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Unicorn Theatre Announces Premiere of The JonBenét Game
A National New Play Network Rolling World Premiere
Kansas City, MO — Unicorn Theatre continues its tradition of producing bold, contemporary plays with The JonBenét Game by Tori Keenan-Zelt, directed by Ernie Nolan. This National New Play Network Rolling World Premiere runs October 15 – November 2, 2025 on the Jerome Stage.
When best friends Molly and Rae were 12 years old, they secretly played JonBenét Ramsey at sleepovers. Twenty years later, Molly’s sudden death leaves her daughter Hazel in search of answers. When Hazel shows up in Rae’s guidance office with the girls’ old playbook, the lines between past and present blur. What begins as a game becomes a haunting exploration of grief, fear, and the lasting grip of true crime on the female imagination.
The JonBenét Game has been described by early audiences and reviewers as “dark, twisty, and impossible to look away from,” a play that “lives in the delicate, dangerous, and often grey space that true crime opens up.” Keenan-Zelt has crafted a suspenseful and intimate story that asks: How do we grieve? How do we heal? When do we grow up?
This production is part of the National New Play Network’s Rolling World Premiere program, which supports new works by producing them at multiple theatres across the country. The first premiere was in Indianapolis earlier this year.
Content Advisory
The JonBenét Game contains mature themes, including references to suicide, abuse, and the true crime case of JonBenét Ramsey. The play is recommended for audiences ages 18+.
Performance Details
The JonBenét Game
By Tori Keenan-Zelt
Directed by Ernie Nolan
October 15 – November 2, 2025
Unicorn Theatre | Jerome Stage
Tickets are available now at https://unicorntheatre.org/2025-2026-season/the-jonbenet-game/
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About Unicorn Theatre
OUR MISSION: Unicorn Theatre develops and produces new, boundary-breaking theatrical work that sparks dialogue, champions inclusivity, and cultivates community.
OUR VISION: Striving to be a welcome space for all, Unicorn Theatre aims to be the preeminent home for new theatrical work in the United States.