With Heartfelt Gratitude
The Kitchen is made possible due to the generous support of our producers and
in-kind sponsors. Thank you for your faith in this production and for taking a seat at our kitchen table. We truly could not have done this without you.
Space 28 for their 'yes, and' spirit with our ideas for creating a show within their space in New York, and to the Wesley Theatre for providing a space for The Kitchen to come home to Cookeville for its final performances.
Our friends and families, for supporting, encouraging, and uplifting this show, and for stepping in to keep life going so that we could do this crazy thing called theatre. Thank you to especially to those very significant others who jump in at the last minute to move and build sets: Chad, John, and James. We appreciate you so much.
A Note from the Writer & Director
Hey, friend. Welcome to our kitchen.
In the South, in times of loss and sadness, we tend to gather in the kitchen, healing ourselves with coffee, or baked goods, or conversation with those we love. Even amidst the sadness after a death, the kitchen becomes a source of life. People arrive with casseroles, and flowers, and we sit down together and share memories and make plans. There's laughter there, and love, and while we are hurting, we are finding ways to carry on. Food heals the soul, and so does being with our people.
For my family in Mississippi, who suffered together in my grandmother's kitchen for years as we lost our grandfather in a slow, heartbreaking way. My favorite cousins who inspire the character of Parker; my eccentric and lovable aunt that come to life in Lynne; my stubborn, loyal, wonderful grandmother who lives in Jean; and my beautiful, caregiving mother, who embodies Kay.
To the community of Cookeville, Tennessee for embracing art at every turn and encouraging this cast to do great things.
To the family that this cast and crew has become. I am forever thankful that each of them said 'yes,' many without ever even reading the script. To the producers of our show, who made it possible for us to bring this play to life. To our local sponsors and in-kind donors; you keep the lights on our stage.
To the people in theatre that show up and make it happen. Even onstage, you can see the paint under their fingernails if you look closely enough. I can't thank each of them enough.
Always to my three forever leading men, James, Wilder, and Beckett. You three inspire me to do great things and will always be my favorite people in my kitchen.
And to you, friend. Thank you for being here. We love having your at our table.
Laura Holloway
