2010 Wrap Up - Part Three - the EEEPs

by Matthew Falduto

It's been a great year. And now it's time to look back and recognize some truly wonderful shows. I started with a list of over seventy shows and narrowed it down to just ten. Ten shows that will be awarded the first (annual?) Excellence in Exercising our Emotions Prizes... The EEEPs if you will. (And even if you won't.) What does "exercise our emotions mean? Over a year ago, I wrote this in a review of City Circle's production of Rabbit Hole:

"I believe that theatre serves an important purpose that we don't talk about very much. Just as physical exercise strengthens our muscles and intellectual exercise strengthens our minds, emotional exercise strengthens our spirits. That's what theatre at its best is: emotional exercise. It's an opportunity for us to laugh, to cry, to anger, and through those feelings, regenerate our spirits."

We need to feel joy and sadness and glee and fear and wonder and anger in order to thrive in this life. Theatre allows us a safe place to do that. So what follows are ten shows that have earned the 2010 Iowa Theatre Blog Excellence in Exercising our Emotions Prizes.


(Before I begin, let me just state quite clearly that I have my biases just like everyone else. If you'd like to know what connections I have to various theatres, you can see my bio at the end. Also, the fact remains that I didn't see every show this year and there almost certainly is a show or three that deserves to be here but isn't simply because I didn't see it. The point of this list is to honor some really amazing shows from 2010, not provide the definitive opinion of what the best shows were. I'm just one guy.)

In alphabetical order, here are the ten shows of 2010 who have been awarded an EEEP:

All in a Day Play Festival, Year Three
City Circle and Dreamwell Theatre

I love this event. Six writers, six directors and a whole host of actors create six original ten minute plays in 24 hours. City Circle and Dreamwell have presented this event for the last three years and this year had the best plays yet. Performed at the wonderful Englert Theatre, all six were good, not a clunker in the bunch. The audience laughed, were spooked, and even aww-ed at one point. This is an exciting event - do not miss the 2011 version. And I would be remiss if I didn't mention that there's usually a Cedar Rapids version of this event not produced by any specific theatre that is absolutely worth checking out.

Blackbird
Dreamwell Theatre

One of Dreamwell's taboo bijou shows, this show was a tour de force for its two principal actors, Rip Russell and Erin Mills, and vivid demonstration of Angie Toomsen's incredible direction. Ray and Una were lovers when he was 40 and she was only twelve. This play explores their relationship fifteen years later after Ray has served time in prison. Sometimes we just want to watch two amazing actors tear up the stage. The moment at the end when Ray's young stepdaughter enters brought gasps and tears from the audience as we saw in front of us the innocence he had stolen from Una so many years before. I think this anonymous comment summed it up best: "Dreamwell's Blackbird, sculpted to its frank and disturbing portrait of the characters, stopped my breath."

Cinderella
Iowa City Community Theatre

ICCT has had a rough couple of years. They feared financial difficulties might end their reign as the longest running theatre in the Iowa City area. Fortunately, they pushed forward, rallying the theatre community to create All in the Timing when a show was unexpectedly canceled, collaborating with Dreamwell to produce 9 Parts of Desire in the festival stage in City Park, and offering great musical productions like Wonderful Town, which was expertly directed by Ben Bentler. But perhaps no show better personifies their fairy tale rise from the ashes like their final offering of 2010 - Cinderella, also directed by the extremely talented Bentler. For this magical show, they pulled out all the stops, transforming their lobby into a land of make believe. The performance featured a horse. Yes, a real live horse. Cinderella's wand was a sight to behold. And best of all, the show was so successful, they added performances this weekend. It must feel good to be back, ICCT. Congrats.

End Days
Riverside Theatre

Riverside has offered consistently good theatre over the years. But as I wrote in the review, End Days is one of the finest shows I've seen on their stage: "There is really nothing to criticize in this show. The set is great, the acting is phenomenal, and the direction is economical and smart." What's more, this show tackled the subject of 9/11 in a fresh and interesting way. Nearly ten years later, our nation still haven't recovered from that day. Plays like End Days help us move a little further down the path. Riverside does excellent work throughout the year, but this show was the one that most exercised my emotions.

Odysseus, Iowa
Working Group Theatre

Working Group burst onto the theatre scene this year. As a theatre in residence at Riverside, they have had a great stage to present their original plays and some experimental theatrical events. But my favorite Working Group show this year was the one that took place on a farm on the outskirts of town. Using the Iowa landscape to tell a classic hero's journey story was inspired. They introduced us to promenade theatre where the audience follows the action to different locations. Every setting was carefully chosen for maximum impact. This was bold, original theatre that challenged convention. All I can say is I can't wait to see what they'll do next.

Once on This Island
City Circle Acting Company of Coralville

The choreography was wonderful. The singing was excellent. But what I liked best was the unique framing device directors Rachel Howell and Chris Okiishi used to tell this story. Rather than jump right into a story on an island far away with Iowan actors looking well, out of place, they set it up that the actors were Iowans who ran into the space to seek shelter from a tornado. A crying girl lead one of actors in the role of a Children's Museum worker to begin to tell the heartbreaking story of Ti Moune, the peasant girl who fell in love with a boy far above her station. We were drawn in so swiftly and so intensely into a beautiful story. The music was joyful and it was clear these actors enjoyed every minute of the show. And so did we, the audience.

Poona the F*ckdog
Dreamwell Theatre

My first encounter with this play was from a slightly intoxicated friend who pushed the script into my hand saying, "Matt, you have to read this script." Uh huh, I said. Poona the what dog? Sure, I'll get to it. The script sat on my dresser for a few months. Finally, I picked it up and decided what the heck. I'll check it out. I have never laughed so hard reading a script in all of my life. But what stuck with me was the... well, message is too strong of a word. The point, perhaps? This play skewers everything from sex to war to language to terrorism and then sex again. Seeing Dreamwell tackle this show and provoke so much laughter and so much thinking... well, it was a joy to behold. This is a show that needs to be done more. We're lucky to have a theatre willing to tackle shows with the word "f*ck" in the title.

