Protecting Community (Looking for Lilith Theatre Company)

Just Cause: The Story of the Lexington Six By Clarity Hagan Directed by Vidalia Unwin A review by Kate Barry

Entire contents are copyright © 2025 Kate Barry. All rights reserved.

Community, privacy and freedom were on the line for six innocent college kids in Lexington in 1975. When a University of Kentucky student unintentionally invites two fugitives to briefly live with her, the events that follow are nearly unreal. Just Cause: The Story of the Lexington Six is a new work by local playwright, Clarity Hagan. Part local history lesson and part queer fable, the play continues Looking for Lilith Theater Company’s rich cannon of marginalized stories.

The script provides deep social commentary and rich ensemble work. At times the protests you hear from the characters were fondly met with snaps and words of agreement from audience members. Clearly researched facts are littered throughout the play as well as contemporary opinions about monogamy, sexuality and gender. The story follows a student who meets two strangers in a bar. The strangers insist on building a fast friendship by staying in the student’s house. What the student does not know, these strangers are on the run from the FBI. Focus on the crime committed is put to the side as the so called accomplices are followed, intimidated and eventually imprisoned.

Staging for the play takes on a cinematic and simple effect. Lighting cues are well thought out,  in tact and heighten the drama. In one scene, FBI agents are menacing in shadows while another scene shows a duller light within the halls of a grand jury. The scenes are quick yet have an impact. The ensemble weaves in and out of several different characters, some are the Lexington Six, their defendants, intimidating FBI agents, parents and others. With the cast putting for energy into several different characters, it was hard to pin down who specifically played the Lexington Six and who does not. By the second act, as they face judges and lawyers, the Six become more established as the action grows.

The Lexington Six were Jill (Annie Mayer), Gail (Abby Ferree), Cary (Peyton Robbins), Debbie (Natalie Kulp), Nancy (Nour Awamleh) and Marla (Ellie Archer); six college students who happened to identify as LGBTQ+. Passionate and emotional, these six performers give smart and strong performances. Mayer’s Jill is rebellious and fearless as she faces a prison sentence. Robbins’ Cary is strong in his conviction with a speech about injustices faced by the queer communities that deserved the cheers they received on Opening night. Kulp and Awamleh offer lighter hearted performances. Kulp’s Debbie is humorously able to break a tense scene with note card and researched speech while Awamleh’s Nancy rambles nearly nonsensical in a very relatable way.

Ellie Archer’s Marla finds herself at a crossroads as her life shifts into chaos. Archer’s performance is sympathetic as she shows strength and strives for justice. Abby Ferree lends a heartfelt performance with an equal amount of thirst for justice as Gail, Marla’s partner. While interacting with the confident yet mysterious and on-edge Lena and Mae, played with vigor and charisma by Floren K and Sarah BE, Archer’s character approaches the fugitives with an open mind like any college aged student. Archer gives a vulnerable performance which shows how deceit can change a life forever.

Just Cause: The Story of the Lexington Six is an important story. Looking for Lilith and their collaborators have done well to produce a play about injustices faced by the LGBTQ+ community. In these days of restriction of gender affirming healthcare and the demolishing of DEI initiatives, the events that happen to the Lexington Six makes one wonder, or even fear, if could such a thing could occur again.

Just Cause: The Story of the Lexington Six

Looking for Lilith Theater Company

March 6-9 2025

MeX Theater –Kentucky Performing Arts

501 West Main St

Louisville KY 40202