Dreamwell announces auditions for Poona

Dreamwell - Dreamwell Theatre will hold auditions for Jeff Goode’s Poona the F**kdog.. and other plays for children on Saturday and Sunday, December 12th and 13th at 1:00 pm at the Iowa City Public Library. Copies of the script will be on reserve on the second floor of the library.

These outrageous "fairy tales for grown-ups" are not for the easily offended. Poona, our ingenuous heroine, meets up with aliens, talking shrubs, and mealy-mouthed salesmen in her quest to find someone to play in her big pink box. Nothing is sacred in this raucous assault on the power of language. Poona is called "irresistable" by the New York Times and a "a bawdy comic romp!" by LA Weekly. The New Yorker says it's "delightful... unforgettable... much more fun than it ought to be."

Multiple men and women of all ages over 18 are needed for the cast. Most actors will play more than one role. There is one major male singing part for whom the ability to play guitar is preferred but not required. Background singers and instruments for one scene are also desired. Auditions include readings from the script. This promises to be a very wild and fun production but it isn't for everyone. Prior reading of the script is recommended so you know what you're in for. Despite the title, this is not a play for kids.

The play will be performed at the Unitarian Universalist Society on February 19th, 20th, 26th and 27th. It is directed by Brian Tanner and Meg Dobbs. If you have any questions and/or would like to audition at a different time, you may call Brian at 319-321-5448 or email to brian@dreamwell.com.

Dreamwell announces 2010 season

Dreamwell - Dreamwell Theatre again offers a season centered around a particular theme. Its 13th season - "Taboo Bijou" - features works intended to raise questions about topics considered "taboo" and why. From language to terrorism to various expressions of sexuality, the plays push boundaries and limits by confronting subjects that are often difficult or inappropriate to discuss. Dreamwell adds that the purpose of "taboo bijou" is not mere shock value, but rather the examination of personal fears and desires in the context of social perception and stigma.

Poona the F**kdog (and other plays for children)
by Jeff Goode
February 19, 20, 26, 27 2010
The perfect naughty fairy tale to open a "taboo" season, this show skewers society's views on everything from sex to terrorism to language. (Despite the title, this play is not suitable for children).

Blackbird
by David Harrower
March 19, 20, 26, 27 2010
An intense play about a sexual relationship that transformed, crippled and paralyzed an adult man and a 12-year-old girl.

9 Parts of Desire* by Heather Raffo
August 2010
A play about the women of Iraq, showcasing their humanity.

A View from the Bridge*by Arthur Miller
October 8, 9, 15, 16 2010
The classic play of a man who betrays his family’s trust and suffers the consequences.

The first Dreamwell Writer’s Joust: A Fear Festival
December 2010
Dreamwell is currently soliciting from Iowa playwrights full length plays about something people are afraid to talk about. Deadline for submissions is March 1, 2010. Winning playwright will be awarded $100 and a full production. Two runners up will have staged readings during the festival.

And coming up on February 14th, "Down With Love: An Anti-Valentines Day Valentines Day Cabaret." Dreamwell's first Valentines Day cabaret is a perfect date night for Valentines Day fans and hard core cynics alike. Members of Dreamwell and other area theatres will share songs from various eras, covering topics about lovers scorned, loves unrequited and what a completely annoying little jerk the devilish Cupid can be.

For more information, go here.

*pending rights

2010 Riverside Shakespare shows set

Riverside – Riverside Theatre is proud to announce the plays that will be featured in the 11th annual Riverside Theatre Shakespeare Festival: Romeo and Juliet and Love’s Labour’s Lost. Both shows will run in rotation from June 11 through July 11, 2010 at the Riverside Festival Stage in Iowa City’s lower City Park. Tickets will go on sale in April 2010.

Ron Clark will direct Romeo and Juliet. Perhaps the most enduring love story of all time, the play follows two teenagers pulled by passion into a desperate struggle to be together, despite the violent feud between their families. Clark says he intends to direct a very “romantic and exciting production with lots of good swordplay, dance and a brand new musical score.” Clark is Resident Artist and Production Manager at Riverside Theatre. He directed last summer’s production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream.