Proof
Theatre Cedar Rapids

Ah, Proof. A small, intimate piece of theatre best suited for a black box. I can't wait to see what... wait, Theatre Cedar Rapids is doing it? With that huge stage? I gotta check it out. And I was blown away. As I wrote at the time, "this design embraces the size of the stage and uses the blackness around it to emphasize the solitary life of its two principal characters and set the melancholy mood of the piece." All four actors (Rachel Howell, Jessica Link, Rob Merritt, and Demetrios Hadjis) were brilliant and the direction by J David Carey sublime. Such a wonderful show demonstrating that TCR can do a lot more than big splashy musicals.

Still Life with Iris
Theatre Cedar Rapids

I did not see this one, but my wife took our oldest daughter to it and they came home mesmerized. A dizzying display of beautiful costumes. A bold but simple set. A strong young heroine as the moral center of the show. A message that doesn't talk down to kids. And there were so many good performances from Anna Mlodzik as Iris to Alex Williams and Dyanna Davidson as the the Goods. This is what good children's theatre is all about. We all love Annie, but let's hope TCR continues to choose unique and interesting kids' shows.

Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf
Old Creamery Theatre

Our reviewer's remarks created a firestorm in the comments section, but the critics of the critic missed the point. We loved this show. It was an amazing display of powerful, honest acting in one of the best American plays of all time. Our insightful reviewer Andrew Juhl wrote it best: "[Tom] Milligan’s ‘George’ and [Marquetta] Senters’ ‘Martha’ go from loving to hateful to deceitful and back again numerous times, making many stops along the way, and all of them believable, well-choreographed, and tight-spoken." It's easy to get caught up in what's new and fresh, but it's also important to remember the classics. Almost 50 years since it was written, this play still stands up.

And so 2010 comes to a close. But don't worry - there are plenty of exciting shows coming in 2011. Henry V, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, The Drowsy Chaperone, All My Sons, A Little Night Music, The Obsession Show and Art, to name just a few. Happy New Year!


Matthew Falduto founded Dreamwell Theatre over 13 years ago. He has served on the board of the Iowa City Community Theatre and the board nomination committee for City Circle. For close to twenty years, he has produced, directed, and acted in many shows in the Iowa City area with many different companies. A playwright, he is also a member of the Black Doggers. He started the Iowa Theatre Blog in 2007 because he felt the excellent theatre productions of our area were not getting the coverage they deserved. Just in the last year, over 50 shows were reviewed.

A brief interlude...

And now a brief interlude before we wrap up 2010 tomorrow. This is one playwright's experience of the world premiere of his play in his own words. Fly By Night Productions produces shows in Dubuque, which is unfortunately outside the range of this blog's coverage area. Last June, they presented Naomi is an Ocean in Nigeria by Gary Arms. What follows is Gary's experience in his own words.

Gary Arms’ first play, The Duchess of Spiders was produced by the Black Swan Theatre Company in Asheville, NC. His second play, Emily Dickinson’s Birthday Party, was a finalist in the Mill Mountain Annual Play Contest. His third play, The Arranged Marriage, was published by the Eldridge Publishing Company and has been performed many times. It was recently translated into Dutch. His play The Porn King’s Daughter was one of the winners of the Iowa Play Contest and was performed at the Civic Center in Des Moines. The Princeton Review has published two of his books; the last one won a Parents Guide Award. For ten years, Gary Arms was the president of the Dubuque Fine Arts Players Annual One-Act Play Contest. He is a professor at Clarke College in the Language and Literature department.


Wednesday. The opening night of my play Naomi is an Ocean in Nigeria is Friday. I am excited, occasionally very excited, not to mention anxious. In the middle of something else, I suddenly feel my stomach contract. I experience waves of nausea and my kidneys ache. I run to the bathroom and discover I have diarrhea (my idea of happiness?).

The Fly By Night production of Naomi will be the first time I have been closely involved with the director and actors during rehearsals, the first time a play of mine has been produced in Dubuque where my friends can come see it. I got to help with the casting. The director is my best friend, Sunil Malapati. He let me attend several rehearsals and afterward took me out for drinks. I am absurdly hopeful that everyone will love the play. And this will accomplish what? Everyone will love me, and I will wallow in joy for the rest of my days. I indulge in this fantasy and then think of my long list of disappointments. And then run to the bathroom.

This morning my excitement is stronger than my despair. Already, Naomi is the most exciting production I have ever been involved with. The script is well written, and the actors are doing a fine job. Everyone involved with the production believes the play will amuse a lot of the audience and then make them weep. The actors keep telling me they love the script. They hug me or shake my hand and tell me it is a beautiful play; they feel honored to be involved.

I have seen a few of the rehearsals, but Friday at opening night, I will finally see everyone in their costumes. They will be using the lights and music. There will be an audience. For us, for the actors and director and for me, the play has few surprises any more, but for the audience the play will be full of humor and drama. We hope.

I am dying to know who will come. Will we sell out?

Friday morning. Opening night is tonight. I am ridiculously excited and unable to do anything useful. I went for a long walk just to burn off energy and am trying to limit my coffee consumption; it multiplies my anxiety.

Saturday. Opening night was disappointing. Only 35 or 40 people came. My expectations were so absurdly high that I felt crushed and wanted to run out of the theatre. Because the audience was so small, the laughs were few and nervous. The first scenes were grueling. Naomi seemed so angry that she terrified me and reminded me of my mother; I suddenly realized that so many of my plays contain angry emotional women – and all of them are my mother. The nursing home scenes made me recall the death of my father – all those strong exhausting emotions.

The play seemed to improve when we got to the party scene. That was the first time I actually enjoyed myself. I was afraid to look at anyone in the audience, but later Sunil told me some of them were weeping. The audience clapped at the end of the party scene, imagining it was time for intermission. Then there is the very grim dying scene and finally the river scene. I thought that scene was beautifully staged by Sunil: Ruth and Russ dancing to Luke’s music. But when the men arrived and dragged Ruth off-stage, the audience seemed stunned – or perhaps they were just waiting for another scene. They just sat there for several seconds even after the lights came up.

I remained in my chair all through intermission, and no one attempted to speak to me. I wanted to sink beneath the floor. The second act played well, especially the opening scene when Ruth is being interviewed by the newspaper editor. It is touching when the boy shows up; he doesn’t want his gramma to die. The scene when Ruth talks about Gandhi’s funeral was beautifully blocked by Sunil; as Ruth delivers her speech, the boy walks slowly to a couch and curls up on it, almost in the fetal position; it is heartbreaking to watch him. For some reason, in the later scene when Naomi is fighting with Ruth, the young man decided the way to display grief is to stagger around the stage as if drunk. Hopefully Sunil will tell him never to do that again. The struggle between Ruth and Naomi when Ruth convinces Naomi to drive her back to the river is heart-wrenching. Lenore is very good, finally breaking down and begging Naomi to help her. The final scene, Naomi and Ruth holding one another in the spot light as Russ sings “Good night, Irene” – terribly touching. Sometimes, watching the play, when I escaped my disappointment about the size of our audience, I felt that maybe Naomi is a real work of art after all.

