ITAC offers Iowa premiere of A Southern Exposure

Amana - The Iowa Theatre Artists Company (ITAC) will present A Southern Exposure by Kelley Kingston-Strayer, from November 11 through November 27 on the ITAC stage in Amana. This heartwarming script will feature two actresses from the Cedar Rapids area, Cherryl Moon Thomason (Cedar Rapids) and Marty Norton (Robins), as well as ITAC’s co-founder Meg Merckens (South Amana) and also a member of the ITAC Internship program, Kimberly Braun (Mankato, Minnesota). The show is directed by Michael Petkewec (Iowa City).

A Southern Exposure is the story of Hattie and the granddaughter she helped raise, Callie Belle. When Callie Belle announces that she is moving to New York with a man whom Hattie has never met, she sets the household into an uproar, for not only does she have her grandmother’s reaction to contend with but also Hattie’s two quirky but lovable sisters, Ida Mae and Mattie. Winner of The Barter Theatre’s “Appalachian Festival of Plays and Playwrights,” A Southern Exposure makes its Iowa premiere in Amana. Artistic Director and actor in the show, Merckens states, “I hope that area theatre-goers will take a moment to enjoy this little gem of a show that pays tribute to the ups and downs of this somewhat unusual but delightfully recognizable family.”

Michael Petkewec, the director, says, “What I enjoy most about the play is its exploration of truly loving, family relationships. Add to that the southern charm and you have a play that will make you laugh and cry. Stories containing generation gaps are not new, but A Southern Exposure handles this issue in a heart-touching and masterful way. The play is truly a celebration of women and the strengths of their relationships.”

Performance times in Amana for A Southern Exposure are: Fridays at 1:30 pm and 7:30 pm, Saturdays at 7:30 pm and Sundays at 1:30 pm. The show opens on Friday, November 11 and runs through Sunday, November 27 (there is no matinee performance on Friday, November 25, due to the Thanksgiving holiday).

Reservations are strongly encouraged. For more information and reservations, call: 319-622-3222, email: itac@southslope.net or visit their website.