Kevin Kling: Neilly Series Lecture

Humorist and playwright Kevin Kling has expressed himself in many different arenas: theatre, television, radio, recording, and literature. His plays, such as The Ice Fishing Play and Gravity vs. Levity, have been seen in national and international festivals, including the Sundance Institute. Kling has also adapted two favorite books, Lyle, Lyle Crocodile and Lilly's Plastic Purse for children's theatre. He is a frequent storyteller on National Public Radio's All Things Considered. Kling's NPR commentary's can be heard on www.npr.com (try Minnesota Bus Ride or 'Hockey Hair' and Other Buried Memories). Kling's monologues are compelling, poignant and hilarious, sublimely drawing the listener into his own quirky worldview.

His publicist writes: Kevin Kling grew up in Osseo, Minnesota and graduated from Gustavus Adolphus College in 1979 with a B. A. in Theatre. He built his reputation in the Twin Cities during the 1990's with his groundbreaking plays "21A" and "Fear and Loving in Minneapolis," and toured a one man show of "Home and Away" across the US in the early 1990's. While his writing and performing continue unabated, he has also become well know for his regular storytelling contributions to NPR's "All Things Considered, " and has three (soon four) CD collection of his commentaries, "Home and Away," "Stories off the Shallow End," "Wonderlure," and the forthcoming "Fool's Paradise."

He has hopped freight trains, joined a circus, been to Mardi Gras and eaten things before knowing what they were. He loves Mary Ludington, their dogs and motorcycles, in that order. Kling has performed his one-person play "21A" (based on a South Minneapolis bus route) in Sweden, Louisville, KY, Off Broadway in NYC, Sydney and Perth, Australia, Edinburgh Scotland, and the Czech Republic. "Lloyd's Prayer" was work-shopped at the Sundance Institute. His autobiographical play, "Home and Away" has been seen at the Seattle Rep, The Goodman Theater, Jungle Theater, and the HBO Comedy Arts Festival in Aspen, Colorado among other venues. His adaptation of "Lilly's Purple Plastic Purse" continues to be produced in theaters across the US and abroad. Kling's one-man show "From the Charred Underbelly of the Yule Log" continues to play each December at the Guthrie Theatre.

Kevin Kling's newest play "At Your Service" based on ancient Japanese Kyogen tales, opened with Ten Thousand Things Theater Company in March of 2004, and played at a variety of theaters, correctional facilities and shelters. In Spring of 2004 Minnesota Public Radio produced a live variety show by Kevin Kling and Friends, "A Fool's Paradise," which played for one night only on April fool's Day, 2004. This past August, Kling performed a new one-man show at the Minnesota Fringe Festival titled "Whoppers," with 5 sold out shows at the Minneapolis Women's Club. A new one man show titled "Freezing Paradise" is currently in progress with the Guthrie Theater touring many communities throughout the Midwest February and March of 2005. Kling is also writing a new play based on the myth of Persephone, which will open in the spring of 2005 with DC's Imagination Stage, a company who works with a multitude of talents with disabilities. Kevin continues to regularly speak at various health and medical conferences and events, along with teaching and performing at colleges, and universities throughout the country. He recently returned from Istanbul and Eastern Europe on a grant awarded to him by the Guthrie Theater, and also toured a solo show throughout England this past November.