Kenrex Tickets
‘911, what’s your emergency?’...‘My husband… they shot him… they all did.’Performance dates
3 December 2025 - 1 February 2026
Run time: 2h 10mins
Includes interval
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July 10th, 1981, Missouri. Smalltown bully, Ken Rex McElroy rules Skidmore with an iron fist. His ten year reign of terror has involved theft, intimidation, assault, abduction and attempted murder but, thanks to his slippery defence attorney and the rusty cogs of the American justice system, Ken has never spent a night behind bars.
But, when Ken shoots pillar of the community, greengrocer Bo Bowenkamp and leaves him for dead, the good folk of Skidmore decide that enough is enough. If the courts won’t bring Ken to heel, they will.
Direct from an acclaimed run at Sheffield Theatres, receiving 5-star reviews from The Daily Telegraph and WhatsOnStage, KENREX is the unbelievable true story of a community taking back control — part True Crime, part Western, with a foot-stomping live Americana soundtrack.
From the Olivier-nominated creators of Cruise, comes a bold new theatrical event that grips like your favourite True Crime box set – raw, relentless and impossible to look away!
Content
This production contains haze, flashing lights, strobe lighting, loud noises, gunshot sound effects, depiction of physical violence and death, strong language, and references to grooming, rape, sexual and physical abuse.Latest Kenrex News
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Everything You Need to Know About Kenrex: True Story, Cast, Reviews & Performances
What Is the Kenrex Play About?
Kenrex is the gripping one-man play inspired by the true story of Ken Rex McElroy, a notorious bully and criminal whose reign of terror in Skidmore, Missouri, ended in a shocking act of vigilante justice in 1981. Written by Jack Holden and Ed Stambollouian, the play transforms this true-crime tale into a theatrical experience that blends Western grit with the rhythm of a podcast and the energy of live music.
Who Is Ken Rex McElroy? The True Story Behind Kenrex?
McElroy was infamous for intimidation, theft, and violence in his small town. Despite dozens of arrests, he avoided conviction through manipulation and fear. His mysterious death, witnessed by the community yet never solved, has become one of America’s most infamous unsolved crimes. Kenrex doesn’t just recount the story—it interrogates themes of justice, fear, and community silence.
12 Sep, 2025 | By Hay Brunsdon