Donna Woodard Ziegenhorn is the author of “The Hindu and the Cowboy . . .”
The play is based on interviews collected from more than 80 individuals from across metropolitan Kansas City, people of numerous cultural and faith traditions. It first premiered for Kansas City Harmony’s Annual Luncheon in 2004 and since then has played in numerous other public and private venues.
Following a career in marketing and public relations that began with Missouri Repertory Theatre and concluded with an executive position at Home Box Office, Donna turned to writing for performance. She bases her work on bringing the lived experience to dramatic form. Her own life stories come together in two monologue pieces: Remnants from the Chili Supper and Variety Show and Starting with Red. She and Kansas City jazz artist Geneva Price collaborated in a program of story and song called Singed Wings and other Nearly True Tales.
Applying the concept of story-based performance at the community level, she
wrote a play, Between the Arrows, for a conference of international volunteers held at the University of Denver. Working with Chicago’s Community Performance, Inc., she helped implement story-based projects in Colorado and Florida.
She studied at the University of Kansas (B.A. in Journalism) and the University of Missouri-Kansas City (M.A. in Liberal Studies).
In 2011 she was recognized with three awards related to the impact of The Hindu and the Cowboy:
- The Steve Jeffers Interfaith Leadership Award, presented by the Greater Kansas City Interfaith Council
- The Literary Award, presented by the Crescent Peace Society
- The Outstanding Public Service Award, presented by the Institute of Interfaith Dialogue
