TCR'S 2010-11 Season

Cedar Rapids - Theatre Cedar Rapids has settled back into its downtown home and is ready to go with its 77th season. We will see a broad spectrum of different works, including the return of TCR Underground.

The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee kicks it off. This quirky musical by William Finn and Rachel Sheinkin won the Tony for Best Book in 2005 (opens September 10).

Next is a version of Pirandello's Six Character in Search of an Author, adapted by Jason Alberty. A company is preparing to rehearse a play when it is interrupted by six characters who have stepped off the page and insist on telling their tragic and unusual story (opens October 15).

Just in time for the holidays is White Christmas, an adaptation of the 1954 film with songs by Irving Berlin and book by David Ives and Paul Blake (opens November 26).

Beth Henley's Crimes of the Heart won the Pulitzer in 1981 and the Tony for Best Play in 1982. It tells the story of three sisters who must deal with the consequences when the youngest shoots her abusive husband (opens November 26).

Sweeney Todd is a musical by Stephen Sondheim about the "Demon Barber of Fleet Street." Sweeney Todd returns to London, vowing revenge on the corrupt judge who framed him. Before he finds him, however, he encounters the crafty Mrs. Lovett, who has a room to rent and an idea for a recipe for meat pies... (opens March 4).

Eurydice is a retelling of the Greek myth by Sarah Ruhl. Ruhl's version is poetic yet whimsical, focusing heavily on the father/daughter relationship (opens April 8).

The Lion, the Witch & the Wardrobe is an adaptation of the C.S. Lewis book of the same name. Young Lucy opens a mysterious wardrobe in an old house to find the land of Narnia inside, beginning a magical journey for herself and her siblings. Adapted by Joseph Robinette (opens May 13).

Guys & Dolls won the Tony for Best Musical in 1951. Based on stories by Damon Runyan, it's a tale of high-stakes gambling and rocky romance. Several famous Frank Loesser numbers come from this show, including "Luck Be a Lady" and "Sit Down, You're Rockin' the Boat" (opens July 8).

We asked artistic director Leslie Charipar to tell us more about the upcoming season.


Q: How do you go about selecting your shows?

A: TCR has a bit of a formula for putting together our 8-show season: the first show is usually a smaller musical, there are always two smaller, edgier actor-driven, story-driven pieces that comprise the Linge Series (which is funded by the Linge Foundation and allows us to do a couple of “riskier” shows without worrying about box office ramifications), there’s a big fat holiday show, there’s a larger non-musical on the season, there’s an early spring musical, a family show, and a giant summer musical.

So with that formula in mind, I read a bunch of scripts (I’m usually reading scripts year-round), and stay up to date on what is available and what is new and hip and interesting and hasn’t been done recently or ever at TCR, and I put together what I believe to be a plausible season. Then I present that season proposal to the Programming Committee. They read those scripts, ask me a lot of questions, bring up concerns that we discuss as a committee, and if there are any changes to be made, I make some adjustments and re-present a revised proposal to that Committee. Once they have signed off on the season proposal, we take it to the Board of Directors for final approval.



Q: Is there a unifying theme/concept for this year's season?

A: There really isn’t a theme for this season. Frankly, we’ve done that in the past, and I find it a little constricting when making good show selections. I’d rather choose shows because we’re interested in doing them than because they fit a theme.



Q: Which productions do you feel are breaking new ground? Which do you feel will be crowd favorites?

A: We’re not necessarily breaking ground with Sarah Ruhl’s Eurydice or Six Characters, but I feel like they’re both pretty ambitious productions for a community theatre. They require really talented, smart actors, and they require a really smart and open-minded audience. I think Sweeney Todd is a bit of risk, too. Janelle and I are planning to do a little deconstructing of the piece and will be whittling it down to its essence so that the voices and the story are the primary focus. But I’m also going to explore the notion of grotesque slathered all over the deconstruction. So even though Sweeney Todd has been around for a while, it might be a bit of a ground-breaker, as it will be a slightly new take.

Spelling Bee is a riot, and though not as many people know the show, I think once the word gets out about how fun it is, people will want to see it. White Christmas will be a huge show for us. It’s got all the things people want at the holidays – nostalgia, heart, laughter, joy. It’s a charming script that I think will be a favorite for multiple generations. And I think that Guys and Dolls will be a crowd favorite too. The old chestnuts are always fun to do and audiences love them.



Q: At Ovations, Casey Prince talked about getting away from the distractions and back to making art now that rebuilding the theatre has been accomplished. Is there a sense of a weight being lifted and a renewed focus as work begins on this new season?

A: There’s a huge sense of relief as we start this full season back downtown. Our focus has been so splintered these last couple of years, keeping one eye on getting the building fixed and another one on continuing to do theatre wherever we could, that it just feels good to be settled in one place. None of us were experts on flood recovery (though some of us probably are now), so being able to focus on what we’re supposed to be doing and what we know we’re good at is really awesome!



Q: Talk a bit about TCR Underground. What role do you think the production of original work plays in the artistic community at large?

