Dogs of Rwanda at the Englert

Iowa City - In the Raw returns to the Englert stage this Friday with Dogs of Rwanda.

Dogs of Rwanda is the story of David, a Midwestern teenager who travels to Uganda on a Christian missionary trip and finds himself on the border of Rwanda at the moment the country explodes in the 1994 Rwandan Civil War. Twenty years later when David releases a book about what happened on that trip, he gets a note from a friend that says, "You didn't tell them everything."

After Ana to be Performed Sept 13

Iowa City - [Working Group Theatre is] proud to be partnering with the Englert to present In the Raw. An incubator for new work, In the Raw will feature five plays performed with the audience on the stage. This is theatre that is immediate, engaging, and up close and personal.

Love. Sex. Shoes. at the Englert

Iowa City - "Love. Sex. Shoes.

Because even love requires the right footwear.

A selection of performance essays from Suzanne Cody’s MFA Thesis for the Nonfiction Writing Program at the University of Iowa, featuring the brilliant actor stylings of Genevieve Heinrich, Krista Neumann, and the creator, Suzanne Cody. Lots of love, lots of sex, lots of shoes—also lots of adult language and LOTS of partial nudity.

FREE TO THE PUBLIC
ONE PERFORMANCE ONLY!
Join us to send this new work off into the world!

I mean, it’s FREE. Also, you can buy all the booze. ALSO, there’s a lot of swearing and partial nudity. You really can’t go wrong!"

Love. Sex. Shoes. Englert stage on April 12 at 7:30pm.


Source: director Rachel Korach Howell

Broken Chord Weaves Stories and Memories Into Unbroken Triumph

By James E. Trainor III

Photos By Jennifer Fawcett

Saffron Henke as Helen

Iowa City - 5.4 million Americans have been diagnosed with Alzheimer's. Upon diagnosis, a person could have anywhere from eight to twenty years to live. The disease involves an irreversible deterioration of neural connections and cognitive abilities, and eventually requires full-time care. In an aging nation with rising medical costs, this is a problem that isn't going away anytime soon. So it's timely that Working Group Theatre has put its full creative forces towards putting this issue onstage in The Broken Chord.

Penned by Jennifer Fawcett, The Broken Chord is two things at once: as far as the main plot is concerned, it's a drama about two siblings coping with their mother's illness. As a drama, it's well-paced, extremely well-acted, and the design draws on some gorgeous visual ideas. The script is tight and the conflict between the characters suggests a lot of important questions about how best to care for someone with dementia. In between the more traditional scenes, other stories are told: ensemble members come onstage and tell snippets of their stories in the sort of choral monologuing that was so effective in WGT's other interview-based documentary shows Mayberry and Rust.

Was the Word for February 17

Iowa City - "Was the Word is Working Group Theatre's monthly spoken word and storytelling event at The Englert Theatre in downtown Iowa City. Each event brings together community members and local performers to share their words and experiences on stage to benefit local non-profits or community service groups.

This Sunday, February 17th at 7pm we will be joined by an exciting group of storytellers and poets including Janet Schlapkohl, Martin Andrews, Kate Krohn, Megan Gogerty, and Zora Hurst.

Was the Word Tonight

Iowa City - This month's Was the Word, presented tonight at the Englert, will help raise funds for The Senior Center.

"Was the Word is Working Group Theatre's monthly spoken word and storytelling event at The Englert Theatre in downtown Iowa City. Each event brings together community members and local performers to share their words and experiences on stage to benefit local non-profits or community service groups.

The latest installment of the series is coming up on Sunday, January 20th at 7pm at The Enlgert Theatre. We will be joined on stage by Chris Okiishi, Martin Andrews, Kate Krohn, Maria Vorhis, and Zora Hurst - all sharing their stories and poems around the theme of 'Before and After.' In between the words, The Awful Purdies, Iowa's eclectic quintet of female multi-instrumentalists will entertain us with their musical stylings. Beer and wine are available with proper ID.

