Page 11 - STA SS Tamara Siler Playbill 091020FINAL

WHO’S WHO

KENN MCLAUGHLIN (Artistic Director) award-winning School Residency Program
The 2020-2021 season marks Kenn and commissioned several new theatre
McLaughlin’s fifteenth season as Stages’ works including Brother Can You Spare
artistic leader, following five successful a Dime: The Social Conscience of the
years as the theatre’s Managing Director. American Musical, The Way You Look
Kenn has produced more than 100 Tonight, Straight on ‘til Morning, and a
productions, including record-breaking new adaptation of Lorraine Hansberry’s
hits like The Marvelous Wonderettes To Be Young, Gifted and Black. Kenn also
and Late Nite Catechism series; The co-founded The Wallpaper Project, an
Great American Trailer Park Musical annual oral history performance program
and revivals of the theatre’s landmark in rural Ohio. Kenn has taught workshops
original musical Always…Patsy Cline; as for the Center for Literature and Medicine
well as pivotal world and U.S. premieres and has twice presented workshops
such as De Kus, Black Pearl Sings, An at the National Council of Teachers of
American Brat, Miss Teen nine original English. In 2018 Kenn was guest speaker
Pantomime productions, and The Great to the Academic Sympoisum of the
American Trailer Park Christmas Musical. Texas Educational Theatre Association.
He has directed over 30 shows for Stages. In Houston, Kenn has taught classes
Highlights include: Auntie Mame, Road in creativity at Rice University and in
Show, Grey Gardens, Full Gallop, The directing at Sam Houston State University,
Search for Signs of Intelligent Life in as well as teaching diversity awareness
the Universe, Mack and Mabel, Speech to cadets at the Houston Police Academy
and Debate, The Man Who Shot Liberty and serving as a guest lecturer for Harris
Valance, Stupid Fucking Bird, The Blonde, County’s Department of Education CASE
The Brunette and the Vengeful Redhead program. He has served as chair of the
and the world premiere of Miss Teen. capital campaign and of the stewardship
He has also written the book for two of committee of First Congregational Church
Stages’ hit musicals: Panto Mother Goose of Houston where he has also served on
and A Midnight Clear both with music by the long-range planning and education
composer David Nehls. This season, Kenn committees. Kenn completed the Executive
has directed The Doyle and Debbie Show, Non-Profit Leaders program through the
Salt, Root and Roe, The Fantasticks and Graduate School of Business at Stanford
will direct the world premiere of Hook’s University and holds a BFA in acting from
Tale. Beyond Houston, Kenn’s musical, I’ll The Theatre School, DePaul University.
Be Home for Christmas (also written with
David Nehls) received its World Premiere
production at the Arvada Center for the PRODUCTION CREDITS
Arts and Humanities in Denver and was
nominated for a Henry Award for Best New Production Assistant
Play/Musical. Outside of Houston, Kenn EMILY WALLACE
recently directed The Threepenny Opera
for The Santa Fe University of Art and Gaffer
Design and Sexy Laundry for the renowned TY JAMES
Peterborough Players. Prior to his arrival
at Stages, Kenn spent eleven years at Camera Controller Operator (1-3)
Great Lakes Theater Festival in Cleveland. PETER TON
At Great Lakes, Kenn helped to build the
largest theatre-based education program Camera Operator 4
for a performing arts institution in the JAMES PONDER
state of Ohio. He directed the company’s