Lenore dragged me out of my chair for the bow. I must have looked like a rabbit caught in the headlights. Lenore gave me a bundle of flowers. I retreated to where Susie was sitting while the audience departed. I have very little idea what they thought of the play. A guy with a shock of hair came up to me, shook my hand, told me the play was good but – he grinned mercilessly – “about an hour too long.”

Susie and I took the boys home, and then we went to the bar where the cast was having a little party. They were arranged around two long tables, end to end. Lenore made me sit in the middle, so I felt as if I was at the Last Supper and might soon be crucified. I gulped down two large glasses of bourbon and began to feel better. The actors seemed happy. The men told me that it is a beautifully written play. Lenore and Michele hugged me. Bill, the man who plays the reporter, said he has loved the play ever since Sunil sent him the script. Lenore asked me if I was happy, and I said, “I have complicated feelings.”

On Facebook, a woman wrote “it all sounded pretty familiar” and that she and her husband thought it was over at the intermission and were ready to leave, but were told there was another act, so stayed. She said it “kinda dragged on for two hours.” This sort of negative reaction affects me to a ridiculous degree. I can see why famous playwrights and actors sometimes refuse to read their reviews. I was going to go to tonight’s show but think I won’t. I am too disheartened. For a long time I imagined it a good play. I love to tell myself that at long last I have written something really good. It is painful to spend so much of one’s life writing and meet so regularly with failure. The people who read the script said such nice things. That encouraged me. But last night’s experience was grueling – like being tortured for two hours, people staring at my open wounds.

It is impossible for me to be objective about any of this. If someone says anything critical to me, the comment plunges deeply into me; the negative comments penetrate much more deeply than the compliments. I now fear the play is too long; that it is tedious, repetitious, and unoriginal; that parts are sentimental and preachy. I have fallen out of love with the play. I sustained a love affair with the play for four years, and now – in one night – have fallen out of love.

My usual bipolar cycle.

There is a scene in the play when Naomi says she hates being the way she is; she speaks for me when she says such things. She declares she is “the unlovable type.” Susie talked on the phone to Becky this morning; Becky wanted to know all about opening night. She said she tends to get depressed AFTER a show ends, not during it, so if I am depressed now, I am ahead of the game. It didn’t help that I got drunk afterward. I have been hung over all day. I get too up, and then too down. I want to crawl into a hole and not come out for a couple weeks. I have been thinking about Lenore – for 25 years she has been putting on shows she likes, knowing that most of the time very few people will come see them. When I think of all the work they do -- reading plays, selecting the ones they like, finding directors and actors who will work for nothing, memorizing, planning, and rehearsing – hours and hours and hours. And then at the end of it, a few people trickle in. Why do they do it? I deeply admire them. They are my real family – the unsuccessful artists who just keep doing it, going from failure to failure. Maybe to them it does not feel like failure. Maybe in its way it is success.

Later – I just got an email from an audience member whose mother died of Alzheimer’s. She said she loves it that I made the case for the right to die but also showed the complexity of that decision. Any suicide affects many other people. She says her mother died after a miserable slow decline; she knows what it means to live in fear of dying that way. She says I wrote a fine play. God, that message cheered me up immensely.

Sunday morning. Sunil emailed and said we got a standing ovation Saturday night. Vici emailed to say great show. A guy named Dan left a message on the Facebook Naomi page recommending the show and complimenting the actors.

Monday. Sunil said, at the Sunday matinee, half the audience stood up at the end and the other half remained seated, “possibly stunned.” He considers it a success when they DON’T clap, believing it means they are very moved emotionally. He said he watched the audience, and they were riveted during the play. He said some people leave the theatre the moment the show is over, but a surprising number stay to talk to one another. He says that is a very good reaction.

Sara came to the matinee and told him that the character Russ was her father; her dad died of Alzheimer’s. Sunil said Michele (Naomi) “lost it” at the matinee, began to weep during the final scene, and had to compose herself. Doug and Donna were there, and concluded Michele is a fabulous actress. Doug said he was wiping away tears all through the last ten minutes of the play.

Sunil says that Susie should forbid me to read Facebook because if I find one negative comment I go crazy. I admitted it may be true that I fixate on negative remarks. “Negative remarks? You mean, one? That one stupid couple said it is too long, and you go nuts. How many people have told you they loved it, that it was great, made them cry, moved them, that it is universal, powerful?”

Michele is hosting the cast party at her house after the show on Friday, so I will have to go that night. Lisa, Lori and Deb say they are coming Friday; they want me to meet them before the show for dinner. Craig and Jennifer say they are coming too, probably for the Saturday show.

I am terrified of having to sit there with another audience and watch the play again. I imagine someone saying the show wasn’t so bad except for the fact that this bearded geek having a nervous breakdown (me) was sitting beside them.

Paula emailed to say that she and Alice are going to see the play this weekend; she says “the buzz has been super positive.”

On one hand, I desperately desire to know what people think, especially people I like and respect. On the other hand, I am terrified even to be in the same room with people who are watching the play. When anyone approaches me to make a comment, my eyes get big, my heart races, and I begin to edge backwards. There they are, my intimate dreams, on display for anyone who has fifteen bucks.

