Riverside's Moving Indoors for Summer Shows

Iowa City - After having to cancel shows for many years due to the flooding of Lower City Park, Riverside Cyrano de Bergerac entitled simply Cyrano as well as the classic play, Love Letters by A.R. Gurney. It's the Riverside Theatre Summer on Gilbert Street. Both shows run June 19-July 12, 2015.

Theatre has moved this year's summer productions indoors to their Gilbert Street location. They will present an intriguing adaptation of Edmond Rostand's Cyrano de Bergerac entitled simply Cyrano.

Weekend roundup

There are many great theatre choices tonight and tomorrow. We'll be checking out TCR's Lost in Younkers and SPT's Tales of Love and Hate.

Lost in Yonkers is a coming-of-age story set in Yonkers, N.Y. Two boys named Arty (Nathan Kent) and Jay (Alex Schulte) are dropped off at their grandmother’s apartment, where they will be forced to live for the next year while their father Eddie (David Morton) travels on business.
Comedy and drama both ensue as the boys attempt to survive the antics of their relatives, including the ultra-strict Grandma Kurnitz (Cherryl Moon Thomason); their goofy but likeable aunts, Gertie (Carrie Fattig) and Bella (Nicolette Coiner-Winn ); and the gruff "gangster" Uncle Louie (Bill Lammers).

Expect reviews of both shows next week. But don't wait for the review of Love and Hate - it's only showing this weekend. I got a sneak peek of a portion of that show and I can tell you, the world wrestling federation love poetry slam will be worth the price of admission.

Only two more weekends to catch Guys on Ice at Riverside. Follow that link and you'll find a video clip of the show. Corridor Buzz wrote an article about the show here. Update: Aside from the Thursday, February 19 performance - tickets for Guys on Ice are SOLD OUT! To be added to a waiting list, please call the box office at 319-338-7672 and leave your name and phone number.

ICCT's Bus Stop continues this weekend. We have not one, but two reviews of that show.

And if you're looking for a romantic evening with your sweetie, you might want to check out Love Letters at Old Creamery. That is a unique show as it's told entirely through letters which the actors read. While there's not a lot of action to keep the audience excited, A.R. Gurney's words are so captivating that in the hands of two talented performers, the show comes alive. The love story is perfect for Valentine's Day weekend.

Dinner Theatre in Amana

Old Creamery - ­The Old Creamery Theatre Company and the Ox Yoke Inn are joining together during February to feature an entertaining and delicious evening of dinner theater. Love Letters by A.R. Gurney opens Feb. 6 in Amana at the Ox Yoke Inn and runs through Feb. 21.

This bittersweet love story traces the lifelong correspondence between Andrew and Melissa. Their relationship is gradually revealed through what they have written in their letters, as well as what they have left unsaid.

David R. Kilpatrick, producing artistic director at The Old Creamery, said "Love Letters is something to be experienced. Through this story, everyone in our audience will experience the transition from infatuation to complete dedication along with the joy and sorrow that carries."

Featuring stars of the Old Creamery Theatre, Love Letters will be performed on Friday and Saturday, Feb. 6 & 7; Feb. 13 & 14; and Feb. 20 and 21. Dinner will be at 5:30 p.m. and the show at 7 p.m. There will be one special matinee performance on Saturday, Feb. 14 with lunch at 12:30 and the show at 2 p.m. Cost is $40 per person. Show only tickets are available for $25 per person.

The price includes a choice of a hearty Ox Yoke Inn entrée, beverage, dessert, gratuity and tax. The Ox Yoke Inn is located 2 blocks east of the intersection of Highway 151 and 22oth Trail in Amana.