Iowa Theatre

Old Creamery Theatre 2012 Company Auditions

2012-02-01T06:13:00.005-06:00

The Old Creamery is holding auditions on February 25th and 26th to fill paid roles in its 2012 season.

The Old Creamery is looking for both Equity and non-Equity performers, both men and women, as well as a young man aged 12-14 to play Billy in On Golden Pond.

Intern opportunities are also available, typically working with Theatre for Young Audiences or Summer Theatre camps.

Interested actors should prepare two short contrasting monologues, 1 minute max, one of which should be a contemporary comic piece. Singers should also prepare 16-32 bars of at least one song to be sung a capella or with recorded accompaniment (no accompanist will be available). All performers should bring current pictures and resumes.

The auditions will be held at The Old Creamery Theatre, 39 38th Ave. Amana, IA 52203. Times are 1-5pm on Saturday the 25th, 2-5pm on Sunday the 26th. Call the Old Creamery at 319.622.6034 to make an appointment.

Men Misbehaving Opens Feb 3

2012-01-30T06:45:00.004-06:00

3 Brothers - 3 Brothers Theatre are letting their inner bad boys out with Men Misbehaving, beginning Friday at 7:30pm at the Paul Engle Center for Neighborhood Arts in Cedar Rapids.

Men Misbehaving is, according to 3 Brothers artistic director Josh Beadle, "rude, crude, crass, and not for the faint of heart. No subject is taboo for these guys. An entire show of dudes letting loose and letting people have it. But just so you don't get the wrong impression, no matter how much these men misbehave, they get their due!"

Rick Adams, Nick Ostrem, Justin Mangrich, and Sean Curphey will perform. Tickets are $10 and can be purchased by calling 319.621.0024 or e-mailing 3brotherstheatre@gmail.com.

Men Misbehaving opens in Cedar Rapids for the first weekend, then moves to Iowa City (at Public Space one) for the weekend of February 10-12. Showtimes are 7:30pm Fridays and Saturdays, 2pm Sundays.

Murder Rides Again Opens February 3

2012-01-30T06:31:00.004-06:00

Old Creamery - Saddle up and ride out to the Ox Yoke Inn this weekend to see Murder Rides Again, Old Creamery's wild-west murder mystery dinner.

Murder Rides Again features Ian Zahren, Sean McCall, Amber Snyder, Deborah Kennedy, Nicholas Hodge and Jackie McCall. It is written by James Daab.

Show dates are Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays Feb. 3 through 19; Tuesday, Feb. 14; Saturday, Feb. 25 and Saturday, March 3. All shows begin at 6 p.m. with seating opening at 5:30 p.m. Tickets are $45 including dinner and show. Call the Ox Yoke Inn for reservations at 800-233-3441.

Murder Rides Again is sponsored by City Revealed Dining Guide.

Earnest Is Seriously Funny

2012-01-28T05:19:00.016-06:00

by James E. Trainor III

TCR - Jack and Algernon are two friends who are quickly learning that they have more in common than they suspected. Jack has slipped up and allowed Algernon to discover his imaginary brother Earnest, whom he uses as an excuse to go to the city whenever he likes. Algernon has decided to reveal to Jack the secret of his fictional friend Bunbury, whom he uses as a pretext to visit the country on a moment's notice. Thess little secrets would probably remain between the two men if matters of the heart weren't complicating things: Jack is attempting to court Algernon's cousin Gwendolen in the city, and Algernon visits the country in order to woo Jack's ward Cecily.

It is with this cleverly convoluted setup that Oscar Wilde begins his most successful play — a witty, biting portrayal of late Victorian society entitled The Importance of Being Earnest. TCR's production opened last night, under the direction of Leslie Charipar.

The text is full of the clever one-liners for which Wilde is known, but at the same it is paced quite well and plotted precisely. In order to manage their marriages, Jack and Algernon must not only clear up the issue of their false identities, but they must also contend with Lady Bracknell, the draconian guardian of Victorian mores. Bracknell is a wonderful creation: sharp-tongued, cynical, and maddeningly rational in defense of her irrational ideals. As a piece of satire, she hits the nail on the head and is instantly familiar. "She is a monster, without being a myth, which is rather unfair,' says Jack.

Bracknell's rigid social rules are ridiculous: invalids must hurry up and decide whether or not they're going to die, an orphan can be excused losing one parent but certainly not two, and marriage is far too important an institution to be left up to the two young people involved in it.

The principals inhabit this world of hypocrisy and cynicism as well. Jack and Algernon are excessively genial until they start courting each others' family members, and Cecily and Gwendelon express boundless affection for each other, while they sublimate their rage into a bitter dispute over the tea setting. It is all done in a style of high farce that is great fun.

Charipar understands the vicious social environment of the play quite well, and her casting and staging underline the power struggles and create tension, energy, and a lot of laughter. Scott Olinger's set is open, airy, and picturesque. It's very effective, though the change from city to country does seem to go on a bit. Joni Sackett's costumes and Derek Easton's lighting create a pleasant, sophisticated environment for these entertaining but ultimately petty characters. Care is taken to create a physical world for the actors to bring to life. One image near the end stands out as an example of this unity of elements: Jack, who is preparing to out Algernon, turns from the window, trots smugly down the stairs, dapper in his white coat and tails, and reveals the worst of Algernon's ghastly behavior: he ate all the muffins.

It is satire at its best -- sharply critical and gleefully unapologetic -- and the company delivers it well. Aaron Murphy plays Algernon with wit and ease; he seems perfectly at home in the altogether silly world he inhabits. Alex Williams plays Jack with desperate energy, driving home the scenework with powerful but precise strokes. The two work well together, and the scenes in which they spar are as delightful as the scenes in which they frantically work together.

Hannah Spina is simply adorable as Cecily. Her character is ludicrously childish and vain, filled to the brim with youthful vigor. The way she interacts with Miss Prism is priceless. The way she runs Algie in circles and cautiously sizes up Gwendolen shows a range of skill. She is able to turn on a dime, and never afraid to commit herself fully to a bit. Comic acting of this caliber is always a joy to watch.

Angela Meisterling Billman, as Gwendolen, is the reserved, sophisticated counter to Spina's bubbly country girl. Her vocal energy is excellent, and she plays scenes with a subtlety and an intensity that fit right into the mix. With Williams she is charming, and the barely contained sexual tension is hilarious. With Spina she is sharp and sarcastic, and the supposedly civil conversation between the two ladies is quite entertaining.

Cherryl Moon Thomason plays the immortal Lady Bracknell, and she does so with grace and precision. Thomason knows exactly how to effectively portray power onstage, and she adds a great deal of tension and energy to every scene she inhabits.

The rest of the company consists of Marty Norton (who plays Miss Prism, the flighty and overbearing tutor to Cecily), Jim Kern (who plays Reverend Chasuble, the learned but lecherous country preacher), and Scott Humeston (who plays all the servants). These performances are delivered with the skill and care you'd expect from TCR veterans, but Humeston's Merriman was a little perplexing.

The old servant plods on and off stage in an exaggerated manner and speaks in a barely intelligible way. Apparently he's had a stroke; exactly what is going on is unclear, but what does happen is that every time he comes on or off, the "pause" button is pressed on the plot. A bit of physical comedy as a palate-cleanser to a couple of hours of verbal sparring is completely understandable, but the timing here seems oddly inexpert. Humeston's slow, staggering (and staggeringly slow) entrance interrupts the rising tension of the fast-paced dispute between Cecily and Gwendolen, steals focus from the principals, and drains quite a bit of energy from a really engaging scene. Lady Bracknell's game-changing entrance later is similarly upstaged. The performance is quite good, but the absurd physicality of the choice seems disruptive. Humeston's reserved butler Lane and his rustic gardener Moulton are a bit subtler, and are quite funny.

Overall, though, if you're a fan of Wilde, you cannot miss this play. It's an excellent example of skilled artists faithfully producing a timeless script. If you've never heard of this Oscar Wilde fellow, this is a great opportunity to see what all the fuss is about. I cannot overstress the importance of seeing Earnest.

The Importance of Being Earnest runs through February 18th on the mainstage at TCR. Performances are at 7:30pm (2:30pm on Sundays). Tickets here.

Auditions for Hospice Benefit Show

2012-01-27T18:51:00.003-06:00

Young Footlighters - Auditions will be held tomorrow for a Hospice benefit to be performed at the Coralville Center for the Performing Arts on March 9th and 10th.

Auditions run from 1pm to 5pm at the Austin Burke location by Von Maur in the Sycamore Mall.

The show is called “Under The Community BigTop: A Musical Entertainment for Iowa City Hospice”. Keyboard accompaniment will be provided.

Auditions for Baby With the Bathwater

2012-01-26T06:47:00.006-06:00

Dreamwell - Auditions for Baby With the Bathwater will be held February 11th at 7pm in Meeting Room D of the Iowa City Public Library, and again on February 13th at 2pm in Meeting Room A.

Baby With the Bathwater is a comedy about the emotionally crippling effects of bad parenting. Performances begin April 20th. Rachael Lindhart directs.

Cast needs are as follows:

2 Men: John, the father, going from his mid 20s to mid 50s--an addictive personality.

Daisy, the child--portrayed from infancy to toddler offstage; we first see him fully as a 17-year old and follow him through his 30th birthday. He has been dressed as a girl until this time and that has played havoc with his psyche--to say the least. He is listed in the cast list as "The Young Man."

4 Women: Helen, the mother, also going from mid 20s to mid 50s--a would-be writer who admires Judtih Krantz very much.

Nanny: A crazy version of a child-rearing expert; she is in her mid to late 30s and then is about 65 when we see her at the end of the play.

Kate and the Principal: Kate is a concerned mother interacting with Daisy and Helen on the playground; the same actress will play the Principal who espouses the worst trends in modern education. Age can be variable, from 20s to 40s.

Angela and Miss Pringle: Angela is another mother interacting on the playground; again the same actress will play Miss Pringle, who is Daisy's concerned teacher. She is probably a bit younger than the Principal, but age can still vary from late 20s to late 30s.

Cynthia and Susan: Again, these roles are to be played by the same actress. These two characters are perhaps the most sympathetic in the play. Both are in their mid to late 20s. Cynthia is quite pregnant when we first see her but not so much later; she would probably make a good mother if she could solve some of life's practical problems. Susan, whom we meet late in the play, is also going to be a great mother--because she has reasoning faculties.

Rachael's Note: In the original production(s) the roles of Nanny, Kate, the Principal, Cynthia, Angela, Miss Pringle and Susan were all played by only two actresses. I intend to double the roles as above, adding two more actresses to the mix and, hopefully, giving sharper and more specific edges to these characters.

More information here.

Apprentice Auditions for Riverside Shakespeare Festival

2012-01-26T06:36:00.004-06:00

Riverside Theatre - Auditions and interviews for Riverside's 2012 Shakespeare Festival apprentice company will be held February 4. Full-time apprenticeships are open to undergraduate, graduate students or others seeking a professional experience in the areas of acting, directing and stage management. Call Riverside at 319.338.7672 to set up an audition or interview.

The apprentice program contracts from May 15 - July 9 as Riverside rehearses and produces As You Like It and The Merchant of Venice in repertory. The program includes a $75/week stipend, housing for non-local interns, and weekly master classes. More information here.

Auditions for House of Wonders

2012-01-26T06:21:00.004-06:00

ICCT - Auditions for Kate Aspengren's House of Wonders are being held January 30th and 31st at 6pm in the Room A of the Iowa City Public Library.

The show involves a an author struggling to write a book about her great aunt. Unfortunately, she knows nothing about her, so she decides to contact her through a Ouija board, and gets more than she bargains for. Cast needs are as follows:

Roles for 3 men: 1 (30′s) and 2 (40s+)
Roles for 5 women: 1 (20s), 2 (30′s), 1 (40′s), and 1 (50s+)
Voice over role

Performances begin March 23rd. More information here.

What Are You Doing This Weekend?

2012-01-25T20:37:00.012-06:00

January's not quite over, and already we're waking up in pitch darkness, scraping ice off our windshields, and wondering if those New Year's resolutions are really going to stick. There's nothing quite like post-holiday blues, but luckily there's a great way to shake them...

... get out to the theatre!

Riverside Theatre is already breaking the ice with another side-splitting production of their popular comedy Guys on Ice: An Ice Fishing Musical Comedy. It's set in an ice-fishing shanty in Wisconsin, and is full of warm humor for the cold season. John Watkins, who plays Lloyd, calls it "a terrifically written show with fabulous music, a big heart, sidesplitting humor grounded in Ernie, Marvin and Lloyd's candid simplicity, and a halftime show where you can win prizes."

Or, if you're more comfortable sitting in a stately British Manor than being exposed to the elements, TCR's The Importance of Being Earnest might be more your speed. Just make sure your calling card has the right name printed on it; you wouldn't want to cause undue confusion.

Or, if student theatre is your cup of tea, the University of Iowa is presenting a brand-new play by Louisa Hill. It's called The Lord of the Underworld's Home for Unwed Mothers, and it's described as "a reimagining of the Demeter and Persephone myth set in the 1960s and 1990s that explores the politics of motherhood through a landscape of Catholicism, horticulture, and death metal."

And finally - included just for completeness as the tickets are already sold out - SPT has one more weekend of its hit music-and-comedy show at Brucemore, A Modern Salon. If you already have tickets, you're one of the lucky ones; congratulations, SPT and special guest Jeff Ircink, on a successful run!

Guys on Ice opened January 20th and runs until February 19th. Get tickets here.

The Importance of Being Earnest opens January 27th and runs until February 18th. Get tickets here.

The Lord of the Underworld's Home for Unwed Mothers opens January 27th and runs through January 29th at the UI Theatre Building (Theatre B). More information here.

Ch-ch-ch-changes...

2012-01-25T13:07:00.004-06:00

Hi Iowa Theatre Blog readers,

I started this blog on September 5th, 2007. In the past four and a half years, I have really enjoyed bringing attention to so much of the exciting theatre done in our little part of Iowa. However, it's time for me to step away. I will no longer be the editor in chief of this blog. It's been a lot of fun, but I need a break.

I've been joined these last four years by a talented group of reviewers who have expressed their opinions in a distinctly Iowan way. I think our philosophy of reviewing was best summed up by actress Lorin Ditzler, who wrote on her blog a number of years ago:

"...the Iowa Theatre blog ... manages to be insightful and honest without ever being mean, because this is Iowa and that's how we roll."

How true and one of the reasons I love this state. So here's to being insightfully honest! Our reviewers have done a great job critiquing and praising the work of our theatre artists. Thank you, all.

One reviewer in particular has stood out, not just for his excellent writing, but also because of all of the work he has done as my partner behind the scenes here at the Iowa Theatre Blog: James Trainor. And so it is with great confidence that I announce that James will take over the reins of the Iowa Theatre Blog. I am still going to help out in a limited capacity, but James will be the driving force moving forward. Thank you, James!

Finally, a special thank you to you, the readers who have enjoyed this blog over the years. I have truly appreciated your support. I hope you will continue to support James and the blog as it transitions.

See you at the theatre!

Matt Falduto

What's coming in January

2012-01-01T16:17:00.008-06:00

Before we call it quits for a month, I want to let you know about some January happenings. Read on and then I'll see you in February!

Auditions for Gigi!

Iowa City Community Theatre will hold auditions for Gigi January 5-6 at 6 pm at the Iowa City Public Library. From their website: ?We love Paris in the springtime! Let ICCT take you to turn-of-the-century Paris this spring with Gigi, the award-winning musical by Lerner & Loewe. Dashing and wealthy Gaston Lachaille realizes, perhaps too late, that the girl of his dreams has been in front of him all along."

Riverside brings back Guys on Ice!

Riverside brings a popular favorite from the past back to the Gilbert Street stage beginning January 20. Guys on Ice: An Ice Fishing Comedy invites you to join long-time pals Lloyd and Marvin in their ramshackle ice fishing shanty outside of Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin. The guys keep warm with a mutual appreciation for good bait, cold beer and the Green Bay Packers. As they anxiously await their opportunity to appear on a popular cable TV fishing show, the pals scramble to protect their beer from fellow angler, Ernie the Moocher. They pass the time by swapping jokes, ice fishing, playing cards, talking about their romantic problems – and occasionally breaking into song and dance about snowmobile suits, beer, and fish. With manly musical numbers like "Ode to a Snowmobile Suit" and "Fish is de Miracle Food," this show is sure to charm your wool socks off! For more information, go here.

TCR's first 2012 show!

The Importance of Being Earnest opens January 21 at Theatre Cedar Rapids. Go here for more information. The cast list follows:

Angela Billman - Hon. Gwendolen Fairfax
Scott Humeston - Lane/Moulton/Merriman
Jim Kern - Reverend Canon Chasuble, D.D.
Aaron Murphy - Algernon Moncrieff
Marty Norton - Miss Prism
Hannah Spina - Cecily Cardew
Cherryl Moon Thomason - Lady Bracknell
Alex Williams - John Worthing, J.P.

Audition for Our Town!

Auditions for City Circle Acting Company of Coralville's production of Our Town are coming up later this month.

Director Chris Okiishi will be seeing interested actors on Saturday, Jan. 21 from 9:00 am to 3:00 pm. Please e-mail CityCircleOurTown@gmail.com to schedule an audition. Actors are asked to prepare a short, 2 minute or less, monologue which shows off range. It may be classical or contemporary. Alternatively, there will be sides from which to read at the auditions.

Our Town by Thornton Wilder is the Pulitzer Prize-Winning drama about everyday life in early 20th century America. This production will be an unsentimental take on the material, which has proved timeless and universal. Production will be at the Coralville Center for the Performing Arts the last two weekends in March, 2012. Rehearsals will begin in late January.

Goodybe to 2011, Part 2, The EEEPs

2011-12-31T19:00:00.003-06:00

by Matthew Falduto

Last year, I created the EEEPs, which stands for Excellence in Exercising our Emotions Prizes. Just as we strengthen our minds and our bodies through exercise, emotional exercise strengthens our spirits. Experiencing theatre provides that emotional exercise. 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 2011 Iowa Theatre Blog Excellence in Exercising our Emotions Prizes.

I do not pretend that this list is exhaustive of the great work done in our community over the past year. I am certain there are shows you believe should be on this list that are not. This is just my opinion. If you'd like to share your opinion, the comment section awaits!

All My Sons
Riverside Theatre

Thank goodness for Riverside Theatre. They so rarely disappoint. Their production of All My Sons was a masterpiece. Jody Hovland gave us a wonderfully heartbreaking portrayal of Kate Keller. As I think back on the show, it is her performance that stands out. Which is not to say the other actors were forgettable - far from it. Both Ron Clark and Scot West imbued their characters with pathos and passion, particularly in Act Two. This was simply a powerful production of a masterpiece of the American Theatre.

Art
Old Creamery Theatre

Sometimes it's just all about the actors. Such was the case with Art. Three immensely talented actors - Sean McCall, Tim Budd and Patrick Dulaney - using every bit of their skill and talent to create a funny and thought provoking play. From the review:

"Budd does needling well, but he also delivers when he has to verbally attack, using a vicious cadence and an unyielding posture."

"Dulaney's face is a canvas upon which he can create any expression, each more thought provoking or humorous than the last."

"McCall wring[s] out all of the humor and all of the pathos. His ability to reinterpret again and again the word "Yes" in one scene is truly masterful."

Are we not truly lucky to have the opportunity to watch master class actors ply their trade?

Eurydice
Theatre Cedar Rapids

Eurydice is the sort of show I absolutely love. It's a fantasy redrawn for a modern audience that offers a new and at the same time familiar examination of the father-daughter relationship. As the father of three daughters, Eurydice is the sort of strong heroine I want to see more often onstage. Powerful performances, strong direction, a simple set that offered the audience the opportunity to participate in its creation... this show was fantastic from beginning to end.

The Drowsy Chaperone
Iowa City Community Theatre

Last April I had the opportunity to see 42nd Street at a professional theatre company in Illinois. It was astounding. As we left the theatre, I lamented to my wife that you never see that kind of skillful tap dancing in our local productions. So color my shocked when a few weeks later I witnessed some of the most marvelous dancing in ICCT's production of The Drowsy Chaperone. Kudos to choreographer Jill Beardsley with a special "Wow!" to dancers CJ Jones and Adam Kopfman. Of course, the show had more to recommend it than the choreography. From the review: "This production also contains the single best lighting design and sound effects I have seen in any ICCT production...The set is... one of the most complex and sophisticated I have witnessed in a community theatre production. There will be times where you’ll see someone make an entrance and marvel at the ingenuity of the design." And of course, then there was the spot on comic timing, not to mention the strong singing. All in all, an excellent show from ICCT, the old kid on the block.

Henry V
Dreamwell

The Unitarian Universalist space was not Dreamwell's first choice for Henry V. They searched for something larger, but in the end returned to a space they knew well. Realizing an epic play required an epic space, Director Angie Toomsen bravely moved in a new direction, creating an amazing thrust space by utilizing the small stage as well as the main floor, while seating the audience in a horseshoe, just two rows deep. It was only the first of many impressively creative decisions Toomsen made in creating Henry V. She was fortunate to have a stellar cast, particularly K Michael Moore in the title role, Mark McCusker as Pistol, and James Trainor as the Dauphin. As with all Shakespearean plays, it's easy for our modern ears to lose our way, but this cast understood the words they spoke and emotions they embodied so well that every moment was clear from beginning to end. If this is what Dreamwell can do with Shakespeare, let's hope we see more of it soon.

Feet First in the Water
with a Baby in my Teeth
Riverside Theatre

It's hard for a show I did not personally see to make this list, but there were two shows friends would not stop talking about and so I had to include them. One was Megan Gogerty's solo show about motherhood. I have seen Megan perform many times in the past - she's fearless. It's clear from James Trainor's review that fearlessness continued in this show: "Gogerty's acting style is unabashed, heightened and resourceful... She throws herself completely into a bit, commanding the full stage with ease and energy." But it's not just her acting, but her writing that is fearless. In this show she dared to ask, "Is motherhood worth it? Do you regret it?" And according to one friend who saw the show, she did not provide a glib answer, but rather delved into the complexities of emotion involved in being a parent. Kudos to Riverside for providing such a unique artist a wonderful stage.

Hairspray
City Circle

Sharon Falduto began her review of Hairspray with one word: joy. It was the ideal descriptor for this theatre experience. The actors clearly enjoyed every moment of the show and the audience left the theatre tapping their toes and humming the songs. City Circle chose a perfect show to open their new performance venue, the Coralville Center for the Performing Arts. They brought back Chad Larabee, a favorite son director who has since gone on to the professional theatre world. They found an amazing cast lead by the immensely talented Elizabeth Breed, who was staggeringly good as Tracy Trueblood. If this is what we can expect of City Circle in their new home, the future for theatre is very bright in Coralville.

Rabbit Hole
Urban Theatre Project

Urban Theatre Project's Rabbit Hole is the other production I missed, but still included on this list. So many people commented on how wonderful this production was. As a lover of unusual theatre, I was delighted that they performed the show in an actual house. Creating theatre off a traditional stage is exciting and challenging, and it's part of UTP's ongoing mission. We've seen some excellent examples of that in our area, from City Circle's performance of Metamorphosis in a swimming pool a few years back to Dreamwell's Soldier's Daughter performed on a farm just last July. The mansion chosen by UTP fit the show perfectly. In addition, the talented cast-Leslie Chariper, Sarah Jarmon, Nick Ostrem, Cheryl Moon Thomason, and Jason Alberty-was well directed by Angie Toomsen. I am sorry to say I missed Alberty, one of our very talented comedic actors, in a dramatic role. Hopefully, we'll get the chance to see him stretch those drama muscles again. And UTP, don't make us wait another couple of years for your next show!

Pinocchio
Old Creamery Theatre

Ah, Pinocchio. A story we all know well. One that continues to captivate children even today in our tech heavy world. Two of my children, Rachel, age eleven, and Piper, age four, experienced this show. They both loved it, as did I. Old Creamery must be commended for creating their Theatre for Young Audiences series. What was truly magical about this production was the use of classic theatrical tradition of “Commedia dell’Arte.” The actors played actors in a troupe creating the story of Pinocchio using just masks, sound effects, and simple set pieces. This allowed the children to see behind the scenes of the show, encouraging them to create their own shows at home. An inspiring and fun performance, the actors dived into the action letting their inner children shine. Particularly fun was Andrew Bosworth as the Cricket. If you have children, or even if you just want to let your inner child out, check out the next season of Old Creamery's Theatre for Young Audiences series.

Summerland Project
Theatre Cedar Rapids

Of all the shows I saw this year, Summerland affected me the most. I think part of that was the fact that I was witnessing a brand new play and thinking this was as good or better than so many published plays I'd seen over the years. But more than that, the story of a man desperate to bring his wife back from death and of a women trying to understand her new self was riveting. So many questions arose from Summerland. Who are we? What makes us human? Our memories? Our emotions? Our bodies? Some combination of all three? The genius of Rob Merritt's play is that he offers no definitive answers, allowing the audience to leave the theatre asking these questions. Brian Tanner noted in his comments about 2011 that there were so many original shows offered by many different companies. This is definitely a strength of our theatre community. Summerland is an excellent example of the creative talent in our community.

So those are the ten shows I've chosen to receive an EEEP this year. Congratulations to all and Happy New Year! I am sure 2012 will be even better.

Matthew Falduto founded Dreamwell Theatre over 14 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. Two of his shows, Pop Tart Hero and Soldier's Daughter have been produced in recent years. 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.

