Stifling small-town life offers no escape for the six young friends who are trapped there. Laura, the town beauty, finds herself the object of desire as her friends struggle with their yearning for her. She finds herself at a crossroads between lust, loyalty and betrayal, and inevitably chooses the most violent resolution. It's a subject whose resonance has proven relevant and undeniable from the 17th century to today's headlines.

Tallgrass Gothic premiered in the Humana Festival of New American Plays at Actors Theatre of Louisville in 2004.

Melanie Marnich (playwright) has received two McKnight Advancement Grants and two Jerome Fellowships (The Playwrights’ Center), two Samuel Goldwyn Awards and the Francesca Primus Prize. Her work has been seen at The Guthrie Theater, Manhattan Theatre Club, Steppenwolf Theatre, Actors Theatre of Louisville, Dallas Theater Center, London’s Royal Court Theatre and the O’Neill Theatre Center. Commissions include The Guthrie Theatre, La Jolla Playhouse, Arena Stage and the Children’s Theatre Company of Minneapolis. She is a core member of The Playwrights’ Center.

Jimmy McDermott (director) is the artistic associate at Writers' Theatre where he recently directed The Frog Prince, A Christmas Carol, 365 Days/365 Plays, The Puppetmaster of Lodz and The Maids, this coming fall. As an ensemble member with the Side Project Theatre Company, he directed The 4th Graders Present an Unnamed Love-Suicide, The Elephant Man, Maggie: A Girl of the Streets, Salome and Sweet Pretty Love Jam. Other directing credits include work for The Hypocrites and Collaboraction.  McDermott received his MFA in directing from The Theatre School at DePaul University in 1999.