A: Just so you know, TCR Underground isn’t entirely original work. Having said that, I’m really, really excited about TCR Underground. It’s a really cool way to get more people involved in theatre or to offer diverse opportunities to people who have been wanting to try something new. Like an actor might want to give directing a try, or technical whiz might want to give acting a shot. Plus, it gives audiences a chance to see interesting theatre that might be too edgy or too small for our mainstage. And ultimately, it helps TCR accomplish its mission by offering more theatre and more volunteer opportunities.

First up this season is the Underground Festival in November which will get us back into the Iowa Community Theatre Association festival this winter and will feature several original plays written by local playwrights (some of whom have appeared on the TCR stage). I’m so excited for this Festival and especially that we’ve got original pieces in there. I’m not sure that this city knows that it has some really good writers here, and I think Cedar Rapids is an awesome place to write. Great quality of life, affordable living, and several resources to workshop plays with some of the best talent around.

One of the reasons I love the idea of original plays is that I feel like we’re losing some of our best playwrights to television. If we can cultivate good playwrights here, we’d be on the cutting edge of contemporary theatre and doing our part to support playwrights. New plays are a financial risk, and in this economy theatre’s aren’t willing to take financial risks. In an area like the Corridor, we could foster a safe and relatively risk-free environment for both the playwright and the theatre. And because we’re theatre-savvy here, and there is an abundance of talented actors in the area, we can offer workshopping opportunities that other, larger markets aren’t able to offer. It’s a win-win, in my opinion.

Riverside Theatre's 2010-11 Season

Iowa City - Riverside Theatre is celebrating its 30th anniversary this year with its usual mix of original works, new Broadway hits, and timeless classics. The magic begins at Gilbert St. on September 10th with [title of show].

[title of show] (yes, that's the title) is a metatheatrical musical by Jeff Bowen and Hunter Bell. It tells the tale of Jeff and Hunter, two nobodies who dream of writing a broadway musical about two nobodies who dream of writing a Broadway musical. It had its Broadway premier in 2008, and now Riverside is bringing it to Iowa (opens September 10th).

Boom is an apocalyptic comedy by Peter Sinn Nachtrieb. Jo, a journalism student, responds to an ad promising "sex to change the course of the world," only to find that Jules, a biologist studying fish for signs of the apocalypse, meant the phrase quite literally. As Jo doesn't want children and Jules is gay, this is an unlikely pair to propagate the species. We may all be doomed, but we're bound to have a few laughs along the way (opens October 29).

The Tag Sale Project is an original work by Maggie Conroy, inspired by an e-mail conversation between five friends planning a yard sale. Last year's staged reading sold out, and the piece has been revised in the meantime. (opens November 26).

All My Sons, Arthur Miller's examination of social responsibility and wartime profiteering, earned him the Tony Award for best author in 1947. It also, in combination with Death of a Salesman, earned him a stint in front of the House Un-American Activities Committee. It is often cited as one of his bravest critiques of the "American Dream." Riverside is producing the play with partial support from the Iowa Arts Council (opens January 28).

Walking the Wire is Riverside's annual festival of original monologues. This year's theme is "OMG: surprise moments" (opens March 4).

Pamela Gien's The Syringa Tree deals with South African apartheid. The story centers on six-year-old Elizabeth Grace, but this one-woman tour de force examines the situation from a variety of perspectives across four generations (opens April 1).

We asked Artistic Director Jody Hovland to go more in-depth about the upcoming season. Here's what she had to say:

Q: How do you go about selecting your shows?

A: We’re always reading plays, seeing plays and taking stock of what theatres around the country are producing. We talk to friends at other theatres, we receive suggestions from patrons who see plays in other cities. In the end, we choose plays that excite us as artists – because if we’re passionate about the work, we believe that translates into audience engagement as well.



Q: Is there a unifying theme/concept for this year's season?

A: I believe it’s Riverside’s commitment to an eclectic season that signifies our approach every year, and this year is no exception, ranging from Broadway musical theatre to a one-woman play, from new work to an American classic. Our season opener, the Broadway musical [title of show], definitely brings back memories of getting Riverside Theatre off the ground 30 years ago. The play, about two “nobodies” who decide to write a completely original musical, speaks to anyone who has ever pursued a creative “longshot” – so it really resonated with us, and seemed like a perfect launch for this anniversary season. Our production of Arthur Miller’s family drama, All My Sons, is the centerpiece of our 30th anniversary season, and a project we’re deeply excited about.



Q: Which productions do you feel are breaking new ground? Which do you feel will be crowd favorites?

A: Ah, if only we could predict the crowd favorites! I love that the opening musical has 4 chairs and a piano, and that the second production is very complex scenically - an underground research lab with a large operational fish tank! In the second half of the season we’ll go from the realism of Arthur Miller’s 1940s backyard to the lone swing in The Syringa Tree. Each of these productions offers up an invitation to enter a very specific world. Your “new ground” may be the way the pianist is integrated into [title of show], or the mysterious time-space continuum of Boom, the ethical quagmire of All My Sons, or the politics of pre-Apartheid South Africa – or one of the startling new OMG! monologues from Walking the Wire (who HASN’T had an OH-MY-GOD moment?).