Tickets are Pay What you Can at the door. Our non-profit beneficiary for the night is The Senior Center and a portion of all proceeds from the evening will be donated to this organization.

Was the Word is part of Working Group Theatre’s creation of The Broken Chord - a full-length play presented by Hancher April 12-14, 2013 examining the effects of Alzheimer’s Disease on caregivers and communities."

(Source: Working Group press release)

The Nutcracker Opens November 30

Iowa City - The Englert Theatre and Nolte Academy of Dance are proud to once again present The Nutcracker on Friday, November 30 at 7:30pm, Saturday, December 1 at 2:00pm, Saturday, December 1 at 7:30pm, and Sunday, December 2 at 1:00pm.

The unique and highly entertaining version of this beloved Christmas classic has become an annual holiday tradition for the Iowa City community. The production comes to life with performances by dancers from Nolte Academy of Dance. The Nutcracker will also feature a live, 30-piece orchestra comprised of local musicians, led by conductor Carey Bostian. Don't miss the wonder and enchantment of this Christmas tale!



Tickets are available now online at englert.org, or by calling the Englert Box Office at 319-688-2653. The Nutcracker is sponsored by Target, Hills Bank, KDAT, and Iowa Public Radio.

Performances:
Friday, November 30 at 7:30pm
Saturday, December 1 at 2:00pm
Saturday, December 1 at 7:30pm
Sunday, December 2 at 1:00pm

Tickets:
$24 Adults
$18 Students & Seniors
$14 Youth (12 and under)

Honk! Takes Wing

By James E. Trainor III

ICCT - Hans Christian Andersen's classic tale "The Ugly Duckling" has been adapted many times throughout the years, but Andrew Drewe and George Stiles' Honk! is one of the best. The musical explores the themes of diversity, ostracization and the need for tolerance in a really fun and approachable way. As Ugly (Adam Jedlicka) goes on an adventure after being teased by his siblings, he meets a cast of quirky characters who are each "different" in entertaining ways.

Director Brett Myers leads an enthusiastic company through this charming script and takes care to realize the potential of the many lively set pieces and zany characters.

The ensemble, many of them children, are quite solid. They stay together very well and feed off each other, building a variety of colorful worlds on stage, whether as ducks, geese, frogs, or even humans. Some stand-out performances include Jesse Jensen as Greylag, the very confident but slightly lost leader of the goose squad, Marek Muller as Queenie, a sophisticated housecat who happens to have a soft spot for rambunctious tomcats, and Katey Halverson as Grace, the calm but commanding duck who rules at the lake.

These actors, and indeed the entire ensemble, do really creative stuff with really fun characters. This is a great show for kids because those characters are big and broad, and it's got a lot of colorful settings. It's also good for kids because it has an important message, delivered in an entertaining but powerful way.

The cruelty of the crowd in "Look at Him" hits particularly hard, not only because of the effective direction and choreography but because the ducklings (Claire Green, Lily O'Brien, Bailey Raso, and Joseph Verry) are so invested in the scenework. With an excellent command of physical characterization and precise timing, they hit poor Ugly with all the ferocity of the school playground. Anyone who's dealt with bullying will recognize the demeaning behavior that leads Ugly to doubt himself.

The show lifts us up again, however, in songs like "Hold Your Head Up High" and "Different." It also gets the message across in a more light-hearted way, with upbeat songs like "Warts and All" - because this is, above all, a fun show.

Adam Jedlicka plays Ugly with vigor and an abundance of humor. He's awkward in a lovable way; his excitement is infectious, and his songs are heartfelt and sincere. He does a great job with the transformation as well, maturing a lot in a scene with some subtle vocal and physical work.

Ida (Kait Skaggs), Ugly's mother, sticks by him when everyone picks on him, and her quiet courage in going against the crowd is inspiring. Skaggs' Ida is tenacious, with a will to match the most outrageous of the other characters. At times she may be a bit too reserved but is always calm and graceful, secure in being the moral center of the play. She's also quite funny in the more comic scenes, playing well off of Drake, (Emerson Grow), Ugly's father.