Goodbye to 2011, Part 1

2011-12-31T08:34:00.011-06:00

by Matthew Falduto (and friends)

I think this is my favorite part of this blog - the year in review. I get to reflect and recall the amazing theater we've experienced over the past twelve months. And I absolutely love hearing the thoughts of my friends and colleagues. Some of those thoughts are below. Thank you, Chris, Mike, Rob, Brian, and Kevin, for sharing your thoughts. Later on today, I'll post my final wrap up article.

Mike Moran, Goatsinger

The development of [Megan] Gogerty's piece (Feet First in the Water with a Baby in my Teeth) was a delight for me to watch. Her initial monologue performed at Riverside's Walking the Wire last Spring was fun, but the entire show in the Fall -- from the drive with future-husband out to Carhenge to the embarrassment of squatting beside the Depends at HyVee -- was funny, head-shaking, and inspired. She's a gem.

Another, I have to say -- and this is personal -- was the image of Brad Quinn playing Eros being chased by Elizabeth Breed playing Psyche over the ridge of a field in Dreamwell's outdoor production of Soldier's Daughter. Fun fun funny.

And finally, Kelly Garrett as Mary Warren, in the rather uneven Dreamwell production of The Crucible, was brilliant, bringing power and pathos to her performance that was, in the end, absolutely chilling.

Rob Merritt, Communications Director, Theatre Cedar Rapids

Henry V, Dreamwell – it was stunning that director Angie Toomsen could take a play of such sprawling size and depth and make it work in a small space like Dreamwell’s. Aside from the compelling performances – and there were many – the clever production choices often gave the Shakespearean classic all-new dimension. A PowerPoint presentation that explained exactly why Harry should attack France was both a modern touch, and a clever way to get the audience to understand what’s going to happen next. And the choice to stage the play in the round was inspired. Definitely one of my favorite shows this past season.

Rabbit Hole, Urban Theater Project – Brilliant and honest portrayal of a tragedy that happens far too often: The loss of a child. Staged in the living room of a house in Cedar Rapids – and with the audience seated just a few feet from the actors – the setting couldn’t have been any more real. And that reality was complemented by spot-on performances by the ensemble, particularly Leslie Charipar and Jason Alberty as grieving parents who are trying to move on with their lives. Once word got around, the show sold out quickly. It isn’t hard to see why.

TCR Underground New Play Festival, Theatre Cedar Rapids – In the interest of full disclosure, I was a playwright in TCR’s Festival. However, my own play aside, one of the things that excited me the most was seeing the overall reaction to a festival of this nature across the board – from actors, writers and directors all the way to audience members. From the huge amount of submissions, to the large turnout of auditioners, to the popular audience response, it seemed clear that this was an event the Corridor was hungry for. It was incredibly encouraging for the future. And that, for me, was what made this one of the most exciting and memorable theatre experiences I had all year.

Kevin Moore, President, Dreamwell Theatre

I thought this was a fantastic year for local theatre! City Circle's Hairspray leaps to mind - the energy, enthusiasm, and excitement of that production carried through to the audience in ways very rare in community theatre. Dreamwell's Henry V brought the power of Shakespeare back to the Iowa City downtown arena. Of course, the opening of the CCPA in Coralville is a landmark of local performance of all sorts.

Brian Tanner, playwright, actor, director

I think one of the great things about this year were all of the original works that were presented. We had the City Circle "New Play Fest 5", Riverside's "Walking the Wire", Dreamwell and City Circle's "All in a Day Play Festival 4", Dreamwell's Soldier's Daughter, and TCR's "Underground Festival". We have so much talent right here in the area and it's great that theatres across the area will take the chance to feature it. I was honored and privileged to have my own work included in many of these events.

I thought TCR's Sweeney Todd and Crimes of the Heart were an amazing example of how large Broadway style theatre and intimate, heartfelt drama can be done right here at home. At the same time, Dreamwell, can make use of a smaller venue to bring to us the larger than life stories of Stuff Happens and Henry V. The logistics of the space are unable to hold back live theatre's ability to take us out of a church basement and into the inner circle of the Oval Office and the halls of Agincourt.

One other standout for me was ICCT's The Drowsy Chaperone. So well done, perfectly cast, hilarious, and the dance routines were wild!

Chris Okiishi, Past President, City Circle

Cripple of Inishmaan--if for nothing more than Kristy Hartsgrove's revelatory performance, a master class in how to be a team player and still steal every scene.

Feet First in the Water with a Baby in My Teeth--the titular story sticks with me, the jokes still make me smile, and the veritable Megan Gogerty-ness of it all makes it specific in the way that makes it universal.

Soldier's Daughter--which I didn't see--but admire everything about it. Biggest loss of the year for me not seeing this.

Ah! Wilderness--shame, shame on the small, narrow-minded segment of the community that got up in arms when Riverside dared to program a summer show not written by the Bard. (Taking a small google-look-around proves that most Shakespeare festivals go waaaaay further afield--they do frigging Oklahoma or even Music Man, for heck's sake!) The purists missed out on a truly wondrous production with Jim Van Valen breaking hearts and the single most thrilling theater moment of the year: Ron Clark and Jody Hovland standing on stage, in character but not acting, reflecting on a life of love and devotion. Two Gents wasn't bad either (especially the bit with the sadly now-deceased dog), but Ah! Wilderness was pure and golden.

Hairspray--yes, I'm biased. Truth be told, I'm biased about every show above, written, directed, performed by friends. But I'm really proud of Hairspray--a show that we were told couldn't be cast, would never be ready, would not find an audience and would not be able open on time. Phooey. A dream team of collaborators found an ideal cast at the perfect time and through careful, constant work, willed it to life.

So, there you go. I'm also grateful to have worked on the Riverside Shakespeare Cabaret, West Side Story, Two Gentlemen of Verona, The Rocky Horror Show, Christmas Carol and our Holiday Cabaret, each of which had some "best of" moments: John Watkins singing Mumford and Son's "Sigh No More" with Tara Dutcher on Violin and Carrie Houchins-Witt and Patrick DuLaney on back ups, Ryan Shellady and Victoria Vaughn's Broadway Carols, Rod McCrea's entrance in "There's a Light (Over at the Frankenstein Place)", the Dance at the Gym, Josh Sazon as a very unique, almost-Buddhist Ghost of Christmas Past.

I also was very fond of Creamery's Art and TCR's Horatio's Purgatory.

It was a remarkably varied year, especially given our "culturally-challenged"* status.

*And let's hope that's the last Stephen Bloom reference ever.

Outstanding Performances of 2011

2011-12-30T16:19:00.021-06:00

by James E. Trainor III

Theatre is a collaboration between a great number of artists with a wide variety of abilities - from writers to actors to graphic designers and everything in-between - but the role of the individual actor is unique because it gives the art a very personal feel. An actor can be a evocation of the audience's collective demons, a warm guide into a world of wonder, or simply an entertaining host for an exciting night out.

Today I want to talk about a few people who did a particularly memorable job of creating characters in the past year. This list is by no means exhaustive; we cherish all those who spend their time and energy bringing imaginary worlds to life. Please post in the comments if you have particular performances you remember fondly from 2011.

Mike Wilhelm as Mr. Applegate

Damn Yankees, TCR

Damn Yankees is a musical comedy about a man who offers his soul in exchange for the chance to be young again and win the Washington Senators the pennant. It's a fun, heartwarming, and clever piece that pops when it gets going. To really swing for the fence on this one, a company needs someone who can bring considerable stage presence to bear as Mr. Applegate, the sly, smooth-talking devil who tries to con honest Joe out of his soul.

Applegate does it all: sings, dances, even lights his cigarette with a flashy bit of stage magic. Wilhelm embodied the role with the smooth carelessness that can only come from weeks of careful practice. Whenever he stepped on the stage, the dramatic stakes rose and the pure fun of the piece went up a notch. The charm, grace and gleeful evil he brought to the role really sold the premise of the piece.

K. Lindsay Eaves as Abigail Williams

The Crucible, Dreamwell

If Mr. Applegate is the devil you love to hate, Abigail Williams brings a more realistic, decidedly frightening face of evil to the stage. The destructive, opportunistic girl embodies all the mendacity, paranoia and perversion that is present in Miller's depiction of the Salem witch trials. She is the shrill counterpart to the calm, maddeningly rational Danforth; a more active and therefore more dangerous evil.

K. Lindsay Eaves portrayed this vicious young lady with boundless energy and tireless commitment. She was never afraid to take things to the next level, and was always working with the other actors silently as the consequences of Abigail's schemes played out. The result was the perfect atmosphere for a script of this caliber. The work of Eaves and her scene partners kept the tension in this classic drama agonizingly high, and if you missed it, I'm sorry to say you missed one of the best productions of The Crucible to come to the Corridor in quite a while.

Saffron Henke in The Syringa Tree

Riverside Theatre

The area has no shortage of profoundly dedicated professional performers. Facilitated by companies like Riverside Theatre, these artists are able to bring incredibly immersive works like The Syringa Tree to the stage.

The Syringa Tree tells the story of South African apartheid from a variety of perspective, most notably from that of Lizzie Grace, who introduces us to this morally ambiguous world with childlike innocence and whose story we follow throughout the play. The show is remarkable because the same performer creates all the characters, and Henke did an amazing job creating a world that was absorbing from beginning to end. With no other actors and little set dressing to speak of, she applied her considerable skill and experience to play all parts, with equal dedication, in this bemusing, tragic and ultimately invigorating story.

Lincoln Ginsberg as Tobias and Emmy Palmersheim as Little Stone

Sweeney Todd and Eurydice, TCR

Theatre is above all else a art that enlivens the spirit of community, and an important part of that is passing down our traditions to our children. TCR does a fantastic job of selecting shows that allow young actors to work directly with a script, onstage with their elders, learning the craft as part of the community.

Lincoln Ginsberg and Emmy Palmersheim stood out this year as two young performers who went above and beyond in some really challenging roles. Ginsberg played the ill-fated Tobias in Sweeney Todd to chilling effect. He was charming, energetic, understood the tone of the show, and took direction well. The image of Tobias's final moments strike is probably the most haunting thing I've seen on the TCR mainstage, and I've been screaming at vampires, pirates and assassins in that space since I was a boy myself.

Emmy Palmersheim did a remarkable job in Eurydice, a poetic and quirky modern retelling of a famous Greek Myth. She worked well with the other actors and has a very striking stage presence. She also successfully directed a very funny ten-minute piece The Ethical Dilemma of a Sandwich Down the Pants for TCR Underground. Acting in a surrealist tragedy and directing a funny short play require completely different skill-sets, and to accomplish both in one season is deserving of recognition.

So, a round of applause to these artists, and to all those who brought us out to the theatre this year to draw inspiration, confront uncomfortable truths, or just plain have a good time.

What were your favorite performances this year? Memorable characters? Hilarious or shocking moments? We'd like to hear from you; follow the "Comments" link below to post your thoughts.

January break

2011-12-29T13:00:00.003-06:00

The Iowa Theatre Blog will be silent for the month of January. We'll be posting a couple of year end articles in the next couple of days, but after that frankly, we need a break to recharge.

Sans Merci cast chosen

2011-12-29T12:55:00.002-06:00

Iowa City - Director Meg Dobbs has selected the cast for Sans Merci, the next play in Dreamwell Theatre's Here I Stand season.

The show runs February 10-18.

Kelly – Nika Tipsword
Tracy – Elisabeth Ross
Elizabeth – Annette Rohlk

Fourth Room Theatre Breaks Into the Iowa City Scene with Closer

2011-12-14T08:19:00.002-06:00

by Sarah Jarmon

Iowa City - I have spent the majority of my adult life dealing with relationships; my own, those that have sprung up and fallen around me, those that ought to have crumbled long before they did, and those that seem as though they will last forever. As members of the Disney generation, my fellow twenty somethings and I have been set up to fail at love from birth. Fooled by the lie of “happily ever after,” we have been particularly bruised by our own romantic ineptitude.

Fourth Room Theatre's production of Closer is like a salve to sooth those wounds. Not because it makes you feel good, this isn’t a feel good play, but because it allows you to feel as though finally someone’s willing to tell it like it is. As Larry, one of the plays two men puts it, “Thank God life ends—we'd never survive it. From Big Bang to weary shag, the history of the world. Our flesh is ferocious...our bodies will kill us...our bones will outlive us.”

This play is one of the only honest dialogues I have ever been privy to on the subject of romantic love, and as devastating as it is, one cannot help but breathe a sigh of relief that “Oh, it’s not just me. Love punishes everyone.” Director Angie Toomsen guides us through this conversation without kid gloves making neither more, nor less, of the script than it offers, letting the audience make of it what they will.

A clean stage with minimalistic set pieces and props allows us to focus on the actors who are unfailingly exquisite in their depiction of human selfishness, loveliness, and passion. The structural backdrop is the perfect scenery for this play, artfully becoming a hospital, an aquarium, a photography studio, and two different peoples’ bedrooms simultaneously through the careful placement of plain white boxes.

The shortcoming of being staged in Chait Galleries is the lack of technical flexibility. Scenes changed with an audible click when the light switch was flipped. This was slightly distracting, though happily these moments book-ended scenes, so the action flowed uninterrupted.

One scene, easily the filthiest and funniest scene in the play, was lost to some viewers on the far right side of the audience because of the technical difficulties inherent in staging an online conversation. Posts from a chat room were projected in the only viable position in the space, but nevertheless were invisible to the unfortunate few out of the line of sight. The actors in this scene were more than equal to that unfortunate situation however, upon realizing the problem they immediately began vocalizing their posts, so as not to leave anyone out of the joke.

The actors were able to do that because they were tuned in, at every moment, to what was happening around them. This is freaking breathtaking when it happens, and it almost never does. This is especially important when dealing with the kind of material this play offers.

This script, often funny, often heartbreaking, is artfully written in such a ways as to sound completely natural…if your actors are up to the task. The fact is, if put in the wrong hands this play would be plodding, painful, and slow. The characters would come off as complete jerks who don’t care about anyone but themselves. Which to some extent, they are, but only to the extent that most people are.

In the hands of this capable company, nuances were delicately realized and though the plot jumps large gaps of time between scenes, we always know where the characters are. More importantly we are able to see these people for what they are, confused, careless slaves to both their passions and the information they are given. And while it is easy to blame them for their indiscretions, it is easy to sympathize with them as well.

Ottavia De Luca is, as described, disarming as Alice, an on-again, off-again stripper with a guarded past and a cheeky disposition. It is easy to love her, this girl who scoffs at the notion of falling in love. “That's the most stupid expression in the world. 'I fell in love'—as if you had no choice. There's a moment, there's always a moment; I can do this, I can give in to this or I can resist it. I don't know when your moment was but I bet there was one.” Sexy, saucy, and determined to get what she wants, she embodies the desperate nature of young love and the incomprehensible ache of its loss.

The more mature but no less foolish Anna shows us that even once you have been burned you are no less at the mercy of your own passions. But Anna, stoically portrayed by Rachel Korach Howell, seems to be already defeated at the outset. She is strong but soft, proclaiming resistance but giving in to temptation repeatedly. When confronted she fights, but when reasoned with she relents. Howell navigates this difficult terrain with a quiet fire behind her beautiful eyes and we long for her to find what she is looking for.

The two men, Dan, played by K. Michael Moore, and Larry, delivered by Matthew James, are equally careless and tragic. Dan is, on the surface, a man who wants what he can’t have and once he gets it no longer wants it. But in reality he simply longs for perfection, a crime none of us is innocent of committing. And though his actions are often deplorable, his confliction and affection is no less evident. And when he eventually loses Alice for good, his grief is so racking that tears flowed freely from a large majority of the audience.

Larry, Anna’s husband, could be portrayed many ways, none of them flattering, but Matthew James manages to capture the redeemable pieces of this man magnificently. He is a pitiably obsessed fool who is incapable of thinking outside of himself. And yet…you want him to improve. You want him to better himself. He’s like the lecherous friend that all of your other friends hate, but you understand him, and you can’t help but want to help him.

This play is long, but well worth the twelve dollar admission. If you enjoy character driven plays with a mix of disturbing drama and wicked humor, you will love Closer. The show continues December 15, 16, 17 at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $12. Seating is intimate and limited so please reserve your tickets by calling/texting 319-541-0038 or email fourthroomtheatre@gmail.com.

Best of 2011?

2011-12-13T12:20:00.000-06:00

Like last year, we're going to do a end of the year wrap up of the really amazing theatre we've seen in the last twelve months. But first we want to ask you, the Iowa Theatre Blog readers, to weigh in with your thoughts. What shows really blew you away? What made you gasp? What made you laugh so hard you fell out of your seat? What touched your heart? Answer in the comments below. Here are some pictures to jog your memory.

Check out a Holiday Cabaret this weekend

2011-12-13T12:19:00.000-06:00

Iowa City - City Circle Acting Company of Coralville Presents: All I Want for Christmas: A Holiday Cabaret this weekend. Back for a second helping of holiday hilarity and warmth, with just a touch of irreverence, this is the second year that City Circle is offering a Holiday Cabaret.

Based on the theme “All I Want for Christmas,” ten of the area’s most talented singer-actors will sing about Holiday Wishes—from a specific gift, to a particular someone, from a desire for peace and joy, to a desire to be, well, left alone—the whole gambit of Seasonal emotion and delight. Featuring a special return engagement from the fabulous Hawkettes!

Suitable for the whole family, but enough wicked glee to temper the seasonal sentiment, this is the perfect antidote to hectic Holiday overload! The show is directed by Patrick DuLaney. It runs December 16, 17, 22, 23 at 8:00 pm at Riverside Theatre Space, 213 N. Gilbert Street, Iowa City. Tickets: $15 for regular admission, $10 for students/seniors. See www.CityCircle.org for ticket information.

Featuring:
Jeffrey Allen Mead (Coralville) – Music Director
Tim Budd (Iowa City)
Ellen Stevenson (Tiffin)
Carrie Houcins-Witt (Coralville)
Ramya Hipp (Iowa City)
Victoria Vaughn (Iowa City—Regina High School)
Paula Grady (Cedar Rapids)
Lauren Baker (Chicago / Iowa City)
Ryan Shellady (Iowa City—City High School)
Chris Okiishi (Iowa City)
and the Fabulous Hawkettes!

City Circle's Christmas Carol not to be missed

2011-12-13T07:58:00.003-06:00

by Elizabeth Breed

Coralville - Charles’s Dickens A Christmas Carol is arguably the most famous holiday tale of all time. We all know the story. Crotchety, greed old man Ebenezer Scrooge is too tight fisted with his money to realize that wealth perhaps isn’t jangling in your pockets, but rather the love you feel from other people. It takes him a haunted vision, and three spirits to help him realize this truth. I’ll assume that I don’t need to elaborate on the tale, because this beloved story has been engrained in our hearts since we were young. When I walked into the Coralville Center for the Performing Arts on Friday night, I was ready to hear the story I had heard a thousand times before, and I was ready to become immersed in the tale again. I was ready to experience the show that millions have grown to love, and with the help of City Circle Acting Company of Coralville, I was not disappointed.

The man himself, Ebenezer Scrooge, is played skillfully by veteran actor Scott Strode. Strode filled Scrooge’s shoes with grace, and he was able to handle any series of complex emotions that a role like this requires. Scrooge’s transformation was well played by Strode, and the audience could truly feel the joy felt by Scrooge at the end of the play after he has his revelation. Strode was able to bring moments of honest humor to the role, but that being said, at many times I felt it a little inappropriate to the story. Specifically, early on in his first scene in the office, I noticed the audience chuckling a few of Strode’s deliveries. While humorous, I felt that it didn’t necessarily fit the character at that stage in the play. Because of that, it made it difficult for me to invest in Scrooge’s story because there seemed to be no extreme between greedy Scrooge and reformed Scrooge. That being said, I found Strode’s performance quite enjoyable during more touching moments, particularly when Scrooge witnesses the Cratchit family prepare their Christmas dinner.

Monty Beal as Bob Cratchit and Robin McCright as Mrs. Cratchit lead their brood with as much touching humor as I’ve ever seen portrayed. Beal’s portrayal of Bob contained a level of innocence and devotion that made Bob even more likable than already presumed. McCright’s snarky Mrs. Cratchit was lovely, and her interaction with the young actors playing her children was both playful and honest. The Cratchit children, played by Ally Halverson, Logan Natvig, Conner Ammar, Isabel Jones, and Stephanie Engelhardt, had incredible stage presence and chemistry, making them reminiscent of a real family. Additionally, Katey Halverson’s portrayal of Tiny Tim was both touching and frankly, downright adorable. A particular moving moment was when Tiny Tim sings a beautiful tune, completely a capella. Halverson is able to evoke many powerful emotions for such a, excuse me for saying, tiny actor. That young lady has great things in her future.

A favorite performance of mine was that of Patrick DuLaney in the role of Jacob Marley. His entrance onstage punctuated with a thunderous wail was haunting, and the rest of his delivery of his short scene seemed to be something straight out of a horror movie. It added a level of tension that made the audience uncomfortable, but in the best way, adding desperation to Scrooge’s journey. Very well done, indeed.
The three Ghosts are played by Josh Sazon, Steve Rosse, and Richard Adams, and all three of them portray very memorable secondary roles. Sazon’s Ghost of Christmas Past is poised and eloquent, and his other role as Snarkers later in the play includes a dialogue between him and DuLaney that was an audience favorite, inciting applause for the short exchange. Rosse’s Ghost of Christmas Present walks a fine line between poignant and lighthearted. Adams’s portrayal of the Ghost of Christmas Past is also particularly remarkable considering the only body part you can see are his hands and one only hears him speak through loud, haunting sighs of air. Additionally, Adams’s portrayal of Young Ebenezer is quite skilled, as he is able to convey a sense of growth, as well as descent in a very short period of stage time.

The ensemble is rounded out by many stand-out performances. It’s almost as if the rest of the cast were populated with scene-stealers! Brett Myer’s Fred, Scrooge’s nephew, is lively and truthful, and because of his stage presence, the audience falls in love with him immediately. Danielle Paulsen pulls double duty as Belle, the woman that Young Scrooge falls in love with, and Fred’s wife, two roles that she is able to make her own. Steve Rosse and Jean Grewe as Mr. and Mrs. Fezziwig are flamboyant and entertaining, and Michelle Altmaier as Dorothea, a party guest of Fred’s, completely steals the scene with her charm and humor.

Special accolades are due to the many children actors in this play. In addition to the Cratchit children, every child’s performance in this play was very endearing and very accomplished. Bailey Raso as Nellie, the young girl that Scrooge speaks to the morning after the ghosts’ visit to him, is able to hold her own against Strode’s Scrooge. Andy Stewart as the young boy version of Scrooge is empathetic and Lily O’Brien’s portrayal of Scrooge’s sister, Fan, is equally as loveable.

Particular mention should be made to the design team. The stationary, basic set was very effective, as the actors were able to use the same structure in all the scenes. Different locations were emphasized by set dressing and lighting effects, presenting a space uncluttered with large, unnecessary set pieces. The only critique I have is in regards to one particular set change. During a scene change into the Cratchit home, the Cratchit children were bringing on their own set pieces, and then exiting the stage, only to return later at their cue. It seemed awkward and could have been prevented if some of the adult actors could have brought on the pieces instead. City Circle did use the space to its full advantage, using beautiful and enhancing lighting design, as well as a fun effect of having fake snow fall onstage during one pivotal scene from Scrooge’s childhood.

All in all, the cast and crew of A Christmas Carol did a marvelous job in this holiday staple. Dicken’s story is a classic, and the City Circle production not only did it justice, but it also enhanced it in the best way possible through apt performances, and a very beautiful design. Truly a production not to be missed!

Actors needed

2011-12-09T08:33:00.003-06:00

Iowa City - Interested in a unique acting experience? Megan Werner Gerhardt is putting together a research project that requires four actors - two male and two female. One of each gender needs to clearly look "young" (say late 20's or so), while the other 2 need to clearly look "older" (think gray haired).

The actors would be asked to "teach" a 15 minute class that would be taped. The script would be identical across actors, and to the extent possible, every thing other than age and gender should be as consistent as possible--non verbals, "teaching" ability, etc. We are going to ask students to rate each "class" on a number of dimensions, and are interested in seeing if Generation Y assesses age as an asset or detriment in a professor, and whether this varies by gender.

If you're interested in this experience, email Megan at gerharmm@muohio.edu.

A Goatsinger Show for the Holiday Season

2011-12-08T13:36:00.000-06:00

Mount Vernon - The Goatsinger Show, Mount Vernon's own modern vaudeville show, returns Saturday, Dec. 17, at 7:30 p.m., at the Uptown Theatre in the First Street Community Center, 221 1st Street NE, Mount Vernon. The event features music, sketches, theater, puppetry, and more.

Set in the mythical Iowa town of Mount Revere, the December Show is called The Coming Home. A stranger has wandered into town and finds himself at a coffee shop surrounded by storytellers and musicians. The show features music by Josh Woosley, Tony Immergluck, Sam Butz, Jessie Stewart, and Grace Moran; plus, performances by Nicci Miles, Brandon Rowray, and Mike Moran. Also included will be a closing sing-a-long and an appearance by Frog.

“The Goatsinger Show has been developing both in form and content since it first began – becoming more theatrical without losing its initial quirkiness,” said producer, Mike Moran. “As always, we’re open to the strange or the curious – whatever playful or fascinating act we can book.”

Admission to The Goatsinger Show is on a pay-what-you-can basis. More information is available at (319)213-0148.

