Camo! Is a Clever Collaboration

By Sharon Falduto
Photos by Emily McKnight

L-R: Kalvin Goodlaxon, Rip Russell, Iver Hovet, Bob Shaffer

Iowa City - Iowa City Community Theatre’s Camo! The Musical is a snapshot of a time in our recent past when men were the men who hunted and wore camouflage, and women were the women who kibitzed and crocheted. It is a joint effort with Combined Efforts Theatre, “Iowa’s only theatre company with a mission purposefully to include individuals with disabilities in compelling and entertaining performances.” CET and ICCT both serve the mission well with this seriocomic piece.

The musical was written by local talents Janet Schlapkohl and Chris Okiishi. How lucky are we to have such world class song and story writers in Iowa City? Camo! dips into many topical subjects — the role of women and men in a changing word, the disconnect between brothers who have different goals in life, racism, the wounds of childhood, and posttraumatic stress disorder.

Camo! The Musical

Mike Wilhelm and Rip Russell. Photo by Emily McKnight.

Iowa City - "Camo! The Musical opens December 5th at ICCT. ICCT is very proud to be collaborating with CET, Iowa’s only theatre company with the mission of purposeful inclusion of individuals with disabilities in compelling and entertaining performances. This fun and original new musical is written and co-directed by CET founder Janet Schlapkohl, with co-director Krista Neumann, and music written by Chris Okiishi.

Camo! The Musical Cast

Iowa City - ICCT has announced the cast for its upcoming production of Camo! The Musical.

A group of hunters prepares for the fall season. Women gather to drink coffee and discuss men, marriage, their own camouflage, and a thing called Lamaze. The woods become magical as army-buddies reunite; brothers discover what they need most and for two outsiders, love blossoms. A comedy set in the early 1980’s, the themes and characters will be familiar to anyone who knows what a prune Kolache is.

Auditions for Camo! The Musical

Iowa City - ICCT announces auditions for its upcoming production Camo! The Musical

Directed by Janet Schlopkohl and Krista Neumann
OPEN AUDITIONS: Monday, September 29th 6:00-9:00pm and Tuesday, September 30th 6:00-9:00p.
Location: Iowa City Public Library
123 S Linn St.
Iowa City, IA 52240
Meeting Room B

***Auditioners should prepare a one-minute monologue and 16 bars of a song, followed by a cold read.***