Q: Riverside works with a lot of artists from a variety of places. Will there be any familiar faces to Riverdogs this year? Looking forward to beginning any new relationships?

A: The musical will feature longtime collaborator Kristen Behrendt and, in his first Gilbert Street show, three-time Shakespeare Festival actor Patrick DuLaney, who is now making his home in Iowa City. Eddie Skaggs and Jessica Flood return for their second Gilbert Street productions. Boom brings back former Riverside actor Scot West, who recently finished his MFA at Ohio University and has relocated to Minneapolis. And Kalen Harriman, a Chicago actor seen in last season’s Mary’s Wedding and this summer’s Shakespeare Festival, also returns for Boom. The company for All My Sons will feature many long-time associates, including Mark Hunter as director, Paul Sannerud as scenic designer, and Tim Budd, Kristy Hartsgrove, Martin Andrews and Kehry Lane as actors. Saffron Henke – who first appeared in Riverside’s Young People’s Company when she was a high school student, and since for RTSF as Beatrice in Much Ado – brings the Gilbert Street season to a close by playing all 24 characters in The Syringa Tree.

And although their faces may be familiar to RT audiences, they’ll be seeing Jennifer Fawcett, Sean Lewis and Martin Andrews at the helm of Working Group Theatre, a new company in residence at Riverside this season. Their decision, as young theatre artists, to claim Iowa City as their artistic home base is very exciting to us. Here you have a professional theatre of 30 years hand in hand with a brand new professional company with a bold original vision – now that’s exciting!



Q: Talk a bit about the Tag Sale Project and Walking the Wire. What role do you think the production of original work plays in the artistic community at large?

A: Riverside Theatre actively supports the creation of new work through readings, script-in-hand productions, and fully mounted premieres. Living where we do, in an area which is the artistic home for so many visual, performing and literary artists – this is really a no-brainer. And while new work certainly carries risk – no reassuring track record to lean on - we’ve found that audiences are very excited by original fare – and expect us to produce it! It’s a great privilege to be in on a creative process from the ground up, to help shape that first look and sound of a new play.

In 2008-09 Riverside theatre launched new plays by Ron Clark, Megan Gogerty and Barbara Lau –and for a dozen years we’ve been producing original monologues in Walking the Wire. For many patrons the annual monologue festival is one of their favorite events – with its focus on one story, one performer, one spot on a bare stage. And there you have it – theatre! This season we’re also pleased to bring back a newly edited version of The Tag Sale Project. This collaboration, led by Maggie Conroy, about the adventures of five friends and their yard sale, is a warm and familiar ride - like being right in the neighborhood with them. And that’s what I think the theatre does best, after all – gathers people shoulder to shoulder in a dark room to experience something together. It both creates and serves community – and I can’t think of a better way to spend an evening – or a lifetime.

9 Parts is powerful

by Meghan D'Souza

Dreamwell & ICCT - I will be honest. When I hear someone mention the war in Iraq, my mind goes straight to my personal political thoughts about it, dating back to the first time I learned where Iraq is in the early 90s because of the first war. Sometimes I will think about the civilians and wonder what their thoughts are and what their lives are like, but other than reading an article here and there, I have no way to understand what an Iraqi person is experiencing.

9 Parts of Desire, presented by Dreamwell Theatre and ICCT, is about various Iraqi women's experiences and viewpoints since Iraq has been torn apart by war. The key is that it is about these women's experiences. It isn't a political play, but a poetic play that the playwright, Heather Raffo, comprised after befriending many Iraqi women and learning their stories. Although she did not use their specific stories, she was inspired by what she learned and wrote realistic interpretations. The result is a monologue that painted the mosaic picture of how different Iraqi women have viewed, lived through, and continue to survive the war.

Director Rachel Howell cleverly decided to divide the monologues up among nine talented women who told their individual stories with great passion. Some were so intense and engaging, my heart broke a little and I forced myself to break away mentally so I could take an emotional breather. I'll admit, I felt a little guilty that I had the option to take an emotional break during a play that was about people who never get a break.

One specific heartbreaking story came from Ottavia De Luca, who played a young Iraqi girl. Her eyes were wide with innocence as she nonchalantly explained her life and how she can name a specific gun by its sound. She was angry at her mom for taking her out of school when the American soldiers appeared and thought it was because she waved at them. She thought her mom was overprotective for not letting her go out for fear that she would be kidnapped and sold. She was sad that she had not been in a swimming pool for two years and figured it was because the American soldiers were using it, or maybe it was dried up. Her brothers had been killed in the war, but she was too young to know who they were and didn't feel any emotions about it, but witnessed her mother's intense sadness about losing her boys. She idolized her dad, who she thought was with Saddam Hussein, and she expected him to return at some point.

Listening to De Luca speak like a young girl who is just frustrated with her family and longed to be outside and do fun things reminded me of reading The Diary of Anne Frank. Except this Iraqi Girl did not have enough life experience before the war to know that something like finding bullets is not natural and should not be exciting. While Anne Frank had prewar memories so she could try to create a sort of normal life for herself and hold on to hope for a normal future, the Iraqi Girl simply did not understand why she had to stop going to school and stop going outside alone, but thought hearing machine guns and learning how to shoot a pistol was a part of life. Seeing her so full of energy, but so naive and innocent was absolutely heartbreaking.