Combined Efforts Show runs Dec 16-17

2011-12-07T13:37:00.004-06:00

Iowa City - Combined Efforts Presents Vaudeville Dreams, a dazzling display designed to educate, edify, amaze, and uplift.

A boy uses his imagination to create a world of Vaudeville in order to try to make sense of his mother's losing battle. He blends the things he sees and hears on the radio, from friends, his special education teacher, and others he meets even briefly in order to make a world he can control because he cannot control his mother's fight. The audience sees the world as he does, on occasion, but also tracks his story in what we consider reality.

The show runs December 16 and 17 at 7:30 pm in the City High Little Theater. Tickets are $5.00 at the door.

Combined Efforts exists to create and perform theatre that is excellent and compelling, with original scripts written for actors, musicians and dancers – individuals with and without special needs – that focuses on their strengths in a collaborative effort.

(Photo from A Carol for Our Time, a past Combined Efforts show.)

ICCT presents White Christmas

2011-12-06T09:13:00.004-06:00

Iowa City - Irving Berlin's holiday spectacular White Christmas is the Iowa City Community Theatre's next show. Based on the movie of the same name, the musical has all of the songs audiences have loved over the years, including "Sisters" and the classic title song.

A brief synopsis of the show: After leaving the Army after World War II, Bob Wallace and Phil Davis team up to become a top song-and-dance act. Davis plays matchmaker and introduces Wallace to a pair of beautiful sisters (Betty and Judy) who also have a song-and-dance act. When Betty and Judy travel to a Vermont lodge to perform a Christmas show, Wallace and Davis follow, only to find their former commander, General Waverly, is the lodge owner. A series of romantic mix-ups ensue as the performers try to help the General. credit

Showtimes:
December 8, 2011 at 7:30pm
December 9, 2011 at 7:30pm
December 10, 2011 at 2:00pm
December 10, 2011 at 7:30pm
December 11, 2011 at 7:30pm
December 15, 2011 at 7:30pm
December 16, 2011 at 7:30pm
December 17, 2011 at 2:00pm
December 17, 2011 at 7:30pm
December 18, 2011 at 7:30pm

For tickets and more information, go here.

Artistic Staff
Director - Krista Neumann
Music Director - Ed Kottick
Choreographer - Jill Beardsley
Costumes - Rachel Lindhart
Lighting - Rebekah Oulton

Cast
BOB WALLACE - Robert Kemp
PHIL DAVIS - Colin Nies
BETTY HAYNES - Jamie DeLuca
JUDY HAYNES - Sydney Hayes
THE GENERAL - Rip Russell
MARTHA - Jill VanDorpe
SUSAN WAVERLY - Claire Green
SHELDRAKE - Chris Woodhouse
RITA - Elinor Levin
RHODA - Rebekah Kent
EZEKIAL - John Bednarik

Ensemble
Rebekah Kent
Lisa Beal
Makayla Phillips
Elinor Levin
Nicole McDonough
Abigail McDonough
Stephen Krutzfeldt
Andrew Cole
Reed Perkins
Kristian Leitzen
Joey Bateman
Jim Verry

Fourth Room Theatre debuts with Closer

2011-12-06T09:04:00.002-06:00

Iowa City — Fourth Room Theatre presents Closer by Patrick Marber at the beautiful Chait Galleries (218 E. Washington Street) on December 8, 9, 10 and 15, 16, 17 at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $12. Seating is intimate and limited so please reserve your tickets by calling/texting 319-541-0038 or emailing fourthroomtheatre@gmail.com.

The cast includes Ottavia DeLuca (Alice), Rachel Korach Howell (Anna), Matthew James (Larry) and K. Michael Moore (Dan). Angie Toomsen directs.

Closer examines piercing ironies around truth, sexual passion, romance and the power—or lack thereof—they have to create true emotional intimacy.

Four London strangers meet by chance and become ensnared in a tangle of love, desire and brutal deceit. Alice, a beautiful erotic dancer, falls in love with Dan, an aspiring author and obituarist. Dan becomes obsessed with Anna, a photographer who takes his portrait for a book cover. Anna is involved with Larry, a dermatologist who becomes painfully—and sometimes comically—linked to Alice and Dan.

Closer is written with precision and a sort of structured elegance, but inside that structure is an explosive, sometimes beautiful, often very ugly collision of passion, emotion and jaw-dropping emotional cruelty.

“I have always felt Closer is a huge challenge for actors because the character work is all about locating humanizing and relatable territory inside things we hope we never do to each other,” says Toomsen. “The cast is approaching the piece with sensitivity and without judgment, which, I think, makes it absorbingly uncomfortable and darkly funny.”

Closer has been compared to Noel Coward's Private Lives, Pinter's Betrayal and even Les Liaisons Dangereuses. Time Magazine calls it “A bruising dissection of modern relationships” and Charles Isherwood (Daily Variety) calls it “brilliant and bracing…both bruising and beautiful, shatteringly funny and devastatingly sad.”

Closer contains adult language and situations and is not recommended for young viewers.

Closer is the inaugural project for Fourth Room Theatre, a new ensemble in the Iowa City/Coralville Area. Fourth Room's mission is to challenge, inspire and enlighten their audiences through committed and respectful collaboration in the Iowa City Area. The core company includes: Bryant Duffy, Ottavia DeLuca, Rachel Howell, Matthew James, Kehry Anson Lane, K. Michael Moore, Kate Thompson and Angie Toomsen. More information, website, and ways to get involved to come.

City Circle's A Christmas Carol opens Friday

2011-12-05T12:41:00.003-06:00

Coralville - Using a sparkling adaptation by Barbara Field, City Circle Acting Company of Coralville will bring the classic tale Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol to life on the Coralville Center for the Performing Arts stage this holiday season.

The Dickens story, which ushered in many of our current ideas of "classic" holiday traditions, charts the path of miserly Ebenezer Scrooge and his redemption from selfishness and greed. Timeless lessons of community spirit, generosity and love make this seasonal parable particularly applicable to our current times.

Director Liz Tracey promises a heart-warming evening with more than a few thrills as the ghosts of Christmas Past, Present and Future--as well as a truly frightening appearance by the ghost of Scrooge's business partner Marley--seek to give Scrooge a tour through his life and destiny.

Featuring a 20 person cast including Scott Strode as Scrooge, Patrick DuLaney as Marley, Josh Sazon as the Ghost of Christmas Past and Steve Rosse as the Ghost of Christmas Present, this production is a must-see event for theater fans of any age!

Showtimes:
Friday, December 9 at 7:30 pm
Saturday, December 10 at 7:30 pm
Sunday, December 11 at 2:00 pm
Friday, December 16 at 7:30 pm
Saturday, December 17 at 7:30 pm
Sunday, December 18 at 2:00pm

Tickets are available at the Center Box office, online at www.CoralvilleArts.org or by calling 248-9370.

Premium Seating: $25 (+ $2 facility fee)
Adults: $20 (+ $2 facility fee)
Seniors & Students: $15 (+ $2 facility fee)

Children 10 & Under: $10 (+ $2 facility fee)

SPT opens new show tonight

2011-12-02T12:54:00.002-06:00

Cedar Rapids - SPT Theatre presents another installment of its Writers Room series tonight and Saturday. Guest artists are Alisabeth Von Presley and Mike Wilhelm. Musical guests are Ron DeWitte, Dave Nanke and Dave Ollinger. This installment is entitled Trivial Pursuit, to continue the Games People Play theme of their season.

December 2nd & 3rd
at CSPS - 1103 3rd St. SE
8:00 p.m.
(note new location & time)

Tickets are $20 when purchased on line at Legions Arts. Tickets are $25 at the performance.

For a review of their first show of the season, go here.

Nutcracker opens tonight

2011-12-02T12:47:00.003-06:00

Iowa City - The Englert Theatre and Nolte Academy of Dance will present The Nutcracker on Friday, December 2nd at 7:30pm; Saturday, December 3rd at 2pm and 7:30pm; and Sunday, December 4th at 2pm.

The Englert is proud to once again host a unique and highly entertaining version of this beloved Christmas classic. The Nutcracker is a two-act ballet, originally choreographed by Marius Petipa and Lev Ivanov with a score by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky. The libretto is adapted from the story "The Nutcracker and the Mouse King" by E. T. A. Hoffmann.

This holiday classic comes to life with performances by dancers from Nolte Academy of Dance and other local studios. The performances will feature a professional, live 30-piece orchestra of local musicians, conducted by Carey Bostian.

Tickets are available now online at englert.org, or by calling the Englert Box Office at 319-688-2653.

Performances:
Friday, December 2, 2011 at 7:30pm
Saturday, December 3, 2011 at 2:00pm
Saturday, December 3, 2011 at 7:30pm
Sunday, December 4, 2011 at 2:00pm

Tickets:
$22 Adults
$18 Students & Seniors
$16 Children (12 and under)

Excellent production lifts Wooden Snowflakes

2011-12-02T09:59:00.005-06:00

by Gerry Roe

Amana - Aside from church pageants, most plays about Christmas seem intended for children or television. The Old Creamery’s Studio Stage has found a play that definitely appeals to grown-ups and has given it a fine intimate production starring two Old Creamery favorites, Tom Milligan and Deborah Kennedy. In addition, these two actors are responsible for costume design and props (Kennedy) and scene design and overall direction (Milligan). So it is clear these two have invested their ample talents in this production. And all they have done has been done well—very well, indeed.

The play takes place in rural Kentucky on Christmas Eve. Two people meeting by chance on Christmas Eve—well, you can predict much of what will happen. But there must be complication—and complication there is in abundance. Milligan’s character, Simon Peter Witacker is a kind, good man, a Santa Claus both literally and figuratively to his community, but lonely, having never known love. He is a woodcarver and the set shows evidence of his artisanship including carved wooden snowflakes and other ornaments. He meets Kennedy’s character, whom we know only as Eve, when her car skids on the icy road and nearly strikes him before colliding with a tree. Of course he comes to her aid, bringing her into his cozy house and offering comfort and warmth. She is eager to get her car towed and repaired so she can be on the road to Cincinnati, she says, to meet with physicians and clinical personnel about pharmaceuticals. Turns out she, too, is lonely! After each of them declares or admits to loneliness, the happy ending seems inevitable to us—but not to them.

This description is reasonably accurate but it leaves out the most important element of this production. These two actors bring a truth to their playing that makes the play seem fresh and alive. They work so well together that we are carried along to their coming together and the little miracle that seals their fate. Milligan and Kennedy are a delight to watch and listen to. Milligan’s light Kentucky accent seems just right and the duo has impeccable timing. In short, the play is adequate; the production superior. With this studio production, The Old Creamery Theatre passes along a Christmas greeting. I can only wish them a happy new year.

The Studio Stage production continues through December 18. Thursday through Saturday performances are at 7:30, Sunday matinees begin at 3:00. For more information go here.

Elves and the Shoemaker runs Friday-Sunday

2011-12-02T09:52:00.003-06:00

West Branch - The Young Footliters will present The Elves and the Shoemaker on Friday, December 2nd at 7:00 pm, Saturday, December 3rd at 4:00 pm and Sunday, December 4th at 2:00 pm. The shows will take place at the Herbert Hoover Presidential Library and Museum in West Branch. Admission is free to the museum and there are many activities throughout the weekend. There will also be an exhibit with 20 trees, each decorated to represent a different Fairy Tale.

The Herbert Hoover Presidential Library and Museum is located at 210 Parkside Drive in West Branch. Call 319-643-5301 for more information.

Cast:
Beatrice Kaskie
Clara Froescher
Nyah Taylor- Butcher
Callista Robertson
Emma Welter
Mia Olson
Cora Saunders
Alison DeVore
Macayle DeVore
Gavin Bigelow
Apollonia Lysandrou
Maxwell Meyer

A Christmas Carol opens Friday

2011-11-23T12:34:00.001-06:00

Cedar Rapids - 'Tis the season to welcome back those favorite holiday shows we all know and love. Theatre Cedar Rapids will present A Christmas Carol beginning this weekend and running through December 17.

Charles Dickens’ famous tale of Ebenezer Scrooge’s transformation from embittered skinflint to generous benefactor has been dramatized by John Mortimer with typical flair and wit in this definitive adaptation, premiered by the Royal Shakespeare Company. Retaining Dickens’ own ironic point of view through the use of a Chorus, whose asides and observations enrich and propel the drama, Mortimer has created a panoramic view of Victorian London with all the much-loved characters – miserly Scrooge, the loving Cratchits, faithful nephew Fred – in place. Starring new and familiar adult faces to the TCR stage, this production also includes 22 adorable local youth actors. This is one holiday show for the entire family.

This show is directed by Leslie Charipar and stars Michael Dulaney as Scrooge. You can order tickets here or by calling 319-366-8591.

Raggedy Ann and Andy opens Saturday

2011-11-23T10:23:00.001-06:00

Amana – Want a sweet treat this holiday season? Come and see The Old Creamery Theatre for Young Audiences production of Raggedy Ann and Andy’s Yuletide Adventure. Help Raggedy Ann & Andy outsmart the witch and have a wonderful holiday adventure in Grandma’s attic.

The show opens Saturday, Nov. 26 at 11 a.m. on The Old Creamery’s Main Stage.

Written by Gene Mackey and based on characters created by Johnny Gruelle,
the cast of Raggedy Ann & Andy’s Yuletide Adventure consists of Kamille Zbanek of Ely, John Hill of Rockford Il, Laura Ambrose of Minneapolis Minn., Jackie McCall of Marengo, Nicholas Hodge of South Amana and Steve Weiss of Central City.

Tickets are $8 per person. Show times are 11 a.m. on Saturday Nov. 26, Dec. 3, 10 and 17. Call the box office at 800-35-AMANA or visit the website at www.oldcreamery.com for more information or to purchase tickets. Group and student rates are available.

Don't Hug Me is an entertaining Christmas show

2011-11-23T08:10:00.006-06:00

by Rachel Brown

Amana - November 18th seemed a bit early for me to entertain the idea of a Christmas show. Generally I am a “wait until after Thanksgiving to even think about Christmas music” sort of person, but Old Creamery's A Don't Hug me Christmas Carol was a fun and lighthearted introduction to the Christmas season.

A Don’t Hug Me Christmas Carol, begins Christmas eve in the bar owned by Clara and Gunner decked to the halls with Christmas decorations. It is a tacky, glittering, electrified and authentic scene. The Bunyan Bay bar's only patron, Kanute (Jeff Haffner) – dressed in what reminds me of Red Green's best elf suit – is helping himself to some beer and cheese ball. Clara (Marquetta Senters) is putting up Christmas decorations, much to the chagrin of Gunner (James Fleming) whose bumbling bah-humbugs are worsened only by running gags about his infertility.

Angry and off-put that his wife and Kanute keep singing along with the karaoke machine – songs that were written by him but stolen by his nemesis Sven Yorgenson – Gunner storms off, mounts his snowmobile and is off across the frozen lake. The next we see of him, Gunner is in a coma by a ill-placed ice hole and being plagued, Dicken's style, by ghosts of past, present, and future in the form of Yorgenson. He spends the rest of the play confronting his hardships and insecurities through a series of delightfully cheesy and sometimes off color holiday-themed tunes. Fleming makes the audience laugh as he grumbles through his shock watching Yorgensen paint a less-than-happy portrait of his life, and croons to women of Bunyan including Gunner’s wife, Clara - seducing her with his charm. Marquetta Senters reminds me fondly of family members of my own as she plays Clara with her mix spitfire and kindness. She is a nice balance to Fleming's character.

Jeff Haffner is a (Christmas) ham, and understandably so as he plays the laughable and not too bright Kanute, the Bunyan businessman who wants nothing more than to win back his once fiance Bernice (Amber Snyder). His jokes and singing are an enjoyable part of this show. He keeps the audience laughing as he bumbles after Bernice.

This show comes with a variety of music types – music provided by the 'voice-activated' Karaoke machine decorated with holiday flair at the center of the bar. Snyder excels, whether strutting her stuff in “I’d Rather be Naughty” or her strange but amusing Tiny Tim tap dance. Boettger also adds his own flair to the mix with the spirited Bunyan Beguine and his best “Voice of God.”

This cheesy – yet heart felt - Christmas Carol is high energy and high-jinx. If you are already familiar with the Bunyan Bay crew (or even if you aren't), I have no doubts you will enjoy this back-woods Christmas tale. The show runs through December 18th at Old Creamery's Main Stage. Tickets are $27 for adults and $17.50 for students and are available by calling 800-35amana or visiting www.oldcreamery.com

Enjoy the Magical Storytelling of Small Miracles

2011-11-23T03:26:00.001-06:00

Iowa City - Get out of the cold and enjoy an evening of heart-warming holiday storytelling with Riverside Theatre’s production of Small Miracles, a moving, one-man show by Resident Artist and Production Manager Ron Clark, November 25-27.

“It’s a nice thing to do on a holiday weekend with family and friends,” Clark said.

Small Miracles takes the audience on a nostalgic, heartfelt journey as Clark shares his recollections of growing up in a small Iowa town where the mayor/street cleaner doubled as Santa, a courageous dog, a 10-cent silver bell that became a family heirloom, a terrifying audition for the fifth grade Christmas pageant, and his stint at a department store Santa.

“It’s about as sentimental as you can get,” Clark said.

Clark’s vivid storytelling will captivate you and bring to mind your own fond memories. This show is perfect for the whole family.

“The joy of performing this piece comes from the collective memory between me and the audience. As I look at the audience I see a connection not just between me and the audience, but in the joy of the recollections of holidays past,” Clark said. “In a perfect world I would have my own children and grandsons gathered around me for these stories.”

In addition to Small Miracles, Clark’s writing for the theatre includes the plays Kindred Hearts, Grocery Stories, and Coffee and Hope, as well as many monologues over the years for Walking the Wire, Riverside’s annual monologue festival.

Clark, a professional actor and director, founded Riverside Theatre in 1981 along with Jody Hovland and Bruce Wheaton. Clark graduated from the University of Iowa with a Masters of Fine Arts (MFA) in 1980. In addition to his work at Riverside, Clark is a Distinguished Artist-in-Residence at Cornell College.

Small Miracles features original composition by Dan Knight and lighting design by Zachary Begley and Rachel Dudley.

Tickets for Small Miracles, November 25-27, are $20 with discounts available for those over 60, those under 30, and youth. Tickets are available by phone at (319) 338-7672, online at www.riversidetheatre.org or in person at the Riverside Theatre Box Office, located at 213 N. Gilbert St., Iowa City, IA.

Check out The Snow Queen at Eulenspiegel

2011-11-18T15:12:00.006-06:00

West Liberty - Eastern Iowa's own Puppet Theatre will present The Snow Queen Sunday and Monday. Eulenspiegel's adaptation of this beloved Hans Christian Andersen fairy tale uses delightfully crafted miniature Bohemian marionettes that interact on the pages of two extra-large pop-up storybooks.

The story follows Gerda as she travels to the ends of the earth to save her best friend, Kai, from the Snow Queen. Along her way she meets a host of eccentric characters from a naughty little robber girl to a magical flower lady to a talking crow. The cast also includes a flamboyant storyteller who relates to the audience as well as the puppets. A feast for the eyes and the heart!

Showtimes:
2 pm and 4 pm Sunday, October 20
10 am and 12:30 am Monday, October 21

All performances are at the Owl Glass Puppetry Center, 319 N. Calhoun Street in West Liberty. Tickets are $5.

(Photo by Lynne Jennings at Puppetfest Midwest.)

Energetic Frog and Toad Cast Delivers

2011-11-18T14:55:00.004-06:00

by Andrew Juhl

Mount Vernon - A Year With Frog and Toad is a delightful family musical that can easily fall flat at the community theatre level. Not so much a linear story as a series of rolling set pieces, the musical requires a cast of energetic performers and a creative production staff. Thankfully, the Mount Vernon-Lisbon Community Theatre has both.

More than any other thing, what sells MVLCT’s production this show is the enthusiasm of its cast. You can tell they’re having a great time, and their enjoyment is infectious.

And though the dialogue, songs, and morals are designed for children to consume and understand, the show is no less enjoyable for adults. There exists enough clever wordplay and you’ll-get-it-when-you’re-older themes (not jokes, but themes) that the adults in the audience often end up laughing harder, louder, and longer than the children.

A true ensemble piece if ever there was such a thing, no one actor or actress deserves to be singled out above the rest. Each and every performer brought something unique and wonderful to the evening. From Randy Dotson’s terribly large performance as a “Large & Terrible Frog” to Mary Morgan-Blacharski’s unerringly upbeat “Mouse” to Braden Rood’s hilariously exuberant “Snail” to Traci Rezabek’s unexpectedly touching “Young Frog” to … well, pretty much everything Kim Benesh did. And, of course, there was Frog (Steve Rezabek) and Toad (Jay Gunn), who were fun and charming throughout.

Directors Laura Werkman and Damon Cole did a fabulous job bringing this warm, pleasant comedy about friendship and life to the stage. If you have children—and even if you don’t—seeing MVLCT’s production of A Year With Frog and Toad this weekend will not be a waste of your time or money. Two more performances remaining - tonight at 7:00 pm and tomorrow at 2:00 pm. For information, go here.

Working Group presents Was the Word at the Englert

2011-11-18T01:10:00.000-06:00

Iowa City - Working Group Theatre presents a new Was the Word this Sunday November 20th from 7-8pm. The theme is FEAST ON THIS and the evening will benefit The Johnson County Local Food Alliance. Tickets are Pay What You Can at the door.

This show features stories, performances, and poems by:

--Janet Schlapkohl: Storyteller, Playwright, Iowan, Founder and Director of Combined Efforts Theater.

--Scott Koepke: Native Iowan, Grocery Manager at New Pioneer Food Co-op, Founder of Soilmates Garden Education Service for Children. He got rid of his television on June 12th, 2009 and finally started reading books again.

--Kurt Michael Friese: The top of the local food pyramid: Food writer and author extraordinaire, Chef and Owner (with his wife Kim) of Devotay, Editor and co-owner of Edible Iowa River Valley, and Founder and Leader of Slow Food Iowa.

--Kate Krohn: One of Working Group Theatre's Poets in Residence - she's promised to dig deep into the well of her New Orleans upbrining to serve us something with a KICK to it.

--Megan Gogerty: Playwright, Performer, always amazing - a Was the Word favorite.

--Their IYWP performer of the month.

and the music stylings of Mutiny in the Parlor

Old Creamery's Christmas show opens Nov 17

2011-11-14T08:45:00.003-06:00

Amana – Oh for cryin’ in the Egg Nog! The folks from Bunyan Bay are back in an all-new holiday show. Christmas Eve takes a strange turn as Gunner falls through the ice on his Skidoo and is visited by the Ghosts of Christmas Past, Present and Future, in the form of folk singing legend Sven Yorgensen no less. Whether you are new to Bunyan Bay or you are visiting again, you’ll be laughing long after the fruitcake ferments.

A Don’t Hug Me Christmas Carol opens Thursday, November 17 on The Old Creamery’s Main Stage in Amana and runs through December 18.

The cast consists of James Fleming of New York; Amber Snyder of Memphis, Tenn.; Jeff Haffner of Cleveland, Ohio; D. Allan Boettger of Cedar Rapids and The Old Creamery’s Marquetta Senters of South Amana. Directed by Sean McCall, with musical direction by Tim Daugherty, A Don’t Hug Me Christmas Carol is rated Theatre PG-13. Books and lyrics are by Phil Olson with music by Paul Olson.

Tickets are $27 for adults and $17.50 for students. Show times are Wednesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays at 3 p.m. and Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 p.m. While walk-ins are always welcome if seats are available, reservations for this show are highly recommended. Call the box office at 800-35-AMANA or visit the website at www.oldcreamery.com for more information or to purchase tickets. Group and student rates are available.

National Live Theatre Live's The Kitchen Broadcast at the Englert

2011-11-14T08:15:00.005-06:00

Iowa City - Once again, the Englert Theatre will present high definition re-broadcasts of performances from the National Theatre in London. Next up is The Kitchen, which will be broadcast on November 19 at 7 p.m.

1950s London. In the kitchen of an enormous West End restaurant, the orders are piling up: a post-war feast of soup, fish, cutlets, omelettes and fruit flans.

Thrown together by their work, chefs, waitresses and porters from across Europe – English, Irish, German, Jewish – argue and flirt as they race to keep up. Peter, a high-spirited young cook, seems to thrive on the pressure. In between preparing dishes, he manages to strike up an affair with married waitress Monique, the whole time dreaming of a better life. But in the all-consuming clamour of the kitchen, nothing is far from the brink of collapse.

Arnold Wesker’s extraordinary play premiered at the Royal Court in 1959 and has since been performed in over 30 countries. The Kitchen puts the workplace centre stage in a blackly funny and furious examination of life lived at breakneck speed, when work threatens to define who we are.

The Englert will close out the year with a broadcast of The Collaborators on December 17.

Check out MVLCT's Frog and Toad

2011-11-14T08:14:00.001-06:00

Mount Vernon - Mount Vernon/Lisbon Community Theatre will present A Year with Frog and Toad on November 17 and 18 at 7 PM and November 19 at 2 PM in the auditorium of the First Street Building in Mount Vernon. The musical is based on the children's book series by Arnold Lobel, with music by Robert Reale and book and lyrics by Willie Reale.

