As the Curtain Rises, So Goes Kim Winnubst
Scene I …
Kim Winnubst enrolls at Southern Methodist University’s Dedman School of Law in 2009, focused on her dream of becoming a lawyer. The personable (dare we say “bubbly”) young woman has been cautioned about the rigors of law school, acquiescing to the repeated advice against any outside activities during her first year of studies.
That lasts just a few months.
When we next see our 1L ingenue, she is halfway through her first semester when she starts feeling the familiar pull toward the stage. She tries to resist, but soon realizes that as well-intended as other’s advice might be, she needs the creative outlet that the theatre has always provided. She starts auditioning, landing a few roles in the classic comedy shows at the venerable Dallas Pocket Sandwich Theatre near campus.
Scene II …
Several years pass. Kim has thrived not only in school, but also on The Pocket stage. She is ready to start her law career. She is also ready to try her hand at the improv-heavy melodramas that make up half of the Theatre’s repertoire. But cast in (the non-musical version of) “The Phantom of the Opera” she struggles a bit with the role. The director, Nick, steps up and works with her, encouraging her, nurturing her comedic nature.
Something clicks – on the stage and off. She falls in love with melodramas. She becomes comfortable with improv, which also helps her grow as an attorney. It teaches her to be more comfortable before judges, shows her how to read jurors and adjust accordingly. But maybe most importantly, she also falls in love with the director. The feeling is mutual. Kim and Nick become engaged.
Scene III …
The pandemic hits. The Pocket is forced to suspend operations. The landlord sends word that its lease would not be extended. Continuing would require finding a new location and starting from scratch. It would be a lot of work. A lot. It’s something several partners had already done once before. They considered making the closure permanent.
Up stepped Kim and Nick, buying out one of the partners. The others agree to continue. The Pocket would live to see another day!
Well, it would if they could find a suitable new location to call home. After a lengthy search the owners found a spot in downtown Carrollton and spent most of the pandemic building-out the theatre. The hard work has paid off, regularly selling out performances since relaunching productions.
Postscript …
One of the state’s top up-and-coming commercial litigators, Kim became a partner at Estes Thorne & Carr in 2023.
She and Nick remain happily engaged.