Zebras aren’t just the black-and-white creatures roaming the African savannah. In medical language, a “zebra” is a rare, hard-to-diagnose condition, something that defies easy classification. That metaphor comes vividly to life in Z for Zebra, written and performed by Katie Scarlett, who turns her own twenty-year medical odyssey into a story of resilience, wit, and grace.
Originally developed for the 2025 Cincinnati Fringe Festival—where it sold out its single performance—Z for Zebra returns this weekend as part of Know Theatre’s octKNOWber Nights, a series spotlighting the supernatural, the strange, and, in this case, the simply extraordinary.
Spelling it Out
Scarlett takes her audience through the confusing maze of her symptoms, the parade of specialists (all hilariously portrayed by Ben Dudley in fake beards), the constant management of her physical triggers, and the daily calculation of “spoons” she has to spend on basic tasks—a concept from Spoon Theory, which she cleverly illustrates onstage. Eventually, she receives a diagnosis of Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (EDS). EDS manifests itself in a variety of different symptoms, from migraines and fatigue to generalized bodily aches, pains, and inflammation. Having her diagnosis is only one part of her battle. Scarlett has to manage one whopper of a migraine headache, getting onto disability with the government, and dealing with the ridicule by other people who do not comprehend her situation.
It’s heavy material, but Scarlett keeps things remarkably light. The show is infused with humor and playfulness, reminding audiences that laughter can be an act of survival. As she explains in the post-show Q&A, it’s okay to laugh—you’re laughing with her, not at her. The humor not only humanizes her experience but helps the audience sit with subjects that might otherwise feel overwhelming.
Her constant companion on this journey is Kate Stark, who plays a teaching assistant (TA) who directly challenges Scarlett’s assumptions and forces her to dig deeper about the truths of her life. Stark assumes the role of a TA because the show is framed as the first day of a grief and loss class. Stark has been assigned to be the TA without Scarlett’s knowledge.
Stark’s confrontational nature adds some necessary tension to the piece and allows the audience to sympathize with Scarlett’s plight more than they normally would. In the post-show Q&A, Stark reveals that she is also a Zebra, making her performance even more poignant.
Direction and Design
Director Liz Carmen keeps the pacing sharp and the intangible concepts clear. One particularly striking moment has Scarlett covering herself with “OUCH” stickers to illustrate the generalized aches and pain of EDS. The end result of Carmen’s directing is a show that uses the medium of theatre to convey abstract medical concepts to great effect.
A shout out to Projection Designer Becca Shall created a series of PowerPoint slides explaining some of the medical conditions and terminology. They have a Nintendo 64 feel, tying in with a comment Scarlett makes to Stark that she is not part of a video game. The slides do a good job explaining terms. My only suggestion with the slides is that some of them need to be shown longer when they contain longer medical definitions.
Overall
Z for Zebra is a work in progress and still evolving. Scarlett and her collaborators are fine-tuning its shape. But even in this developmental stage, it’s a vital and and important piece of theatre. It shines light on the struggles of those whose conditions don’t fit neatly into diagnostic boxes, and celebrates the courage it takes to keep searching for answers. I found this show an eye-opener.
If C is for courage, then Z for Zebra earns an A for honesty, humor, and heart.
Get Tickets to Z is for Zebra and Other octKNOWber Events
Z for Zebra runs on the Know Theatre mainstage from October 2 to 5, 2025. Get tickets and a full listing HERE.
(Content note: the show includes discussions of chronic illness, suicidal thoughts, and the challenges of navigating medical bureaucracy.)