Portraying the characters are Kim Benesh, Randy Dotson, Jay Gunn, Nanette Gunn, Mary Morgan-Blacharski and Braden Rood of Mount Vernon and Steve Rezabek and Traci Rezabek of Cedar Rapids. Laura Werkman of Mount Vernon is directing and Damon Cole of Cedar Rapids is music director. A preview of the show will be given for students at Lisbon and Mount Vernon elementary schools on November 16. Tickets are $12 for adults, $10 for senior and students ages 11-18, and $8 for students 10 and under. Call Braden Rood at 319-654-1016 for more information.

The Curious Savage Commits to the Craziness

2011-11-13T23:51:00.003-06:00

by Elizabeth Breed

Iowa City - I am always excited to experience theatre that I’m unfamiliar with. I find that when I go to a play I’ve neither seen or read before that I am able to dive into my role as an audience member, making it much easier for me to become a part of the world of the play. I knew nothing of the plot of The Curious Savage much less the production history, but I knew that it was the second show of the “Here I Stand” season of Dreamwell Theatre. I had no preconceived notions or expectations and to be honest, I was completely clueless as to the fascinating night of theatre that was ahead of me.

The Curious Savage by John Patrick is the story of Ethel Savage, a wealthy, eccentric widow whose step-children have committed her to "The Cloisters," a home for those individuals who are, for lack of a better word, odd. Ethel has been sent to The Cloisters because of her views on what should be done with her family’s 50 million dollar estate and her desire to pursue a career on the stage, which her children decide is not keeping with the Savage family reputation. Little do they know, that Ethel has drained the family funds, put them into paper bonds, and has hidden them somewhere unknown to everyone but herself. Chaos ensues as Ethel’s children attempt to pry the bonds from her and she tries to come to terms with her commitment and the crazy cast of characters that are her co-inhabitants at The Cloisters.

The lights come up on the common room of The Cloisters, a mix of a game room, a library, a music room, and for one patient, an art studio. Technical director Rich Riggleman uses the small space to its best advantage, using the existing fireplace as a centerpiece for the scene. My only complaint about the stage comes from the actor in me. In many of the scenes, there are quite a few actors onstage, and I felt, even in the audience, a sense of claustrophobia, like there wasn’t quite enough playing space. That being said, director Gerry Roe does stage the action in such a way that the actors did a magnificent job with moving of the set pieces to fit their needs, and anticipating any difficult staging that may have had some obstacles in the way.

Linda Merritt, in her Dreamwell debut, portrays Ethel Savage with gusto and electricity that one would be hard-pressed to find even on a New York stage. From her first appearance with her blue hair, clutching an oversized teddy bear, Merritt commands the stage. Her performance seems entirely organic, which leaves the audience pondering where Ethel ends and Linda begins. Merritt conquers her role with raw fearlessness mixed with an innate lovableness that makes Ethel seem like she could be a member of anyone’s family.

Ethel’s three-stepchildren are eloquently played by John Crosheck, Traci Gardner, and Stephen Polchert. Crosheck’s Titus is calculating and brash, but he is very skilled at the simple nuances that this “bad guy” requires, whether it’s a booming outburst or a quiet threat aimed at his step-mother. Gardner’s icy Lily Belle is reminiscent of any modern day heiress who you love to hate, and her sophisticated yet manipulating charm makes an audience member feel as if they were watching the devil herself. In addition, Gardner’s dialogue with Merritt is acidic and very, very funny. Polchert’s bumbling and borderline innocent Samuel is the one character that makes this trio remotely empathetic. Polchert’s spot-on comedic timing with Samuel’s few lines is the mark of a seasoned professional.

Probably my favorite performance was brought to life by Elisabeth Ross, and it was obvious that the audience agreed with me. Ross’s portrayal of self-conscious Fairy Mae walked the fine line between outlandish and completely genuine. Fairy Mae seems blissfully ignorant of much of the world, and Ross’s choice to make the character seem childlike was very effective. However, she was able to engage a part of Fairy Mae that made it seem like she knew a big secret that the audience was not privy to. Knowing Elisabeth personally, I would say kudos to Roe for casting her in a role that seems to be tailor-made for her.

The rest of the patients of the cloisters are beautifully rounded out by Ben Singer as the calm Jeff , Monty as the playful Hannibal, Meg Dobbs as the almost completely silent artist Mrs. Paddy, and Theresa Meeks-Mosley as the tragically delusional Florence. Each actor is able to maintain their own unique performance while simultaneously adding dimension to the strong dynamic of the ensemble. Particularly apt is Singer’s portrayal of the young Jeff, a man who has come home from battle to find he has a “scar” on his face, and who has lost his passion for playing the piano. He finds himself in The Cloisters after returning home, and whose scar is in reality an emotional scar left after being the only survivor of his unit. Singer’s portrayal is simple yet evocative, a perfect fit.

Special consideration goes to Roxy Running and Mark Nidey, the nurse and doctor of The Cloisters, respectively. The two “sane” characters provide compassion and a sense of neutrality for the hijinks occurring around them. Running’s portrayal of Miss Willie was particularly capable as the understanding nurse who may have other reasons for staying at The Cloisters, and Nidey’s portrayal of the Dr. Emmett made him incredibly likable from the on-set. The audience could feel that the doctor was rooting for Ethel just as much as we were.

The most important message to take away from this show is that family doesn’t have to be the family you’re born with; it can also be the family you choose. Ethel discovers that the hurtful family she has been thrown into is perhaps not the family she is mean to endure. The Cloisters may be where her true family is, as seen by their unconditional love and acceptance of their new friend. That’s how this reviewer feels. That she was thrown into a crazy world without any expectations, and found that the heartwarming, and hilarious story was something she could relate to whole-heartedly. Bravo cast and crew of The Curious Savage, and bravo Dreamwell Theatre, on yet another beautiful piece of art!

Summerland is riveting and thought provoking

2011-11-13T22:36:00.000-06:00

by Matthew Falduto

Cedar Rapids - Saturday afternoon I experienced two very good shows at the TCR Underground Festival. The first, The End of the Affair, was a simple and funny show about two co-workers who negotiate having an affair.

The play starts just as Hank (Chad Sundermeyer) rejects a kiss by Shelly (Emily Nelson). We learn quickly that both are married. The dialogue is witty and well delivered by both Nelson and Sundermeyer. The staging was well done by director Jay Burken. Though I was sitting in the main section, it seemed to me that the audience sitting on the sides were able to enter into the story as well.

The End of the Affair was like many of the shows I've seen at the festival. A decent show, well executed. However yesterday afternoon, I saw a show that went way beyond what one would expect from a new play by a playwright who hadn't written a play since he was in college fourteen years ago. Rob Merritt's The Summerland Project is a play that needs a bigger stage, one beyond the borders of Iowa.

Set in the future, The Summerland Project tells the story of Carter (Matthew James) and Amelia (Katy Slaven), two newlyweds
whose lives are changed forever when an aneurysm causes Amelia to suffer locked in syndrome, a condition in which a patient is aware and awake but cannot move or communicate due to complete paralysis. There is no hope for Amelia, and only anguish for Carter, who suffers a vigil at her bedside for two years. Enter Paul Wesley (Nathan Nelson), the president of a corporation whose science division has created a way to copy a person's brain and put it into a simulated body, which is so lifelike one cannot tell that it is synthetic just by sight. Carter is uncertain, but in desperation goes along with the plan.

What follows is a story that is fascinating, riveting and thought-provoking. Who are we? What makes us human? Our memories? Our emotions? Our bodies? Some combination of all three? The genius of Merritt's play is that he offers no definitive answers, allowing the audience to leave the theatre asking these questions.

Merritt's script is well executed by the cast. James turns in a particularly heart breaking performance. He moves from desperate to haunted to resolved, perfectly depicting the character's arc at every moment. Slaven is also excellent. She captures the android character wonderfully in the early scenes and gives an absolutely devastating performance when she pleads with Carter to believe in her love for him.

One of the scientists, Dr. Ellen Beckett (why does she get a last name, Rob, when poor Max is just Max?), is played by Joy Mincy Powell, a commanding presence on stage. Ellen is also dealing with her own demons, and Powell ably shows us that her pursuit of the perfect android is a way to wrestle with those demons.

Another secondary character was Adah (Clare Duffy), a reporter who moves the action forward and gives us the exposition we need to know. Duffy, a local radio personality, does a fine job in this role. Philip Schramp portrays Senator Williams, a character I expected to despise, as he initially comes across as a right wing religious nut. However, Schramp does such an excellent job of selling his point of view that I found myself understanding, if not agreeing with, his perspective.

A play with this sort of gravitas needs humor as well, and the character of Max
(Isaac Helgens), the other scientist, brings it. Helgens knows how to deliver a witty line. However, Merritt doesn't allow the character to become a punchline. Instead, he allows Max's depth to show through at the end of play, extending the questions the audience is wrestling with. Helgens handles this more serious scene well.

A day later, I am still considering the questions Summerland raises. What choice would I have made if I were in Carter's place? Should we be allowed to cheat death? Are the memories what makes us who we are? This play sticks with you. It was a powerful show, well executed by talented actors. Let's hope Merritt can find another venue for this play so more people have a chance to experience it.

Finally, I have to say congratulations to Theatre Cedar Rapids for a successful new play festival. I was never disappointed and enjoyed every show on some level. I sincerely hope this is an annual event for many years to come.

Touching and witty plays end TCR Underground Festival

2011-11-13T11:34:00.010-06:00

by Matthew Falduto

Cedar Rapids - The TCR Underground Festival comes to a close today with the full length Escape from the Underground by Erica Jo Hoye and 10 minute Symmetry by Mike Wilhelm. Both are strong shows and an excellent way to end this festival.

Symmetry is simple and wonderfully affecting. Wilhelm's script chronicles the relationship of a mother (Donna Heyvaert) and son (Christopher Cole), from pregnancy to the mother's death. The staging couldn't be more simple. Mother and son sit on chairs on opposite sides of the stage. What follows are many short scenes that take us through the lives of these two characters. There are no plot surprises, but commitment to character carries us through this touching story.

Heyvaert is wonderful as the mother, who has a tradition that she shares with her son of wishing on a penny every year. This clever device takes us from the 50s to modern day. Heyvaert clearly shows us every facet of being a parent - fear, pride, frustration and above all, the love that permeates every moment. Cole easily navigates all ages of the son, from baby to toddler to teen. As the adult son, he takes us into the helplessness of a child who witnesses his parent regress into a child-like state. It is a moving performance.

TCR, this show deserves a revival on Mother's Day. Bring it back for a one day only event. It's sweet and simple and true. I was not the only one wiping a tear away at the end.

The second show of the evening, Escape from the Underworld, was full of twists and turns, creating an engaging story filled with clever wit. Jocelyn (Bailey Steinke) died in a drunk driving related car wreck at age 17 and was sent to the Underworld where she meets Persephone (Ottavia De Luca), who rules there with her never seen husband Hades. (Apparently, there is no
Heaven and Hell - Greek mythology turns out to be the truth.) Seven or so years later, Jocelyn's sister Abby (April Kamp-Whittake) dies and arrives in the Underworld. Jocelyn is not thrilled to see her as her sister has married the boy she loved. What follows is a complicated story regarding the rules of the Underworld and how one may escape.

The actors are all excellent, particularly De Luca as the majestic Persephone and Steinke as the perpetual teenager Jocelyn. De Luca strides across the stage, every movement evoking a queen. Her voice transforms from charming to commanding in an instant. Steinke presents a teenage smirk and attitude consistently and in this she is assisted by a clever script filled with witty barbs, which she delivers like swift arrows from the bow of Apollo.

If there is any criticism to be leveled at this show, it's perhaps that the story is a little too complicated, filled with underdeveloped motivations by the principal characters. Lee (Alex Williams), for instance, is a dead teenager from the 70s who has been waiting for Jocelyn's sister to arrive so he can set the plot in motion. His reason for doing this is clear, until it isn't when there's a suggestion of a second reason that is never developed and almost feels a little tacked on to add a little romance to a script that doesn't need it. One is also not quite sure why Persephone is so against the escape or whether or not Abby wants to help with the escape or not. Some clarity behind character motivation would make this a stronger script.

Still, I strongly recommend you check out both of these shows today, if you happen to read this before 2:30 pm when the curtain will rise. Check back later for a review of the final two plays of the TCR Underground Festival - The Summerland Project and The End of an Affair.

A Southern Exposure is a witty, serious show

2011-11-12T17:29:00.005-06:00

by Meghan D'Souza

Amana - Remember The Golden Girls? Blanche's southern accent, the ladies bonding around the kitchen table, explosive fights and great shows of affection. Iowa Theatre Artists' production of A Southern Exposure reminded me of my favorite parts of The Golden Girls, only more somber. It is a serious play with witty lines in the right places. Three elderly sisters face the difficulties of aging together while one in particular, Hattie (Cherryl Moon Thomason), focuses most of her energy on her 24-year-old granddaughter Callie Belle (Kimberly Braun). She raised her since she was a toddler and the two have a strong bond that the actresses convey believably right from the beginning. Even their arguments expose an element of underlying love and they behave with similar mannerisms, they way close relatives tend to do.

These actresses along with Meg Merkens and Marty Norton as Hattie's sisters made this an all-star cast. Merkens is able to mold herself into any role, from Cher to this small-town Kentucky-raised elderly lady. This was my first time witnessing Norton's talent and I'm glad I had the honor. Her character, Mattie, is struggling with the beginnings of dementia and Norton's soft voice and innocent face provided a heart-wrenching performance while providing laughs in an appropriate manner, as well. As a woman in my 20s, I found Braun's character incredibly relatable, as she makes decisions against her grandmother's judgment.

Director Michael Petkewec made great decisions which really bring the audience into the play, regarding the set, blocking and lighting. As soon as the audience looked at the set, if they did not have any background on the play, it was obvious that it took place in an older woman's home. The kitchen took up a bulk of the set, with a real refrigerator that was filled with items. Running beside the fridge was a mustard-colored counter with a sink, coffee maker with liquid in it, decorate tins and towels and a cookie jar. The columns arrange to give an idea of walls were painted a mustard color and lined with floral wallpaper. That, combined with the furniture simply felt like many grandmother's homes that I've visited. On a platform to the right of the stage was Hattie's bedroom, again decorated the way you'd expect a simple older lady's room to be decorated, with a quilt on the bed, mismatched pillows, and wooden furniture. Set inconspicuously in black above the kitchen was a small room of a New York City apartment. This was cleverly used and unnoticed when the rest of the set was in use.

The lighting was used to either to highlight characters separately when they were intended to be in different cities, highlight one room so the audience focused on the current setting, or was dimmed to enhance the doleful mood. The costumes were wisely used and changed often to give the audience a sense of passing time. Also exhibiting a sense of a change of seasons, the set changed only slightly, with decorations hung during character interactions.

Because the set and lighting worked so well, it invited the audience into the story, allowing us to become emotionally involved with the characters. Watching Hattie and Callie Belle made me miss my mother who only lives an hour away. Their strong relationship echoes our own. Watching Mattie made my heart ache for my grandmother, who exhibits the same problems that Norton so perfectly displayed.

Go to the play with someone you love, be prepared to laugh, but bring tissues. Everyone around me was crying at some point in the play, but left with warm thoughts about family and unconditional love.

The laughs continue at TCR's Underground Festival

2011-11-11T08:08:00.011-06:00

by Matthew Falduto

Cedar Rapids - I am definitely enjoying the TCR Underground Festival. Last week, I experienced two really funny plays and last night was no different. The laughs came quickly in the first show of the night, Nirvana, written by Lin Kemp. Playing an innocent simply called The Man, Al Willett offers an earnest performance, which is the only way to play a character who views the world through binoculars and acts silly. Janet Haar, who played his wife and was also extremely funny in last week's Truth or Consequences, matched Willett's earnest performance, showing a fine chemistry.

The show is satirical look at our government and the lengths to which it is beholden to Big Money/Big Lobbying/Big Religion (played by Duane Larson who throws plenty of money around, but never quite got it as far the third row where I was sitting) and Big Oil/Big Pharma (played by Larry Hansen of the enviable handlebar mustache). When The Man discovers that the president is being kept alive by these special interests, he is visited by Emissary (played by Brian Smith, who was clearly enjoying every evil moment of the character). As a way to keep The Man quiet, Emissary offers him the position of president. Can The Man say no? Probably not as Emissary tells us he has a PhD in tempting and a Master's in goading.

There's lot of potential in this show (for example casting The Public as an annoying child [nicely played by Max Locher] certainly sticks it to us), but I think it ends too soon. I would have liked to see more of how the special interests affected our government. There's plenty of humor there as well. The fate of The Man is effective as a final message on what's happening with our government, but I would encourage Kemp to expand the interaction between the special interests and The Man before the inevitable ending.

I am well acquainted with the second play of the evening, Broken Branches. Playwright Brian Tanner is also a member of the Black Doggers, and I had the privilege of offering feedback as Tanner was working on the show.

The show tackles a couple of different issues. The main story follows the desire of recently fired and lonely Ben (K Michael Moore) to find a real relationship. This is moved forward by his well meaning dingbat of a friend Fred (Bryant Duffy) who signs him up for a whole host of internet dating sites. However, Ben's information is also sent to non-dating sites as well, including a genealogy site where he is found by Alice (Kimberly Meyer), who believes he is her long lost cousin. Ben accepts Alice's friend request on Facebook thinking she's into him. The secondary story is all about the attempts by Ben and Fred's roommate Quentin (played with a delightfully manic energy by Brandon Dean) to change history using the time machine he has created. Of course, neither Ben nor Fred believe Quentin has created a time machine, particularly since he uses such household items as a lighter, toilet paper, and VHS tapes for his wacky experiments. One doesn't often see time travel tackled on stage, and Tanner delivers a clever and intriguing script on the subject.

Both of these story lines provide for a lot of great humor. One would not expect a riff on Fred Savage as a genocidal lunatic would be funny. But it is. Oh, it is. And the Nazi humor is both gutsy and funny. Probably the best scene in the entire piece are the two simultaneous instant message conversations Ben juggles. One is with Alice and the other is with Alice's cousin, Cassie (played with sass by Ashley Keenan). Excellent direction by Zhen Rammelsburg and execution by K Michael Moore make it clear where each IM is going. Plus, Moore's interpretation of the lines in this scene is particularly good as he gives us a very clear picture of the well meaning, sweet everyman that is the character of Ben. It is the one time in the play when the static staging really works well.

This leads me to my one major criticism of all four shows I've seen at the festival so far - the staging. The Grandon Studio is both a rewarding and challenging space for directors as the audience is situated on three sides of the stage. As you may know, this is called a thrust stage and has been used for literally thousands of years. It's rewarding because it allows for a wonderfully intimate theatre experience. However, I believe every other theatre in our area has a proscenium stage, with the audience situated directly in front of the stage, not on the sides. (Correct me in the comments if you think of one that's not proscenium...) Even the Iowa City Community Theatre has now reverted back to the proscenium set up. So we're not used to seeing a thrust stage performance, and perhaps our local directors are not used to creating a show in one.

For the two shows last week, I was seated in the main section and while I suspected those in the side sections were not seeing nearly the same show I was, I could not be sure. After sitting on one of the side sections for last night's show, I am certain I did not get as complete an experience as those in the main section. With the audience on three sides, there are going to be times when actors block one another from one section of the audience or another. This can be worked around by moving actors more frequently, creating a more dynamic performance as well as allowing all sides to view scenes. To that end, a spare stage with few set pieces is essential, particularly if the stage is small, as is the case with Grandon. This allows for movement and ensures that set pieces do not block the audience. Finally placement of the actors in key scenes is crucial. If we cannot see the actor who is speaking, at least give us the reactions of another actor whenever possible so we can feel the impact of the speech.

With Nirvana, director Justin Braden did a good job of moving the actors about the stage and allowing us to see reactions of the non-speaking actors. Keeping the set simple helped as well. Still, there were many times when a simple shift of position by an actor on stage would have opened him or her up to more of the audience.

For Broken Branches, much of the staging was more problematic. Too many large set pieces limited movement by the actors, leading to a very static staging. This resulted in those on the sides missing some of the action. One crucial scene was played entirely at a table stage right - those of us on the stage left side could not see either actor's facial reactions.

The next Grandon Studio show is Gross Indecency: The Three Trials of Oscar Wilde in February. This is a show with a large cast and potentially static staging (it takes place in a courtroom). It will be interesting to see how director Jason Alberty tackles that show in this space. And word on the street is there will be Oscar Wilde action figures available for purchase. So yeah, don't miss that one.

But of course, you don't have to wait til February to see another show in the Grandon Studio. While Broken Branches and Nirvana have now ended, the festival continues tonight, Saturday and Sunday with new shows. I strongly encourage you to check it out. I will be there on Saturday to experience four shows in eight hours and I just can't wait!

Family Friendly Event at the Englert November 13th

2011-11-11T07:34:00.001-06:00

Iowa City - The Englert Theatre is excited to present a family friendly concert with Arthur Lee Land on Sunday, November 13 at 4pm.

Treat the family to a kid friendly show benefiting the Englert Theatre! Arthur Lee Land is a dynamic performer, whose obsession with cutting-edge technology and years of one-man shows have allowed him to perfect The Art of Live-Looping. Arthur is a global expert in this 21st-century live performance art-form, dropping jaws across the country. Watch as he lays down the beat, layers on strings, and sings complex, grooving harmonies all by himself. Kids and their adults will be equally amazed.

This Intimate show will take place with both Arthur and attendees on the stage, with seating on the floor. Dancing and movement is encouraged, and bring a picnic blanket if you like!

This event is a fundraiser for the Englert Theatre and will include a raffle for items from area businesses including gift certificates from Kidsworks, Revival, The Iowa Children’s Museum and a grand prize from West Music.

Ticket Information:
$8 General Admission
$5 Youth (17 & Under)

Packages:
$20 Family Pack (2 Adults & up to 3 Youth)
$10 Parent Pack (1 Adult & 1 Youth)
Packages are available at the Box Office or calling 319-688-2653.

Best Christmas Pageant Ever this weekend only

2011-11-08T10:34:00.005-06:00

Iowa City - The Young Footliters opens up the holiday season with a production of The Best Christmas Pageant Ever, based on the book by Barbara Robinson. The show runs at the Iowa City Community Theatre, located at the Johnson County Fairgrounds, Friday and Saturday, November 11 and 12 at 7:00 pm and Sunday, November 13 at 2:00 pm.

Grace Bradley is called in to direct the community church's production of the Christmas play. Unfortunately, this is the year the Herdman children-the dirtiest, most feared neighborhood kids-decide to bully themselves into the lead roles. Of course, the town believes the play is hopelessly lost, but this is Christmas Eve and miracles do happen. Kids find meaning in the Bible's tale and the Herdmans certainly bring a fresh take on the age-old story. When the curtain finally goes up, a miracle begins and it all turns into...The Best Christmas Pageant Ever.

If you've never seen this classic story, you should definitely bring the whole family for a reminder of the true meaning of the holidays! Tickets available at the door.

ITAC offers Iowa premiere of A Southern Exposure

2011-11-07T11:52:00.004-06:00

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.

Curious Savage opens Friday

2011-11-07T11:14:00.000-06:00

Iowa City — Dreamwell Theatre's second show in their "Here I Stand" season is John Patrick's The Curious Savage, which opens Friday, November 11.

The Curious Savage is about a recently widowed woman, Ethel Savage, whose step children don’t want her to use her inheritance for good works, so they commit her to an institution. Ethel becomes close to the unique individuals in the institution, who might just be more sane than her own step children. The Curious Savage, which Dreamwell has updated to current times, is a comedy with a lovely message about the human spirit and choosing one’s identity. It is directed by Iowa City theatre veteran Gerry Roe.

Dreamwell founder Matthew Falduto says, "Curious Savage resonates today just as strongly as it did when it was first produced. We all know that person who is a little odd, a little eccentric and despite the pressures to conform, stands up and says "This is who I am. Accept me." And we love them for it."

The theme "Here I Stand" is taken from the quote "Here I stand, I can do no other." by Martin Luther. Each of the season’s offerings features characters who choose to be who they are, despite the consequences. This season Dreamwell celebrate the strength of character we can all achieve.

The show runs November 11, 12, 18, 19 at 7:30 p.m. at the Unitarian Universalist Society, 10 S. Gilbert St. Iowa City. $13 general admission, $10 senior/student. There will be a discount for veterans on Nov. 11 and 12. Call 319-541-0140 or go here for reservations.

Cast:
Fairy Mae – Elisabeth Ross
Jeff – Ben Singer
Hannibal – Monty
Mrs. Paddy – Meg Dobbs
Florence – Theresa Meeks-Mosley
Miss Willie – Roxy Running
Dr. Emmett – Mark Nidey
Lily Belle – Traci Gardner
Titus – John Crosheck
Samuel – Steve Polchert
Ethel – Linda Merritt

Mark Hunter has died

2011-11-07T10:36:00.005-06:00

Iowa City - A valued member of the Corridor theatre community, Mark Hunter, passed away yesterday at his home in Iowa City.

Readers of this blog perhaps know Mark best from his work as a longtime artistic associate at Riverside Theatre in Iowa City, where his directing credits included How I Learned to Drive, Accidental Death of an Anarchist, Wit, Proof, and The Goat. For the Riverside Theatre Shakespeare Festival, he has directed productions of Twelfth Night, As You Like It, Romeo and Juliet, Macbeth, and The Imaginary Invalid.