Kansas City director Theodore Swetz will direct Love’s Labour’s Lost. This witty, wild comedy presents four young noblemen who swear off interactions with women in order to focus on intellectual pursuits, only to then be visited by four of France’s most alluring ladies. Swetz says that in the play, “man’s impulsive nature rules the day, but women’s wisdom and depth are ultimately celebrated.” Swetz is a founding company member of American Players Theatre in Spring Green, Wisconsin, and is currently head of graduate actor training at the University of Missouri-Kansas City.

Romeo and Juliet and Love’s Labour’s Lost will be performed at the Riverside Festival Stage in Lower City Park. For more information, please go here.

Wonderful Town needs men

ICCT - The Iowa City Community Theatre's upcoming production of the musical Wonderful Town needs more men. The first round of auditions occurred last night and while they had plenty of women auditioning, there was a lack of men. The second round of auditions is this evening at 7 pm at the Robert A Lee Rec Center, 220 S Gilbert Street in Iowa City. Callbacks will be December 1st at the same location and time.

Neil Diamond Tribute comes to Amana

Old Creamery - The award winning Neil Diamond Tribute, from Branson, MO will play at the Old Creamery Theater in Amana, IA on Wednesday December 23rd. This 70 minute nonstop show tells the story of Neil’s life through his own songs. Starring look and sound alike Keith Allynn, known to his fans as “The Diamond Image.” Keith, who won Branson’s Show Awards, Tribute Artist of the Year 2009, sings favorites like Cherry Cherry, Sweet Caroline, Play Me, Brother Love and America, to name a few.

Keith Allynn began his career at the age of 14 in stand-up comedy, opening for such names as Chris Rock, Tim Allen and Robin Williams. At age 21 he discovered his musical talent performing as “Elvis”. Then trying to impress a girl who was a huge Neil Diamond fan, Keith sang in his best Neil voice, Diamond’s “Hello Again”. Soon that became “their” song, she (Diana Lynn) became his wife and Keith became, “The Diamond Image”.

Diana Lynn, formerly of Atkins, IA, joins Keith to perform the duet Neil Diamond did with Barbara Streisand called “You Don’t Bring Me Flowers.” Diana and Keith are known for their duets in Branson as they also perform a show called “DUET”, featuring famous duets from the past to the present, like Jim Reeves/Patsy Cline, Donny/Marie, Sonny/Cher, Olivia Newton-John/John Travolta and more.

To top it all off, the World’s Youngest Elvis, 4-year-old Bobby Darin, will open for the show. Bobby, son of Keith and Diana, has been opening for Daddy’s shows since he was just 20 months old.

See Bobby at www.youtube.com and enter World’s Youngest Elvis in the search box.

Experience the feel of Neil in time for Christmas. Tickets for the Neil Diamond Tribute show are on sale now at The Old Creamery Box Office at 800-35-AMANA. Adult ticket price: $25; students: $15.

Old Creamery offers holiday show for kids

Old Creamery – Laughter and holiday music abound in The Old Creamery Theatre Company’s Theatre For Young Audiences production of A Partridge in A Pear Tree, opening December 5th at 11 a.m. on the main stage in Amana.

Directed by The Old Creamery’s Artistic Director Sean McCall, the show features Nicholas Hodge, Jackie McCall, T.J. Besler and Joe Jennison, executive director of the Iowa Cultural Corridor Alliance. A Partridge in a Pear Tree is sure to put some zip in your holiday as this boisterous tale of leaping lords, milking maids, and a whole lot of poultry, comes to life in a brand new way!

Additional performances will be Saturday, December 12th and 19th, also at 11 a.m. Cost is $7 per person for general admission tickets. Call the box office at 1-800-35-AMANA. Walk-ins are welcome if seats are still available.

