafayette, LA; Samara Siskind, Fort Lauderdale, FL; Lolly Ward, Portland, OR; and Rachael Zake, Cleveland, OH.
The New Play Labs are performed by an ensemble of regional actors, led by three directors. Morgan Hicks, Arts Engagement Director and a co-founder of Theatre Squared, Bentonville, Ark.; Michael Lluberes, director/writer and a founding producing artistic director of Flint Repertory, Mich.; and Ashley Hovell, Executive Director of the William Inge Theatre Festival and director/actor from Wisconsin.
Professional actors featured in the New Play Lab include Joe Bizner, Reece Edwards, Kaylee Gembica, Jen Sweeney, and Emily Tomlinson, of Arkansas; Maya Jackson and Michael Lopetrone, of New York City; and Paul Molnar, Kansas City. Student actors include Jenna Bates, Payton Sanders, Valerie Taylor, Belinda Thompkins, and Matthew Wright, of Kansas.
Guest artist facilitators and workshop leaders include Yvonne Freese, Minnesota; Ginna Hoben, New York; Paul Molnar, Missouri; Andrew Roblyer, Texas; and Cooper Dean Sivara, Kansas.
Workshops and New Play Lab readings run each day April 23-24 from 9 am to 9 pm. A performance of Nguyen’s play “The Living Dead in Denmark” occurs 7 pm April 24 and 2 p.m. April 25. Also on April 25, the Conversation with Qui Nguyen occurs at 4 p.m. with the Award Presentation at 5:30 p.m.
Festival goers will also be able to tour the historic William Inge Family home, which is used for artist residencies. With its expansive front porch, visitors can readily envision how Inge’s home influenced his plays such as “Come Back, Little Sheba,” “Picnic,” and “The Dark at the Top of the Stairs.”
Admission is free to all events. Visit www.ingecenter.org or call (620) 332-5492 for more information.
The Inge Festival is named for the Pulitzer Prize and Oscar winning dramatist William Inge (1913-1973), a native of Independence. Since its founding in 1981, the Inge Festival has welcomed to Independence Community College scores of internationally acclaimed writers.
The Inge Festival is produced by Independence Community College. Prime supporters include the Kansas Arts Commission and the William Inge Festival Foundation. It is the Official Theater Festival of Kansas, as designated by the state legislature in 2009.