Mark was a theatre professor at Cornell College in Mount Vernon since 2002. He earned a doctoral degree in theatre history and criticism from the University of Texas at Austin. He received an M.F.A. in directing from the University of Iowa, and also holds a law degree from Syracuse University. Before undertaking his Ph.D., he taught as an adjunct professor at both the University of Iowa and at Cornell College. At Cornell, he directed Betty's Summer Vacation, Polaroid Stories, Noises Off, Trust, Book of Days, Big Love, Prosperity, and Marat/Sade.

A director with over 70 professional productions to his credit, he was also the founder and for nine years the artistic director of Playmakers Theatre in Tampa, Florida. His stage adaptation of Lee Smith's award-winning novel Fair and Tender Ladies (re-titled Ivy Rowe on stage) received an Off Broadway production and was presented at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. He also directed the New York premiere of Keith Huff's A Greater Good.

Remembrances for Mark are being posted here.

Telling Iowa City opens Nov 8

2011-11-05T20:34:00.004-05:00

Telling: Iowa City is a play taken directly from the stories of Iowa City veterans, and performed by the veterans themselves. It is an opportunity for Iowa City veterans and their families to tell their stories to their community about their experiences in the military. Hosted by the University of Iowa Veterans Association, The Telling Project and Working Group Theatre will work with the Iowa City veteran community to create and stage this unique performance.

The Telling Project was Founded in Eugene, Oregon by Jonathan Wei, The Telling Project has been produced in Eugene and Portland, OR, Sacramento, CA, Starkville, MS, Washington, DC, Seattle, WA and Baltimore, MD. The Telling Project has been featured on NPR, The Oregonian, Defense News Online, in the Iowa Review and on MTV. Working Group's writers and directors will collaborate with The Telling Project for the first Midwestern production of the play.

Telling: Iowa City is made up of an amazing company of actor-vets. All branches of the military are represented in our troupe. The veterans’ service to our country spans over half a century, from the streets of Baghdad to the jungles of Indochina. To meet the actors, go here.

The show will have two runs. The first is November 8-10 at 7:30 pm in Theatre B at the University of Iowa Theatre Building. Tickets are free. To reserve, email info@workinggrouptheatre.org. The show will also be presented at Riverside Theatre December 2-4 at 7:30 pm. Tickets are $12-$15. To Reserve, call 319-338-7672.

Writers Skirmish Deadline Extended

2011-11-04T15:54:00.004-05:00

Iowa City - Dreamwell Theatre has decided to extend this "Writers Skirmish" playwriting competition deadline to December 15. Interested playwrights who email their play to joust@dreamwell.com have a chance to win $100.

This contest is for Iowa playwrights. Unlike last year’s "Writers Joust," which called for full length shows, this time Dreamwell is looking for one act plays. Shows should be connected to our season, "Here I Stand," a program of plays about taking a stand for one’s identity, despite the consequences.

Last year’s "Writers Joust" winning play, Tom Deiker’s Innocence, was produced to much acclaim.

Winner receives a $100 cash prize and a full production of his or her play July 13 – 21, 2012. Runners up will also receive full productions of their plays at that time.

Rules/Guidelines

-Writers must currently live in Iowa or have a strong connection to the state.

-Keep the set and production value simple.

-Play run times should be a minimum of 30 minutes and maximum of 60 minutes.

-Play cannot have been performed (except for readings) or published.

-Manuscripts should be 12 font, double spaced, 1 inch margins.

-Include a cover sheet with: Name, email, phone, title of play, brief statement of how your play fits the season theme, and a character breakdown.

-Do not include your name on the script itself – only on the cover sheet. They judge scripts anonymously.

-Email submissions to joust@dreamwell.com or mail to Dreamwell Theatre, Writers Skirmish, PO Box 2903, Iowa City IA 52244.

-Mailed manuscripts will not be returned and must be postmarked December 15 if you're going that route.

Please direct all questions to joust@dreamwell.com.

Lots of laughs in the inaugural night of TCR Underground

2011-11-03T16:55:00.011-05:00

by Matthew Falduto

Cedar Rapids - I am huge fan of the idea of theatres producing local work. There are so many great playwrights in our area. So I am always thrilled when I hear that City Circle is going to do their original works festival or Dreamwell is awarding $100 to the winner of their Writers Joust or Riverside is producing Walking the Wire. Or heck, everything that SPT does.

For the past five years, I've been a part of the Black Doggers, a Corridor playwrighting group that meets every two weeks to discuss their work. Being a part of that group and critiquing and discussing new work with fellow playwrights is one of the most enjoyable theatre experiences I've had in recent years. So I approached my task of reviewing the TCR Underground plays as a Dogger might, examining the plays themselves, perhaps even more so than the acting and directing and the design elements. That's not say I'm not going to critique those elements as well, but in my mind, I am going to be sitting in one of my fellow Doggers' living room, can of Pepsi in hand, listening to the words of the play and ready to give some constructive criticism.

Theatre Cedar Rapids solicited scripts for their Underground festival without any restrictions. Full length, one act, ten minutes, it was all good. And that's what they got. Opening last night were Truth Or Consequences by Ryan Rausch and The Ethical Dilemma of a Sandwich Down The Pants by Kelly Shriver Kolln.

Ten minute play Sandwich precedes the full length Truth or Consequences, and is a lot of fun to watch. The story is pretty simple: a man tries to steal a sandwich by stuffing it down his pants but is caught by the clerk who retrieves the sandwich and puts it back, to the disgust of the rest of the customers in the store. There are lots of humorous moments in the play, and the actors kept the action moving with hilarious silent reactions, especially Jacob Coover and K Michael Moore. Particularly funny were the series of moments when the Lottery Ticket Buyer (Larry Hansen) would spend time scratching off his tickets, while the other customers impatiently waited to check out. Just when we think it's over and he's moving, we hear the scritch, scritch, scritch as he's working his way toward a possible win. I enjoyed the breaking of the fourth wall by a number of characters, in particular Alex Williams and Justin Mangrich as the two students. Both have such an energy on stage, and I can't really explain the utter delight I felt when Mangrich squeaked his marker while writing on a post it note. It was just really funny and honestly I don't know why.

I also have to give kudos to TCR for entrusting the ten minute Sandwich play to 13 year old director Emmy Palmersheim. You might remember her from her excellent performance in Eurydice. It's clear she knows a thing or two about directing as well, as the actors moved quickly and smartly through this piece. Providing a platform for the next generation of theatre artists is important; good job, TCR.

The second play of the evening is set in Truth or Consequences, New Mexico, the town that changed its name to the popular radio show in the 1950s in order to get the show to broadcast from their town, which did once a year for 50 years. The title also refers to the fact that nearly every character in the play has a secret or three. However, in this case, telling the truth leads to consequences.

The show is ostensibly about Charlotte (Darcy Delong) who is bringing her future husband Alex (K Michael Moore) home for dinner with her dysfunctional extended family. Charlotte fits right in with this family as she has lied to Chris about her previous three (or is it four?) marriages. Charlotte's parents, JoAnn and Steve (Mary Crandall and Ashley Wagel), are part of this family dinner, bickering non-stop. Her aunt and uncle, Maggie (Lisa Streif) and Jerry (Keith Kenel), are also present. Jerry continually drinks in order to deal with the crazy family dynamics. Maggie is a stereotypical homophobic Christian Fundamentalist. She's also popping pills constantly. Charlotte's other aunt is Lily (Laurie Thomas), who is clearly not in tune with reality, wearing outrageous clothes and adopting a faux Southern accent. But with a family like this, how can anyone blame her?

Charlotte's grandmother, Rose (Janet Haar), may be the most normal of the bunch, but you get the idea that when she was younger she was most likely as crazy as everyone else in the family. Perhaps that's the point of the play - with age comes wisdom? The final two characters are David (Bryant Duffy), Maggie's gay closeted son, and his boyfriend, Chris (Richard Adams). These two characters are the most sympathetic ones in the entire play. One wonders if the playwright was trying to make a point about homosexual relationships vs. heterosexual relationships. But if so, it got lost among the many different storylines.

The best aspect of this piece is the amount of humor crammed into it. There are funny moments constantly eliciting guffaws from an appreciative audience. However, the humor is often of the shock variety, as in "Did that person just say that?!" We laugh, but we're a little uncomfortable, too. Some of the running gags were really funny, such as the family's belief that Alex is Mexican. Moore smoothly transitioned from confusion to amusement to outrage as the evening progressed, each reaction funnier than the previous. Haar had some of the best lines and she delivered them with gusto. Everyone had at least one or two humorous moments and all were up to the task.

If I were sitting in a Doggers' living room, I'd follow up these positives with some constructive criticism. If this were just a straight up comedy, it could have been an extremely successful show. Play it all for laughs and maybe we wouldn't feel dissatisfied at the end. But there are heavy issues moving through this play that we're supposed to take seriously. And that's where the play is less successful.

Truth is, I am not sure what the play is about and who we're supposed to be rooting for. The most likeable characters, David and Chris, are reactive and consequently don't seem like main characters, never making decisions that lead to any change of their characters. If David chose to out himself, that would be an interesting character moment, but instead we get him being outed by his cousin in a fit of rage, and what's more surprising and disappointing, we never see the consequences for Charlotte of this terrible betrayal. Charlotte appears to be the main character in the beginning of the play, but she's so unlikable with her lies and again, things just happen to her, and we never see her make any decisions or experience any growth of character. We understand completely when Alex leaves her and we wish the storm hadn't prevented him from leaving earlier. (Side note: the storm that forces everyone to stay in the house longer than they would have normally is a bit of a cliché.)

The two sisters, Maggie and JoAnn are constantly cruel to each other, making both of them extremely unlikable characters. And when we hear the family secret from their childhood that explains some of the reasons behind this, it's just left there as an explanation without any sort of follow up. By that point, we just don't care enough about these characters. When Steve stands up to JoAnn and actually does something to deal with the dysfunction in the play, we're thrilled, but we're wondering why didn't see more of Steve prior to this moment? And then we get one more secret from JoAnn that just seems tacked on and unnecessary. She was unlikable enough - what was the point of that?

I think the basic problem with the script is that it tries to do too much. Focus on Steve's actions to get out of the dysfunctional family. Or focus on the contrast between the healthy relationship of David and Chris and the dysfunctional relationships of everyone else. Or really deal with the repercussions of Charlotte's lies. There's so much happening in this play that everything gets the short shrift. This is Ryan Rausch's first attempt at writing a play, and with that in mind, it's actually quite a good effort. Interesting characters, very funny... it just needs more focus. Hopefully, he will continue writing.

I encourage you to check out these two plays, which are running again tonight. Sandwich is delightful and Truth or Consequences is full of laughs. On Saturday, there's a full docket of staged readings and then two more plays on Sunday. Go here for more information about the festival.

Old Creamery brings Pinocchio to CCPA

2011-11-02T10:41:00.006-05:00

Coralville - The Old Creamery Theatre is coming to Coralville... for one show at least. Join The Old Creamery Theatre for Young Audiences for the retelling of the classic story of the puppet who wants to be a real boy, but his lies and his nose keep getting in the way. Pinocchio will be performed at the Coralville Center for the Performing Arts, on Saturday Nov. 5 at 10 a.m.

This beloved Italian story will be brought to life through the classic theatrical tradition of “Commedia dell’Arte.” Using sound effects, masks and lots of humor, the characters in this play will be truly unforgettable.

The cast of Pinocchio consists of John Hill of Rockford, Illinois; Andrew Bosworth of Holly Springs, North Carolina; Laura Ambrose of Minneapolis, Minnesota.; Nicholas Hodge of South Amana; and Kamille Zbanek of Ely. Directed by Sean McCall of Marengo, Pinocchio was adapted from Carlo Collodi ’s classic Italian tale by Johnny Simons.

Tickets for Pinocchio are $10 per person. Reservations are highly recommended. For tickets call the Coralville Center for the Performing Arts at (319) 248- 9370 or reserve online at www.coralvillearts.org

TCR Launches New Play Festival

2011-11-02T06:18:00.001-05:00

Cedar Rapids – As a playwright in Iowa, it’s hard to get a play produced. Theatre Cedar Rapids is looking to make it a little easier.

Beginning this week, TCR will kick off the TCR Underground New Play Festival, performing Nov. 3-13 in TCR’s new Grandon Studio. The two-week festival will showcase 11 original shows, all by Iowa playwrights. The plays range in length from 10 minutes to full-length productions, as well as a full day of staged readings.

“I’m really excited about it,” said TCR Artistic Director Leslie Charipar of Cedar Rapids. “I love the idea that there are playwrights right here in the area or with connections to the area, that could be the next big thing in playwriting, and TCR would have been one of the first to give their script a chance. I’m also excited about giving local playwrights an opportunity to workshop their scripts and see them on their feet and spoken by actors. It’s hard to get a script from on paper to on its feet.”

The 11 scripts chosen for the Festival were narrowed down from more than 30 submissions. There was also a large turnout of actors at auditions, with more than 50 performers vying for a chance to be involved. Those two factors showed that the demand for a New Play Festival is high indeed, Charipar said.

“I had no idea there were so many playwrights in this area, and I was encouraged to know that,” she said. “And it excites me to know that there are actors in the area who are adventurous enough to want to be a part of a new script. It’s a different experience to work on a script that’s original because as an actor, you're part of the actual shaping and developing of that script.”

Shows to be featured in the Festival include a comedy based on the Greek myth of the Underworld; political satire; a romantic comedy that explores the laws of time and space; a play exploring the ethics of prolonging life artificially; and even a comedy about what happens when a thief shoves a sandwich down his pants.

“I think audiences should walk in expecting anything,” Charipar says. “Some of the material is dark, some of it is light, some is dense and requires some work on the part of the audience, some is easy and can wash right over you.

“Attending a Festival like this is really more about being a part of the process,” Charipar added. “Writing a play is really, really hard, and I think the fun of something like this is supporting someone who had the courage to give their scripts over to a group of strangers – and then getting to see that script being born.”

The Festival opens with The Ethical Dilemma of a Sandwich Down The Pants and Truth Or Consequences at 7:30 p.m. Thursday and Friday, November 3 and 4. Saturday, November 5 features a full day of staged readings, including These Days, Failing Evolution and The Almighty Dollar.

The one-act plays Nirvana and Broken Branches will be performed back-to-back on both Sunday, November 6 and Thursday, November 10. The End of the Affair will be performed alongside the full-length play The Summerland Project November 11 and 12. The Festival then concludes with Symmetry and the full-length Escape From The Underworld November 12 and 13.

For tickets, schedules and cast lists, visit TCR's website. Tickets are $15 and $12.50 ($10 for students) and are available at the box office, by calling (319) 366-8591 or by purchasing online. Be aware that seating is limited, and that advance tickets are strongly encouraged.

Shows in the Festival include:

The Almighty Dollar by David Patterson (full-length staged reading)

A dark comedy about the crash of the American dollar. Two roommates decide to become opportunists during the crisis and learn much about themselves and the American way of life.

Failing Evolution by Sarah M. Jarmon (full-length staged reading)

Rich, pretty Fiona is a little afraid of Shaun, the hard-edged teenager she was hired to tutor. But the girls soon find they have more in common than they could have imagined. And Shaun needs help with a lot more than her homework.

These Days by Erica Jo Hoye (full-length staged reading)

Kelly is the student and Nathan is the professor. These Days looks at how that difference in power and age can affect a relationship and those in and around it.

The Ethical Dilemma of a Sandwich Down the Pants by Kelly Shriver Kolln (10 minute play)

At a convenience store, an exhausted Teaching Assistant witnesses a man attempting to steal a sandwich by hiding it in his shorts. The cashier recovers it, then throws it back into the cooler. An ethical dilemma ensues.

Symetry by Mike Wilhelm (10-minute play)

In seventeen short scenes, a mother’s role evolves from caretaker, to independent adult, to helplessness, to death. This mirrors her son’s evolution from unborn, to helplessness, to independent adult, to caretaker.

Broken Branches by Brian Tanner (one-act play)

A romantic comedy – with a splash of science fiction – that explores a larger question. Are we free to make the choices that we make, or are other forces pulling the strings?

The End of the Affair by James Grob (one-act play)

Shelly believes that Hank wants to have an affair with her. When the two co-workers find themselves alone on a business trip, a spirited discussion about forbidden inter-office romance follows.

Nirvana by Lin Kemp (one-act play)

In a deceitful move to quiet a man who’s uncovered their secrets, the government offers him the Presidency itself – but is told that he must first pass “The Test.” Can he pass? And what will happen if he does?

Escape from the Underworld by Erica Jo Hoye (full-length play)

Jocelyn came to the Underworld eight years ago and hasn’t had it too bad – until her annoying younger sister arrives, a hippie befriends her, and she’s in trouble with the rulers of the Underworld.

The Summerland Project by Rob Merritt (full-length play)

Desperate to save his dying wife, Carter Summerland signs her over to a revolutionary procedure that replaces her entire body. But is the result really his wife? Or is she something else entirely?

Truth or Consequences by Ryan Rausch (full-length play)

On the eve of Charlotte’s marriage to her fourth husband, a storm confines this unconventional family for the night. The secrets exposed will force this New Mexican clan to question their morals, beliefs, and allegiances to each other.

Walking the Wire selections announced

2011-11-01T16:16:00.003-05:00

Iowa City - Riverside Theatre announced the playwright selections for Walking the Wire, their annual evening of original monologues centered around a specific theme. Walking the Wire: This Will Never Work will be performed at Riverside Theatre March 2-11, 2012.

“Double Barrel” – Brent Boyd, North Hollywood, CA

“Bert, One Year Later” – Dave Carley, Toronto, Ontario

“Third” – Ron Clark, Iowa City, IA

“Nicole” – Mark Harvey Levine, Pasadena, CA

“The Cowboy” – Deborah Magid, Cleveland Heights, OH

“Shakytown” – Gordon Mennenga, Iowa City, IA

“In Hank’s Brain” – Mike Moran, Mt. Vernon, IA

“Lost in the Flood” – Amanda Petefish-Schrag, Maryville, MO

“Toots” – Gwendolyn Rice, Madison, WI

“A Pigeon in a Dress” – Janet Schlapkohl, Iowa City, IA

“Mia” – Jen Silverman, Astoria, NY

“Inner Child” – Amy White, Mt. Vernon, IA

Kitchen Witches Charms the Audience

2011-11-01T08:26:00.006-05:00

by Andrew Juhl

Amana - The Kitchen Witches revolves around Dolly Biddle and Isabelle Lomax, rival cable-access cooking show hostesses who’ve hated each other for over 30 years, ever since Larry Biddle dated Isabelle... but married Dolly. After an unpleasant confrontation puts them together in front of a live audience, however, the network decides to give them their own combined cooking show called “The Kitchen Witches.” Dolly's long-suffering TV producer and son, Stephen Biddle, does everything he can to keep the dueling twosome on track, but it proves to be an exercise in futility as the Dolly and Isabelle continue to whip up more insults (and ratings) than they do recipes.

Caroline Smith’s The Kitchen Witches is also a bit frustrating. The winner of the 2005 Samuel French Canadian Play Contest, the play itself has an interesting premise that doesn’t always live up to its promise—but nevertheless keeps the audience aroused and engaged throughout.

As expected, Meg Merckens, a co-founder of the Iowa Theatre Artists Company, turns in yet another stellar performance, this time as Isabelle. The weightier role of the two female leads, Merckens does great character work in this play, adding slight and subtle flourishes that round-out what, in the hands of a less-experienced actress, could easily be a two-dimensional role.

Accomplished vocalist Lynne Rothrock is enjoyable as Dolly. I wasn’t so sure I would be able to tolerate Dolly’s alter ego “Babcha” for an entire play, but thankfully her moose-and-squirrel Russian accent goes the way of the dodo very early. Rothrock’s unhurried, stentorian delivery betrays her obvious comfortableness on the stage, and her voluptuous figure visually offsets Merckens’ Isabelle, allowing for the exchange of some truly great invectives.

In the third of the three major roles, Eddie Skaggs performs serviceably as Stephen Biddle. Despite the plot, on which Stephen’s character is integral, the actual role is underwritten compared to the two females, and therefore not nearly as memorable. Had Skaggs overplayed it, it would have been annoying. As-is, he plays it mostly straight; a good personal and directorial choice, and the play was much better for it.

Despite the award-winning script, however, there are some basic problems with the actual play that I’m not entirely sure could have been overcome by the actresses. There some truly great jibes, as well as the inevitable food fight, but the combined physical and written comedy never pulls the play above the plains of forced laughter and into realm of genuine, organic comedy. Additionally and unfortunately, I easily recognized that more than a soupcon of the jokes in this play—culinary or otherwise—were entirely unoriginal. One particularly grating offense came in the form of a dozens-style “yo-mamma” joke that wasn’t even novel when I first heard Jamie Foxx tell it on In Living Color during the early 90s.

Overall though, I would highly endorse viewing this production. Director Thomas P. Johnson and his company do a fantastic job of incorporating and charming the audience, and the ITAC venue is, as ever, a cozy and intimate theatre. The show continues through November 6th.

Local Theatre With A Twist

2011-11-01T08:20:00.004-05:00

by Sarah Jarmon

Cedar Rapids - SPT Theatre Company never fails to put on a good show. But Friday night, within the slick, yet familiar interior of the newly renovated CSPS building, they blew me away, and I was not the only one. Tales from the Writer's Room is a singular experience in this town. A sketch show feel spliced with powerhouse vocal performances and a comfortable lack of barriers between the audience and the performers makes this somewhat expensive ticket well worth the admission price.

Mary Sullivan along with this installment's special guest, Scott Humeston, opened the show with a bitingly funny bit about the farmer and his wife from Grant Wood's American Gothic playing twister according to the direction of a disembodied voice from the beyond.

Twister was the theme for the evening and it was weaved through every piece. It was also showcased by the dangling twister board hanging above the stage, though I'm not sure I liked this touch. The white plastic board, even when it wasn't lit, drew your eyes, and was slightly distracting during some of the more serious pieces.

But serious, certainly did not dominate the evening. One of the things I appreciate most about Tales from the Writers Room is the seemingly effortless ability that the writers have to hit every possible genre without any of the pieces feeling forced or out of left field. The exuberant hilarity of "Straight Up with a Twist," a game show/reality TV series piece, poked fun at local regions as effectively as the hypnotizing and sweetly flawless monologue, "Endings," drew you into the world of a woman at the end of her marriage. And every piece slid into the next with a liquid grace, tied in perfectly by every apt song choice superbly executed by the band.

And if you've never been to an SPT show, even if you HATE theatre, come for the band. Filling the space and setting people dancing, literally dancing in their chairs, is an all star concoction of musical genius. Whether it was a keyboard solo from the inspiring Gerard Estella, or a magical riff flowing forth from the fingers of Ron DeWitte on Guitar, every song the band hit was a testament to their unbelievable skill. Add in the nearly discordant but somehow delicious and haunting vocals of Janelle Lauer, Jane Pini, and Doug Elliot and you have a powerful combination of rock and soul. The band also helped showcase the original song, "Twister" and the the melodious and surprisingly delightful singing voice of SPT company member, Jason Alberty, in the song "Giant-Sized Butterflies."

This is not to say that the show was perfect. There were a spattering of lighting issues that left some people in the dark a bit longer than they should have been. Gerard accidentally knocked a set piece askew during a transition. But those few slight missteps just brought you closer to the performers, making you feel like you were a part of the show. And the company clearly wanted audience participation, encouraging dancing and clapping, and cracking up during a few particularly funny skits. It felt natural and inclusive.

And the actors were so much fun to watch. It felt like a gift to just be able to sit there and watch them play together. Alberty and Humeston played particularly well together, whether they were doddering old men, looking forward to dressing up in the perfect costume to snare a saucy biddy on Halloween this year, or pantomiming mixing a drink of epic proportions on an eastern Iowa game show. Akwi Nji and Mary Sullivan were adorable and generous onstage too, complimenting the high-octane effervescence offered by Adam Witte, Humeston, and Alberty well.

The energy ebbed and flowed, even after the 20 minute intermission. I will say that as the show started late, I did begin to feel the length of the event by the end. But just when I was reaching for my phone to check the time, the whole feverish wonder came to a magnificent ending. I can't wait till the next show, December 3rd and 4th. I hope you'll meet me there. Even if you can't, tell your friends. And if you haven't seen the new CSPS building, check it out. It's gorgeous.

Experience The Cripple of Inishmaan

2011-10-31T10:40:00.006-05:00

by Matthew Falduto

Iowa City - The Cripple of Inishmaan is a vicious show. The characters are cruel, violence is accepted as a matter of course, and words bite. Fortunately, it's also extremely funny.

This show is a cooperative production between Riverside Theatre and Cornell College. The play is short on plot and long on interesting characters. We follow the story of Cripple Billy (Osean Perez), who objects to the adjective in front of his name, but that dissatisfaction falls on deaf ears. Even his "aunts", two spinster sisters who have raised him, can't stop calling him "Cripple." He longs to escape his little town and uses the arrival of a film crew as a means to that end. While this play seems to be Billy's story, strangely we stay with the colorful characters of Inishmaan instead of deeply delving into Billy's adventure. The secondary characters are fascinating, but this is where the plot seems a little thin. Nevertheless, the play is very enjoyable as we are treated to riveting characters.

Perez is marvelous as Billy, evoking empathy with just a look or simple gesture. He also wonderfully contorts his body and maintains that physical form for the entire show in what appears to be an effortless performance. Perez delivers a truly impressive level of physicality.

As the spinster sisters, Kristy Hartsgrove and Jody Hovland are perfectly hilarious. In the opening scene, as they lament the fact that Billy will never find a wife, their cruel barbs are delivered so matter of factly, we can't help but laugh even as we wince. Hartsgrove is always good at this sort of comedy and Hovland manages to meet her comic thrust for comic thrust.

