KINGDOM

(World Premiere)
Written by Michael Allen Harris. Directed by Kanomé Jones.
March - April 2018 at The Den Theatre.

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When the state of Florida legalizes same sex marriage, Arthur and Henry (his partner of fifty years) come to terms with their differing opinions on the necessity of becoming husbands, even as their son Alexander finds himself wading through some rough new waters of his own. KINGDOM is the story of an entirely-LGBTQ African American family that lives in the near-literal shadow of Orlando’s magical kingdom, as they struggle to create a life together that captures a little bit of that same magic.

KINGDOM was created through The Paper Trail, BNT’s new play development program.

“One of the Best Shows of 2018”

- Windy City Times; Chicago Reader

Winner of 2 Black Theater Alliance Awards
including Best New Play (Michael Allen Harris) and Best Featured Actress/Play (RjW Mays); Nominated for 3 others including Best Director/Play (Kanomé Jones) and Best Featured Actor/Play for both Christopher McMorris and Watson Swift

Nominated for 2 Joseph Jefferson Awards
including Best New Play and Best Featured Performance/Play (RjW Mays)

Reviews for KINGDOM…

Recommended! Reveals a young playwright on the brink of greatness... the rare gay play that refuses to judge even the unrepentantly closeted character.
— Justin Hayford, Chicago Reader
A lovely, lovely story... The characters are as vivid and colorful as the Disney merchandise that litters the set, but more nuanced and real...
— Jessie Bond, Splash Magazine
Thoroughly engaging and entertaining ... has a heart the size of Cinderella’s Castle...
— Karen Topham, Chicago On Stage
This is enough backstory to fuel a dozen plays ... what ensures our immediate empathy is the chemistry exhibited by Christopher McMorris and Watson Swift, who expand the boundaries of geezerly mannerisms to endow Arthur and Henry with a romantic warmth to be envied at any age.
— Mary Shen Barnidge, Windy City Times
Something all of Chicago sorely needs to see right now. When questions about representation and storytelling occur, it is companies like Broken Nose that are willing to produce the intersectional stories that bring out the best in our society.
— Sarah Bowden, Theatre By Numbers

PRODUCTION TEAM

  • MICHAEL ALLEN HARRIS+ | Playwright

  • KANOMÉ JONES | Director

  • ECHAKA AGBA* | Assistant Director

  • NIKKI MARQUARDT | Stage Manager

  • JULIA FARRELL | Assistant Stage Manager

  • ROSE HAMILL* | Production Manager

  • DEVON GREEN^ | Props Designer, Co-Scenic Designer

  • CASWELL JAMES | Technical Designer, Co-Scenic Designer

  • MARCI RODRIGUEZ | Costume Designer

  • MICHAEL JOSEPH | Lighting Designer

  • GROVER HOLLWAY | Sound Designer

  • RYLEE FREEMAN | Hair & Make-Up Designer

  • CHLOE BALDWIN | Fight Director

  • ELIZABETH GOMEZ | Master Electrician

* company members  ^ artistic associates
+ resident playwright

CAST

  • MICHAEL MEJIA-BEAL | Alexander, Arthur Understudy

  • CHRISTOPHER McMORRIS | Arthur

  • WATSON SWIFT^ | Henry

  • RJW MAYS^ | Phaedra

  • BYRON COOLIE | Malik

  • BEN LOCKE | Alexander Understudy

  • LARRY TRICE | Henry Understudy

  • TAKESHA MESHÉ KIZART | Phaedra Understudy

  • JAMES MERCER | Malik Understudy