The public is invited to join us for the 2025 Midwest Dramatist Conference.
October 15-18, 2025
Hilton Garden Inn: 12080 S Strang Line Rd, Olathe, KS 66062
Adjudicators
Gene Kato: Next Stage Press
Luke Yankee: playwright/director/teacher, www.lukeyankee.com
Frank Higgins: playwright/poet
Michelle T. Johnson: www.playwright-michelle-tyrene-johnson.com
Conference Schedule
These events are free and open to the public. Other conference events are for attending playwrights only and are not listed.
Wednesday, October 15
- 8:00pm Introductions: Meet the adjudicators and special guests Audrey Crabtree, Executive Director of KC Fringe, and playwright, director, and actor Forrest Attaway, director of Story Shots.
Thursday, October 16
- 8:30am-12:45pm Adjudicated Readings (see reading schedule below)
- 12:45pm Lunch Break
- 1:45pm-5:30pm Adjudicated Readings (see reading schedule below)
- 7:00pm MDC Showcase: Join us for a collection works by MDC writers and board members. We will have some light snacks: hummus, veggies, pitas, etc. Grab yourself a drink from the bar for this fun evening event.
Saturday, October 18
- 10:45am-12:45pm Adjudicated Readings (see reading schedule below)
- 12:45pm Lunch Break
- 1:45pm-5:30pm Adjudicated Readings (see reading schedule below
Reading Schedule
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 16
8:30am
Hibernation by Scott Sickles
Empty Night by Abhisek Bhattacharya
9:00am
Hard Goodbye by Mary Wilkens
A Man’s World by Holly Lovejoy
9:30am
Drift by Everett Robert
Apple by Ben Corbett
10:00am
Do You Still Like It? by Carole Douglas
The Confession by Diana Grillo
10:30am Break
10:45am
Big Girl (and Boy) Pants by Karen Campion
Va-Va-Vicarious by Kim Ruyle
11:15am
Age of Chimes by Elana Gartner
A Pointless Jester by Rand Higbee
11:45am
Exclusive by Bridget Sheaff
Vanessa by Judah Skoff
12:15pm
Asking by Marj O’Neill-Butler
The Congresswoman by Bill Goodwin
12:45pm Lunch
1:45pm
37 Origami Bees by John Busser
2:15pm
Therapy by Paul Braverman
Second-Hand Spiral Ham by DC Cathro
2:45pm
Biggest Fans in the Aftertimes by Greg Lam
Opening Doors by Katherine Vellis
3:15pm
Uncertain Egg-Town by Suzan Averitt
Wonders of the World by Lavinia Roberts
3:45pm Break
4:00pm
Dharma Hugs by Emmy Kreilkamp
Dangerous Places by Peggy Powell
4:30pm
Interplanetary Paul’s Divorce Spectacular by Marshall Gibbs
Against All Tropes by Vanessa Bowie
5:00pm
Fresh Hell by Brian Cern
Gus by Douglas Gearhart
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 18
10:45am
Coming Soon to the Dowling Bookstore by Michael O’Day
The Damp, Dark Room Just Off the Parlor by John Adams
11:15am
They’re All Chalk by Dominic Moore
Legacy by William Carter
11:45am
The WellerDads by Allan Maule
Coyote with Anvil on Tightrope by Bill Triplett
12:15pm
The Visit to Burger King on 34th Street by Ivan Faute
Cover by Terrace Wyatt, Jr.
12:45pm Lunch
1:45pm
Unmuted by Clark DesSoye
The Dreams, the Curtain, the Mouse by Royal Shiree
2:15pm
The Last First Date by Brent Alles
Moon Love by Kieran Khanna
2:45pm
An iBrain Play by Sean Gref
A Girl Who Acts Like That by Cherielyn Ferguson
3:15pm
Soulglass by Tramaine Brathwaite
I’ll Get There by Donald Cooper
3:45pm Break
4:00pm
Fire Escape by Sache Satta
The Ride Home by Ward Kay
4:30pm
Elvis: There’ll Never Be Another One Like Him by Teddy Durgin
A Vampire’s Reflection by Kyle Walker
5:00pm
The Many and Only by Dan Born
Ghost of Shabbos Past by Samuel Heyman
Directors
- Forrest Attaway
- Diane Bulan
- Paul Hough
- Keely Hundley
- Phil Kinen
- Shari Wassergord
- Zachrey York
Actors
- Tim Ahlenius
- Jay Allen
- Joanna Benitez
- Kathy Breeden
- Brent Custer
- Daphany Edwards
- Jose Faus
- Marshall Rimann
- Brie Henderson
- Matthew Henrickson
- Ace Lovelace
- Keenan Meadows
- Mandy Mook
- Alice Pollack
- Sherri Roulette-Mosley
- Cindy Siefert
- Curtis Smith
- Terraye Watson
- Patty Whitlock
- Zachrey York
Narrators
- Bryan Colley
- Becky Froese
- Rob Hallifax
- Keely Hundley
- Phil Kinen
