shows + events




















opening nights
hosted by

A Conversation with Robert Schenkkan.
Please join us for the rare opportunity to meet the author of "The Kentucky Cycle", discuss his masterwork, and to continue our dialogue about our community's collective stories.

Admission is free with your "The Kentucky Cycle" ticket stub or reservation.

Seating is limited.

Please reserve your seats via EMAIL or call 360/221.8268.






The Playwright

Robert Schenkkan (playwright) was born in Chapel Hill , North Carolina but grew up in Austin , Texas . As a Plan II Honors student, he received a BA in Drama from the University of Texas at Austin (Phi Beta Kappa, Magna Cum Laude, and Friars' Society) and an MFA in Theatre Arts (Acting) from Cornell University .

Lewis and Clark Reach the Euphrates had its world premier at the Mark Taper Forum in Los Angeles in December 2005. By the Rivers of Babylon first appeared at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival in February 2005. The Marriage of Miss Hollywood and King Neptune had its world premier at the University of Texas at Austin in November 2005. Handler premiered at the Actors Express Theatre. Heaven on Earth premiered off-Broadway at the WPA Theatre and won the Julie Harris/Beverly Hills Theatre Guild Award, and was a participant in the Eugene O'Neill Playwright's Conference. Final Passages premiered at the Studio Arena theatre. Tachinoki (Critic’s Choice, LA Weekly) premiered at the Ensemble Studio Theatre in Los Angeles .

Schenkkan has written two plays for children, The Dream Thief and The Devil and Daniel Webster.  The Dream Thief had its premiere at Milwaukee ’s First Stage and is published by Dramatic Publishing. The Devil and Daniel Webster premiered at the Seattle Children’s Theatre in February 2006.

Schenkkan has written numerous one-acts that are collected together and published by Dramatists Play Service as Conversations with the Spanish Lady. Among them is The Survivalist which premiered at ATL's Humana festival, went on to the EST Marathon in NYC, Canada's DuMaurier Festival, and the Edinburgh Festival where it won the "Best of the Fringe" award.

Schenkkan’s film work includes “The Quiet American” directed by Phillip Noyce. For television, he wrote the miniseries “Crazy Horse” (TNT), “Spartacus” (USA NETWORK) and “The Andromeda Strain”. He has written films for Sidney Pollack, Oliver Stone, Denzel Washington, Ron Howard, and Kevin Costner among others. He is currently writing a film, “The Rules”, for DreamWorks, and is a writer/ producer for Steven Spielberg/Tom Hanks and HBO’s epic miniseries, “The Pacific”.

Schenkkan is the recipient of grants from New York State , the California Arts Council, and the Vogelstein and the Arthur foundations. He is a New Dramatists alumnus and a member of the Ensemble Studio Theatre and the National Theatre Conference. He lives in Seattle with his wife, the author, Maria Dahvana Headley, and his two children, Sarah Victoria and Joshua McHenry.



The Kentucky Project.
The Kentucky Project is comprised of three productions: Simple Gifts: The Music of America , a WICA Conservatory Choir concert; Play Party: Songs and Stories of Appalachia, a Family Series presentation; and the Pulitzer Prize-winning drama The Kentucky Cycle.

The Project also features Special Events and Community Partnerships such as Ties that Bind: The Biggs, Rowen, and Talbert Families, and Our Lives, Our Land: The Kentucky Cycle Stories in the Good Cheer Garden .

Learn more.

_________





A Special Appeal from The Kentucky Project artists.



Excuse me... WICA patron... yes, I’m talking to you... no, not the other guy -- YOU. Do you have ANY idea how important you are? You are the one we sweat bullets over; worry about; wonder if we’re doing right by. You are the one that our actors, musicians, designers, directors, and artists are working so hard for. When you laugh or cry or tell us we’ve made you think or feel or dream... for us, that’s IT!  But you are also the one who is key to getting all those wonderful corporate grants and business sponsorships, because without YOUR support, they won’t even look at us. Without your bodies in the seats and your dollars in our coffers, we are literally NOTHING.

We have come so far. And the future -- despite all the economic woes -- CAN be bright -- but only if you are with us. From all of us -- THANK YOU for your continuing support.

-- Jill Johnson, Writer/Performer
Play Party: Songs and Stories of Appalachia



We are so fortunate to have you participate in our artistic creations. We hope that you understand the importance of the arts in each of our lives. This is the reason that we create our projects for you -- everything from choral events to our Family and Theatre Series. Each production is meant to enrich the lives of each participant. That is our goal. We hope that your goal is to continue to support the creative work. If you have friends who do not know WICA and the quality productions that we provide, please invite them to participate. We invite you to give back to WICA in whatever amount that you are able. Our combined goals of supporting and providing quality arts for not only our community, but our region, will only give each of us a greater understanding of our life, circumstances, and finally hope for all that we do together. Nothing communicates to our whole being like the arts. Please consider how you might support this honorable gift to not only yourself but to everyone that experiences Whidbey Island Center for the Arts.

-- Robert W. Prosch, Conductor
Simple Gifts: The Music of America



WICA is here because of you. The many talented perfoming artisans of Whidbey are blessed to a have such an incredible  and growing facility. We give our life blood to perform for the community. Whidbey Island Center for the Arts is a creative haven for us. I ask you to continue to support WICA with a little extra so we can contine to give back to you.

I am so lucky to live and create on Whidbey.

-- Michael Barker, Director
The Kentucky Cycle



special thanks
Ron Atlee; The Barker Family; Gay Bitts; Patrick Bitts; Todd Bitts; The Everett Daily Herald; FightDesigner.com; Fine Balance Imaging Studios; Gemkow Construction; Genealogical Society of South Whidbey Island and Maureen MacDonald; David Gignac; Caitlin Goldbaum; Jerry Hill; The Inn at Langley, Paul and Pam Schell; Lawrene Kovalenko; Langley United Methodist Church; Nymbol’s Secret Garden; Robert Schekkan; Sound Publishing; Star Store; Weapons of Choice; Whidbey Children’s Theatre; The Whidbey Daily; Whidbey Institute; Whidbey Playhouse; Larry Woolworth; Denis Zimmerman

special thanks
Ron Atlee; Gay Bitts; Patrick Bitts; Todd Bitts; The Everett Daily Herald; FightDesigner.com; Fine Balance Imaging Studios; Genealogical Society of South Whidbey Island and Maureen MacDonald; David Gignac; Caitlin Goldbaum; The Inn at Langley, Paul and Pam Schell; Langley United Methodist Church; Robert Schekkan; Sound Publishing; Claudia Walker; Whidbey Daily; Whidbey Institute; Denis Zimmerman