Jeffrey Allen Mead is wonderful as the Cat. From the moment he comes on, with his silky, seductive cartoon villain voice, it's clear he's going to be trouble. The Cat chases Ugly throughout the play, through some moments of slapstick and some that are more sinister, and Mead does it all with wicked charm.

The design team also does a great job on this show; scene transitions are quick and efficient, and Jake Kline's set pieces are sparse, simple, and effective. There is a wide array of costumes used, from bright yellow overalls and orange stocking for ducks to World War II-era flight suits for the geese. Designer Becca Anderson's choices add a lot of color and flavor to the piece. The lighting, designed by Rebekah Oulton, works quite well; the use of projections and very saturated blues makes some beautiful pictures, particularly in "The Blizzard."

This is a great show to see with the whole family. It's got humor, excitement, and a positive moral. Honk! runs June 8 - 10, 7:30 Friday & Saturday, 2:00 Saturday and Sunday, at the Englert Theatre. Tickets are $18 ($15 students & seniors, $12 youth).

Honk! Opens June 8

ICCT - ICCT's season closes with Honk!, the Anthony Drewe/George Stiles musical based on Hans Christian Andersen's classic children's story "The Ugly Duckling." Brett Myers directs.

Honk! will be presented at the Englert on June 8 & 9 at 7:30, with matinees June 9 & 10 at 2:00. Tickets are $18 ($15 seniors & students, $12 for 12-and-under), with a free children's ticket for groups of four or more.

One-Time, One-Person Show at Englert

Englert - On May 19, as part of the "Intimate at the Englert" series, Polly Frost will perform her one-woman show How to Survive Your Adult Relationship with Your Family. How to Survive Your Adult Relationship with Your Family is a comedy about dealing with the vicissitudes of family relationships. Tickets are limited to 100 and can be purchased at the door or by calling 319.688.2653. The price is $20 advance, $22 day of show. The show begins at 8:00.

Nutcracker opens tonight

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)

Working Group presents Was the Word at the Englert

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

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

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.

Family Friendly Event at the Englert November 13th

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.

National Theatre Live Series To Be Shown at the Englert

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.

Sex in the Country

City Circle - This weekend, Sondheim's A Little Night Music, directed by Patrick Du Laney, comes to the Englert. The show, part sentimental love story and part madcap romp, won the Tony award for Best Musical in 1973.

A Little Night Music, with words and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim and book by Hugh Wheeler, is based on a 1955 Ingmar Bergman film called Smiles of a Summer Night. It deals with the relationships of several couples, and in doing so touches on themes of love and sex, fidelity and betrayal, regret, and second chances. The piece has plenty of wonderful comic moments, which are handled quite well by this company, under the direction of Patrick Du Laney.

The story begins with Fredrik and Anne, a middle-aged lawyer and a naive young girl, who have been married for just under a year. Fredrik laments the fact that their marriage has not yet been consummated. Meanwhile, his son Henrik, who is equally frustrated, has his eyes on his young stepmother. The plot thickens when the glamorous and adulterous actress Desiree Armfeldt, who also happens to be Fredrik's ex-lover, comes to town.

Humbled but determined, Fredrik takes up his case backstage with his old friend, only to be caught in her bedchambers by her lover, the dangerous and jealous dragoon Count Carl-Magnus Malcolm. Fredrik connives his way out of the situation and heads home to his clueless wife, not realizing that the Count's wife is determined to clue her in. All of these intrigues and seductions culmination in a delightful "Weekend in the Country" at the splendid home of Desiree's mother.

The farcical business, textured as it is by Sondheim's carefully structured music, is quite entertaining to watch, and City Circle's company does an excellent job performing it. Krista Neumann, who plays Desiree, and Josh Sazon, who plays Fredrik, are quite well matched. Neumann has a great presence, and she really brings home the suggestive comedy of the piece. Her entrance, decked out in red against the background of the white-clad Liebeslieders, makes a strong impression, and her mature, seductive manner escalates the sexual tension that characterized the earlier "Now/Later/Soon" trio. The show gets off to a fairly slow start, but meeting Desiree is well worth the wait.