The sisters' store is the setting for much of the play. Scenographer Christopher Domanski created a wonderful yet simple set for the store, complete with many accoutrements and all of the little details that allow us to believe we are where we're supposed to be.

Tim Budd plays Johnnypateenmike, the town gossip who trades information for food or other items from the sisters' general store. Budd is also funny, though he does have difficulty maintaining the accent. Budd's best scenes are with his alcoholic Mammy, memorably rendered by Corinne Johnson. Brother and sister Helen and Bartley are played by Anna Sewell and Alexander Justin Gonzales respectively. Both play unlikable characters, but Sewell turns in an exceptionally vulnerable performance, allowing the audience to care for her despite her wanton cruelty.

Finally, I cannot complete this review without mentioning the wonderful Celtic music that permeates the play. Local group The Beggarmen's rhythmic tones complete our journey to the Irish island of Innishmaan.

I strongly encourage you to experience this play. Martin McDonagh has established himself as one of the most important playwrights of our day. And as far as McDonagh plays go, The Cripple of Inishmaan is actually not nearly as dark or violent as most. What's more, in the hands of the talented artists at Riverside and Cornell College, this play delivers the laughs.

SPT Finds a New Home at CSPS

2011-10-27T23:39:00.003-05:00

Cedar Rapids - CSPS has reopened in Cedar Rapids, complete with gallery, bar, and some blackbox space downstairs. The renovated space was opened to the public this fall, and it's great to see this cornerstone of cultural life revived. The upstairs performance space will be home to, among others, SPT Theatre, who open their new season on Friday with "Games People Play."

SPT's season "explores life's twists and turns through the lens of popular board games." The first installment, Twister, will feature guest artists Scott Humeston, Ron DeWitte, Greg Kanz and Dave Ollinger. It runs October 28th and 29th at 8pm at CSPS, 1103 3rd St in Cedar Rapids. Tickets are $25 at the door, $20 here.

Ready to Time Warp with City Circle?

2011-10-27T09:02:00.005-05:00

Coralville - Not produced in the south corridor since City Circle produced it in 2001, Richard O’Brien’s The Rocky Horror Show is a perennial Halloween Favorite. An irreverent musical mash up of Science Fiction, Horror and Kitsch features such infectious tunes at “Sweet Transvestite”, “Over at the Frankenstein Place” and “The Time Warp.”

Featuring actors brand new to City Circle and many local favorites (including a generous helping of the Hairspray cast), this production features all the lines, all the songs, brand new choreography and a brand new, concert-like staging. Also, the hair, makeup and costumes are inspired by Lady Gaga and other current pop sensations.

The fun begins one half-hour ahead of curtain time where City Circle will be holding a costume contest in the Coralville Center for the Performing Arts lobby. In a unique move, they will also be auditioning singer/actors to take over the song “Charles Atlas (I Can Make You a Man)” in the production. “We wanted to take audience participation to a higher level and actually have someone come on stage and sing with us,” says director Chris Okiishi. “We will have the sheet music for them and the band and cast are excited to work them in. Come show us what you’ve got!”

Also on sale are prop bags filled with the necessary “Rocky Horror” essentials—confetti, flashlights, playing cards, noisemakers and more. Outside props are not allowed.

There are two performances Friday and Saturday night: 7:30 pm and 10:30 pm. For more information and tickets, go here.

CAST:

Narrator – Walker Williams (Kalona)
Brad – Michael Penick (Iowa City)
Janet – Ramya Hipp (Iowa City)
Magenta – Elizabeth Breed (Iowa City)
Riff Raff — Rod McCrea (Iowa City)
Columbia – Victoria Vaughn (Iowa City)
Frank – Justin Mangrich (Marion)
Eddie/Dr. Scott – Brett Myers (Iowa City)
Rocky – Ryan Forbes Shellady (Iowa City)
Usherette-who-survives/Tap Queen – Jessica Murillo (Iowa City)

Transylvanians:

Danielle Paulsen (Coralville)
Kelly Richeal (Coralville)
Alicia Weidner (Iowa City)
Becca Wright (Coralville)
Joel Collins (Iowa City)
Robert Kemp (Tiffin)
Jacob Ludin (Iowa City)
Wesley Tener (Iowa City)
Michael Wright (Iowa City)

The Transylvanian Trio:

Acaica Williams (Kalona)
Ellen Stevenson (Iowa City)
Barbara Lee (Iowa City)

Cripple of Inishmaan opens Friday

2011-10-27T08:37:00.006-05:00

Iowa City – The Cripple of Inishmaan, a wickedly hilarious Irish comedy by Martin McDonagh, will be performed at Riverside Theatre in Iowa City October 28 through November 13.

Every couple of years, Riverside teams up with Cornell College to produce a show, giving students the opportunity to work with professional actors and designers. The Cripple of Inishmaan is the latest in this long history of collaboration. It is directed by Riverside Theatre Resident Artist and Production Manager Ron Clark.

The Cripple of Inishmaan is set in 1934 on the remote island of Inishmaan, where Cripple Billy dreams of a world away from his adopted aunts, their tiny village store, and their nosy fellow villagers. http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gifWhen he hears that a Hollywood film crew is working nearby, Billy hatches a plot to land a part. What follows is a tale of adventure, loss and redemption.

The cast includes Kristy Hartsgrove as Kate, Osean Perez as Cripple Billy, Anna Sewell as Helen and Tim Budd as Johnnypateenmike.

For more information or for tickets, call the Riverside Theatre Box Office at 319-338-7672 or order online.

Experience a classic in Amana: The Mousetrap

2011-10-24T12:17:00.006-05:00

Old Creamery - The Mousetrap by Agatha Christie is a classic theatre piece. It has run non-stop in London since 1952. Take a moment to marvel at that. No other show of any type - live performance, TV or radio - can boast such longevity on a single medium. However, Old Creamery's version of this classic only runs until November 13 so be sure to catch it before it closes.

Old Creamery's Mousetrap boasts a complex and beautiful set, instantly taking us back to 1950s England. Lovely furniture, lots of knick knacks and a large window with a realistic tree outside allow the audience to slide into the story. There's even a snow effect! Kudos to Tom Milligan, who also plays a character in the show, for the wonderful set.

Director Rachael Lindhart kept the show moving quickly, essential for a suspenseful murder mystery. Real life husband and wife Sean and Jackie McCall play the proprietors of Monkswell Manor, a guest house about to receive its first guests. As we wait for the guests to arrive, we hear about a killer on the loose and the fact that the roads will soon be impassable. It's quite clear what's coming - guests show up, someone is a murderer, and no one can leave.

There was a lot of humor in this show for all that it's a murder mystery. Sean and Jackie McCall have an easy chemistry and both create interesting and real characters from their first moments on stage. Sean McCall is particularly good whenever he is called on to add a bit of silent humor with a gesture or a scowl. James Fleming is fine as the mysterious Major Metcalf and Kay Francis commands the stage as the uptight society woman, Mrs. Boyle.

Less successful was Tom Milligan as Mr. Paravinci, a character who should elicit a lot of laughs. Milligan's one note performance obscured a lot of the humor inherent in the character. I feared two of the younger actors - Laura Ambrose as Miss Casewell and John Hill as Christopher Wren - would also deliver one note performances, but fortunately their characters came alive in the second act. When first introduced both actors went over the top with their character quirks - Casewell's masculinity and Wren's... well, wackiness - which made it difficult to believe these were real people. However, in the second act, when challenged with more serious material, both actors rose to the occasion and demonstrated nuanced performances, allowing us to care about and sympathize with their plights. Hill benefited from a strong scene partner in Jackie McCall for some of the more earnest scenes.

The ending almost always surprises first time audiences, though I did hear one person behind me whisper, "I knew it was..." as the murderer was revealed. (Note to audience members: Shhh!) I encourage you to check out The Mousetrap, a classic show that everyone needs to see at least once.

Murder and Dinner in Lisbon

2011-10-24T12:13:00.003-05:00

Lisbon – Several local celebrities will be volunteering their time as suspects in a Murder Mystery Dinner Theatre event taking place Friday and Saturday, October 28 and 29, at 6 pm, in Heritage Hall of the Lisbon Public Library, 101 E. Main Street, Lisbon.

The event, titled Who Killed John Bardsley? will begin at Heritage Hall and will feature a staged murder and nine suspects. Audiences will be asked to examine the evidence, interview the suspects and make a determination for themselves as to who is responsible for the fictional murder of Lisbon City Council Member John Bardsley.

The fundraiser event, written by Barb Bardsley, Joe Jennison and Amy White, will benefit three local non-profit organizations: The Lisbon History Center, Lisbon Public Library and Southeast Linn Community Center. The committee is planning a progressive dinner with appetizers, dinner and desserts taking place in each of the three organizations’ buildings.

“This event has been a hoot to put together,” says Joe Jennison, Volunteer Chair of the Event. “Audiences should expect lots of fun and surprises as local celebrities, friends and neighbors, each become obsessed with murder. By purchasing a ticket, you not only will get a great meal and a goofy tongue-in-cheek murder mystery, but you will help three very important local non-profits.”

Tickets are $25, and are available at the Lisbon Public Library or Shepley Pharmacy in Mount Vernon. Further information is available through Lisbon Public Library at (319) 455-2800.

Suspects (split over the two nights) include: Slaton Anthony, Gregg Bova, Becky Bunting, Noreen Bush, Megan Dietsch, Ian Dye, Rich Eskelsen, Jake Krob, Diane McAfee, Karen Mills, Mike Moran, Anton Rood, Braden Rood, Nina Scott, Robin Stoker, Darryl Studt, and Shannon Studt.

Last of the Red Hot Lovers a surprising gem

2011-10-23T17:57:00.003-05:00

by Brad Quinn

ICCT - As I took my seat for this show, I noted that the small theater was less than half full, which is disappointing for an opening night performance. Especially for a comedy by a big name playwright such as Neil Simon, despite this being one of his lesser known works. And as I was to discover, the people not filling those vacant seats were missing out.

I hope that more people will take advantage of those empty seats for the coming performances, and perhaps some who might not otherwise go will read this review and head out to the fairgrounds to see it, because this is a good show. Top to bottom.

Before I get to the true heart of the show, let me first take note of a few of the more mundane details. Last of the Red Hot Lovers is about a middle aged restaurateur in the early 1970’s named Barney Cashman, played by veteran actor Josh Sazon, who has decided that he is going to have an affair. It’s not something he’s ever done before, and it’s certainly not something he’s any good at. The play presents three separate scenes, each detailing one of his rather inept attempts at seduction.

The single set, and all of the action, takes place in the living room of Barney’s mother’s New York apartment. This is ably rendered by the set designer and constructor Rich Riggleman (who is also the director, and pulls down quadruple duty by running the sound and light boards as well). The furnishings, color scheme, and bad carpet (which could only have been more vintage by being shag) were perfectly reminiscent of the cheap and gaudy 70’s style. There was also a nice touch rendered by a window complete with blinds and curtains and sunlight streaming through.

That actually was one of my only problems with the lighting design. All of Barney’s assignations took place mid-afternoon, and though they tried to simulate this by the light coming through the blinds, the apartment was nevertheless far too dark in the moments before Barney turned the lights on. Sunlight floods a space with ambient light, but this appeared more to be a room late at night with a pair of headlights shining through the window.

To complete the 70’s retro feel, costume designer Rachael Lindhart did an excellent job in outfitting the cast. The outfits worn by the women were spot on. Barney was outfitted in standard men’s suits, of course, but the first suit was a very dapper blue double breasted number that definitely set a tone for the kind of character Barney was. My only complaint was that, after declaring in the first scene that he always wore a blue suit, he was then seen next in a brown suit and then a checked sport coat.

Of course that is all just window dressing, the real reason to come see this show is the stellar performances given by its cast. Riggleman chose his cast very well, and put the right people into the right roles. The aforementioned Josh Sazon is in perfect form as the gentle nebbish Barney Cashman, a role he fits in both physicality and temperament. Sazon has excellent comic timing and delivery, and if there is any problem with his delivery it’s that he has such precise and clear diction that it’s difficult to believe we’re actually hearing a New Yorker speak.

Paula Grady, another veteran actor, plays the role of Elaine Nevazio, a hard drinking, hard smoking sexpot who is Barney’s first attempted affair. In some ways this is the most difficult role to play in the show because it would be very easy to play it in such a way that would lacks any sympathetic nature at all for her character and indeed become almost a caricature. Grady resists this temptation and navigates these treacherous waters well.

Barney’s second try at extra-marital love involves a young, free spirited wanna-be actress named Bobbi Michele, played by K. Lindsay Eaves. He quickly discovers she is completely cracked, a flighty neurotic with a seemingly infinite capacity for self-deception and a penchant for horrible romantic partners. This is a very funny scene, and Eaves brings plenty of energy and inhabits the character of Bobbi so well as to make one wonder where the character ends and she begins.

This act also contains what I found to be the best directed scene in the show. Riggleman did an excellent job throughout of keeping his actors in the right zone, but I most enjoyed the final few minutes of this act where both characters were stoned and sitting together on the couch. There was almost no movement, but it was very funny.

Last but certainly not least was Carole Martin’s turn as Jeanette Fisher in the final act. Her low key delivery and facial expressions had the audience laughing almost from the moment she stepped on stage. Jeanette is an uptight, depressed woman who has become completely disillusioned with humanity. Martin does a fine job of finding the humor in a humorless woman, and her interplay with Sazon allows both characters to finally reach the peace they’ve both been looking for.

The art of comedy is, in my opinion, the most difficult of all the various shades of theater. Without great skill, it is easy to ruin an otherwise hilarious script, and with great skill one can make even a mediocre script hilarious. I understand that, because of this, going to see an amateur performance is a risky proposition at best, which may explain some of the reason why the theater had so many unfilled seats. Well, I can assure that I would have a difficult time deciding if Last of the Red Hot Lovers is a mediocre script because it was so enjoyable to watch. I hope that tells you something, and I hope that you’ll grace these hard-working actors with your presence, because I do not think you will be disappointed.

The Goatsinger Show Returns with "Getting Dark"

2011-10-19T13:15:00.002-05:00

Mount Vernon - The Goatsinger Show, Mount Vernon's own modern vaudeville show, returns Saturday, Oct. 22, at 7:30 p.m., at the Uptown Theatre in the First Street Community Center, 221 1st Street NE, Mount Vernon. The event features music, sketches, dance, theater, puppetry, and more.

The October Show is titled Getting Dark and features SanDee's Sisters of the Shifting Sands as they dance an exorcism, Josh Woosley putting his own dark spin on some head-shaking music, Sam Butz and Nicci Miles singing through a spooky little tune, a ghost story/performance by Brandon Rowray, a new tale from the Iowa Goatsinger, a poem slammed by Zak Moran, a freshened-up sing-a-long, and Frog.

“This show has been slowly gaining popularity over the past year,” said Goatsinger producer, Mike Moran. “We are always looking for the strange and unique -- whatever playful or fascinating act we can book.”

Admission to The Goatsinger Show is on a pay-what-you-can basis. More information is available through (319)213-0148.

Old Creamery presents Mousetrap

2011-10-19T12:53:00.003-05:00

Amana – A massive snowstorm, a house full of strange guests and an unsolved murder, add up to a night of suspicion and mystery in this classic by Agatha Christie, the undisputed Queen of “who done it.” The Mousetrap opens Thursday, Oct. 20 at 3 p.m. on The Old Creamery Theatre’s Main Stage in Amana and runs through Nov. 13.

Called one of the most skillfully written murder mysteries ever produced, you won’t want to miss The Old Creamery’s production even if you think you know “who done it.”
The cast of The Mousetrap consists of John Hill of Rockford, Il; Sean McCall of Marengo; Kay Francis of Naples, Florida; James Fleming of New York; Laura Ambrose of Minneapolis, Minn.; Jackie McCall of Marengo; Andrew Bosworth of Holly Springs, North Carolina and Tom Milligan of West Amana.

The Mousetrap runs through Nov. 13 and is rated Theatre PG. Tickets are $27 for adults and $17.50 for students. Show times are Wednesday, Thursdays and Sundays at 3 p.m. and Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 p.m. Call the box office at 800-35-AMANA or visit the website for more information or to purchase tickets. Group and student rates are available.

Red-Hot Lovers at ICCT

2011-10-19T12:48:00.004-05:00

by Jen Gerbyshak (originally printed in the ICCT newsletter)

Iowa City - “And the good guy married the beautiful girl, and they all lived happily ever after.”

It’s the payoff we look for in a plethora of stories, and not just fairy tales. Just ask yourself what happened in the last 10 shows you went to see, live or at the movies. Nine times out of ten, it was either a happy ending just like the above, or it was a tear-jerker precisely because the good guy didn’t get the girl (or the girl didn’t get the good guy, depending on your point of view).

But inherent in that cinematic payoff is the idea that everything works out forever and ever after the guy and girl hook up. That after you’ve found your dream-spouse, it’s all easy sailing from there. Anyone who’s ever been in a long-term committed relationship knows better than that, of course. Even after “I do,” there are doubts, fears and conflicts. I know it. You know it.

Neil Simon knew it.

The nagging doubts and unresolved conflict inherent in a decades-long marriage are at the heart of his hilarious play Last of the Red-Hot Lovers. Barney Cashman, the protagonist, has been faithfully married to his high school sweetheart for over 20 years, but times have changed, and Barney wonders if he didn’t miss out on something by not playing around before settling down. His solution? Bring a string of three women to his mother’s empty apartment and have an affair—or at least try to!

Needless to say, things don’t work out quite the way Barney had envisioned, and much hilarity ensues. This is a Neil Simon script, for crying out loud. And ICChttp://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gifT’s knock-out cast promises to deliver the laughs, with Josh Sazon as the neurotic Cashman, Paula Grady as the va-va-voom Elaine, K. Lindsay Eaves as the psychotic actress Bobbi and Carole Martin as the wife-next-door Jeannette. Each of these actors has proven themselves many times over on the stage, in roles ranging from Shakespeare to musical theater. Watching what these four performers bring to Red-Hot’s lovers is certain to be four kinds of crazy fun.

Join ICCT for Last of the Red-Hot Lovers October 21-23 & 28-30 at the Johnson County Fairgrounds Exhibition Hall. Friday and Saturday evening shows start at 7:30; Sunday matinees start at 2:00PM. Take this lesson from Barney, and don’t wait until the experience passes you by!

For tickets and more information, go here.

Leaving Iowa filled with humor and heart

2011-10-15T12:21:00.004-05:00

by Sharon Falduto

Washington - The family road trip is a situation easily mined for a story, for nostalgia, and for humor. Even in the modern era, families still pack the car for trips around the country and forced family bonding.

Leaving Iowa, presented by the Washington Community Theater, is a nice play. Gentle humor, gentle people, and slight self deprecating jabs at Iowa that should make every Iowan smile. We are warned before the play begins that we are not allowed to video tape, take photos, or detassel during the performance.

Don is the main character of the show, the prodigal son who returns home to visit family, and to fulfill a promise to his father. The play is told in a series of flashbacks to the family vacations of their youth; interminable car rides with the sibling squabbles and wrong turns that anyone who has ever taken a road trip will recognize. He is played by affable Steven Lockard, who transitions seamlessly from annoyed older brother to a grown man on an “adventure” and back again. His reactions to his annoying little sister feel true, and his weariness as he completes the task set before him as an older man shows in the slump of his shoulders.

Dad, played in the flashbacks by Brett Pierson, is the center of the story and carries himself energetically and with enthusiasm as he treats his family to Civil War reenactments, historical markers, and other Fascinating Road Trip Wonders. He is a quiet presence on stage when his character is no longer with us, and a bubbly center when he is.

Melody Lockard's Mom character is alternately annoyed, patient, and balancing precariously in between—a mom we can all relate to. Melanie Jeter-Hawkins retains a nice sense of character as she shifts from the role of pesty younger sister to the adult role of irritating younger sister. I didn't quite feel the chemistry I wanted, however, between her and her brother.

The show suffered from some pacing problems and dragged occasionally, forcing the audience to wait too long for the punch line of a long tale.

The incidental characters that drifted through the play were used to nice effect; their sight gags and characters were sometimes unexpected and sometimes familiar. After all, a play called Leaving Iowa is almost required to have at least one farmer in Osh Kosh B'Goshs and one homage to “American Gothic,” isn't it? My particular favorite character was Sue Spencer's Museum Assistant, the sort of stern usherette type every theatergoer has encountered at least once.

Leaving Iowa is an Iowan kind of show; not flashy, but droll, and with a good heart. Before the show begins we are treated to a slide show of some wonderful Iowa scenery, which is a nice introduction to the state and to the show. The message of the play, which will resonate with many Iowa Theatre Blog readers, is that you can leave Iowa, but it will still be your home.

Leaving Iowa plays one weekend only

2011-10-13T09:50:00.003-05:00

Washington - Washington Community Theater will present Leaving Iowa By Tim Clue and Spike Manton this weekend. Leaving Iowa is the story of Don Browning, a middle-aged writer, who returns home and decides to finally take his father’s ashes to his childhood home, as requested. But when Don discovers Grandma’s house is now a grocery store, he begins traveling across Iowa searching for a proper resting place. This road trip shifts smoothly from the present to Don’s memories of the annual, torturous vacations of his childhood. Leaving Iowa is a postcard to anyone who has ever found himself or herself driving alone on a road, revisiting fond memories of youth.

The show is directed by Doug and Beth McBride. Co-playwright Tim Clue described the show as “...a toast to children of parents from the now dubbed ‘greatest generation’. The story is a tribute to that idealism and character and a little roast of their undying dedication to the classic family roadtrip. It is a postcard to anyone who has ever found themselves driving alone on a road, revisiting fond memories of their youth.”

Performances are October 14 and 15 at 7:30 PM and October 16 at 2:30 PM. Call 319-653-5175 or email leavingiowatickets@gmail.com for information and tickets.

Cast:

Don Browning – Steven Lockard
Dad – Brett Pierson
Mom – Melody Lockard
Sis – Melanie Jeter-Hawkins
Farmer Johnson, Mechanic, Bob – Rick Bonar
Mrs. Johnson, Judy – Mary Maxted
Grandpa, Uncle Phil, Civil War Guy – Terry Shaw
Grandma, Aunt Phyllis, Jessie – Nancy Salemink
Cart Guy, Jack Singer, Wayne – Brent Pfeiffer
Joe Hofingers, Amish Guy – Bill Gatchel
Amish Gal, Clerk – Regina Schantz
Museum Assistant, Jamie – Sue Spencer
Drunk Lady, Park Ranger – Amy Langr

Kitchen Witches opens tomorrow

2011-10-13T09:27:00.004-05:00

Amana - The Iowa Theatre Artists Company (ITAC) will present Caroline Smith’s comedy, The Kitchen Witches, from October 14 through November 6 on the ITAC stage in Amana. This popular new script will feature two performers from the Cedar Rapids area, Lynne Rothrock and Eddie Skaggs in addition to ITAC co-founder, Meg Merckens of South Amana, Marshall Nielsen of Cedar Falls and Kimberly Braun of Mankato, Minnesota. The show is directed by Thomas P. Johnson.

Written in 2003, the play premiered in Ontario, Canada and has quickly become a laugh-filled favorite across Canada and the U.S. This fast-paced comedy casts two rival cooking show hostesses who are pressured to appear together on a single show when audience response to their on-camera antics and sparring relationship creates a crowd-loving recipe for disaster. The cooking divas have been at odds with each other ever since one dated the man that the other eventually married. Food, fun and banter abound in this fall comedy, with Johnson remarking, “…that having Lynne and Meg on stage together is as much fun as watching Lucy and Ethel in the old “I Love Lucy” series. It’s a first stage match-up for these two performers and they make a wonderful comic team.”

In Amana, performances are: Fridays at 1:30 pm and 7:30 pm, Saturday at 7:30 pm and Sundays at 1:30 pm. The show opens on Friday, October 14 and runs through Sunday, November 6. Reservations are strongly recommended. City Revealed Magazine is the Media Sponsor of ITAC's production of The Kitchen Witches.

On Saturday, October 29 and Sunday, October 30, the cast and crew of The Kitchen Witches will travel to Dysart to do two performances at the Union Middle School Auditorium as a fundraiser for the Garrison and Dysart Lions Clubs. The Saturday performance is scheduled at 7:30 pm and the Sunday matinee is at 2 pm. For more information about those two shows, please call: Dwayne Luze in Dysart at 319-476-4949 or Dick Flickinger in Garrison at 319-477-8423. Tickets can also be ordered through the ITAC Box Office, 319-622-3222.

While ITAC travels out of Amana, “The Red Hot Rhythm Rustlers” from Palm Desert, California make their Iowa premiere with two concerts on the ITAC stage on Saturday, October 29 and two “Silver Screen Cowboy Concerts” on Sunday, October 30. Each day the shows are scheduled for 1:30 pm and 7 pm. Seating is limited, and co-producer, Meg Merckens urges interested patrons “…to call early to see this award-winning group make a very unique stop in Iowa with their Western swing and toe-tappin’ music, including a very special tribute to Roy Rogers’ 100th Birthday!” To read more about this group and their shows, visit this website.

For more information and reservations about The Kitchen Witches and upcoming ITAC shows, call: 319-622-3222 or go here.