Friday, the fourth performance. I have fallen in love with the play again. This time I went out to eat with Lisa, Deb, and Lorie. Wisely, I downed two big glasses of bourbon before the show. The audience was fabulous, very responsive, open to everything that happened. They laughed numerous times as if they were at a comedy, and then settled down for the more serious stuff. I noticed women crying on both sides of me. The cast was wonderful, much more relaxed than they were opening night. Their timing, pacing, the blocking – again and again, they hit the right note, a true ensemble piece. Lenore was completely at home in her character, and Michele was restrained and seemed much more sympathetic than opening night. The three guys were perfect. For the first time ever, Michele did the bird speech properly. When Ron does his “dying breathing,” it is so real that it is nearly unbearable. Michele’s huge speech at the end of the party scene was perfect; sometimes she is so good it is scary. I got out of my seat at intermission and spoke to a few people; they were very complimentary. I thought act two dragged a bit, but the rest of the audience was riveted. Lots of women were dabbing their eyes. Sunil felt act one was a bit “loosey-goosey,” and act two was “nearly perfect.” He claims last Sunday’s matinee was the best performance so far. The cast got a standing ovation at the end. Sunil says of the first four performances, they have received three standing ovations. Afterward, Louise, Graciela and Jessie seemed much moved, surprised I think. I don’t know exactly what they expected it would be – a play about an old lady committing suicide – but they obviously thought it ten times better than they had expected. For some reason, they all reached out to touch me, shake my hand. I have known Louise and Graciela for nearly 20 years, and I don’t think they have ever wanted to shake my hand before. Jessie and Louise are artists and teachers; everything in the play about art, about making art in Dubuque really hits them where they live. Lisa, Deb and Lori hugged me; they didn’t want to leave the theatre. It was just as Sunil said; half the audience remains in the theatre. They want to talk to one another.

Afterward we went to the cast party. The whole cast seems high after the performance. They all took turns talking about how much they love being in the play. This is one of the most wonderful things about theatre, collaboration, when the director and the cast, the tech people, the composer – when the whole group adds things, and the show comes alive, and everyone owns it. Wow. At the party, the cast gave Sunil a gift. The cast kept telling me how much they love certain scenes. I floated home on a cloud.

I went Saturday night for the last time (we have to be out of town Sunday). My brother Craig and his daughter Jennifer were with me. I have grown used to the darkness and anger in the play. Michele has settled into her part. She still has the anger, but it is controlled; her grief and sadness come through, her vulnerability. She was very good with the long speeches, the one at the end of the party scene and the one about the dying bird. Lenore is outstanding in the main role, a real tour de force. A lot of people I know were in the audience. A guy I don’t know shook my hand after the show and said, “Bravo.” Diane came up to me at intermission and was effusive with her praise; she loves the play. Kay came up to me at intermission. Craig was returning from the bathroom; she pushed him aside so that she could get to me, which of course startled him since he had no idea who she was. She lurched at me, hugged me, and then made an entire speech about how good the play is, how it is controversial, how some are probably telling me it is wrong to mix real people into a fictional play, but she feels this is exactly what we should be doing, how inspired she is by the play. So many people approached me during or after the play that I began to feel like Marlon Brando in The Godfather, the scene where men kiss his ring. They kept touching me and shaking my hand and saying effusive things. I don’t know what Craig thought of all that.

We got another standing ovation. It is interesting to watch the process. The very best kind of standing ovation must be when the audience simply leaps en masse to its feet. I have never seen one like that. Instead, what happens is that the lights come up and the audience claps; the cast begin to take their individual bows. Someone in the audience stands up. Saturday night, it was a tall elderly man. He was a bit rickety, especially his knees; with difficulty he unfolded himself and stood at full attention, clapping hard. His wife joined him. Everyone else in the theatre became aware of them. A couple more people in his section stood, and half a dozen in another section. At such moments, everyone has to decide – do we want to stand? Everyone in my section stood – except me. I was embarrassed, thrilled and honored, but uncertain what to do. Across from our section was a section in which eight or nine never stood up. They clapped but resolutely remained seated. I calculate two thirds of the audience gave us a standing ovation.

On the long drive to Missouri, I couldn’t stop talking about the play. I am happy to report that I did not obsessively discuss it and the audiences and the actors for ALL the hours we were in the car, but I am sure I talked about it for an hour on the way to Waterloo, and then another hour on the way back to DBQ after we dropped off Kay.

All things considered, this has been the most exciting, emotional, and enriching experience with playwriting and theatre that I have ever had.

2010 Wrap Up - Part Two - Brian's Year

For our second installment of the 2010 Wrap Up, we thought we'd offer you the perspective of one of our most active theatre artists. Brian Tanner has been involved in theatre in the area for many years. He is a past president of Dreamwell Theatre and currently serves as an at large board member. He has worked with nearly every theatre in the area. He's an actor, director, and stage manager. A member of the Black Doggers, he is also a playwright. He even performs with Comics in Action, a local improv comedy group. There are very few hats he hasn't worn!

My Year in Review

by Brian Tanner

I get so involved with theatre that it can be pretty hard to see things that I'm not involved in. Not because I'm not interested but because of other conflicts. For instance, I was on hand for each of the Dreamwell shows this season. Not an easy task when one is a cast of two and the other is entirely female.

Still, I have to say that co-directing Poona the F*ckdog with Meg Dobbs was one of the high points of my theatrical life. I was very pleased with the end result even with the insanity that took us there. The end result was something that I always felt hit above and below the belt and there were many nuanced performances. They were such a great cast to work with!

On the heels of that I was able to assist with Blackbird, directed by Angie Toomsen and starring Rip Russell and Erin Mills. The opposite of Poona in many ways, Angie brought out tender and emotional performances from her actors. Even watching the action from behind the curtain, I could feel the tension and honest humanity from the actors bringing their characters to life. Still, I think my performance as the "voice from behind the door" may have out shined even these great talents. Yes, I'm humble.

Then, right on the heels of that one came Neil Simon's Chapter Two that I directed for ICCT. Another highlight for me. The actors were wonderful to work with and I am looking forward to seeing Caroline Sheerin return to theater after her new arrival! Rich Riggleman did a terrific job creating two different apartment sets on one stage, even if we did disagree about how high that painting should be hung.

During this time, I had an original short play I wrote called 21st Century Espionage produced by the Mount Vernon/Lisbon Community Theatre as a part of their "Slices of Life" production. Robin Burke directed Mike Welhelm and Nick Ostrem in a comedy piece about a secret agent who is a little too attached to his social media. I think they did a great job with it!

I got to perform my own monologue that previously appeared in the Holiday edition of Riverside Theatre's "Walking the Wire" at Dreamwell Theatre's "Dreamhome" fundraising event. I think that went well, though I'm still not sold on performing my own work. Also about that time was the Third Annual All in a Day Play Festival. I got to take part in the infamous slapstick show written by Andrew Juhl, and directed by K. Kluseman. If you weren't there or didn't hear about it, you can check the video on YouTube for its notoriety. Suffice it to say, we probably won't include slapstick as a genre choice again. Or at least allow cream pies.