Angie Toomsen also did a fantastic job of taking the audience on her character's terrible emotional journey with her. She was an Iraqi American with family members who still lived in Iraq. Even though she lived outwardly in peace, she could never find peace within because she was constantly wondering if her family was okay. She was always watching or reading the news and seeing names of places where her relatives lived and worked and felt unsettled and sick because she could not get in touch with them to know if they were okay. She felt disgusted when the Americans around her felt no empathy for the suffering that people like her family members were going through; she internalized the whole experience. All she could do was watch the news and pray constantly to find comfort. An interesting observation that I discovered the playwright, herself, experienced was when Toomsen's character mentioned hating how the Americans around her cheered for the war on TV at the bars while she hurt for the Iraqis who were burying their loved ones with their own hands in their yards.

The talented cast plus the direction of Rachel Howell most definitely got the playwright's purpose across, which was to give the western audience an intimate glimpse into the real lives of the Iraqi women so we could see them as they are: Women. Not "Other, Unrelatable Beings." All of the stories in the play have incredible perspectives that leave you thinking and feeling like you've really connected with not just another culture, but a completely different way of life and different ways of adapting to it. It's a powerful play.

Extraordinary Performances Dominate Tuna

by Andrew Juhl

Old Creamery - I don’t know what it is about the Old Creamery Theatre that I like so much. Maybe it’s the friendly feeling you get when you go to one of their shows, like you’re an old friend, returning home, who they’re glad to see again. Maybe it’s the stellar record of their productions never falling flat. Or maybe it’s simply just that it’s so damn obvious how much they really care about what they put on the stage. Whatever it is, it’s an absolute privilege to continue to be invited to review their performances, with their current run of Red, White & Tuna being no exception.

If you’re unfamiliar with the Tuna series, then a little background: Red, White & Tuna is the third in what is *currently* a quadrology of comedic plays written by Jaston Williams, Joe Sears, and Ed Howard. It follows Greater Tuna and A Tuna Christmas, and it precedes the currently touring Tuna Does Vegas. All four plays are set in the fictional town of Tuna, Texas (the "third-smallest" town in the state), and are noteworthy by dint that two men—originally Williams and Sears—comprise the entire cast of over two dozen characters of varying ages and genders.

In the Old Creamery’s production—running at their Studio Stage in Middle Amana until September 5th—T.J. Besler and Sean McCall inhabit the cavalcade of ridiculous personas first created by Williams and Sears. I can honestly write, without compunction, that both actors turn in extraordinary performances.

I cannot and would not single out one of their performances over the other, as to do so would insult both, as well as their fantastically developed chemistry and timing. Seeing the opening day performance, I noticed a few stammered lines, but absolutely nothing unforgivable or that takes a viewer out of the moment. It is obvious that both actors have great respect for the source material, and their passion to properly display Tuna’s richness of intricacies is similarly evident. The costume changes were fluid and unobtrusive, and characters were well-defined and did not overlap. Not once in the entire show did I say to myself, well that’s just the same voice and same walk in a different outfit.

Speaking outfits, I have to give credit to the costuming team for their excellent contribution to the show. Not only were they able to design outfits that could be quickly and quietly exchanged, but every single outfit had a touch of comic believability to it that invoked the sincere reaction, “Yeah, that’s exactly what I would expect that character to wear.” The costumes not only complimented, but helped to actually define these characters better than most local productions I can recall attending over the last few years. Not an easy feat when said clothing also has to be stripped off and put on in less than 10 seconds.

The direction and sound are workmanlike in their effectiveness, and though the Studio Stage allows for somewhat limited lighting and stage possibilities, this isn’t so much a detriment to the production as it is an excuse to focus on the exemplary performances of Mr. Besler and Mr. McCall.

This show will make you laugh-out-loud throughout, yet it finely integrates moments of subtle earnestness that prevent Tuna from becoming entirely two-dimensional. I give the production my highest recommendation, and sincerely hope as many of this blog’s readers go see it as possible.

View cast chosen

Dreamwell - Director Krista Neumann has selected a cast for the upcoming Dreamwell Theatre production of A View from the Bridge by Arthur Miller. The show opens October 9th.

Eddie Carbone - Rip Russell
Beatrice - Kathy Maxey
Catherine - Angelique VanDorpe
Rudolfo - Aaron Brewer
Alfieri - Demetrios Hadjis
Marco - Kevin Moore
Louis - Brian Tanner
Mike - Kobe E. Reese Sr.
Tony - Thomas Henrich
Immigration Officer 1 - Tom Aprile
Immigration Officer 2 - Brad Quinn
Mr. Lipari - Nelson Gurll
Mrs. Lipari - Jill VanDorpe
Two submarines (illegal aliens) - Thomas Henrich and Dennis Aska
Neighbors - Elizabeth Ross, Jackie Allen

Tonight's performance of 9 Parts canceled

Dreamwell & ICCT - The performance of 9 Parts of Desire scheduled for tonight, Friday August 20th, has been canceled due to the weather. They have added a rain date of August 29th. The other performances are August 21, 26, 27, and 28.

