Every month, Kansas City Public Theatre presents new and experimental work in development by area artists, as well as work which reflects the unique history and culture of Kansas City. Experience the creation of new work and support area artists as they put new ideas to the stage!
All events are FREE and open to the public.
Interested in submitting a play for our upcoming Theatre Lab?
Interested in directing? We’re looking for directors to direct our upcoming Theatre Lab productions!
2025-2026 Theatre Lab
Reduction in Force
by Ryan Bernsten
2025-26 Resident Playwright
Sunday, September 14
The Black Box
Leadership at S.L.A.Y., a struggling youth suicide prevention nonprofit, is planning mass layoffs in the name of “sustainability.” Employees scramble to keep their jobs in a workplace where loyalty trumps impact, performative virtue masks ambition, and gaslighting is policy. Reduction in Force is a blistering comedy about power, performative politics, and the human cost of a mission-driven machine.
North Avenue
by Christopher Kess
Sunday, November 9
The Black Box
Reggie Simms is the pastor of a small church in West Baltimore. Before a community event, he receives a visit from city councilwoman Delia Tate, bearing both a gift from a wealthy benefactor, as well as the promise of more…
This is Not a Love Story
by Prisca Jebet Kendagor
Friday, February 6
The Black Box
Two people who were once lovers long ago just can’t seem to escape each other. Often drawn to each other like moths to a flame, the sexual tension is strong and potent.
Wicked Creatures
by Emma Carter
Sunday, April 12
The Black Box
In pursuit of women’s liberation, Sonja Graves, taking on the identity of her husband, entraps a young eugenicist for her experimentation. Archibald Worthington’s only chances for escape are the “incorruptibly good” Emily Clearwater, who is cursed by supernatural visions of the future, and the crafty but foul-mouthed Clara Hollowell, a working girl with ambitions of her own.
Broken Pieces
by Mateo Moreno
Theatre Lab FEST, May 2026
BROKEN PIECES is an anthology piece with six seperate stories, connected by fear, longing and misinformation. A father reconnecting with his daughter. A young designer trying to get her big break.Two lovers reminiscing in a rainstorm. A not so distant future where women’s rights are stripped away. Two newlyweds who are being torn apart by an unknown force. And a horrifying game show called America the Beautiful, where Freedom is a prize.
Preacher Man
by Amber Dickinson
Theatre Lab FEST, May 2026
A small town preacher hides more than just a past when he locks wits and conjures up memories in a tense encounter with a local lawman. Preacher Man’s revelations may ultimately test the faith and morals of both men, and blurs the lines between right and wrong.
Kansas City Public Theatre 