‘Corners Grove’ performances will explore the ties that bind community
LAWRENCE — The University Theatre spring season will open with “Corners Grove” by Kaela Mei-Shing Garvin, a play written in conversation with Thornton Wilder’s “Our Town.” The play weaves tales of love, friendship and loss, showing the power of theatre to help audiences appreciate life’s daily experiences.
Showings are March 6-8 and 10-12 in the William Inge Memorial Theatre in Murphy Hall at the University of Kansas. Performances begin at 7 p.m. except for the March 8 matinee at 2 p.m.
Garvin, an East Coast-based playwright, will be in residence to meet with the cast during the final week of rehearsal and will also be workshopping a new play-in-progress commissioned by the KU Department of Theatre & Dance.
Told through the lens of young adults in the early 21st century and offering many students opportunities in dynamic and well-written roles, KU’s production of “Corners Grove” features a sparse and flexible set that lets the focus remain on the actors, relying on their skill and specificity to draw audiences into their town, according to Tom Zhang, director and visiting assistant professor in theatre.
Tickets can be purchased via the show's web page, in person noon-5 p.m. weekdays at the box office in Murphy Hall or by calling 785-864-3982. Ticketholders are invited to visit the interactive display in the lobby to define what “home” means to them, an experience curated by the department’s team of dramaturgs.
“’Corners Grove’ is a quick play that dives into the uncertain years from late high school through college and early adulthood by shifting from moment to moment through scenes that are equal parts funny, solemn, contemplative and hopeful,” Zhang said. “All this takes place in the social world of a smallish, progressive(ish) town in Northern California in a cultural moment defined by Whitney Houston, Katy Perry, and the political contradictions of the U.S. in the late 2000s and early 2010s. The play is more interested in how this political landscape impacts the lives of the characters rather than specific historical events themselves, focusing on how community members in Corners Grove are impacted by the war in Iraq and the mixed status of LGBTQ+ rights and conditional acceptance of queer individuals in the U.S. pre-Obergefell.”
The creative team is rounded out by Abigail Dearing, master of fine arts student in scenography, as scenic designer; Rhea Penny, freelance performing artist and scenographer, as costume designer; Jordan Malone, master of fine arts student in scenography, freelance designer and technician, and technical director/production manager for Johnson County Community College, as lighting designer; Joey Compton, junior in theatre design from Overland Park, as sound designer; Camryn Purtle, sophomore in theatre design from Harrisonville, Missouri, as assistant director; Kitty Corum, master of arts student in theatre, as dramaturg; and Maya Welde, senior in theatre performance and Spanish from Overland Park, as stage manager.
The cast is composed of River Becker, senior in social work from Wichita, as stage manager; Jasper Mumford, first-year student from Lawrence, as Wally/Whitney Webb; Vidhi Bhakta, senior in molecular, cellular & developmental biology from Salina, as Emily Webb; Jacobi Robinson, sophomore in theatre performance from Abilene, as George Gibbs; Luci Damon-Davis, senior in theatre from Gurnee, Illinois, as Rebecca Gibbs; Grace Couldry, sophomore in theatre performance from Shawnee, as Jo Crowell; Jacey Dinkel, freshman in theatre from Topeka, as Halle Newsome; Essy Siegel, senior in theatre performance and digital marketing, advertising & public relations from Kansas City, Missouri, as Julia Webb; Olivia Cairns, junior in secondary English education from Lenexa, as Melissa Cartwright; Kade Day, sophomore in film production and theatre design from Greeley, as Lou Soames; Logan Fixsen, sophomore in theatre design from Olathe, as Luke Lorberbaum; Evan Sandau, freshman in music production and technology from Kansas City, Missouri, as Simon Stimson; Liv Keller, freshman in theatre from Overland Park, as Stacy McCallister; Grayson Holtorf, sophomore in theatre performance from Overland Park, as Sam Craig; and Malina Jones, freshman in theatre from Junction City, as Vi Crowell.
About the director
Tom Zhang (she/they) is a theatre artist and educator. In her theatrical work, she creates shows that blend humor and audience interaction to explore identity and stereotype through performance. Zhang is currently a visiting assistant professor of theatre at KU, where she teaches acting, voice and speech, and devising. Zhang previously taught acting and devising at Emory University as the inaugural Theater Arts Fellow, then spent a year teaching and developing work at Duke University as a Theater Studies Artist-in-Residence.
Zhang is one-third of You Should Feel Bad, a professional devising collective that creates interactive political tragicomedies in a style they like to semi-jokingly call “Theater of the Depressed.” The company has played at Atlanta Fringe (2022, 2025) and other festivals. Zhang's written and devised work has also been performed in Los Angeles, Boston and New York. Recent works include “Expiration Date,” “DEI: Discovering Everyone’s Issues” and “How the Grinch Reversed Racism.”
The University Theatre is a production wing of the Department of Theatre & Dance, offering public productions during the academic year. The University Theatre season is funded in part by Student Senate fees. Additional support is provided by Truity Credit Union.
The department is one of three departments in the School of the Arts. As part of the KU College of Liberal Arts & Sciences, the School of the Arts offers fresh possibilities for collaboration between the arts and the humanities, sciences, social sciences, international and interdisciplinary studies.