ICCT Board vows to keep theatre going

ICCT - At a sometimes somber, sometimes energized meeting Monday night, the Iowa City Community Theatre Board informed its members they were in bad financial shape, but vowed to regroup and make the theatre solvent again. At the public meeting, Treasurer David Roe informed the members that ICCT currently has almost $22,000 in liabilities, with only a little over $1,000 in the bank. Because of the financial situation, ICCT had considered canceling their next show, the musical Wonderful Town which is to be performed at the Englert in February 2010. The show will go on, but only because director Ben Bentler and ICCT member Ed Kottick having taken on the task of raising the money for the show. Kottick reported at the meeting that they are halfway to their fundraising goal. The final two shows of the ICCT season are Bend in the Road and Chapter Two. Both will be presented at the ICCT space on the Johnson County Fairgrounds.

The meeting was chaired by Patti Mott, who was chosen to replace Luis Sierra as board president after Sierra resigned two weeks ago. Mott has a long history in the Iowa City theatre community, having won the ICCT Board Award in 1961 and founding the Young Footliters in 1982. The membership elected two new board members to replace Jeff Shields and Janet Schlapkohl, both of whom had also resigned from the board. Gene Troyer and Ken VanEdgon were unanimous choices to fill the one and two year positions respectively. Also present at the meeting was Nancy Mayfield, the Development Director for the Englert Theatre, who made it clear the Englert is still supportive of ICCT and wishes to continue a dialogue about how the two groups can work together. ICCT was a early supporter of the Englert, donating $40,000 to the Save the Englert campaign.

Mott made it clear to the membership that it was time to start over, to make a fresh start, and under her presidency, things would be better. She added, "But a litle prayer wouldn't hurt."

To donate to ICCT, click on "Support ICCT" on their website. All donations are tax deductible.

Honky Tonk Angels in Amana

Old Creamery – The Old Creamery Theatre kicked off the holiday season with an all-new show full of laughter and music. The Honky Tonk Angels Holiday Spectacular is playing now on the main stage in Amana and runs through December 20th.

From Ted Swindley, the creator of Always…Patsy Cline, The Honky Tonk Angels Holiday Spectacular just might have you doing the “Peppermint Twist” as you go “Rock’n Around the Christmas Tree.”

Directed and choreographed by Artistic Director, Sean McCall, the show offers something for all music lovers. “Ted Swindley has brilliantly mixed traditional Christmas music, with holiday favorites from Motown, Country, Jazz and Rock, in a show that is sure to please all,” McCall said. “Music from original artists such as The Carpenters, Kitty Wells, Elvis, James Brown, Ray Stevens, Three Dog Night, Guy Lombardo – and even Jeff Foxworthy with his “Redneck 12 Days of Christmas” – combine in this wonderfully funny show. If you are not in the holiday spirit when you walk into our theatre, you will be when you walk out,” he said.

With musical direction from Travis Smith, the cast includes Sara Michelle Bickweat, Emily Bodkin, Faith Boles and Old Creamery sweetheart Deborah Kennedy. Band members are: Hannah Drollinger, Gil Perez, Travis Smith, Jon Eric and Seth Thorpe.

Tickets are $26.50 for adults and $17.50 for those under age 30 and can be purchased by calling the box office at 800-35-AMANA or 319-622-6194. Show times are Wednesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays at 3 p.m. and Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 p.m. There will also be additional Friday afternoon matinees at 3 p.m. on Friday, November 20th and December 11th.

Get into the Holiday Spirit with All Wrapped Up

By Meghan D'Souza

ITAC - I walked into All Wrapped Up For Christmas feeling very much like a scrooge. Thanksgiving is days away and I forgot that Halloween has already passed. This means Christmas is around the corner and I didn't think I was ready to hear a single Christmas song. But I like plays and didn't want to spend my Saturday night in, so I grabbed a date and we set off for this show.

Boy, am I glad we did! Talent is not a strong enough term for this cast of ten, three of which were 15, 13, and 11 years old and all of whom played the instruments in this music-filled show. Acoustic guitars, banjos, harmonicas, maracas, bells, a fiddle, a drum, and a piano are the major instruments played by this cast, and not by a band on the side of the stage. Smaller instruments, such as a sliding whistle, were also used to for sound effects.

When we sat down, we faced a set designed with whimsical gifts that stood taller than the cast. This set the festive tone that we experienced for the next hour and a half. A welcoming blue-haired Alonzo Boomchuck, played by Ryan Westwood, came out in a bright red, blue, and green outfit to begin telling the tale we were about to witness. As it turns out, everyone with blue hair belonged to Uncle Earl (Mark Wilson) and had been quarreling with his sister, Aunt Tillie (Meg Merckens) and her family with green hair for years. When they were forced to be together, though, kinship overcame hostility as they got out their instruments and played music. Often, such a jam would happen "at the drop of a hat." Specifically, Grandpappy's (Marshall Nielsen) hat.

Whose Grandpappy is he? No one knows. Not even Grandpappy, himself! But in the spirit of Christmas, Grandpappy suggests the Boomchucks have a family reunion to see if they can work out their problems. And so ends the summary before any spoilers are made.

So many things made this play work. I've discussed the simple, but whimsical set which matched the Dr. Seuss-like look of the characters. Outside of the instruments, there were no props used in the entire play. As I see it, the use of props can go many ways. Props can come in very handy to add fine details to a play. Props can get in the way of a play and take away from scenes. Or, as is the case here, you can go very far without any props at all. With the use of instruments, body language and, of course, stellar acting, we in the audience could see everything that was supposed to be on the set. A sleighride. A hill of snow. Trees. We experienced it all and with humor that had us laughing out loud.

Because music played a major role in the story, I can't go through the review without mentioning some individual talents. Of course, the whole group was outstanding. Westwood had us laughing at his great impersonation of Elvis singing "Blue Christmas." He also took us to a serene place when he performed "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas." Stephanie Daft (Penny Boomchuck) swept us away with "O Holy Night."

Real life siblings Aaron Ockenfels (Burl Boomchuck), Alexander Ockenfels (Boo Boomchuck) and Allison Ockenfels (Bonnie Boomchuck) played the roles of the Boomchuck children and shared their time in the spotlight during the middle of the performance. Alexander wowed the audience with his ability to not only play the banjo, but to rock it like an '80s rockstar, with it between his knees and behind his back. Allison, at age 11, was impressive with her ability to play the fiddle as if she was an adult playing it professionally. These kids added just as much instrumentally as the adults in the play and were a joy to watch.

A true showstopper for me, for both her talent and humor, was when the small-framed Merckens took the stage by unexpected storm to burst out "A Marshmallow World." Donned in her ridiculous green dress, stripped green shirt, striped red knee socks and bright red cat eye glasses, she swung her arms about and belted the song out like she was Liza Minnelli. Her huge smile, her presence on the stage, and her character's inability to keep the enthusiasm inside was so humorous to witness that I'm smiling as I recall it.

And though no one knows who Grandpappy belongs to, I would gladly take him in. Nielsen's kind, grandpa-esque voice and contagious laugh plus his ability to let loose on stage, even if it may mean dancing to "Mele Kalikimaka" in coconuts and a grass skirt (He had a t-shirt and shorts on underneath. This is absolutely a show you should bring the kids to!), added a wonderful touch to the play.

After the show, the cast treated the audience to carols and even invited us to sing along with them. It was a joyous way to wrap up All Wrapped Up for Christmas.


Meghan D'Souza lives in Coralville with her husband and beloved dog. She is a University of Iowa graduate and works at the Iowa City Public Library. She has written for The Burlington Hawk Eye and is currently a freelance writer.

Annie at TCR? Of course, it's good!

by Sharon Falduto

To be honest, I almost feel guilty writing a review of this show. I feel as though I could write “It was Annie at TCR! Of course it’s going to be good!”

But Spartan reviews are not what draws you back to the Iowa Theatre Blog. You want to know if this particular Annie will measure up to your childhood memories. Will it leave you singing? Yes, it will. Will it restore your faith that prosperity is just around the corner, even in these hard economic times? I hope so.

First of all, kudos to the cast of orphans. I would love to single out each and every one of them to mention and praise, but unfortunately, the book of the musical doesn’t individuate. I read the program at intermission and said to myself, “Huh, her name is July? Okay.” But each little girl in the show is a wonderful performer. Every one is given a chance to shine, with either a solo or a group performance, and each one makes her mama proud.

The girls begin the show piled on top of two bunk beds for, if my count is correct, 14 orphans; the 15th, Annie, appears later. They are hanging off the top, tucked underneath, and two to four abreast on the beds. Their dingy pinafores and sullen countenances put us immediately in the Depression-depressed frame of mind of the NYC girls’ orphanage.

Alexandra AbouAssaly as Molly, the tiniest girl of the group, does a wonderful job. Her bio indicates that she is in third grade, but she has the stature of a five year-old, with the stage presence and self possession of a 21 year-old theatre school graduate.

Jennifer Boettger is Miss Hannigan, the villain of the show. I’m torn between thinking her portrayal of Miss Hannigan as channeled through Carol Burnett is just perfect, and wishing she had given the role her own spin. I’ll let you, as the viewer decide. Regardless, she’s such a fun character to watch and play, it hardly matters.

The opening night performance only had one non dog-related misstep (more on that in a moment), which is when the adult chorus missed its opening notes on their “Herbert Hoover” song. I noted to myself at the time, “Kids know the score better than grownups!” But every other song, sung by child or adult, was perfectly on time and in key. Each crowd scene bustled with energy and chaos when needed, and settled into balance and lines when it was called for. Each time I would start to think my sight line was obstructed, someone would shift, and all would be well again.

The dog-related misstep was more humorous fodder for the adults in the audience than a true detriment to the show. Annie reached into her pocket a bit before calling to Sandy, and Sandy trotted on over before even hearing his name. I’m sure working with a canine adds an element of the unexpected to each night’s performance.

Every song in this show is iconic and memorable, although I did question the necessity of some of Daddy Warbucks’ ballads, especially as the show entered its second hour and some patrons, such as the young man behind me, fell asleep on Daddy’s lap. I’d hate to lose the songs, though, because Jonathon P. Swenson — a man so dedicated to his role that he shaved his head — is such a wonderful, melodious singer. It almost made me forgive him for being a Republican, to paraphrase Mr. Warbucks himself.

Ryan Folzey’s Rooster and Emily Nelson’s Lily St. Regis are delightful swindlers. He is crookeder than Snake Alley and she is dumber than a post, but they put on a beautiful Charleston with Miss Hannigan when they plan to pull a scam on Warbucks and get rid of Annie in the process. Heather Akers as Grace, Mr. Warbucks’ personal secretary, is calm and appealing throughout the show, a well cast choice for the role.

The show has some notables cameos of chorus members. Oscar Richie IV first appears as Mr. Bundles in a jovial but non-singing role, and then reappears in Act II as Bert Healy, on whose radio show Annie appears to ask to find her parents. Bert and The Lovely Boylan Sisters give us the dynamic opening song of Act II, “You’re Never Fully Dressed Without a Smile,” which takes us back to the orphanage where we check in with the girls as they put on their own Bert Healy radio show. Gene Whiteman may not look the part of FDR, exactly, but close your eyes and you hear FDR giving a fireside chat whenever Gene speaks.

And then, of course, there’s Annie. Michelle Lindhart has a big, open, smiling face and a big, powerful, wonderful voice to go with it. She hits each note with clarity and tone, and she embodies Annie’s impish spirit throughout. The score of Annie is not an easy one for anyone, but no notes seemed strained under her angelic voice.

Review from my five year-old co-reviewer, Sammi Falduto: “I really liked two songs. ‘The Sun Will Come Out’ and ‘Hard Knock Life.’ I didn’t like Miss Hannigan.”

