Dr. Nicole Hodges Persley is Artistic Director of the KC Melting Pot Theatre. She is a critically acclaimed director with credits in theatre and film including productions of Lorraine Hansberry’s A Raisin in the Sun, Angelina W. Grimke’s Rachel, Amiri Baraka’s Dutchman, Dominique Morriseau’s Sunset Baby and Lewis Morrow’s Ain’t No Such Thing as Midnight Black.  She is Vice Provost of Community Impact at KU as well as Professor of American Studies and African and African-American Studies. Persley also specializes in areas of Acting and Directing, African American performance, and Hip-hop Studies. She is the author of Sampling and Remixing Blackness in Hip Hop Performance which explores the influence of Hip-Hop and African American culture on theater in the United States and England and Breaking It Down: Audition Techniques for Artists of the Global Majority, a step-by-step audition guide for actors of color, co-written with Monica Ndounou.

Katelyn Stanton is delighted and grateful to be a part of her second world premiere with KCMPT! She received her BA in Theatre from Arkansas State University, having the pleasure of stage managing Into the Woods and The Wolves as well as assistant directing Godspell. Katelyn then moved to Kansas City to pursue an MFA in Stage Management from UMKC, stage managing Where Did We Sit On The Bus?, Cherúbin, Jane Eyre, and Jump. Since completing her master’s degree, Katelyn has worked with many theatre companies in the KC metro, including Kansas City Actors Theatre, Heart of America Shakespeare Festival, The Unicorn Theatre, Theatre for Young America, and First Act Theatre. Endless thanks to her mother, her friends, and God.

Lynn King is a native of Kansas City Kansas and has been performing for Kansas City Audiences for over 30 years. She received her MFA in Acting from the University of Missouri, Kansas City and has regional and national credits in theatre, commercials, and film. Lynn is one of the original members of the KC Melting Pot Collective, appearing in their first-ever production of OLD SCHOOL GHETTO GOSPEL, in 2013. Lynn was last seen in SEVEN GUITARS here at KCMPT. She also stays busy working in other capacities with KCMPT. KCMPT provided Lynn with her directorial debut in 2019 and she was privileged to be one of the all-female directors in the 2021-23. Sincere thanks to Linda, Harvey, and Nicole for their support. Special thanks to Dennis for our partnership on and offstage.

Ebonee was born and raised in KCMO and earned her BA in Theatre from University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff. She is excited to being on this world premire as the Assistant Director. She has appeared in The Search for Anno Domini: MMXXI-I-VI (KCMPT), Chicken & Biscuits (BRTKC), Fariview (KCMPT), Secrets & Lies (KCMPT), Pass Over (OCTA), 2121 (KCMPT), and the stage readings of Pass Over, Flo, and The Journey (WCA). When not performing, Ebonee works on crew for shows with her last being the Stage Manager for Kissing in the Grocery Store (Whim Productions). She joined the family in 2015 and still works as the Administrative Assistant for KCMPT and Just Off Broadway Theatre which she’s held since 2017. Ebonee also became the Social Media Coordinator in 2023. ebonee.carrd.co

Dennis Jackson is a Kansas City native. He is grateful for the opportunity to design sound for Family Sideshow. He has appeared in August Wilson’s King Hedley II, Two Trains Running, Piano Lesson, Seven Guitars and Fences; Robert O’Hara’s Barbecue, Shasone Lambert Short’s Dying To Party, and Lewis Morrow’s Six O’clock, to name a few, all with KC Melting Pot Theater. He, also, crafted the sound designs for these productions. Dennis has appeared in Lorraine Hansberry’s A Raisin In The Sun and Keenan Scott II's Thoughts Of A Colored Man, both with Black Rep KC. Dennis designed sound for Jackie Sibblies Drury’s Fairview at KC Melting Pot Theatre, Dominique Morriseau’s Skeleton Crew at Kansas City Actors Theater, Terrace Wyatt Jr’s Black Man, MO at Terrace Studios, and Kenneth Jones’ Alabama Story at Metropolitan Ensemble Theater.

Doug Schroeder is a Kansas native. Family Sideshow is his eighteenth design for KCMPT. Schroeder received a B.F.A. in technical theater from Emporia State University. In addition to working as the technical director for KCMPT, Doug also is the production manager for the Kansas City Women’s Chorus. He would like to thank his partner Chris Palmer for his assistance with set construction and Linda, Harvey, Nicole, Melonnie, and Lewis for the opportunity to work on this new play.

David Brown was born and raised in Kansas City, KS. He started working in recording studios in high school. David attended Kansas State University where he studied Electrical Engineering and Music. After college he began a 20 plus year career in the entertainment industry, doing lighting, sound and video. As a business owner he's consulted and provided services for several schools throughout the KC metro area. He is currently in his 6th year at Leavenworth High School as their technical director. His career has taken him to a variety of stages: concerts, corporate events, theater, churches, film and studios. Theater has always had a special place in his heart, and he loves the opportunities to bring diverse stories to life.