One of the thrills of stage managing 9 Parts of Desire was watching these great performers rehearse their parts and how the director Rachel Howell was able to bring these stories together while keeping the characters as individuals. I was happy to be a fly on the wall, as it were. During this time, a play I co-wrote with Annette Rohlk called June's Winter was read by Red Door Ensemble at The Java House in east Iowa City. It can be a rush to hear your words.

Right on the heels of that, I was part of the ensemble of Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead directed by James Trainor. One of the things I love about community theater is getting to work with a variety of people I haven't worked with before. I got to meet a lot of new faces with this show and 9 Parts and hope to work with everyone again. Both R&G and 9 Parts were performed at the festival stage in City Park. I might have to reconsider being out there in August and September, or at least buy stock in bug spray!

Working on A View from the Bridge, another large ensemble, with Krista Neumann at the helm was also a great time. Krista is an accomplished veteran and I learned a lot from watching her work.

2010 also marked the first time I got to perform at TCR, albeit on their Grandon stage, but still, it was TCR! This was a part of the TCR Underground, where nine plays were performed over three nights. This was a great weekend of theatre and I got to step outside of my "usual" role and play an unrepentant serial killer. Fun!

To continue that trend, I also appeared in Innocence, by Tom Deiker and the winner of the Writer's Joust, directed by Pauline Tyer. It's such a great thrill to see great directors work and notable that each of the shows Dreamwell did this year featured female directors. Meg, Angie, Rachel, Krista and Pauline raised the bar for directors of any gender. I was proud to have been involved with each of their productions in one way or another.

As far as what I got to see:

Wonderful Town was a production by ICCT at the Englert that compared with anything that TCR can do. Ben Bentler is quickly establishing himself as a grand artiste capable of presenting large scale productions to the stage. All in the Timing, ICCT's presentation of a series of David Ives plays was a thoroughly entertaining evening with many intelligent laughs.

Proof was, well, proof, that TCR can also present intimate shows, even on a larger stage. Eyepiece at the University as well Killadelphia and Atlas of Mud by Working Group showed off the avant garde talents of their creators. Cinderella closed out the year for me with another Bentler produced musical that did not disappoint.

Whew! It was certainly a busy year. I'm looking forward to what 2011 will bring. There's already a number of projects on the horizon that should be interesting to be involved with.

Looking forward to seeing you at the theatre!


Check back tomorrow for the final installment of the year in review. Awards are coming... Eeep!

2010 Wrap Up - Part One

by Matthew Falduto

What an amazing, theatrical year it has been. We've seen some shocking shows like Blackbird, some powerful musicals like Rent, and some shows that showcased how the theatre community can work together such as All in the Timing. We covered the pursuits of four relatively new theatre companies, Red Door Ensemble, Working Group Theatre, Paraphrase Theatre and Combined Efforts Theatre, as they've worked to find their niches in this crowded theatre community. We've watched and cheered as the venerable Iowa City Community Theatre regained its footing and ended its season with a smash hit holiday show, Cinderella.

2010 also saw Theatre Cedar Rapids return to a newly remade theatre as they produced hit after hit, beginning with the Producers and ending with White Christmas. Along the way, we've been challenged by Dreamwell to consider how we confront taboo subjects and situations with shows like Poona the F*ckdog and Innocence. City Circle showcased the talent of our younger actors with two excellent musicals: You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown and Godspell. The Amanas were certainly alive with theatre as newcomer Iowa Theatre Artists, fresh off their Icky win in 2009, offered an original vaudeville show as well as the classic A Walk in the Woods. And the Old Creamery Theatre entertained us with a variety of old favorites and newer fare. SPT Theatre in Cedar Rapids continued to offer their unique blend of sketches and music. It's been a great year. For part one of our look back at what was, here are some comments from our readers followed by the thoughts of some of our reviewers.

"City Circle's, The Baltimore Waltz, such a lovely story, and beautifully brought to the stage with top notch acting by Bryant Duffy, Nicole Vespa, and Kehry Lane. Very emotional, there was not a dry eye in the house when I saw it."

"I agree that The Baltimore Waltz was one of the best shows I attended this past year."

"City Circle's production of Godspell was amazing! Director Michael Stokes always puts together a group with great chemistry and energy - and this was no exception. Wish I had a "soundtrack" CD of the songs by this talented group!"

"I was moved by Rachel Howell's performance in Proof at TCR, awed by the energy and cool choreography of City Circle's production of Godspell, and haunted by Dreamwell's production of Blackbird."

"Dreamwell's Blackbird, sculpted to its frank and disturbing portrait of the characters, stopped my breath."

"Once on this Island was a blast. Some of the most creative staging I have seen, and a cast that made you want to come down and dance along with them. It was infectious to say the least. Some talented High Schoolers in that show too. Future is lookin' good for Iowa Theatre!"

"Hey, I thought End Days at Riverside Theatre was simply amazing. Such a clear story and wonderful acting from the whole company."

"I thought ICCT's Wonderful Town was a great show. I know, as an actor it was a great show to be a part of. Hats off as well to ACE's Twelfth Night at the Iowa Children's Museum. I was nearly in tears from laughing."

"Theatre Cedar Rapids' "Underground Theatre Festival" was a great weekend of live theatre. My personal favorite was A Midnight Clear with Bryant Duffy and Rob Merritt. Hope they do this again next year."

"I loved Mary's Wedding."

"9 Parts of Desire blew me away more than anything. The piece itself is timely & timeless, and it was a truly brilliant use of an ensemble (and a very talented one, at that!) to reinterpret the one-woman show."

"Dreamwell's "Taboo Bijoux" theme may have been realized most chillingly by Ken Van Egdon in Innocence. In his portrayal of Pedro Lopez, "Monster of the Andes," who raped and murdered 350 young girls, Ken broke the wall with the Audience repeatedly as he stalked, spoke to, and entered the Audience repeatedly to rationalize his horrific acts."

"ICCT's All in the Timing was a neat collaborative effort with multiple directors and a talented, diverse cast. How to Heal the Hurt by Hating, presented by Red Door Ensemble, was a fun script interpreted by some talented actresses."

"For me, it's all about the moments. These are [some of] the moments I remember most fondly from a year of great theater:

* Rachel Howell's searing, lived-in, specific performance in TCR's Proof. A personal best, I think.