Backstage at 9 Parts of Desire

Dreamwell & ICCT - It's been a collaborative summer for Dreamwell, Iowa City's resident avant garde theatre. First, they collaborated with City Circle Acting Company of Coralville and the Englert to present the All in a Day Play Festival. And now as summer comes to a close, they are back with 9 Parts of Desire by Heather Raffo, a collaboration with the Iowa City Community Theatre, the oldest theatre in town. Presented at the Riverside Stage in Lower City Park, the show was originally performed as a one woman show, chronicling the effects of war on the women of Iraq. ICCT board member and director Rachel Korach Howell has chosen to cast the show with nine women. We had a chance to talk to talk to Rachel as well as three of the actresses in the show, Jen Gerbyshak, Mary Haaf Wedemeyer and Kathy Maxey.


Thank you all for taking the time to answer questions about your show. I know that each of your characters presents a unique perspective. What can you tell me about your character?

Mary: Nanna is a street vendor selling anything she can find on the street corner. She can be scrappy and shrewd. She is resilient, with strength, a survivor. She brings wisdom. She is street smart, the human real side of Iraq. She has seen it all for many years. She has suffered inner spirit, personal loss, terror and horror. I believe her to be an educated woman that has succumbed to this lifestyle. She desires to live. She has to sell; she has to eat.

Kathy: My character is Umm Ghada and her role is to recount the true story of the bombing of the Amiriyah bomb shelter on February 13, 1991. She was a witness to the event and has personally taken on the duty of informing people of the tragedies that occurred.

Jen: I play Amal. In her, there's joy, there's tragedy, and there's a whole lot of humanity. I just love Amal.

How difficult was to get inside of her and create a woman from another country so different from our own?

Mary: In my readings and places I have been, I have found women that like Nanna everywhere. Nanna experiences every day doing what she has to - selling, hustling, watching, having a voice. My connection to Nanna... I personally experienced a deep loss. I found that in order to stay "alive", stay healthy, I had to move on, embrace life. I had to be resilient for me, for my children. That's where we find our basic human needs.

Kathy: Umm Ghada does exist and was a mother who lost her family in the U.S. bombing of the shelter. This is a true story and I believe that the suffering of a parent for the loss of a child is universal and timeless.

What is your favorite moment for your character?

Kathy: I have to say I found my entire monologue to be a very powerful and emotional experience.

Rachel: You know, everyone has "moments" in their pieces. Their different "moments" all do different things for the onlooker. Every time I get choked up, or even guffaw to some extent...yes, it will be possible to smile at times while watching this show... I am reminded of someone I know. The person I see changes every night, and that alone warrants a smile, because somewhere, you know her too.

Mary: For me, I like the tender almost child-like moments of Nanna when she is talking about her mother's dress. Those cherished humanistic, thoughtful moments of her mother. And the end of the last monologue where she feels Layal is the only one who truly "saw and understood" her... "I let her paint me," she says. She loves that painting... she rescues it, but realizes again... she has to...

Don't give it away! To see what she does, we'll just have to see the show. Can you talk a little bit about the space you're performing in?

Rachel: Everyone walked away from rehearsals bit-the-hell-up by the mosquitoes and spiders and such. People brought in citronella candles, herbal and super chemical-ed bug spray, itch relief products, and a lot of will power to refrain from scratching their skin off while maintaining a character through the burn!

So audience members should bring bug spray?

Brian Tanner (Dreamwell board member): We'll have it available for the audience at the box office.

That's great news. So aside from bugs, what was your experience performing outside in this space?

Jen: Well, the play is based on interviews that the playwright conducted - presumably in a private, indoor space. It can be challenging to recreate that kind of intimacy in an open-air environment. On the other hand, there's something magical about a wooden stage under the stars that I think will lend itself very nicely to the timeless human themes of the play.

Kathy: Yes, performing outside in nature seems perfectly fitting for this drama.

How is everyone working together?

Mary: It has been an honor and joy to participate in this production with such amazing, talented, kind and sensitive women.

Jen: We all work together amazingly well. Rachel and Josh picked nine ridiculously strong women, but none of us are divas; everyone has been incredibly generous throughout the rehearsal process. The result is that, even though our interaction in the play is minimal, I think the audience will feel the bond we share so that when we do interact, there will be a continuity that you wouldn't expect from a series of monologues.

Kathy: I have to agree. It has really been an honor to participate in this production with talented and sensitive women.

Rachel, what have been the challenges in directing this show?

Rachel: As it is a show compiled of monologues, scheduling was an interesting challenge. We are all pretty familiar working with other bodies on stage for a fair chunk of the performance material, but we had to approach this in a very different way. I met with each of the women independently for the first few weeks. When we finally put it all together, we were presented with a whole new set of issues. We had to create one full thought out of the many and everyone put in a lot of effort to make each woman unique within a single body.

And how difficult has it been in changing a one woman show into a show for nine actresses?

