ICCT's All in the Timing opens tonight

by Matthew Falduto

ICCT - There ought to be a sign on I-80, right around mile marker 250, that says "Welcome to Theatre Country." In the greater Iowa City area alone, we have two community theatres, one puppet theatre, one professional theatre, one children's theatre, and four "niche-y" theatres. Expand outward to the Cedar Rapids area, and you add another community theatre and three more professional theatres. Embrace it, folks, because whether you're looking stage left or stage right, you're going to see someone walking the boards. When ICCT had to unexpectedly cancel their show Bend in the Road and find something new that they could open in three weeks, they looked to this expansive theatre community for help. And they got it.

For their production of David Ives' one act plays collectively called All in the Timing, the actors included the presidents of Dreamwell Theatre and City Circle as well as assorted board members from both theatres. Founders from the newest theatre company, Red Door Ensemble, were on stage or backstage. ICCT's own vice president as well as other board members acted in or directed a show. In her opening remarks before the Thursday invited dress rehearsal, ICCT board member (and stage manager) Brenda Christner made a point of noting how all of the area theatres came together. This was truly a group effort from a theatre community that sticks together.

Ives' collection originally contained six plays, but has been expanded over the years. ICCT presented the original six - Sure Thing; Words, Words, Words; The Universal Language; Philip Glass Buys a Loaf of Bread; The Philadelphia; and Variations on the Death of Trotsky - and then included three that were added later - Long Ago and Far Away, English Made Simple, and A Singular Kinda Guy. While I was disappointed that my favorite of the collection - Mere Mortals - was not included, it was great to see some of the less performed ones.

All are unique, most are whimsical and fun, and there are some common threads. Many involve word play, from the opening piece Sure Thing, where a man and a woman get to re-enact a first meeting until they get it right, to The Universal Language, which follows the story of a woman who finds purpose through learning a new language. The acting in both of these pieces was strong. Anna Maria de la Cruz and veteran actor Brad Quinn expertly maneuvered the repetitive language of Sure Thing. No Shame veterans Aprille Clarke and Adam Burton communicated the nonsense language so well that I think I could have spoken it by the end of the piece. Another that involved the clever use of words, Philip Glass Buys a Loaf of Bread, is one that you have to just let wash over you. Is it going to make a lot of sense? Probably not. Is it fun to listen to? Sure thing. The short play is a homage to Philip Glass, a composer whose repetitive style has had a huge impact on music.

One piece didn't fit into the evening as well as the rest: Long Ago and Far Away. Though actors Kelly Scherrer and Red Door Ensemble founder Jeremy Ping did a fine job, the piece felt a little out of place surrounded by all of the comedy. Chit chat at the intermission made it clear that many in the audience didn't understand exactly what happened at the end of the piece. Popular theories included time travel and dream sequence.

Two shows that worked especially well were in the second act. The Philadelphia, directed by Krista Neumnan, featured Dreamwell board members Chuck Dufano and Jeff Emrich, whose easy chemistry and snappy patter made the funny piece fly. Words, Words, Words featured John Smick and City Circle board members Chris Okiishi, who also directed, and Megan Sands. Watching Okiishi become a chimpanzee who wants a cigarette is more than worth the price of admission.

All in the Timing only runs for this weekend so catch it if you can. For more information, go here.



Matthew has a Bachelor's degree in English from the University of Iowa. He has directed, acted in, and produced theater in the Iowa City area for over twelve years. He has worked with the Iowa City Community Theatre, City Circle and Dreamwell, of which he is a founder. Two of his plays have been produced in the Iowa City area. In another brief life, he also worked as a technical writer.