* Megan Sands and John Smick playing monkeys with me in All in the Timing. Oh, and Matthew James as Tolstoy with an axe in his head in James Trainor's perfectly calibrated All in the Timing piece.

* Most valuable player of the year: Michael Blake, set designer/builder extraordinaire! His spinning doors at the Children's Museum were used in three productions alone!

* Finally, as productions go, the most fully realized for me was Love's Labor's Lost at the Riverside Shakespeare Festival. Productions like this point to why this festival is a treasure and a delight--classic works made so clear and clean that they transcend time, culture and class to resonate in present day."

And some of our reviewers...

"Even though I reviewed both community and professional theatre this past year, my favorite of all the shows I went to — much less reviewed — was the sparse, cheaply produced and staged Dreamwell production of Poona the F*ckdog. When I’m still giggling with my girlfriend about throwaway lines from a play I saw 10 months ago, I know I’ve seen a quality show." -Andrew Juhl

Though I loved the solid work in more straightforward theatre offerings such as Dreamwell's A View From the Bridge and Theatre Cedar Rapids' Proof, there have also been several poetic, intelligent and visually expressive pieces that have pushed the creative envelope. Working Group Theatre--some of whom teamed for the beautiful and effective Mary's Wedding at Riverside--recently produced Atlas of Mud, an epic environmental tale told with lyricism, imagination and compassion (and a really cool set). In a similar melange of a-linear, episodic storytelling and scientific allegory, I must also mention the Hancher/UI production of guest artist Rinde Eckert's Eyepiece. It was effusive (possibly even too much so, at times) with poetic experiments, stunning imagery, soundscapes and a strong company of performers. When I see work like Eyepiece and Atlas of Mud, where writing and directorial imagination run full bore, it seems like the beginning of work that is more than worth evolving, refining and taking on the road. -Angie Toomsen

"Obviously, my favorite theatrical production of the year was City Circle's Once On This Island, though I'll have to cop to a bit of stage-mom bias in that regard since my daughter Rachel was the star of the show. (Wasn't she?) It was also a great, fun show with wonderful singing, dancing, and choreography." - Sharon Falduto

Dreamwell Theatre’s choice to present a season under the “Taboo Bijou” banner resulted in several memorable productions including Blackbird and A View from the Bridge. Both featured strong, convincing performances not only from Rip Russell in leading roles but from virtually everyone involved. I’ll remember these productions as highlights of the season, but there are moments that will, I suspect, take up permanent residence in my memory, next to the still-vivid entrance of George Grizzard as Hamlet in Tyrone Guthrie’s 1963 production. For example, Kevin Moore as Marco, entering the theatre and calling out Eddie Carbone’s name—a terrifying summons that gave me chills. And Ken Van Egdon’s serial killer in Dreamwell’s production of Innocence leaving the stage and walking out through the house: also frightening but a wonderful theatrical moment.

Another production that made the 2010 season memorable is the Old Creamery Theatre’s Studio production of Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? This relatively early Albee play has long been a favorite and I can never resist seeing it. Happily, this production on a tiny stage with a minimal set ranks very high in my estimation. Tom Milligan and Marquetta Senters as George and Martha delivered sensitive, nuanced portrayals of the clever, unhappy, but deeply committed couple, hitting all the right notes from delight to despair. They were very ably supported by David Tull and Jackie McCall as their unsuspecting guests.

One more production I found exceptionally memorable was Iowa Theatre Artists Company’s A Walk in the Woods by Lee Blessing. Directed by Meg Merckens, Robert Gardner and Patrick O’Brien as Russian and U.S. diplomats respectively, demonstrated that effective theatre requires only an actor and an audience. And a bench. Although the play is set during the Cold War, the issues do not seem at all dated as Blessing explores the human element behind the politics of negotiation. - Gerry Roe

Tomorrow we will present one theatre guy's 2010 journey in his own words. And after that will be my reflection on the theatre of 2010... where some (virtual) awards will be given. Eeep!

Cinderella returns for three more performances!

ICCT - It’s back! Due to the overwhelming turnout for Rogers & Hammerstein’s Cinderella, ICCT has announced a three performance extension of the show December 31 at 8:00, January 1 at 7:30, and January 2 at 2:00 at the Johnson County Fairgrounds.

You can also ring in the “New Year” with the cast of Cinderella. Join Cinderella, Prince Charming, the jealous stepsisters and more for a New Year’s VIP event before the show on Friday, Dec 31st at 6pm until 10pm. The cost of $40 includes admission for one child and one adult, plus unlimited cookies and hot cocoa, party favors, magic wand, tiara or sword, pictures with the cast, and much more.

Call (319) 338-0443 for reservations. There is also a coupon offered at the ICCT website.

Dreamwell's War and Consequences

Dreamwell - For the last couple of years, Dreamwell has done "theme seasons," where every show relates to a common idea. In 2009, it was a "Season of Inciting Theatre." Their 2010 season, "A Taboo Bijou" was recently nominated for an Icky award for innovative theatre programming. Next we have their 2011 season, "War and Consequences," an exploration of works about the stages and effects of war, from situation room to home front to front lines. The January-through-July “mini season” transitions Dreamwell to a fall-to-spring programming schedule that follows the academic year.

“War and Consequences” kicks off with Last Train to Nibroc by Arlene Hutton, a love story set during World War II (and perfect for Valentines Day’s weekend.) The Associated Press calls Nibroc "…a gently charming little play, reminiscent of Thornton Wilder in its look at rustic Americans who are to be treasured for their simplicity and directness." They have planned a special performance of this show at the Oaknoll retirement community on February 14th.

The season’s April offering is David Hare’s Stuff Happens, a political (recent) history play exploring the often notorious events and decisions that led to the war in Iraq. With characters such as George Bush, Colin Powell, Tony Blair and Condoleezza Rice, this show is sure to spark discussion. The New Yorker calls it "an exhilarating account of the genesis of the current war in Iraq."

In June, Dreamwell ventures into the "vastly fields of France" – and their first-ever Shakespeare – with an imaginative re-telling of William Shakespeare’s most famous war play, Henry the Fifth. Auditions will take place in the beginning of February.

The mini-season concludes in July with Soldier’s Daughter (working title), an entirely original play about a soldier who shares with his daughter a series of stories about humanity. The play will be performed promenade-style, moving from location-to-location around the delightful spaces on a performance farm that has been home home to several wonderful shows this past year. In keeping with Dreamwell’s mission of collaboration, this play was written by members of the Black Doggers, a playwriting group with members from all over the Corridor.

