Cowboys and East Indians

by Nina McConigley and Matthew Spangler
Originally produced at Denver Center for the Performing Arts
January 16, 2026 – March 1, 2026

Photo Credit: Jamie Kraus Photography (Pictured: Minita Gandhi at the New Play Summit reading)

Synopsis: Lakshmi “Lucky” Sen’s dad calls her a prairie dog — hesitant and scared on the side of the road. Now on a mission to fulfill her mom’s final wish, Lucky has to figure out saris, how to stop burning the spices, and the many other things she didn’t pay attention to while she was busy trying to fit in. But on the eve of her sister’s wedding, a family secret resurfaces, and Lucky realizes there might be a lot more about her mom and being a “good Indian daughter” that she doesn’t know.

Artistic Statement: Cowboys and East Indians is co-adapted by Nina McConigley and Matthew Spangler from Nina’s award-winning collection of short stories by the same name. It follows the Sen family – the parents immigrated from India to Wyoming, where their daughter, Lucky, is born and raised – as they grapple with expectations, belonging, and the realities of rural life. It's about family and trying to build community and a sense of identity in a place where you don’t see a reflection of yourself.
This play is not only a rare exploration of immigrant and second-generation experiences in rural communities, it subverts our image of the West. Especially at a time when many people have firm ideas about places and people, the laughter and heart in this play offer a fresh and unexpected perspective on the contemporary American West and the lives and communities that make up this region. –Leean Kim Torske, DCPA Director of Literary Programs

Grant Statement: The Denver Center Theatre Company is deeply grateful for support from the Edgerton Foundation. As a recipient of the New Play Award, the DCTC can continue its commitment to new play development through the Colorado New Play Summit. CNPS provides a full week of workshops with leading playwrights, directors, dramaturgs, cast, and crew in preparation for a two-day lineup of four new play readings. These readings, in turn, inform future world premiere selections in our seasons, such as Nina McConigley and Matthew Spangler’s Cowboys and East Indians. With support from the Edgerton Foundation, this play will receive the additional time required of a new play development rehearsal process in preparation for its full production, which will be one of the world premieres featured in this season’s CNPS, February 14 and 15

Creative Team:

Playwright: Nina McConigley & Matthew Spangler 
Director: Chris Coleman 
Scenic Design: Chika Shimizu 
Costume Design: Meghan Anderson Doyle 
Lighting Design: Amith Chandrashaker 
Sound Design & Original Composition: Lindsay Jones 
Casting: Grady Soapes, CSA 
Psychodramaturgy: Barbara Hort 
Dramaturgy: Leean Kim Torske 
Stage Management Team: Elizabeth Ann Goodman, Harper Hadley, Hannah Iverson, Kristen O’Connor (sub) 

Cast: