Of Mice and Men Comes to Life Through Shared Emotions

By Matt Falduto
Photos by Josef Wise

Brett Borden as George (foreground);
Jaret Morlan as Lennie

Iowa City - John Steinbeck wrote the classic story Of Mice and Men with an eye toward a live performance. With locations that are easily depicted on stage and a distinct focus on the characters, the story is easily translated to the stage without losing any of its emotional impact. The Iowa City Community Theatre does a fine job bringing this moving story to its audience. 

Of Mice and Men is the story of two ranch hands traveling from job to job during the Great Depression. Lennie, an incredibly strong man, is what we’d call mentally challenged today. Back then, everyone called him “crazy” and “nuts.” Another ranch hand, George, takes care of Lennie, who brings out the best in George. Their friendship is one in which both gain far more than they’d ever admit. They come to a ranch where Lennie is caught in a tragic situation that leads to a heartbreaking conclusion.

Of Mice and Men Opens Tonight

Iowa City - ICCT's production of Of Mice and Men opens this weekend and plays through February 2.

ABOUT THE PLAY
George and Lennie might be poor migrant workers during the Dust Bowl, but they have a dream: saving up enough money to tend their own land. It keeps them going, but more than hard times will conspire to hold them back.

WHEN & WHERE
Jan. 24, 25, 31 and Feb. 1 at 7:30pm
Jan. 26 and Feb. 2 at 2:00pm
Johnson County Fairgrounds

TICKETS
For tickets call (319)-338-0443 or purchase them online!

Adults-$16
Seniors-$13
Students-$5 <--- Yes, that is correct. Student tickets are only 5$

AUDIENCE ADVISORY
Of Mice and Men includes use of strong language (profanity, vulgarities and racial slurs), onstage violence and gunshots. It is appropriate for teenagers and even children aged 10-12 years old, but because of the pervasive strong language in the play children should attend at their parents’ discretion. The film was given a "PG-13" rating.

(Source: ICCT Newsletter)

Auditions for Of Mice and Men November 3 and 4

Iowa City - ICCT is holding auditions for their production of Of Mice and Men, directed by Kehry Anson Lane, which opens January 24.

WHEN AND WHERE
Sunday, November 3rd (General Audition)
Robert Lee Recreation Center
Meeting Room A
6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.

Monday, November 4th (General Audition)
Iowa City Public Library
Meeting Room B
6:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.

Callbacks will be held Tuesday, November 5th at the Iowa City Public Library

WHAT DO I PREPARE?
Auditions will consist of cold readings from the script. Prepared monologues less than a minute in length are welcome, but not required. Please bring with you any possible conflicts with rehearsals (beginning November 10th) and performances (January 24-26 and January 31 - February 2, 2014).

To expedite the audition process, you may download the Audition Form and bring it with you!

Planning on auditioning? RSVP to the audition event on ICCT's Facebook page.

ABOUT THE PLAY
Two drifters, George and his friend Lennie, with delusions of living off the "fat of the land," have just arrived at a ranch to work for enough money to buy their own place. Lennie is a man-child, a little boy in the body of a dangerously powerful man. It's Lennie's obsessions with things soft and cuddly, that have made George cautious about who associates with the gentle giant. His promise to allow Lennie to "tend to the rabbits" on their future land keeps Lennie calm, amidst distractions, as the overgrown child needs constant reassurance. But when a ranch boss' promiscuous wife is found dead in the barn with a broken neck, it's obvious that Lennie, albeit accidentally, killed her. George, now worried about his own safety, knows exactly where Lennie has gone to hide, and he meets him there. Realizing they can't run away anymore, George is faced with a moral question: how should he deal with Lennie before the ranchers find him and take matters into their own hands.

THE CHARACTERS
Lennie - A large, lumbering, childlike migrant worker.
George - A small, quick-witted man who travels with, and cares for, Lennie.
Candy - An aging ranch handyman who lost his hand in an accident. He owns an old dog.
The Boss - Curly's father.
Curley - The boss’s son. A confrontational, mean-spirited, and aggressive young man.
Curley’s wife - A flirtatious and lonely young woman.
Slim - A quiet, insightful man who seems to be at peace with himself.
Carlson - A ranch-hand who doesn't like Candy's old dog.
Whit - A ranch-hand.
Crooks - A black stable-hand, gets his name from his crooked back.

For more information, e-mail the director, Kehry Anson Lane.

(Source: Kehry Anson Lane)

Experience an American classic at WCT

by Matthew Falduto

Washington - What an amazing theatre they have in Washington, Iowa. Beautiful stage, fly rigging, lights, raked seating... it's a great place to perform. Apparently, a gift from Washington residents and theatre lovers Dick and Sara McCleery made it all possible back in the 70s when the theatre was built. If you've never had a chance to check out the theatre, I highly recommend you do so. And what better way to do that than by attending one of the remaining performances of an American classic, Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck?

Of Mice and Men tells the story of two farmhands looking for work during the Great Depression: George, played by Tim Johnson, and Lennie, played by Don Hughes. George is a smart man who takes care of Lennie, who despite his great size and strength, has the mental faculties of a child. George and Lennie arrive at the ranch with the hopes of making a big enough stake so they can buy their own place. Unfortunately, this story is a tragedy and Lennie's combination of an amazing strength and an utter lack of understanding leads to a death that forces George to make a terrible decision.

WCT's production has many wonderful aspects to it. Before the show began, we were treated to some excellent harmonica playing. The music really set the mood for the show and was a welcome distraction during intermission and set changes. And what a great set it was! Every location was perfectly and realistically rendered, from the bunkhouse to the giant haystack in the barn.

Three actors really stood out in this production. Don Hughes perfectly captured Lennie and all of his moods. For the show to work, we have to feel a great empathy for Lennie and Hughes did an excellent job of evoking that emotion. He also had excellent chemistry with Tim Johnson's George. Another performer who truly stood out was Alicia Smith as Curley's Wife. In the book (and the play), the character is never named. Her purpose in the story is to further the tragedy of Lennie. However, Smith's portrayal added depth to the character which in turn added to that tragedy. Finally, Andrew Cole did a fine job as Crooks, the African American farm worker with the crooked back. He provided some much needed humor in his one main scene.

I would be remiss if I didn't mention the four-legged actor, Stitches. Performing the role of The Old Dog, Stitches really got into character when it was time for him to go off stage and be "killed." He refused to go, fighting every step of the way. That's some powerful acting from our canine friend.

I realize many of my readers are in the Iowa City/Coralville area. It's definitely worth the 50 minute drive to check out this theatre. If Of Mice and Men does not interest you, their next show is Man of la Mancha, which will be directed by a name familiar to many Iowa City area theatergoers: Josh Sazon.

I enjoy the new and innovative shows that are being done, but it's always important to remember that classics are classics for a reason. Of Mice and Men is a novel I read every few years. This production is a great way to experience this truly American story.

Washington presents Of Mice and Men

Washington - Washington Community Theater is one of two theatres we have added to the roster of theatres we will cover in this blog. (The other is Starlighters in Anamosa.) WCT has three shows scheduled for 2011. Later this season, you will have a chance to catch Man of La Mancha (June) and Church Basement Ladies (October). Of Mice and Men, directed by Thom Sobota of Fort Atkinson, Wisconsin, opens on Thursday and is showing for one weekend only.

The play is a stage adaptation of the classic novel by John Steinbeck. Two drifters, George and his friend Lennie, with delusions of living off the "fat of the land," have just arrived at a ranch to work for enough money to buy their own place. Lennie is a man-child, a little boy in the body of a dangerously powerful man. When Lennie's brute strength threatens to get out of control, George has to make difficult decisions.

The show runs:
Thursday, February 17 - 7:30 p.m.
Friday, February 18 - 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, February 19 - 7:30 p.m.
Sunday, February 20 - 2:30 p.m.

Tickets are $10 for adults and $5 students (high school & under). Call 319-653-5175 for tickets.

Cast List:
George - Tim Johnson
Lennie - Don Hughes
Candy - Terry Phillips
The Boss - Henry J. Eicher
Curley - Dalton Christner
Curley's Wife - Alicia Smith
Slim - Richard Mickelson
Carlson - Henry H. Eicher
Whit - Shane Schwartz
Crooks - Andrew Cole