Dreamwell’s play selection committee is currently reading plays for the 2011-2012 full season, to be announced in the spring.

Icky nominations announced

Every year, the Iowa Cultural Corridor Alliance (ICCA) celebrates innovation in arts programming with an evening of awards and entertainment. Called the "Ickys", one of the categories is related to this blog: Theatre Programming. The nominations for innovative theatre programming for 2010 are:

Dreamwell Theatre – A Taboo Bijou
Mount Vernon-Lisbon Community Theatre – Another Serving of Slices of Life
SPT Theatre Company – The Writer’s Room Series
Theatre Cedar Rapids – Rent
University of Iowa Department of Theatre Arts (in partnership with Hancher) – Eye Piece

The programming is varied. TCR's production of Rent was hailed as amazing all over the corridor and even impressed Anthony Rapp, the actor who originated the role of Mark on Broadway. While this blog does not cover University Theatre productions and therefore did not review Eye Piece, an original work by Rinde Eckert, word on the street was that it was an powerful show. Two theatres were honored for original work. Another Serving of Slices of Life was a series of original short plays by local writers. The Writer's Room is a series of original skits around a common theme set to music. We've applauded their efforts for a while now on this blog and are thrilled that they received this recognition. A common theme was key to Dreamwell's nomination as well. For 2010, they presented five plays that created a year long community conversation by asking "What does it mean to be 'taboo' and how do we recognize and confront taboo subjects and situations?"

Theaters also represented in a couple of other awards as well. City Circle Acting Company of Coralville (in partnership with The Iowa Children’s Museum) was nominated in the Children's Programming category for Once on This Island.For Educational Programming, there's a showdown in Amana as Iowa Theatre Artists was nominated for Remain True and The Old Creamery Theatre Company was nominated for Camp Creamery: Little Red Riding Hood. For the Collaborative Award between ICCA members, Theatre Cedar Rapids with the Cedar Rapids Community School District was nominated for Spotlight on Schools. The nominees for the other collaborative award - between an ICCA member and a non-member - includes two theaters: Old Creamery Theatre Company with the Clear Creek Amana Community School District for the 2010 Old Creamery Studio Series and Theatre Cedar Rapids with Ryan Companies and OPN Architects for the Iowa Theater Grand Reopening.

ICCA, a group of over 150 arts and cultural organizations in the Eastern Iowa Corridor of Linn, Johnson and the nine adjacent counties, will present its 5th Annual Meeting and Excellence in Innovation Honors on Monday, January 31, 2011 from 6:30-9:00 p.m. at The Englert Theatre in Iowa City. The Emmy-like event, well known in the Corridor as The Ickys, will feature live performances by artists and organizations celebrating special milestone anniversaries as well as the announcement of the recipients of the 2011 Icky Honors. All ICCA partners, associates, and community members are invited to attend.

For a complete list of all nominations, go here.

Best of 2010?

So what shows knocked your socks off? That's the question we're pondering at the Iowa Theatre Blog. We'll be posting a year in review next week, but in the meantime, we'd like to hear from you, the readers of the Iowa Theatre Blog. What show really blew you away? What show made you think? What show was just the most fun experience you've had in a theatre in a long time?

The comments section awaits!

Some pictures to jog your memories...

Footliter auditions coming in January

Footliters - Camp Rock is coming to Iowa City and the Footliters need some actors to make it happen. They will hold auditions Wednesday, January 19 and Thursday January 20 from 7:00-9:00 pm. Callbacks or a snow make up day will be Saturday, Janaury 22 from 2:00-4:00 pm. The location will be announced later. Check their website for further updates or call Mary Loops at 626-6337; her email address is maryc52317@aol.com.

Michael Stokes directs with musical direction by Melissa Blum. Show dates are Friday April 1 & Saturday April 2 at 7:00 pm and Saturday April 2, 2011 & Sunday, April 3, 2011 at 2:00 pm.

- Auditions will be competitive.
- Be prepared with a short pop style song, along with sheet music or instrumental music CD, but not required
- Be prepared to do a cold reading from a script.
- Participation fee is $50; due at the first rehearsal.
- Detailed Audition Information can be found here in Word and Pdf formats.
- Bring a list of all conflicts, including Spring Break plans.
- All actors must complete one drama class per year to be eligible for our shows.
- First cast meeting and location will be determined later when cast list is published.
- Rehearsals will be held M-F starting at 6:30 pm in the evenings. Expect to be at rehearsals 2-5 days a week, depending on your part.
- The last TWO WEEKS of rehearsals are MANDATORY. If you cannot commit to this, please audition for a later show.

Call for Artists!

Old Creamery – The Old Creamery Theatre Company in Amana is sending out a call to area artists to participate in helping us line the hallway of our Studio Stage in Middle Amana with local artwork during our production of Art, opening March 31 and running through April 17, 2011.

Art by Yasmina Reza focuses on three longtime friends who differ greatly on their definition of art. When Serge invests in an expensive painting – an immense all white canvas – Marc believes he’s lost his mind while Yvan finds himself deeply in the middle.

The deadline to submit an application for a piece of art is March 1 and finished pieces would need to be dropped off at The Old Creamery’s Studio Stage by March 15 and picked up after April 17. Only one piece per artist will be allowed and art can be in any medium.

Artists should include the title of the artwork and name/contact information on an 8.5 by 5.5 card to be displayed along with the artwork. If the art is for sale, that information can also be included on the card.

Please call The Old Creamery Theatre Company business office after January 10 for more information and an application. 319-622-6034 ext. 110.

Cast for The Nerd

ICCT - Iowa City Community Theatre will present The Nerd by Larry Shue in March. Shue's other slightly more famous play, The Foreigner, was produced by ICCT in 2009. Rachel Brown directs. Here is the cast list.


Willium Cubbert: Brad Quinn
Axel Hammond: Kenneth Van Egdon
Tansy McGinnis: Elizabeth Breed
Warnock Waldgrave: Stephen Polchert
Clelia Waldgrave: Robyn McCright
Thor Waldgrave: Joseph Verry
Rick Steadman: Eddie Skaggs

Want to see the sold out White Christmas?