Actors needed for staged reading of ‘Invisible Man’

2011-10-12T10:26:00.003-05:00

Iowa City - Union and non-union actors are being sought for a staged reading of a new adaptation of Ralph Ellison’s seminal novel Invisible Man. An honorarium of $100 will be paid to each cast member. The book won the National Book Award in 1953. Oren Jacoby has adapted the novel for the stage, and director Christopher McElroen is preparing for the world premiere of the play, set for early 2012 in Chicago, with an extended residency at the University of Iowa. The staged reading is part of that residency.

Auditions will take place on Monday, November 7 at 6 p.m. in Shambaugh Auditorium, located in the UI Main Library. The reading will be performed on Saturday, December 3 at 7 p.m. in Shambaugh Auditorium.

Those who are cast must be able to attend the majority of rehearsals. Rehearsal dates and times are:

November 28, 1-6 p.m.
November 29, 1-6 p.m.
November 30, 11-3:30 p.m.
December 1, 3-8 p.m.
December 2, 11-4 p.m.
December 3, 4-7 p.m., with public reading to begin at 7 p.m.

McElroen is seeking: Three African American males ranging in age from mid-20s to late-50s; two Caucasian males ranging in age from mid-20s to mid-50s; two African American females ranging in age from mid-20s to mid-40s; and one Caucasian female ranging in age from mid-20s to mid-30s.

Actors are asked to prepare a two-minute monologue of their choosing. Those with questions may contact Hancher Executive Director Chuck Swanson at 319-335-1133.

Damn Yankees a Hell of a Good Time

2011-10-08T10:01:00.001-05:00

By James E. Trainor III

Cedar Rapids - Joe Boyd (Greg Smith) will do anything to see the Washington Senators win the pennant. Literally. The trouble is, those damn Yankees are practically unbeatable. So when the mysterious Mr. Applegate (Mike Wilhelm) shows up and offers him a chance not only to be young again but to lead the Senators to victory, Joe thinks it's a hell of a deal.

There's one catch, though. Joe's a real estate agent, and he won't take the deal without negotiating an "escape clause," meaning, if he can win the World Series before September 24th, he can steal home to his wife and save his soul.

What follows is a funny and energetic musical in the 1950s style, full of singing, dancing, one-liners, and amusing set pieces. TCR's production is really solid in its direction; this kind of show is difficult to pull off because the sheer number of scene transitions can really kill the pace. It kept moving along, however, at an energetic clip, due to Trevor Debth's insightful direction and a solid backstage crew.

TCR's Damn Yankees is a fun, flashy musical that showcases a number of really great ensemble performances. The ensemble cast is quite engaged and a lot of fun to watch, especially Zach Parker, Jay Burken, Rick Titus and Tracie Hodina. The jokes all land, the orchestra is peppy, and the energy doesn't really die down until intermission.

The only real problem with the show is somewhat inherent in the plot. The main character, Joe, just doesn't seem fleshed out very well. Of course, there's not a lot of room for character growth in an old-school musical, but he didn't seem as believable as some of the others onstage. He's not portrayed as a crafty go-getter who can outsmart the devil; he seems a little greedy, a little static, and a little unlikable. After all, he jumped at Applegate's deal in a hurry, and he changes his mind just as quickly. All he really has going for him is his undying loyalty to his wife, which is of course a good thing. I guess part of the point of the show is to square off simple honest Good with fast and flashy Evil, but I feel even Joe could use a bit of pizazz.

Greg Smith's performance at the beginning (and end) is very sincere and his songs are very soulful. Casey Prince is good as the young Joe - he is particularly generous as a scene partner in scenes with Wilhem and Jordan Hougham (who plays the supernatural seductress Lola), and his voice fits the part perfectly, very sweet and pure. However, as the heart of the piece he comes off as a little cold and static. Again, the text might have something to do with this: Joe doesn't really get out of the bargain by himself; he is saved by his unwitting wife and Lola (who has a change of heart). All he has to do is play baseball with the skills Mr. Applegate gave him in the first place.

Fortunately, we don't come see Damn Yankees just for Joe. The show's strength lies in its ensemble of silly ballplayers and eager fans, and of course its smooth, sexy and altogether hilarious villains, Mr. Applegate and Lola.

Mike Wilhlem is definitely the MVP here. His Applegate is slick, sadistic, and a whole lot of fun. He pursues his objective with a tireless devil-may-care attitude and it's funny to watch him get hot under the collar when he's foiled. When he sings his solo number "Those Were the Good Old Days," he really knocks it out of the park. Wilhelm is a creative and resourceful theatre artist, and it's a joy to see him nail a role like this.

Jordan Hougham is also a great team player. Her Lola is smooth, graceful, and very funny. Many of the most entertaining moments in the show come after she enters. First Applegate sets her to seduce Joe, then she switches teams and gulls Applegate. Hougham works quite well with both Prince and Wilhelm, and she brings a lot of creativity to the plate that livens up the whole piece. Her "Whatever Lola Wants, Lola Gets" comes with a quirky businesslike quality that belies the cliche of the seduction game. It's a lot of laughs.

The production values on Damn Yankees are really a sight. The lights (by Derek Easton) do a great job giving us a clear sense of time and place, as well as a little atmosphere. The set (by Scott Olinger) was also quite evocative, transporting us to the baseball field (or a 1950s living room), while being functional enough to enable quick scene changes. It also allowed for Joe's magical transformations to go off without a hitch. The choreography (Trevor Debth) was energetic and creative; it used the entire stage and showcased the variety of talent in the ensemble quite well.

The costumes (by Joni Sackett) are at once nostalgic and really fresh. Particularly good designs were for the potbellied Old Joe and the virile Young Joe, the suave boardroom evil of Mr. Applegate, and the collection of zany ensembles worn by the succubus Lola. The Senators were well-designed as well, and really gave Damn Yankees a touch of nostalgic Americana.

Damn Yankees runs until October 29th at the Iowa Theatre Building, 102 3rd St SE in Cedar Rapids. More information here.

Only One More Performance of Powerful Triangle

2011-10-08T09:33:00.006-05:00

by Gerry Roe

Iowa City - The story of the Triangle Shirtwaist Factor Fire on March 25, 1911, is legendary. At the time, it was one of New York City’s greatest disasters, with 146 (some sources say 147) people dead, some by smoke inhalation, some by fire, and many who chose to leap to their death from the top three floors of the building. Most of those who died in the fire were recent immigrants, predominantly Jewish and Irish women, many in their twenties, some as young as 14.

How do you stage a disaster like this on a small stage with limited resources? You get Janet Schlapkohl to write it, that’s how, and Jason Grubbe to direct it. With a small cast, key characters doubling in contrasting roles, and an exceptional commitment to telling a story, the play makes us think as well as feel.

Heidi Biebler plays Essie Schilman, a recent immigrant from Germany and a Triangle factory girl as well as Irene Clemmens, a Vassar student who is not, we eventually learn, a typical Vassar girl from a wealthy family. Claire Wool doubles as a Russian immigrant labor organizer and Alva Schneider, a Vassar student organizer. Ali Heath doubles as a Russian immigrant factory girl and a Vassar student. Clarissa Jolly more than doubles as a NLPCP organizer, Methodist Episcopal Church member, and a Vassar College employee. Megan Reif and Katherine Smith double as Italian immigrant factory girls Josephine and Francesca and as Vassar girls. Ryann Sirois doubles as factory girl Esther, a German immigrant, and as a Vassar girl. Rounding out the cast are Alex Grubbe as a shop foreman, Kalvin Goodlaxson as a Policeman, Spencer Rideout as Luigi, brother of Josephine and Francesca, and Evie Stanske as a street vendor.

Sound confusing? Well, it isn’t because the writing and direction, not to mention the acting, keep it all straight for us. The characterizations are extremely well drawn and executed. Safe in the audience, we all knew what was happening and whom we were watching. We see the gradual awakening to exploitation and the inchoate union movement. We even see striking workers, gulled by promises the employers had no intention of fulfilling.

The real tragedy of the play is that the fire need not have claimed all these lives. Exit doors were locked, some doors opened inward so the crush of desperate workers prevented anyone from escaping, the fire escape could not bear the weight of multiple bodies, pulling away from the building and sending the workers precipitately to their death.

This is a grim topic for a play but the magic of theatre prevents us from leaving the performance defeated and depressed. I don’t want to reveal the wonderful ending of the play, our last glimpse of the six factory girls we have come to know, but I will tell you it is powerfully effective and will stay with you.

The play will be presented again tonight (Saturday) at 7:00 p.m. by Combined Efforts Theatre. See it if you can; it is a remarkable accomplishment.

Directions: Take Highway 1 in Southwest Iowa City toward Kalona. Turn left(South) on Maier Avenue (gravel). It takes an S curve and winds past a subdivision(on the left). The first intersection is Osage. Turn right(West). It will be on the right, the only property on the road.

Cast chosen for Curious Savage

2011-10-06T08:07:00.003-05:00

Iowa City - Dreamwell Theatre director Gerry Roe has chosen the cast for their upcoming production, The Curious Savage by John Patrick. The show opens November 11.

The Curious Savage is about a recently widowed woman, Ethel Savage, whose step children don’t want her to use her inheritance for good works, so they commit her to an institution. Ethel becomes close to the unique individuals in the institution, who might just be more sane than her own step children. The Curious Savage is a comedy with a lovely message about the human spirit and choosing one’s identity.

Cast:

Fairy May - Elisabeth Ross
Jeff - Ben Singer
Hannibal - Monty Hendricks
Mrs. Paddy - Meg Dobbs
Florence - Teresa Meeks-Mosley
Miss Willie - Roxy Running
Dr. Emmett - Mark Nidey
Lily Belle - Traci Gardner
Titus - John Crosheck
Samuel - Steve Polchert
Ethel - Linda Merritt

Damn Yankees opens Friday with Season Kickoff Event

2011-10-05T08:11:00.005-05:00

Cedar Rapids - Faust meets professional baseball in the Broadway classic Damn Yankees. Middle-aged baseball fanatic Joe Boyd trades his soul to the Devil (the charming but devious Mr. Applegate) for a chance to lead his favorite team to victory in the pennant race against the New York Yankees. As young baseball sensation Joe Hardy, he transforms the hapless Washington Senators into a winning team, only to realize the true worth of the life (and wife) he’s left behind. With the help of a hanhttp://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gifdy escape clause and a guilt-ridden temptress named Lola, Joe outsmarts Applegate, returns to his former self and shepherds the Senators to the World Series. Starring a host of talented alumni and newcomers alike, including Greg Smith, Mike Wilhelm, Janelle Steichen, Jordan Hougham, Susan Scharnau, and TCR’s very own Casey Prince.

The show is directed by Trevor Debth, with musical direction by Damon Cole. For tickets, go here.

As part of the opening night performance, TCR is doing a Season Kickoff Event which starts at 6 pm. The event includes an auction, wine tasting, and a photo booth. GOP here to get tickets to that event.

Cast for Damn Yankees:

Greg Smith - Joe Boyd (Old Joe)
Janelle Steichen - Meg Boyd
Mike Wilhelm - Applegate
Jordan Hougham - Lola
Mike Cervantes - Van Buren
Casey Prince - Joe Hardy (Young Joe)
Susan Scharnau - Gloria
Rick Swan - Welch/Husband
Tracie Hodina - Doris
Stephanie Shaffer Martinez - Sister
Carol White - Wife/Various Roles
Rick Titus - Husband/Various Roles
Doug Jackson - Husband/Various Roles
Randal Jones - Husband/Various Roles
Aaron Canterbury - Ballplayer/Eddie
Brian Glick - Ballplayer
Danny Mulka - Ballplayer
Jay Burken - Ballplayer
Matt Russell - Ballplayer
Ryan Watters - Ballplayer
Zach Johnson - Ballplayer
Zach Parker - Ballplayer

Triangle runs two nights only

2011-10-04T11:28:00.005-05:00

Iowa City - Combined Efforts Theatre will present a unique 'Immersion Event,' the play Triangle by Janet Schlapkohl, about the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire this weekend. The fire was a horrific, heart-breaking event in early twentieth century America. It was the worst workplace disaster until 9/11. Fifty thousand people marched in the streets of New York after the tragic fire. The repercussions of the needless and preventable deaths of the young women who agreed to a strike settlement after enduring fourteen weeks of bitter cold and hunger on the picket lines the previous winter galvanized public opinion.

The links of labor corruption, and industry abuse reverberate today as advantage is taken of those whose situations create a lack of choice.

The play focuses on a small group of women whose lives are impacted by the larger events of garment workers strike, and subsequent fire at the Triangle Shirtwaist factory. The relationship between the women uncloaks the influences of family, race, nationality, religion and social status, and education. The performance places the audience members in the midst of the action on the streets and in the factory.

The play was performed during the previous academic year as part of the University of Iowa Gallery series to much acclaim. Some of the actors revisit their roles, while many are new to the show. Jason Grubbe directs.

Cast members are doubled for a compelling argument about social justice, zealous politics and personal relationships. Prestigious society matrons, socialists, college students, and suffragists wove an agenda then tear at the fabric, that bound them in America. The play explores on a personal level, the friendships and private lives of the women.

The show runs for two nights only, October 7 and 8 at 7:00 PM, at the performance space at 3418 Osage SW, Iowa City. Tickets available at the door for only $8.00 ($5.00 for audience members arriving in period costume) or reserve by calling 319-354-336.

"Here I Stand" Season Opens With Terrifying Production of The Crucible

2011-10-01T05:48:00.022-05:00

By James E. Trainor III

Iowa City - Dreamwell's theme for this season's shows is "Here I Stand," stories of people standing up against injustice or impossible odds. There could be few better shows, then, to begin this season than Arthur Miller's 20th-century masterpiece The Crucible.

Though Miller's text, like so many of his plays, is highly critical of American culture, John Proctor has earned a place in our nation's canon as an archetypal American hero. The protagonist's stark, sometimes foolish individualism speaks to ideals we hold dear, ideals that require incredible courage to fulfill.

The Crucible, under Scott Strode's direction, focuses on the struggle to be brave and speak the truth while the whole world is twisting and writhing with deceit, paranoia and hysteria.

The world of the play is absurd. The opening scenes are almost comic, with characters making ridiculous accusations of spectral murders. The Reverend Parris (Jim Evans), a petty, greedy creature, is portrayed with an excess of shallow showmanship. Ann & Thomas Putnam (Lois Crowley & Paul Freese) have been beset with misfortune and are looking for someone to blame. Parris' niece Abigail (K. Lindsay Eaves) and her friends are silly girls who want to cover up their minor misdeeds with wild stories. The new arrival Reverend Hale (Brett Myers) is a bright and eager young man schooled in the best Puritan learning and is only too ready to help these poor benighted folks find their demons.

All of this would be a perfect recipe for a farce were Miller not putting actual historical events on the stage. We know what happened at Salem, and we know how quickly a bit of silly superstition can spiral into mob violence. When Parris' slave Tituba (June Kungu) is interrogated about her "compact with the devil," she begins frantically to come up with a story that will save her from the rope. As she struggles to repeat the lines they are feeding her, it is so theatrical, so desperate and so obviously false that it is quite funny. It is possible to forgive Tituba, powerless and struggling for her life, for selling out her masters' enemies. When the children take Tituba's cue and join in, gleefully repeating the slander, the tragedy and absurdity rise to a fever pitch. The scene ends with Betty (Mira Bohannan Kumar) shouting names with the high-pitched energy of a young girl's game, spreading lies that will murder her neighbors as readily as children on the playground spread "cooties."

It is highly effective. Kungu, Myers and Evans are excellent performers, and the frenzy that builds in this first scene is both preposterous and yet completely believable. The mob mentality is already out of control by the end of the scene, and the objections of the more sensible townsfolk are doomed from the beginning. John Proctor (Brad Quinn), Giles Corey (Scott Strode) and Rebecca Nurse (Bryson Dean) stand off to one side as this is going on, skeptical of the bright young scholar Hale, forming an tiny faction of dissent. They are quick to point out that people will say anything to keep from being executed, and that Putnam is looking to lay his hands on the lands of the accused.

Common sense and careful logic, however, have no place in the world of witch trials. The accusers are looking for invisible evidence, and the fact that they are looking for it is enough to let them see it everywhere. In such a world, a poorly kept pig becomes a cursed animal, a child's toy becomes a voodoo doll, and an off-hand comment about strange books becomes a death sentence. There is no way to disprove such allegations short of calling them nonsense, and to call them nonsense would be un-Christian.

The judge they bring in, Lt. Governor Danforth (Jason Tipsword), exemplifies this idea quite well. He will not hear the court's legitimacy questioned, and every attempt to bring the conversation back to the commonplace causes of the play's events becomes a dismissal of the importance of the spirit world. The debate becomes an exercise in circular reasoning: if so many people are in jail, there must be a fitting supernatural explanation. If the court has hanged twelve people already, how can it be considered valid if it pardons people now? Everyone should be happy to be brought in for questioning; why would they fear the court if they were not already in league with the Devil?

Tipsword resists the urge to exaggerate this part, and his performance is extremely effective. His Danforth is calm, cold, and infuriatingly rational. He is an expert lawyer, even if his logic is twisted and self-referential. He is a villain, but his humanity is what makes him effective. We see him sweat in the final scene, when dealing with the unpredictable and stubbornly moral John Proctor. He is a cold-blooded tyrant, but he is also a man with an agenda, and Tipsword's careful attention to the objective play and the twists and turns of the piece make a more believable, and therefore scarier, Danforth.

Tipsword scarcely swaggers or rails; indeed, Evans' hot-headed Parris seems cartoonish compared to this careful, professional, but altogether ruthless representative of the State. At the same time, he seems completely aware of what is going on. He is careful around Abigail not because he is fooled by her but because he needs her. If the Salem Witch Trials are a piece of deadly theatre, Danforth is the director and Abigail the star performer.

K. Lindsay Eaves' Abigail Williams is the polar opposite of Tipsword's Danforth. She is loud, she is lusty, she is ridiculous, and she is very, very dangerous. It is clear from the very beginning that Abigail is in charge of the clique of Salem girls. Her silent scene work and the work of her partners (especially Kelly Garrett as Mary), shows the relationships very quickly and effectively. Eaves does not have much dialogue in the first scene, but she is a very powerful presence on stage, listening and watching, planning and conniving.

By the end of the play, with the help of her chorus of hysterical playmates, she has the entire town in the palm of her hand. Every time someone tries to get to the heart of the matter, Abigail is suddenly beset by invisible demons, and it is impossible to talk about anything so boring as disputes over lumber, cows, or golden candlesticks. Proctor thinks he can end the madness and save his wife by admitting he slept with Abigail, revealing the entire plot as a mad child's jealous vengeance. In doing so, however, he underestimates Abigail's skill at theatrical distraction. It is in this context that The Crucible is so effective for a modern audience; the play was written nearly sixty years ago, but the "look at me!" tactic Abigail employs in every scene is all too familiar from our contemporary political culture.

Because of this, the play is difficult to watch. It is infuriating at times, because it is an extremely effective indictment of the irrational behavior of crowds, of greedy, petty hysteria, and of cold-blooded hypocrisy. It seems that, in Strode's Crucible, absolutely everyone is in on the joke. Every single character knows the witch trials are a sham, but very few are able to admit it. Abigail needs the pretense to protect her reputation. Putnam needs the pretense to expand his territory. Parris needs the pretense to control his congregation, just as Danforth needs it to maintain his authority over the state. What is clear from the direction and the acting is that everyone knows it is a lie. The dramatic question, then, is whether anyone has the courage to tell the truth.

Mary is the first one tested, and in a tear-jerking scene, she comes before the intimidating Danforth, charged by John Proctor to reveal her part in the plot and save his wife Elizabeth (Traci Gardner). Garrett is incredible in this scene as Mary struggles desperately to resist the badgering of Danforth and the murderous glare of Abigail. The scene is an incredibly energetic roller-coaster, and Garrett never checks out; she is completely engaged as everyone on stage tries to play out their agendas through her. A particularly beautiful and pitiful moment is when she silently begs the ruthless Abigail for mercy. When she finally caves and loses her courage it is devastating, and though we despise Mary for her cowardice, it is impossible not to have sympathy with her as we witness the intensity with which the other girls bully her into submission.

Mary Warren did not hang at Salem; she chose to redact her statement when her friends turned on her, and save herself by accusing her master. Spurred on only by Proctor's encouragement, from Gospel, "Do that which is good, and no harm shall come to thee," she cannot follow through. For Proctor is wrong; doing that which is good will cost Giles Corey and Rebecca Nurse their lives. It will cost him his. Mary is too weak to tell the truth if it means her death, so she gives in and runs back into the arms of the Salem coven, shifting the attention to our play's protagonist.

It is this that causes Hale to dramatically denounce the court. Historically, Hale probably did not turn until later, when his own family was touched by the hysteria. Miller, however, uses Hale as an effective moral tool, arguing for Christian charity and reason directly to the face of the symbol of tyranny, Lt. Governor Danforth. When he is not swayed even though his "justice" is depopulating the town, Hale attempts to convince Elizabeth to save her husband. "Beware, Goody Proctor," he counsels, "cleave to no faith when faith brings blood." Aloof from the dreary Puritan faith of Danfort and Parris and the reckless heroism of Proctor, he pleads for reason, compassion, and life above all else. He is the bright light of hope in this play, and Myers is excellent in his portrayal. He is charming and infectious, though a bit foolish, in the first act and admirable when he chooses to do the right thing in the second. Myers is a very generous scene partner, and he is a joy to watch with Quinn, with Tipsword and with Gardner.

Proctor, however, cannot finally stomach Hale's counsel. His fiery speeches, delivered here with tireless energy by Quinn, are why we come to see The Crucible. Even after he attempts to reach a reasonable agreement with an unreasonable court, and tell a ridiculous lie to gain his life, they are not done with him. They want him to act as a witness to help murder his friends' wives. In the end he stands up for himself, shouts down Danforth, and accepts his fate.

Miller could not stomach the Mary Warrens of the world, but said during the Red Scare of the 1950s that he "had as much pity as anger toward them." He refused, however, to name names in front of the House Un-American Activities Committee himself, and he will not let Proctor do so either. Proctor would rather die than be used as a tool, and even if it is hopeless he will not live on the blood of his friends. Quinn's tireless commitment to these later scenes makes this play a startling reminder of the courage of the human spirit, and serves as an inspiration to face down all the smaller injustices we see in our daily lives.

Strode's direction highlights the most valuable theme of The Crucible - the difficulty and necessity of resisting social pressures and speaking from the heart. There is a clear understanding of the dramatic throughline, and the entire production is engaging and effective. The stage is used quite well, employing a thrust to bring the intense court scenes right up to the audience. The actors have done their homework and work through the story with confidence and commitment. The lighting and costumes (Brandon Tanner, Rachael Lindhart) flesh out the story quite well, creating just the right tense atmosphere for the dangerous and irrational world in which the actors play.

I highly recommend you see The Crucible; it's a very powerful story executed with care and skill. It runs until October 8th at the Universality Unitarian Society. Bring some tissues.

National Theatre Live Series To Be Shown at the Englert

2011-09-30T15:20:00.003-05:00

Iowa City - The Englert Theatre is proud to present high definition re-broadcasts of performances from the National Theatre in London. The Englert will broadcast every performance from the 2011-2012 season, starting with One Man, Two Guvnors on Saturday, October 1 at 7pm.

Nicholas Hytner’s “five star” production of One Man, Two Guvnors is the first play in the third season of National Theatre Live broadcasts. The production was filmed on September 15, and broadcasted to almost 400 cinemas around the world. Based on the Italian classic The Servant of Two Masters by Carlo Goldoni, Richard Bean’s hilarious English version has received wide acclaim from critics and audiences alike. The Guardian described One Man, Two Guvnors as “One of the funniest productions in the National’s history.”

Other upcoming National Theatre Live broadcasts at the Englert include:

The Kitchen - November 19

Collaborators - December 17

Tickets are available at the Englert Box Office. Tickets are $15 for students & seniors, and $18 general admission. For tickets, the public should call the Box Office at (319) 688-2653. Tickets may also be purchased online at englert.org.

Crucible opens Friday

2011-09-28T12:38:00.003-05:00

Iowa City — Dreamwell Theatre presents Arthur Miller's The Crucible, which runs September 30 through October 8. This dramatic story of the Salem Witch Trials is one of the classics of modern theatre. While there are many themes at work in this amazing play, Dreamwell chose it because of the character John Proctor and his struggle to remain true to himself–will full acknowledgement of his own weaknesses–no matter what the consequences might be. This show is directed by Scott Strode.

Director Scott Strode says, "Arthur Miller uses the metaphor of the crucible to chilling effect. Certainly it is prevalent in the lives of his characters, but isn't it also an appropriate metaphor for our own lives? John and Elizabeth Proctor, Giles Corey, Abigail Williams, Danforth, and others in the play find themselves in crucibles of their own making. Are those crucibles so far from our own?"

The show runs September 30, October 1, 7, and 8 at 7:30 p.m. at the Unitarian Universalist Society at 10 S. Gilbert Street in Iowa City. $13 general admission, $10 senior/student. Call 319-541-0140 or go to www.dreamwell.com for reservations.

This is the first show in Dreamwell's first ever fall-summer season, moving away from their previous calendar year season. The theme “Here I Stand” is taken from the Martin Luther quote "Here I stand, I can do no other." Each of the season’s offerings features characters who choose to be who they are, despite the consequences. This season Dreamwell celebrate the strength of character we can all achieve.

