Production History

Six Women with Brain Death (or Expiring Minds Want to Know) returned during CST’s Season 6 (1989–1990) at 400 W. Main Street. This was a distinct new production following the 1989 hit, directed by Michelle DeLong, who had performed in the earlier cast. Melanie Levy is the only performer documented in both supplied CST cast lists. The musical revue combines songs and sketches satirizing popular culture, tabloid headlines, consumerism, and expectations surrounding women’s lives. Mark Houston wrote the music and lyrics and shared authorship of the book with the show’s other creators. Supplemental reporting describes added musical material and a concurrent Kreloff-Oswalt lobby art exhibition.

CST Connections

This was CST’s second staging of the musical, following 1989. Later productions followed in 1994, 1996, 2000, and 2005, according to the original history preserved with the 2000 revival.
Michelle DeLong moved from the 1989 cast to directing the 1990 production.
Renee Preftakes returned in the 2000 revival and played Cookie Cusack in Rumors (II) (1998).
Kathleen Hope later played Duckling Smith in Our Country’s Good (1993) and directed P.S. Your Cat Is Dead! (1993).
Anne Lower later played Cassie Cooper in Rumors (II) and Cory in Private Eyes (1998).
Kelly Morris subsequently played Julie Swift in Nebraska (1990) and Claire Ganz in Rumors (1992).
Sheryl Waters played Debbie in Oil City Symphony (1991), for which David Swanner also served as stage manager.
Enoch Elms played Mike in Oil City Symphony, Sylvia St. Croix in Ruthless! (1998), and served as rehearsal pianist for the 2000 Six Women revival.
Jim Osterlund designed and constructed sets for Nebraska and Oil City Symphony. Skip Bachman also contributed technical or sound work to those productions.
Randy Bumgarner played Lt. Dean Swift in Nebraska and Lt. Will Dawes in Our Country’s Good.
Rita Scranton later shared properties responsibilities for One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest (1992).

Press and Photography

“‘Expiring Minds Want to Know’ About Company’s Hit Play” — The Oklahoman, June 22, 1990, opening-day coverage lead.
“‘Expiring Minds’ Improves With Age” — The Oklahoman, June 24, 1990, review attributed in supplemental research to Kevan Goff.
“Kreloff-Oswalt Art Show Is Aptly Titled” — The Oklahoman, July 20, 1990, reported lobby-exhibition coverage.

Acknowledgments

Special thanks: Elaine Warner; Richard Ingham; Kenny Walker; Oklahoma City Arts Council; Richard Corner; Gary Branscom; Rob Freedman; Sam Burris; Gloria Quaid; Jef Fontana; Don Shirey; Jim Rogers; Mary Freeh; Bob Thompson; Fairview AFX.

Licensing

Licensed through Music Theatre International, according to the supplied original CST record. Current performance licensing remains available through Music Theatre International. The original acknowledgment also identifies development by Creative Productions and the first staging at Unicorn Theatre, Kansas City.

THEATRE UP CLOSE & PERSONAL

Steve Jones