TCR - As of 39 minutes ago, 40 tickets just became available for tonight's (Friday) performance of White Christmas. If you want one, act fast! Their website is here.

TCR casts two shows

TCR - Theatre Cedar Rapids has two very different shows on the horizon: the feminist drama Crimes of the Heart and the macabre musical Sweeney Todd. Crimes is up first, opening at the end of January. Sweeney follows in March. The cast lists are below.

Crimes of the Heart:

Chick - Clare Duffy
Meg - Sarah Jarmon
Babe - Katy Slaven
Lenny - Angie Toomsen
Barnette -Justin Braden
Doc - Alex Williams

Sweeney Todd:

Sweeney Todd - Daniel Kelchen
Mrs. Lovett - Piper Pack
Judge Turpin - Mike Cervantes
Anthony - Aaron Brewer
Pirelli - Jay Burken
Beadle - Nick Williams
Johanna - Beth Simon
Tobias - Lincoln Ginsberg
Beggar Woman - Jen Boettger
Ensemble - Heather Anholt
Ensemble - Jared Bourne
Ensemble - Tiffany DeBow
Ensemble - Bryant Duffy
Ensemble - Eric Dean Freese
Ensemble - Alex Gassman
Ensemble - Genevieve Heinrich
Ensemble - Tracie Hodina
Ensemble - Brian Middleswarth
Ensemble - Emily Nelson
Ensemble - Greg Smith

Combined Efforts offers The Plague Show

CET - Combined Efforts Theatre is back with their winter show this weekend. Running December 17th and 18th at 7:30 pm in the Little Theatre building at City High school, they will present The Plague Show.

Step back to 1389 and follow a group of Pageant Wagon performers who get stuck on their route, due to a broken wheel and THE PLAGUE!

Tickets are $5.00 at the door or by contacting 319-331-4283. For more information about CET, go here.

Celebrate Me Home

City Circle - City Circle Acting Company of Coralville will perform Celebrate Me Home: A Holiday Cabaret December 16-18.

Celebrate Me Home is directed by Patrick DuLaney and Chris Okiishi. City Circle continues its tradition of off-kilter holiday fare with this fun, touching, sweet, and hilarious variety show. Built around the talents, skills, joys and holiday memories of the cast, this musical celebration of the season provides laughs and the occasional tear.

Featuring a talented cast of familiar area actors and singers, Celebrate Me Home will shed an often comical light on the holiday season. Songs featured in the performance range from familiar favorites (“Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas”) to soon-to-be-hits like “If You Love Me, Please Don’t Feed Me.” Says director DuLaney, “It seems to me that so much of the holidays is geared towards children, and I like to see some grown-up seasonal sentiment every once in a while, some adult holiday cheer. Not a naughty Christmas, mind you, but one just a little sophisticated, a little relaxed, a little...well, grown-up. So that is what we've tried to create in Celebrate Me Home.”

The cast includes Eddie Skaggs and Paula Grady of Cedar Rapids, Iowa City area folk Rod McCrea, Kate Thompson, Lauren Baker, Carrie Houchins-Witt, Ellen Stevenson, and Tim Budd, and Wellman's Ryan Shellady. Special guests include Ron Clark of Riverside Theatre and the fabulous Hawkettes!

Performances of Celebrate Me Home will be held December 16-18 at 7:30 pm at Riverside Theatre. Tickets are $12 for students and seniors and $15 for adults. Tickets are available online at

www.citycircle.org and through the Riverside Theatre Box Office (319 338-7672). Tickets will also be available at the door.

Cast of A Little Night Music Announced

City Circle - City Circle Acting Company has chosen the cast for their upcoming production of A Little Night Music, which will be directed by Patrick Du Laney with musical direction by Jason Sifford. The costume designer is Michael Petkewec. Based on Ingmar Bergman’s film Smiles of a Summer Night, A Little Night Music is a sophisticated and sly musical romp that features familiar tunes such as “Send in the Clowns.” Music and lyrics are by Stephen Sondheim and book is by Hugh Wheeler.

The cast features familiar faces as well as many performers new to City Circle.

Desiree - Krista Neumann
Fredrik - Josh Sazon
Henrik - Ben Ward
Anne - Megan Henry
Carl-Magnus - Michael Petkewec
Charlotte - Katelyn McBride
Petra - Carrie Houtchins-Witt
Fredrika - Makayla Phillips
Mme. Armfeldt - Ellen Stevenson
Mr. Lindquist - Colin Nies
Mr. Erlanson - Brett Borden
Mrs. Segstrom - Jamie DeLuca
Mrs. Nordstrom - Ramya Hipp
Mrs. Anderssen - Nicole McDonough

Coe's Three Sisters has one more weekend

Coe - We don't usually cover university shows on this blog because of limited resources, however I have heard good things about the current show at Coe College. You may want to check out their production of Anton Chekhov's Three Sisters this weekend. It features Alison Polivka, Taylor Eagan and Heather Michele Lawler and is directed by Steven Marc Weiss. Heather should be familiar to any corridor area theatre regular as she's been in many shows over the years. For more information, go here.

Dreamwell announces auditions

Dreamwell - Dreamwell Theatre will hold auditions for Last Train to Nibroc by Arlene Hutton at the Iowa City Public Library Friday, December 17th, from 3:45 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. and on Saturday, December 18th, from 2:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. The play is the first offering in Dreamwell Theatre's 2011 season: "War and Consequences." Performances are February 10th through 12th at the Unitarian Universalist Society, 10 S. Gilbert St. in Iowa City with an added performance at Oaknoll on February 13th. A copy of the play is on reserve at the Iowa City Public Library. Rachael Lindhart directs.

The play follows two young people who meet on a train in Kentucky, both facing disappointments. She expected to be married, he expected to ship off for war. Thus ensues a relationship that builds over repeated encounters between 1940 and 1943, a time of great change in America. The play is a wonderfully rich examination of the ways the two people cope and grow as human beings, both individually and together, in a time of upheaval. New York Theatre calls it a "blissfully sweet romantic play quite unlike the typical fare offered in theatres these days." Wonderful parts for two young actors (one male, one female, both 20's).

Actors will be asked to read from the script in pairs. Rehearsals, will begin around January 5th (with a flexible schedule). For additional information (or if you are interested but can't make the listed audition time), call the director at 319-337-2206 or e-mail her at lindhrach@aol.com.

You can also RSVP on the Facebook page.