Rachel: Before auditions, I had no intention of casting more than five women for this show. Knowing it was originally a one woman show, and wanting to do right by the playwright and all the phenomenal women she'd interviewed to create this incredible piece, I felt that keeping the similar idea of the one being the many was essential. But when I had all these women audition for me, I saw so much talent and realized that this show was for all women, so giving so much talent the opportunity to portray all these incredible characters was just reiterating a driving message for the show. All that was already there. Having nine different women instead of one also allowed for some interaction that doesn't appear in the script.

Should we expect to see a political play when we take out seats?

Jen: I think "politics" is a misnomer. We think about war as a political thing, because most of us haven't experienced it first hand. All we know of war is what our politicians and political activists tell us. To these nine women, war is a daily reality. Most of them have no political ideologies, but none of them had a choice: war found them, again and again and again. It has shaped their lives in ways that we cannot comprehend, and that's where the emphasis of this play lies - in the lives of Iraqi women, and the forces and choices that led them to where they are today.

Kathy: Dreamwell’s 2010 season is Taboo Bijou... Theatre should be challenging and give the audience something to think about and discuss long after the show has ended. To that end, I believe 9 Parts of Desire will not disappoint audiences.

What has been the most rewarding part of this experience for you?

Mary: Being a part of the whole... sharing and enriching the lives of our audience.

Jen: This is the most nuanced role I've ever gotten to play, and I am thrilled at the challenge and the experience it offers.

Kathy: It has been an interesting and emotional journey watching the other actors develop their characters. The support from everyone involved in this production has been wonderful.

What else do you want the audience to know before they arrive?

Jen: I think most people will expect the play to either be hugely political or heavy and depressing. What I really hope that it will be is a learning experience. I hope everyone who sees the play will come to see a new point of view - maybe even nine! - about the Iraqi people. This play is a beautiful piece of art, and I hope people are moved by it, but the eye-opening perspectives are what I want people to take home from this experience.


The show opens Thursday night and runs August 19, 20, 21, 26, 27 and 28 at 8 pm. Tickets available at the door. Cash or check only. For more information go here.

(Cast photo by Dennis Lambing.)

Red, White & Tuna Opens August 19th

Amana, IA - This Thursday, the Old Creamery Theatre will open its production of Red, White & Tuna, another visit to the fictional town of Tuna, Texas from the creators of Greater Tuna (Jaston Williams, Joe Sears, and Ed Howard). This time the residents are preparing for the 4th of July. The entire town will be represented by Sean McCall (pictured) and T.J. Besler, sporting a variety of eccentric costumes by Marquetta Senters. So come on down and enjoy "a laugh-out-loud look at life in a small town."

Red, White & Tuna runs through Sept. 5 on the Studio Stage at 3023 220th Trail, in Middle Amana. Tickets are $22.50 for adults and $15.50 for students. Show times are Thursdays & Sundays at 3 p.m. and Fridays & Saturdays at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are available at 800-35-AMANA or www.oldcreamery.com.

Bees Knees has many great moments

by Meghan D'Souza

ITAC - Sometimes, I leave a show wishing I could capture certain scenes and stick them in individual music boxes for me to open and enjoy at my leisure.

That's not creepy.

It is a compliment. The Bee's Knees and Then Some was a great show that held those very moments. First, allow me to summarize the show.

It was set in 1932 in Tennessee during the Depression. The play was performed vaudeville-style, so the set was simple with intricate theater curtains painted on walls lining the stage, two worn white cafe chairs and a matching table, and two wooden chairs on either side of the stage for the performers to pull onto the set as needed. At the back of the stage, Music Director and pianist Bradley Fritz, referred to as Mittens McGhee, sat as a constant, donned in a black vest and top hat, just as you would expect to see if you walked in to a 1930s show.

The first half of the show mainly involved an actual story. Cora Cornsilk, portrayed by the humorous and captivating Meg Merkens, discovered that her niece Connie Cornsilk, played by the expressive Jenna Vik, had had a falling out with her dopey boyfriend Harry Haystack, the talented Alex Shockley. Upon hearing this news, Cora decides it is up to her to bring the couple together. The audience is entertained with jokes, dancing and singing while Cora tricks the couple into meeting up and using what she sees as sage advice. She tells Harry to beg for Cora's hand in marriage by sundown, even though he is terrified that Cora will agree. She advises Cora to resist any romantic words Harry utters, even a marriage proposal. "Turn real cold, like a frog's behind on a frozen pond," she advises.

Does her advice bring them together for a happy ever after? Or do Cora's well-meaning words make everything go awry? Silly reader, you have to go to the show to find that out.

Before intermission, the audience is treated to well-done slapstick skits, dancing from the Charleston era that includes a hands-free cartwheel by the tall glass of water named Ian Zahren, and a magic act.

I was having fun and that was only the beginning. My favorite parts came after intermission.

The following is what I would have liked to grab and place in a music box to enjoy over and over:

* Chuck Cooper, Marshall Nielsen, and Russell Sanderfeld serenaded the audience with "Five Foot Two, Eyes of Blue." Like fingers intertwining when a couple holds hands, the voices of these gentlemen absolutely melded together and accepted nothing less than our adoration.

