The setting for Kansas City, KS, native and Tony Award-nominated playwright Christina Anderson’s newest play is the fictitious town of Beacon, KS. There, the play’s lead grew up with prominent activist parents fighting for integration of public swimming pools in the 1960s.
“The Ripple, The Wave That Carried Me Home” takes a long look as Janice, who has grown apart from her family and started a new life far away, receives a call asking her to speak at a ceremony honoring her father.
She must decide whether she’s ready to reckon with her political inheritance and a past she has tried to forget.
With clever writing skills, Anderson takes what could be just a simple story about a middle-class Black family and weaves it into a larger story about social justice, segregated swimming pools, growing up and growing apart and the gift – and curse – of water.
At 90 minutes without an intermission, “The Ripple” is on stage through April 2 at Kansas City Repertory Theatre’s Copaken Stage, located in the Power and Light District at 1 H&R Block Way, KCMO.
As part of the organization’s KCRep for All programming, the play continues through April 16 with nearly a dozen free showings across the metro area. Funded in part by the National Endowment for the Arts, KCRep for All breaks down economic and geographic barriers by bringing the stories from KCRep stages to life in community centers, public libraries, and senior centers throughout
Here’s the schedule and stops for the KCRep for All tour:
Thurs., April 6, 6:30 p.m. | Southeast Community Center, 4201 E. 63rd St., KCMO
Fri., April 7, 1 p.m. | West Wyandotte Library, 1737 N. 82 St., KCK
Fri., April 7, 7 p.m. | Eisenhower Middle School, 2901 N. 72 St., KCK
Sat., April 8 , 3 p.m. | Gregg Klice Community Center, 1600 E 17th Terrace, KCMO
Tues., April 11, 6 p.m. | Central Library, 14 W 10th St, KCMO
Wed., April 12, 6 p.m. | North-East Library, 6000 Wilson Ave, KCMO
Sat., April 15 | Morningstar Youth and Family Life Center, Private Show for Morningstar Community Members
Sun., April 16, 3 p.m. | Mattie Rhodes Center, 1701 Jarboe, KCMO