The McCain Performance Series at Kansas State University is proud to host award-winning actor and writer Heather Massie for a weeklong residency from February 23–28, featuring community events, classroom engagements, and a culminating McCain Performance Series performance entitled “HEDY! The Life & Inventions of Hedy Lamarr.”
More info: https://www.heathermassie.com/
“HEDY! The Life & Inventions of Hedy Lamarr” is a solo play celebrating Hedy Lamarr, the 1930s-1950s Hollywood star dubbed The Most Beautiful Woman in the World. Beyond her glamour, Lamarr was a brilliant inventor who, using knowledge from her marriage to an Austrian arms dealer, co-invented The Secret Communication System with George Antheil during WWII to improve torpedo accuracy. This Frequency-Hopping Spread Spectrum Technology now powers cell phones, Wi-Fi, GPS, and Bluetooth. Written and performed by Heather Massie, who portrays 36 characters, the play blends art and science, reflecting Massie’s astrophysics and theater background. Premiering Off-Broadway in 2016, it has toured globally, earning 31 awards and inspiring audiences, especially young women, to pursue science and technology. The play honors Lamarr as a role model for intelligence and innovation.
Residency Schedule
Tuesday, February 24 – Educational & Community Programming
The day concludes with a 7:30 p.m. Roundtable Discussion on “Women in STEM Fields” at the K-State Student Union (Flint Hills Room). This event is free and open to all K-State students and faculty.
Wednesday, February 25 – Student Engagement & Film Event
In the evening, she joins the Wildcat Film Appreciation Student Group at the McCain Loft for a 7:30 p.m. screening of “Ecstasy,” offering an introduction and a post-film Q&A. This event is free and open to all K-State students and faculty.
Thursday, February 26 – Theatre Workshops
Massie guest-teaches multiple sessions for K-State theatre students:
· Fundamentals of Acting (Sections A & B) – 9:30–10:45 a.m.
· Intermediate Acting – 11:30 a.m.–12:45 p.m.
Friday, February 27 – Playwriting Program & McCain Performance Series Show
Massie meets with K-State’s Playwriting students from 12:30–1:20 p.m.
Her visit culminates in a McCain Performance Series show at 7:30 p.m., followed by an audience talkback. Tickets for Massie’s final show are available online at mccain.k-state.edu or at the ticket office in the McCain lobby.
For more information about the show or the community outreach activities, email mccain@k-state.edu.
If you are a Theatre student and would like to attend a session with Heather, please email Shannon at sbskelton@ksu.edu