* The stage darkened, with a single spotlight in the center on Jenna Vik, dressed in a black flapper dress, a long white pearl necklace, and black headpiece with a white feather placed in the front. It felt as though she sang with genuine love, from her heart, through her voice, to our hearts. The best way to describe her singing is to imagine what the most beautiful butterfly fluttering through wild flowers in a prairie would sound like if it could leave music in its wake.

* While the whole show was wonderful, I felt that Ian Zahren had the biggest presence, though he wasn't seen much until after intermission. I would first make a music box of his first song and jazz dance number that was done after intermission. After carrying Bradley Fritz out as though he were a mannequin and setting him up at the piano, he performed a solo for us that took me to a whole new place, entirely. That's how huge his presence is. When Zahren is on stage, you want to watch or you fear you will miss something.

* Which brings me to my fourth music box. Zahren and Vik performed a beautiful dance together. Earlier, the whole cast had done a fascinating swing dance routine. This dance was more romantic, a combination of jazz and ballet with Zahren doing fouettes, grand jete, and, basically, I'm saying he spun a lot, jumped elegantly and high, and combined the two. His dancing was impeccable and Vik was beautiful as his partner.

I have never been to a vaudeville-style play. I did not know to expect a variety show sort of experience, but I absolutely recommend this performance. As Meg Merkens says at the beginning, as her character Cora, "Laughter and singing are good for the soul." Their purpose was to get everyone laughing and they did that and left us in awe.

Jake's Women cast chosen

ICCT - Director Josh Sazon has selected his cast for the Iowa City Community Theatre's upcoming production of Jake's Women by Neil Simon. ICCT last produced this show in 1999 with Jay Stein in the title role. The show opens October 1st.

The Cast:

Chuck Dufano - Jake
Barb Arceneaux - Maggie
Ellen Stevenson - Karen
Robyn McCright - Edith
Ottavia de Luca - Julie
Alison de Vore - Molly (age 12)
Emily Larson - Molly (age 21)
Ariane Parkes-Perret - Shiela

Combined Efforts is a true community theatre experience

by Matthew Falduto

CET - As we've noted many times in the past, there are a lot of community theatre options in the greater Iowa City area. But the most pure version may be one of you have never heard of: Combined Efforts Theater. Community theatre is about involving the community to create live theatre. Combined Efforts demonstrated that wonderfully last weekend with their production Love at the County Fair written and directed by Janet Schlapkohl. Unfortunately, the show only ran one weekend. Hopefully, future shows will have longer runs.

The show was performed at Country Camp, a farm that holds different youth camps over the summer months. A couple of months ago, I had the chance to see Working Group Theatre perform an original show, Odysseus, Iowa, at Country Camp. Like that show, Love at the County Fair is promenade theatre, where the audience moves from one location to another to see the various scenes of the show. If I have one criticism of this show, it's that the audience was asked to move too often. I wish the scenes had been longer and there was always a clear reason why a scene was being performed in a particular location. However, one wonderful aspect of this type of theatre is how involved the audience feels in the production. We do not sit back statically and watch the show. We move, directed by two of the actors, to each location. As we move, we have the opportunity to make comments to our fellow audience members, chuckle together at a moment in the last scene or perhaps predict what might happen next. This creates an audience community and truly enriches the show and the experience. I strongly recommend all of the local theaters place a call to Ms. Schlapkohl and inquire about producing a show in this unique venue.

The actors of this show come from all corners of our community. Rip Russell starred as a Gulf War vet returning to his hometown to find the girl he left behind so many years before. Kathy Maxey played the object of his affection, a woman who was trying to move on with her life after a divorce. Both brought honest and touching performances. And they sang, too! I knew of Ms. Maxey's singing talents, but Mr. Russell was a welcome surprise. Another interesting surprise was the rooster who decided to perform a duet with Mr. Russell. Such are the possibilities of live theatre... on a farm. Evelyn Stanske and Mary Haaf Wedemeyer, two veteran ICCT actors, portrayed Hog Callers to hilarious effect. Nicholas Johnson and real life wife Mary Vasey were hosts of the fair. They kept the action (and the audience) moving. Johnson's funny and touching ode to his wife's fallen pie was a highlight of the evening. We were also treated to dueling mother-daughter dancing duos hilariously performed by Katherine Smith, Taryn Hansen, Ryann Sirois, and Olivia Moss. And of course, because this is Combined Efforts, there were various actors who have special needs.

I am going to admit to something very publicly that I hope you will forgive. I had real concerns about how a show with actors who have special needs would come off. I feared I wouldn't be able to see past the issues of the actors and let myself get into the story. What I came to realize in watching this show is that issue is one of my making. From scene one, I was completely into the mischief and machinations of these fair goers. The entire cast threw themselves into this show and thoroughly entertained the audience, including me. So often in theatre or TV or movies, if we see a character with a special need, that's what the story is all about. How utterly refreshing to see a show where those issues are just part of the person, rather than taking over the person. We need more theatres like Combined Efforts who are willing to be so accepting and welcoming in their casting. What a wonderful opportunity to teach our children to open their minds and hearts to all people no matter what issues they have which may make them different.