Josh Sazon's Frederik is a great counterpoint to this vivacious spirit, characterizes by a quiet, fragile dignity and a wry sense of deadpan humor. In "You Must Meet My Wife" he plays expertly off of Neumann's patter, and his reaction to Michael Petkewec's buffoonish Count Malcolm in the subsequent scene is priceless.

Ben Ward (as Henrik) is also quite funny; in "Later" he does a great job of embodying the young priests' aggravation with his body and his voice, and he navigates all the tricky tones of the song quite well. His anxiety builds steadily in every scene, and it's always refreshing to see him come on and do something new with the character.

Megan Henry, who plays the young Anne, is at first hard to swallow as the ingenue of the piece. She is a bit too sophisticated, a little stiff, very energetic but not quite the bubbly, silly girl suggested in the text. However, when things begin to fall apart in "Every Day a Little Death," it is quite clear why Henry was cast in this role.

Anne, rarely resting for a moment for the majority of Act I, is paralyzed by panic when the cynical Charlotte delivers the news of Fredrik's infidelity. Where one would expect a flighty frenzy we see some very subtle and honest acting; she sits frozen, eyes slightly widening, listening intently as the realization of her situation violently assaults her. It is a touching moment, wonderfully played, without a ghost of overacting. When Anne is called upon to sing, Henry echoes Charlotte's bitter sentiments in her own clear, rich and innocent voice.

As the show goes on, and Charlotte and Anne plot revenge together, she is a delight. Her jealousy is not brooding but playful and energetic, and Anne's character growth is quite rapid in the closing moments of the first act. And her voice, of course, is gorgeous.

Michael Petkewec (Count Carl-Magnus Malcolm) and Charlotte (Katelyn McBride), add some great comic moments to this already quite funny ensemble. "In Praise of Women" is a hoot; the looming, hypocritically jealous soldier comes home to his wife, a shrewd and bitter woman who is quite aware she's being made a fool of, and enlists her in causing trouble for his new rival. The pair are always fun to watch, and McBride in particular is quite witty.

Du Laney's direction shows a great understanding of the way the comic timing should play in this piece, and the relationships between the characters are clear and nuanced. A missed opportunity, however, seemed to be using more of the stage (which had a raised platform with some steps to add levels). Apart from "Weekend in the Country," which was choreographed quite well, much of the musical seemed a little too contained, especially considering the bombastic personalities of some of the characters. "The Miller's Son," sung with great energy by Carrie Houtchins-Witt, was one place in particular where I wanted to see the performer illustrate the song with a lot more movement.

All in all, though, it was a great show. It's always a joy to see Sondheim performed with such skill and enthusiasm, and this piece in particular has just the right mix of bawdy humor and serious reflection. It's an entertaining night of theatre, performed by memorable principles, a solid ensemble, and a dedicated orchestra.

A Little Night Music plays February 25-27, 7:30pm Friday and Saturday (2pm Sunday), at The Englert Theatre in Iowa City. Tickets are $20 ($15 for students and seniors) and can be purchased here.

Rocky Horror in Iowa City and Cedar Rapids

CSPS and Riff Raff Theatre - Black leather corset: Check. Fishnet stockings: Check. Transvestites from another planet: Check.

Halloween 2009 offers you two different opportunities to experience Rocky Horror. From October 29 through the 31st, CSPS in Cedar Rapids hosts the return of the all-local stage version of the famous midnight cult flick. And on Halloween night at midnight, Riff Raff Theater is proud to bring that famous midnight cult flick back to life once again at the Englert in Iowa City. Both shows promise lots of audience interaction. For information about the CSPS show, go here. For information about the Riff Raff show, go here.