Cast:
Betty Parris – Mira Bohannan Kumar
Reverend Parris – Jim Evans
Tituba – June Kungu
Abigail Williams – K. Lindsay Eaves
Susanna Wallcott – Maya Bergman-Corbet
Ann Putnam – Lois Crowley
Thomas Putnam – Paul Freese
Ruth Putnam – Laura Cornell
Mercy Lewis – Emily Coussens
Mary Warren – Kelly Scherrer
John Proctor – Brad Quinn
Rebecca Nurse – Bryson Dean
Giles Corey – Scott Strode
Reverend Hale – Brett Myers
Elizabeth Proctor – Traci Gardner
Francis Nurse – Mark Nidey
Ezekiel Cheever – Jacob Hulme
John Willard – Daniel Eliserio
Judge Hathorne – Ben Singer
Deputy Governor Danforth – Jason Tipsword
Sarah Good – Elisabeth Ross

(Photo by Elisabeth Ross.)

Pinocchio opens Saturday

2011-09-27T12:34:00.004-05:00

Amana - All he wants is to be a real boy, but his lies and his nose keep getting in the way. Join The Old Creamery Theatre for Young Audiences for the retelling of a classic. Pinocchio opens Saturday, October 1 at 1 p.m. on the Main Stage in Amana and runs through Oct. 15.

This beloved Italian story will be brought to life through the classic theatrical tradition of “Commedia dell’Arte.” Using sound effects, masks and lots of humor, the characters in this play will be truly unforgettable.

The cast of Pinocchio consists of John Hill of Rockford, Illinois; Andrew Bosworth of Holly Springs, North Carolina; Laura Ambrose of Minneapolis, Minnesota.; Nicholas Hodge of South Amana; and Kamille Zbanek of Ely. Directed by Sean McCall of Marengo, Pinocchio was adapted from Carlo Collodi ’s classic Italian tale by Johnny Simons.

Tickets for Pinocchio are $8 per person and all seating is reserved. Reservations are highly recommended. Show times are Saturdays at 1 p.m., October 1 and 8 with two shows on Saturday, October 15, at 10 a.m. and 1 p.m.

Auditions for White Christmas this Weekend

2011-09-27T12:27:00.001-05:00

Iowa City - The Iowa City Community Theatre is looking for a few good actors/singers/dancers and theatre tech personnel for their holiday production, White Christmas. The show will be directed by Krista Neumann, with musical direction by Ed Kottick and choreography by Jill Beardsley. The show runs December 9th through the 18th. Rehearsals start October 24th.

Audition times:
Friday September 30, 6PM -9PM, at the ICCT Theater on the Fairgrounds
Saturday October 1, 1pm-4pm, at the ICCT Theater on the Fairgrounds
Call backs Sunday, October 2, 1pm-4pm, at the Robert A. Lee Recreation Center

Please prepare a song from the show or a standard from the 40’s or early 50’s. Please be prepared to dance (comfortable clothes and shoes that you can move in).

CHARACTER DESCRIPTIONS AND REQUIREMENTS
BOB WALLACE – (late 20’s to mid 30’s) A major singing star. A baritone who can move well.
PHIL DAVIS – (late 20’s to mid 30’s) Song and dance partner of the team Wallace and Davis. Bari-tenor, moves well.
BETTY HAYNES – (mid 20’s to mid 30’s) Destined to be a star. Chest mix sound with soprano extension. Moves well.
JUDY HAYNES – (20’s) Other half of the Haynes sisters. Chest mix, strong song and dance performer.
GENERAL HENRY WAVERLY – (late 50’s to mid 60’s) A retired U.S. General. A non- singing role.
MARTHA WATSON – (late 40’s to mid 60’s) Once a Broadway star now the General’s housekeeper at the Inn. Character comedienne with belt voice.
SUSAN WAVERLY – (9 – 12 years old to play 9 years old) The General’s granddaughter. Excellent belt voice and can move well.
RALPH SHELDRAKE – (30’s or 40’s) Army buddy of Bob and Phil’s now a TV mogul. Fast talking NY professional. Baritone.
RITA AND RHODA – (20’s – 30’s) Star chorus girls. Brash, sexy and not too smart.
EZEKIAL FOSTER – (any age) The ultimate taciturn New Englander, must have accent.
MIKE – (20’s to 50’s) Bob and Phil’s stage manager. Over dramatic and hysterical.

ENSEMBLE ROLES
TESSIE – Bob and Phil’s assistant.
JIMMY – The proprietor of Jimmy’s Back Room nightclub.
CIGARETTE GIRL
SNORING MAN
MRS. SNORING MAN
TRAIN CONDUCTOR
DANCE CAPTAIN
SEAMSTRESS
ASSISTANT SEAMSTRESS
ED SULLIVAN ANNOUNCER
ENSEMBLE: Singers and dancers. This is 1950’s Hollywood movie musical dancing – ballroom, tap and jazz. The ensemble will, over the course of the show, play:

JIMMY’S BACK ROOM CLUBGOERS
TRAIN PASSENGERS / INN GUESTS
CHORUS KIDS
PATRONS OF THE REGENCY ROOM

TECH POSITIONS: If you are interested in stage managing, lighting or set construction please contact Maria at goingtomaria@gmail.com.

Get a Taste of TCR's Superior Doughnuts

2011-09-26T10:51:00.003-05:00

by Sarah Jarmon

Cedar Rapids - Having been a part of Theatre Cedar Rapids' Underground Festival last year, I knew that the Grandon Studio, where I had the pleasure of seeing Tracy Letts' Superior Doughnuts Saturday night, was going to be an excellent venue for actors and audience members alike. The energy amidst the nearly full house had me almost as intrigued as the set, a quaint little shop with an old fashioned cash register, gleaming bar stools, and the word "Pussy" angrily etched upon the wall like a scarlet brand.

A little bell on the door of this aged establishment announced entrances and exits with a tinkling kind of punctuation. And throughout the course of the show, the actors painted us a word picture of the old neighborhood where this fading small business stood; the last remaining piece of a man whose dreams had been forgotten or purposely left behind.

Audience members sat on three sides of the stage which created some sight line issues. And though these issues were acknowledged in Leslie Charipar's curtain speech, I did feel like there were a few scenes where altering the blocking could have increased visibility without distracting from the story, which was quite good.

An oldies tune, reminiscent of 50's diners and old sitcoms, welcomes the audience to the first scene. Max, a neighboring business owner, is making a statement to the local cops about finding the doughnut shop with the window smashed in and the derogatory graffiti on the wall. Steve Worthington, as Max, has a thick accent and a larger than life manner about him. He is equal parts lovable goof and ignorant fool. Worthington executes this nebulous territory well, delivering his lines in such a way that instead of a jerk, we are able to see him as a well-meaning, albeit a bit clueless, fellow who is consistently crossing the line and then back-pedaling hard once he realizes he has done so. His loud, physically exuberant demeanor is in stark contrast to Arthur, the owner of Superior Doughnuts and an unapologetic hippie with a long gray pony-tail.

Arthur has, for lack of a better word, issues. He is loath to open up, and terrified of taking risks, which has made him cynical and lonely. So when a starry-eyed, silver-tongued 21-year-old named Franco bounds into his store and convinces Arthur to give him a job, it is only a matter of time before they clash. But amidst their many disagreements an unlikely friendship blossoms.

Arthur, played with charming delicacy by Steve Weiss, seems to be a bit of a lost soul. He shuffles his feet and seems determined not to meet anyone’s eye during scenes. That is not to say that he didn't connect, quite the contrary, but he engages in a sort of fight or flight manner, utilizing either soft tones and casual gestures or yelling gruffly with his whole body. Weiss never let you fall out of the story, even during the monologues between scenes where you learn about his past. He tells his tale with such conviction and simple grace that you could almost be sitting at a table with him, having a beer.

His new employee, Franco, played by Brandon McDaniel, tries again and again to open Arthur’s eyes to new possibilities and endless opportunities. He spouts ideas on everything from revamping the shop to boost the business and updating his style to elicit the affections of the dorky and lovable lady cop, Randy, played by Nicolette Coiner-Winn, who Franco insists is interested in Arthur.

McDaniel sweeps you up in his energy and makes you want to realize his dreams. He charges onto the stage and lights it up, making us smile again and again. He is the kind of character you wish was one of your real-life friends. But that doesn't mean he doesn't have a past, and his penchant for looking at the sky has made him forget to watch where he's walking, and he's stepped into a dangerous mess.

Scott Davidson as Luther, a bookie Franco owes a lot of money, delivers an air of dangerous that appears effortless. Going from a good-natured lament of his kids playing too many video games to screaming a demand for his money in such a believable temper flare that my heart pounded. Luther’s flunkie, Kevin, played by Nathan Bowden, was funny and intimidating, too, stalking across the stage with an angular bravado that put me to mind of cartoon villains and your standard noir film thugs.

This is a play with a lot of angles. It touches on hope, on fear, and the many social aspects of inner city life. But it stays away from preaching and is never heavy handed. The plot does occasionally feel a bit contrived, and the fight scene did not actually make me fear for the actors, but the characters were well-rounded, perfectly flawed people. They were kind of people that you know. That dedication coupled with the intense monologues that threaded through the play between scenes lent just the right degree of stylized unreality that made this a really enjoyable journey.

This is a gritty, odd, and wonderful play to christen the Grandon as TCR’s newest performance space. Being in such close proximity made me shrink away from Arthur’s wrath, lean in to comfort Randy, and allowed me to see the constantly working jaws of BJ Moeller, the down on her luck Lady. I fell in love with the characters, despite their mistakes, and because of their shortcomings. And even as I write this review, I am not sure whether this play was a tragedy or a comedy. Because though it was funny from beginning to end, it was rife with the tragic realism that life is made of. Go see it and maybe you can tell me, and bring a friend, because you’ll want to discuss it afterward.

Auditions for TCR's A Christmas Carol This Weekend

2011-09-23T14:40:00.002-05:00

Cedar Rapids - Did you not get cast City Circle's production of A Christmas Carol? No problem - TCR is also producing the show for the Christmas season. TCR will hold one day of youth auditions and two days of adult auditions for A Christmas Carol this weekend. Auditions will be held at 1 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 25 for children, and at 7 p.m. Sunday and Monday, Sept. 25 and 26, for adults. They will take place at TCR's home in the Iowa Theater, 102 Third St. SE. Leslie Charipar is directing.

Performing Nov. 25 through Dec. 17, A Christmas Carol is a new stage adaptation of the classic novel by Charles Dhttp://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gifickens. For specific information on available roles or general audition requirements, call (319) 366-8591 or visit here.

Superior Donuts opens tomorrow

2011-09-22T09:38:00.006-05:00

Cedar Rapids - Theatre Cedar Rapids presents Tony Award and Pulitzer Prize winning playwright Tracy Letts' heart-warming and humorous tale of unlikely friendships in one of Chicago’s most diverse neighborhoods. Arthur Przybyszewski’s Superior Donuts has been a community hub for decades, and both the neglected storefront and its rundown owner are evidence to that. But when Franco, a young fast-talking dreamer, bounds into the shop, the writing is on the wall that things are going to change – maybe even for the better. Superior Donuts features a “superior” ensemble of new and familiar faces to TCR, including Nicolette Coiner-Winn, Steve Worthington, and Steve Weiss!

Boeing Boeing offers colorful, funny evening of theatre

2011-09-19T12:36:00.003-05:00

By Joe Jennison

Amana - During the Old Creamery Theatre’s Sunday matinee curtain speech for Boeing Boeing, Producing Director Tom Milligan promised his audience “a good laugh.” As this Theatre Blog’s assigned reviewer for the show, I felt compelled to pen the promise to paper, and then sat in the Old Creamery’s darkened auditorium and waited for the promise to be delivered.

I didn’t have to wait long.

There is a scene early on concerning a bottle of cognac and three characters forced to cover up an outlandish secret. A French housekeeper, an international lady’s man and an American tourist have just realized that two of three fiancés promised to the same man are now staying in two of the four bedrooms in a Paris flat. The housekeeper assigned to manage the house, and keep the two women from running into each other, grabs the cognac to calm her nerves. She pours a glass, it’s taken immediately away by the lady’s man, she pours another glass, and it is taken away by the tourist. And then, with no more glasses within reach, she quickly guzzles directly from the bottle. The actress playing the housekeeper milks this moment for every comic bit available and as I watched this professional comedienne work her theatrical magic, I laughed and laughed and laughed. Very funny.

Promise delivered.

The play, a two-act French farce written by Marc Camoletti and translated by Beverley Cross and Francis Evans, concerns Bernard (John D. Smitherman), an American architect living in Paris who has asked three international flight attendants to marry him. Gloria (Jessica Bradish) is an American flight attendant who works for TWA. Gabriella (Deborah Kennedy) is an Italian flight attendant who works for Alitalia. And Gretchen (Jackie McCall) is a German flight attendant who works for Lufthansa.

Bernard confesses early on that he has no desire to follow through with his commitment to any of them, and works very hard to keep that secret (and the three flight attendants) from coming out and creating trouble at his Paris flat. Helping him in this endeavor are Berthe (Marquetta Senters), the aforementioned French housekeeper, and Robert (Sean McCall), an old friend from Wisconsin who just happens to be in town.

As this is a farce, we all know that all three women will indeed run into each other at the flat, and eventually Bernard’s scheme will be unraveled, but not without first some very funny theatrics as women are whisked off to the country, locked in the bathroom or hidden away in any one of several offstage rooms. Watching these performers whisk and slam and hide throughout the course of two acts is indeed funny, and all of these performers are adept at physical comedy. Director James Fleming is obviously skilled in the art of farce and slapstick, and the play’s many comic bits are mined to perfection by this professional group of performers.

The set, designed by Tom Milligan, is a colorful piece of work: pink doorways, blue walls, orange chairs, red pillows all on top of a lush, flesh-colored carpet. Six doors fit for slamming, and an offstage front door allow for perfect timing as one flight attendant arrives as another is pushed into a bedroom or bathroom or kitchen. Costumes designed by Kamille Zbanek complement Milligan’s set nicely and are tailored perfectly. The flight attendants’ uniforms in particular are well done with the American flight attendant dressed in red, the German dressed in yellow, and the Italian in green. Later, three nightgowns are equally stunning and all three flight attendants are gorgeous to look at in silks, chiffons and one wonderful little black dress, with a red belt and black pumps lined with faux fur. These are wonderful costume details that I loved to watch and discover as each scene went on. Well done.

The six actors offer six distinct characterizations; four offer up accents. Jackie McCall’s Gretchen is a tough, and, at times brutal, German woman who is a take-charge kind of lover. Bradish’s Gloria is a scheming gold-digger from Texas who admits she is ready to commit... that is, until she finds a millionaire. And Kennedy’s Gabriella is a passionate but suspicious Italian who looks gorgeous by the way in the little black dress. Senters’ Berthe is a hard-working, put-upon French housekeeper who manages to keep her employer’s secrets under wraps, for a regularly increasing raise. Sean McCall’s Robert continually nearly gives away his friend’s dirty little secret away as he very funnily juggles globes and suitcases and pratfalls. He quietly watches with envy as his friend’s three fiancés come and go and hide and resurface. And Smitherman’s Bernard is a likeable and charming international playboy.

Farces are by nature predictable, and this one is as well. The early scenes are full of exposition and the set up at times seem to drag a bit. But this farce does pay off with some wonderful laughs, comic bits pulled off by professional actors who know how to keep things funny and moving along. The play offers lots of giggles and quite a few outright belly laughs, and I loved the colorful set and costumes and the funny multicultural characters and accents.

Tom Milligan’s promise was right on target: Boeing Boeing offers a good laugh.

Only Drunks... makes you think, question and reflect

2011-09-19T09:58:00.000-05:00

by Andrew Juhl

Anamosa - There’s a reason I haven’t watched Million Dollar Baby yet, despite the fact that I’ve owned the DVD for several years. I know the story will depress me, and I have to be in the mood to see a story that I know will depress me. Sure, it probably has some funny and happy moments—even the saddest of movies usually do—but I’m just not in the mindset where I want to be depressed all that often.

A depressing chapter in Canadian history provides the fodder Canadian playwright Drew Hayden Taylor’s Only Drunks and Children Tell the Truth. Generations of aboriginal Canadians were devastated by their government’s attempts to “assimilate” the native children into mainstream Canadian culture, most often by placing them with white families and in residential schools. As a result, languages and cultures have been lost, some never to be recovered, as thousands of children were taken from their families. Taylor, himself part Ojibway (the same culture at the heart of this play, in itself a sequel to Someday), attempts to use a little bit of laughter as medicine to heal some of those emotional wounds. But a little bit of laughter in this production is a little bit too little, I’m afraid.

Only Drunks and Children Tell the Truth is chiefly concerned with the story of Janice (Mary Vizecky), who was raised by a white family after being removed from the reservation where she was born. Now a successful lawyer in Toronto, Janice—still called ‘Grace’ by her birth family—is unexpectedly visited by her sister (Carolann Beaulne), her sister's fiancée (Alex Smalley), and a friend (Basilio Light) with news that Janice’s birth mother has died. As the three visitors attempt to persuade Janice to fulfill tradition and to return to their reservation to pay her respects, Janice is forced to reflect on questions about her identity and the nature of family.

Actress Carolann Beualne (Barb, the main character’s sister) shifted repeatedly between maintaining an awkward tension and guilting Janice beyond measure. While she was enjoyable to watch at times, her character wears on the audience well before intermission, due in no small part to her endless capacity to putatively foist guilt on her sister. “Yes. We get it. You think your sister is a bitch for not coming home,” says the audience in a collective sigh after the issue comes up for the umpteenth time in the first act.

Alex Smalley’s portrayal of Rodney, Barb’s fiancée, was enjoyable, thought perhaps played a little too cartoonishly. Rodney has the bulk of the jokes-written-to-be-obvious-jokes in the play, and Smalley could definitely relax a little and let the writing shoulder more of the effort.

Basilio Light (Tonto) plays his yeoman-like character with a natural ease. Far-too-intelligent by half, Tonto is the emotional anchor and continuous voice of reason in the play; and while Light nailed his delivery of several steely (if wizened) platitudes, that same Yoda-esque delivery perfused the vast majority of the rest of his lines, lending a repeated, inorganic quality to what should have been ordinary conversations.

Mary Vizecky turns in a serviceable Janice/Grace, but her performance somewhat suffers from what I like to call “the 75-cent syndrome.” When she’s angry about something, she seems roughly three-quarters as angry as she should be. Three-quarters as surprised, three-quarters as amused, three-quarters as sad, three-quarters as interesting as her character could have been. Even as Vizecky delivers the bulk of the last and perhaps most moving scene of the play, I couldn’t help but think to myself, “Quit it. Quit holding back. Let us have it. Quit worrying about the next line and just let us see the character—not you trying to remember the character.”

Director Rick Sanborn keeps the play to a tight two hours (with intermission) and the spartan stage, props, and costuming are all done well. It’s a powerful play: one that will make you think, one that will make you the question policies and actions of whatever Big Brother, one that will make you reflect on the nature of family, and—yes, occasionally—one that will make you laugh a little. If you’re in the mood for it, Only Drunks and Children Tell the Truth is a good evening at a small-town community theatre.

And if you’re not in the mood for it, there are several bars within short walking distance of the marquee.

Little Women Auditions Coming Soon

2011-09-16T20:02:00.000-05:00

Anamosa - Auditions for Little Women will be held October 2, 3, 4 of 2011 at 7 pm at the Starlighters Theatre in Anamosa. The director is Jan Cratsenberg (Monticello). For more information, e-mail cratsen@gmail.com.

Based on one of the most popular pieces of literature, Little Women follows the joys and hardships of the four young and inseparable March sisters: outspoken Jo, motherly Meg, quiet Beth, and worldly Amy. While at home with their mother and beloved cook, Hannah, they anxiously await their father's return from the Civil War. The girls wrestle with the problems of poverty and everyday life, but with wisdom from Marmee and the love of family, we watch them mature and grow. Written by Peter Clapham, and based on the novel by Louisa May Alcott, the play faithfully brings the story of this timeless classic to the stage, weaving together the lives of the March sisters and their neighbor, Laurie. Little Women will make you laugh, cry and appreciate what is truly important in life.

Production Dates:
December 2, 3, 4, 9, 10, 11
Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 pm
Sundays at 2 pm

Characters:
Amy March (ages 11-13)
Beth March (ages 14 -18)
Jo March (ages 17-25)
Meg March (ages 18-25)
Hannah (age 50s)
Mrs. March [Marmee] (late 40s)
Laurie (ages 16-22)
Mr. Lawrence (60s)
Mr. Match (50s)

* Actors do not necessarily need to be in the age ranges given, as long as they could possibly play someone in that age range.

Auditions for Curious Savage Coming Soon

2011-09-16T14:19:00.001-05:00

Iowa City - Dreamwell's auditions for John Patrick's The Curious Savage are coming soon. Gerry Roe will direct. Performances will take place November 11-19 in Iowa City.

AUDITION WHEN and WHERE:
Friday, Sept. 23, 6 p.m. Iowa City Public Library, Room B
Saturday, Sept. 24, 1 p.m. Iowa City Public Library, Room C
Sunday, Sept. 25, 1 p.m. Iowa City Public Library, Room D

ABOUT THE SHOW:
The Curious Savage is about a recently widowed woman, Ethel Savage, whose step children don’t want her to use her inheritance for good works, so they commit her to an institution. Ethel becomes close to the unique individuals in the institution, who might just be more sane than her own step children. The Curious Savage is a comedy with a lovely message about the human spirit and choosing one’s identity.

HOW TO PREPARE
Sides will be provided. No preparation necessary. Copies of the play will be on reserve at the Iowa City Public Library.

AVAILABLE ROLES and DESCRIPTIONS:

The Guests of Cloisters:
Florence - polite, somewhat 'proper' patient. She believes her son John Thomas lives with her at The Cloisters.
Hannibal - friendly, but somewhat serious. Over weight. A statistician before becoming a guest at The Cloisters.
Fairy May - young, flighty but intelligent. Needy.
Jeffery - young, handsome but mired in self doubt and recrimination. Crippled by his own fears.
Mrs. Paddy - Older, somewhat brutish. Has chosen not to speak expect for occasional rants against anything and everything.
The Family:
Titus Savage - A US senator of dubious reputation. Serious, overbearing. Not overly intelligent.
Samuel Savage - a District Judge who has the distinction of having more decisions over turned than any other judge. Swallowed up by his brother's shadow.
Lilly Belle Savage - A bitter, humorless, controlling socialite with more husbands than Zsa Zsa Gabor.
Ethel Savage - The stepmother of the three Savage children. Trying to live a meaningful life. She is clever and has a clear vision of what she thinks is important in life. Possess a good sense of humor.

The Staff:
Miss Miss Wilhelmina - Kind, gentle and efficient, Miss Willie is responsible for most of the direct patient care. She is friendly, loving but no push over.
Dr. Emmett - The Doctor in charge of The Cloisters. He is solid, dependable, compassionate and pretty much the only stable person (except for Miss Willie) in the play.

NOTE FROM GERRY:
These character descriptions are accurate, but they are not set in stone. Ethel must be at least 10 years older than her stepchildren, but their ages are indicated only by their occupations. The doctor should be of mature years--he is, after all, entrusted with the care and maintenance of the guests of The Cloisters, some of whom are far less acclimated than the guests we meet. They are in the last stage before release, meaning they have made considerable progress toward a normal life. John Patrick says of them: "it is important...that the gentle inmates of The Cloisters be played with warmth and dignity. Their "Home" is not an "asylum" nor are these good people "lunatics." Any exaggeration of the roles will rob them of harm and humor. The whole point of the play is to contrast them with Mrs. Savage's children and the insane outside world. To depart from this point of view for the sake of easy laughs will rob the play of meaning. And both the performers and the playwright will have failed in their purpose."

Contact Gerry at 351-4952 with questions or to arrange an alternate time.

Rocky Horror Auditions Sept 20 Only

2011-09-16T08:24:00.003-05:00

Coralville - City Circle will hold auditions for Richard O'Brien's The Rocky Horror Show on Tuesday, September 20 from 7-10 PM at Community of Christ Church, 2121 South Ridge Drive in Coralville.

They are seeking actors, singers, dancers, rock stars, aliens, etc. for principal roles and singing/dance ensemble. Auditioners are asked to bring a song to sing (sheet music) or sing from the score to the show.

Contact CityCircleRocky@gmail.com to schedule an audition. The show goes up Halloween Weekend, Friday and Saturday, October 28-29, 2011.

Working Group's Season Opens with Was the Word

2011-09-16T08:05:00.001-05:00

Iowa City - Working Group Theatre kicks off their 2011-2012 season on Sunday September 18th at 7 pm with Was the Word, the first in a series of storytelling, poetry, and music events at the Englert Theatre. Tickets are 'Pay What You Can' at the door. The hour long show will feature the music of Mutiny in the Parlor and pieces from:

Idris Goodwin: Poet and Playwright. Idris's work has been featured on HBO's Def Poetry Jam, nominated for a Pushcart Prize, and developed by the Eugene O'Neill Theatre Center.

Sean Lewis: Playwright and Essayist, Sean's work has won the Smith Prize for Drama and has been featured on This American Life.

Megan Gogerty: Playwright and Performer. Megan's new one-woman show opens Riverside Theatre's 2011-2012 season.

Kate Krohn: Poet and graduate of the University of Iowa, and one of Working Group's poets-in-residence.

Each Was the Word performance benefits an area non-profit. The non-profit partner for our night is Willowwind School, a portion of proceeds will benefit the school's scholarship fund.

To find out more about the event visit their website or become a fan of Working Group Theatre on Facebook.