And speaking of kids, there were also many talented youthful performers in the cast. The Mall Girls - Anna Sheffield, Monica Moss, Tayvia Hansen, Emily Merritt and Alannah Walterhouse - and the Renaissance Warriors - Phil Buatti, Cole Hotek, Peter Lynch, Wyatt Bettis, and Avery Mossman - certainly embodied their generation well. The goth girl poetess (Hayley Musser) had me laughing with her poem about a rooster and an axe. The talented Lark Christensen-Szalanski made the most of her stage time as the Lemonade Stand Worker. Particularly outstanding was Jessica Sheffield, who played the daughter of Kathy Maxey's character. Miss Sheffield has a wonderful stage presence and a liveliness that keeps your attention. Here's hoping she does more shows in the future.

Combined Efforts Theater is such an important part of our community. We are lucky to have individuals like Janet Schlapkohl who are willing to do what too many of us are not - be completely inclusive. The next time Combined Efforts puts on a show, I urge you to check it out. They are the purest community theatre - of the entire community, by the entire community and for the entire community.

Cast List for Spelling Bee Announced

TCR - Director Leslie Charipar has announced her cast for the upcoming Theatre Cedar Rapids production of 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, which opens September 10th. This show, with music and lyrics by William Finn and book by Rachel Sheinkin, is a hilarious tale chronicling the experience of six outsiders who are vying for the spelling championship of a lifetime.

The Cast:

Justin Braden-Mitch Mahoney
Dyanna Dawn Davidson-Rona Lisa Perretti
Mike Wilhelm-Vice Principal Douglas Panch
Ryan Foizey-Leaf Coneybear
Sarah Levy-Marcy Park
Alex Schulte-William Barfee
Nathan Scheetz-Chip Tolentino
Elizabeth Simon-Olive Ostrovsky
Laura Tatar-Logainne Schwartzandgrubenierre

ITAC & Hawk 'A' Model 'A' Club Present The Bee's Knees and Then Some!

Amana - Last year, ITAC teamed up with the Hawk 'A' Model 'A' Club to present a vaudeville-style review at the club's 1st Annual Iowa Model 'A' Day. The result was The Bee's Knees, and both groups are continuing the tradition this year.

Amana, as a historic site, is an ideal place to hold a Model 'A' show, says Hawk 'A' Model 'A' Club president Dennis Zuber. "Everything's already here...unlike in Sharon where they have to bring everything in." ITAC's contributions continue in the historical vein. The piece contains traditional music and skits in the vaudeville style by Tom Johnson. Performing in the show will be Meg Merckens (reprising her role as Cora Cornsilk), Jenna Vik, Alex Shockley, Fritz & Liesl Burgher, Chuck Cooper, Marshall Nielsen, Russell Sandersfeld, Ian Zahren, and banjo player Paul Roberts. Musical direction is by Bradley Fritz.

The Bee's Knees and Then Some! plays on Fridays from August 6 - August 28, at 1:30pm & 7:30pm. The location is 4709 220th Trail in Amana. Tickets are $25 ($10 for students) and can be reserved by calling 319-622-3222 or on ITAC's website.

There will be a special peformance at Dysart Union Middle School on August 29th at 2:30pm. Tickets for this performance are $16 ($10 for students) and proceeds go to the Dysart and Garrison Lions Clubs.

ICCT fundraiser this weekend

ICCT - Iowa City Community Theatre will present South Pacific: In Concert on August 6 and 7, a gala event at the Englert Theatre that will feature local stars and a stunning full orchestra under the direction of University of Iowa Professor Emeritus Ed Kottick.

Directed by Josh Sazon, the beloved Rodgers and Hammerstein musical features the classic songs “Some Enchanted Evening,” “Honey Bun,” “Bali Ha’i,” “I’m Gonna Wash That Man Right Outta My Hair,” and “There is Nothin’ Like a Dame.” The concert version of the musical includes the original dialogue and tells a tale of Americans stationed in an alien culture in wartime that is as relevant today as when it first thrilled audiences in 1949.

The renowned baritone Stephen Swanson, who has sung in opera houses in Switzerland, Germany, Austria, and the Netherlands and amassed a repertoire of 91 roles in operas, operettas, and musicals, will portray Emile de Becque. Kate Thompson, an original touring member of the Stephen Sondheim Center for the Performing Arts, will play Nellie Forbush. Krista Neumann, who previously starred as Nellie opposite John Raitt, will play Bloody Mary.

The cast also features:

Brian Jones as Lieutenant Cable
Andrew Cole as Luther Billis
Olga Rua as Liat
Brian Lawler as Captain Brackett
Justin Braden as Commander Harbison
Jeff Mead as Professor
Dylan Wheeler as Stewpot
And an amazing twenty five member vocal ensemble.

Tickets are available through the Englert Theatre Box Office at (319) 688-2653 or for purchase online at www.englert.org.

Proceeds from the event will benefit the Iowa City Community Theatre, a beloved area institution that is celebrating its fifty-fifth season.