Kirk McGee has worked professionally as an actor and a playwright in theater, film and TV for over twenty years. He has appeared in several productions, Off-Broadway and in regional theaters across the country.  On TV he has worked on shows like Are We There Yet, Law & Order, and Sesame Street. He received best actor nominations (VisionFest and Idyllwild International Film Festivals) for the title role in the comedic film Chasing Taste (Amazon/iTunes). Kirk’s original work uses the power of humor, and clowning-inspired performance to create work that speaks to the very survival of the human spirit by exploring how our flaws and follies unite rather than divide us. His work has been featured in publications  (Smith and Krause) and has won awards at numerous theater festivals. 

The Honorable Herbert Peabody is a solo theatrical show that follows Joe, a well-intentioned tour guide on opening day of the Honorable Herbert Peabody Library and Legacy Center. As he launches into his presentation, Joe finds it increasingly difficult to celebrate his personal hero’s historical achievements in light of recent revelations about the Senator’s decades of sexual misconduct. 

As the tour unravels, Joe is forced to wrestle with the ways in which he has inadvertently enabled a culture of misogyny and abuse, and must decide if he’s going to continue to stand idly by or finally stand on the right side of history.

The Honorable Herbert Peabody will be performed in Spring/Summer 2022.

Kirk began writing The Honorable Herbert Peabody during the zeitgeist of the #MeToo movement, inspired by one question: “How can I do better?” He began to explore the dynamics of abuse of power, and the implications of choosing to absolve or ignore misconduct simply because the perpetrator is our favorite celebrity, teacher, close friend or relative. Kirk also noticed these ‘celebrity’ perpetrators seemed more afraid of losing their powerful legacy than their freedom.  And with the number of politicians finally being held accountable for their inappropriate actions, Kirk still questioned whether history would remember their misconduct or simply forget. His thoughts then turned to the country’s newly elected President who, in an interview, famously boasted about his inappropriate grabbing of women’s genitals. Kirk wondered if that interview was going to be featured in the tour of his inevitable Presidential Library.  And thus, Joe the tour guide was born.

With compassion and humor, The Honorable Herbert Peabody offers the audience opportunity to engage in an open and honest dialog about our active roles to finally eliminate social and gender inequality.

Kirk holds a BFA from NYU Tisch (Meisner Technique and commedia dell'arte), is a former company member of The American Mime Theater, and moving forward a Café Royal Cultural Foundation Performance Grantee. Kirk is a very proud father to a clever, kind, funny, crafty, nine-and-three-fourth-year-old daughter, Layla.

Please visit The Honorable Herbert Peabody’s Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and its website.