Rent at the Englert

City Circle - The 2009-10 City Circle season begins with an ambitious undertaking as present Rent: School Edition at the Englert Theatre Friday and Saturday, August 7 and 8, 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, August 9, 2 p.m.

This rock musical is a specially-adapted version for high school students, omitting the song “Contact” and eliminates some of the coarse language. City Circle is the first local theater to produce the student edition of this ground-breaking musical.

Rent, considered by many to be the most exuberant and original American musical to come along in many years, reinvigorated Broadway and took the country by storm. Sweeping all major theater awards, including the 1996 Tony Award for Best Musical and the Pulitzer Prize for Drama, Rent was hailed as capturing the heart and spirit of a generation.

Based on Puccini’s opera La Boheme, Rent tells the story of impoverished young artists struggling to survive in New York’s Lower East Side under the shadow of AIDS. The production closed on Broadway in 2008 after a 12-year run, making it one of the longest running shows.

Though the subject matter remains challenging for the cast and audience, the story captures a major theme of coming together as a community and living each day to the fullest.

Set designer and director Michael Stokes has created a presentational and theatrical production, striving to break down the forth wall between the actors and audience. A chorus is used much like one in classical Greek theatre where they observe, direct, enhance, and participate in the action of the show.

Stokes explains the challenges that the production presents to the student cast, from the score to the subject matter to the relationships they portray. He comments, “These young people are truly amazing. The energy, effort, and enthusiasm they bring to rehearsal each day is well beyond their years.”

Music direction is by Judy Duncan, lighting design by Will Brown, and sound design by Harrison Burke.

Tickets are $23 for adults and $18 for students, seniors, and youth and are available by calling the Englert Box Office at 688-2653 between the hours of 1 and 6 p.m., Monday through Friday, or online at www.englert.org.

For more information or questions, please contact director Michael Stokes at michael@citycircle.org.

2nd Annual All in a Day Play Festival

Dreamwell Theatre/City Circle - Two theatre companies join together this weekend to create seven 10 minute plays in just 24 hours. Dreamwell Theatre and City Circle Acting Company of Coralville will present the 2nd Annual All in a Day Play Festival on August 1st at the Englert Theatre in association with the Summer of the Arts.

On the night of Friday, July 31st, six writers, six directors and a host of actors will come together to create six original plays. Twenty four hours later, Iowa City area theatre lovers will be treated to a variety of unique shows after a whirlwind of creative mayhem.

“We give the writers a location and a genre and maybe one other constraint,” said Matt Falduto, Dreamwell Theatre founder. “They know how many actors they have and then have to write a ten minute play by 8 am Saturday morning when the actors and directors take over.”

You can follow the creative process through twitter as writers, directors and actors will be tweeting as they work. The hash tag is #allinadayplayfest.

Last year's inaugural production played to a packed house and resulted in a variety of exciting and imaginative projects that left audiences wowed and entertained.

“We were overwhelmed by the turnout last year,” says Brian Tanner, another organizer of the event. “We kept having people ask us if we were going to do the event again.”

Tickets are $7 at the door. For more information, contact Dreamwell Theatre at 319-541-0140 or City Circle at 319-541-2980. Or go here.

Old Creamery's Looking for a Dorothy

Old Creamery and Englert - The Old Creamery Theatre Company and the Englert Civic Theatre will be auditioning for their upcoming co-production of The Wizard of Oz, Sunday, April 5th from 2 to 5 p.m. at the Englert, 221 East Washington Street, Iowa City.

Auditions will be for Dorothy and adult chorus members, although nothing has been cast as yet and everyone is welcome to audition.

The Wizard of Oz, will run from July 16 ­19 at the Englert and will combine the best of the region¹s talent. A new Dorothy may become part of the Old Creamery's professional theater.

Those auditioning are asked to prepare a pair of contrasting monologues, and two short musical selections from contrasting songs. They should also bring a photo and resume, if they have one. An accompanist or CD player will be provided.

Call 319-622-6034 or e-mail with questions.