So, will it leave you singing? Of course it will. It will even, in the case of one particular five year-old girl, leave you muttering “The sun’ll come out…” as you drift off to sleep after Mommy carries you in from the car and puts you to bed after the show.


Sharon Falduto has been involved with theatre for many years. Notable roles include Corrie in Barefoot in the Park with Dreamwell and Myra in Hay Fever with ICCT. She has directed God for the now defunct student group, West Side Players, and Of Mice and Men for Dreamwell. She is currently out of the theatre scene, as she is busy directing the lives of Rachel, Samantha, and Piper at her home in Coralville. She still enjoys the stage, however, and hopes to trod the boards again in the future.

Walking the Wire impresses

by Angie Toomsen

Riverside - This past weekend I attended Riverside Theatre’s 11th Annual Walking the Wire monologue show. If there was another performance to follow this review, my unequivocal recommendation would be: “don’t miss this.” As it were, “don’t miss this NEXT year” will have to suffice.

To those unfamiliar with Walking the Wire, Iowa City’s Riverside Theatre puts out a call for ten-minute monologues. The plays orbit—or downright land upon—a unique theme each year. Twelve plays are selected, actors are cast and a show is made.

This year’s theme was “Holiday Tales.” From the 4th of July to Christmas to Veterans Day, the holidays provided a backdrop for touching, hilarious and often absurd circumstances. The theme seemed fitting, both because we are about to embark upon the holiday season and because holidays offer so many moments of recognition and shared experience.

Staged by Ron Clark, the pieces were well-selected (I have heard they have gotten over a hundred submissions in the past) and ordered in a sequence that energetically “passed the baton” from one to the next. The performers were dynamic, and I can’t think of a single moment when the actor standing on the stage didn’t have the audience’s full engagement. In fact, the crowd was very vocal and I overheard a few people around me whisper things like “this is outstanding” and “isn’t this wonderful?”

The evening opened with “A Declaration of Independence on Surf Avenue” by Carrie Lee O’Dell, which is the story of a young woman from a “sports family” who finally finds her sport…as a competitive eater. The details of her foray into the discipline — as well as the stomach-turning particulars of an actual event (and the days after the event) — are delivered by Jessica Wilson, whose spunky, genuine performance held Saturday’s audience in the palm of her hand.

Though the evening was not a competition, I felt that O’Dell’s piece was one of the contenders to wind up in a ten-minute play anthology and become an audition favorite, but I do have one structural observation. The narrator, when trying to support why it is she understands what a waste of food competitive eating can be, tells the story of a group of under served urban kids who helped put it in perspective for her.

The sub-narrative touched such a nerve and was approached with such depth by the actress that it was almost jarring to come back to the primary through-line, about a young woman declaring independence from the expectations and ambivalence of her family. That said, I would love to see a whole piece about the experience with the children as it was very emotionally charged and touching.

Steven Hunt’s “Thanksgiving Dinner with the Last Whore in Calhoun County,” performed by veteran “Riversider” Tim Budd, was another stand out. A drifter attempts to fund an evening with a prostitute — who has requested a Thanksgiving dinner and cake as payment — and inadvertently winds up helping to repair a rift between a mother and daughter. All parties, himself included, learn a little something about gratitude. Budd brings the story to life with such sensitivity and detail that I could easily paint a mental picture of the people and places he encountered.

“Uncle Leo’s Revenge” by Ron Clark is another contender for a play anthology. This is a side-splitting tale, told by one of three small-town-southern triplets, whose uncle Leo exacts vengeance on a group of problem boys. Leo forces the troublemakers to dance naked in the back of his flat bed truck as he drives through town while the girls throw firecrackers at the boys’ feet. Though ambivalent about the cancellation of his town’s July 4th festivities, Leo manages to unintentionally save the holiday by offering up a “parade float” the town would certainly talk about for ages. Kristy Hartsgrove handled the comedic storytelling like the pro she is, making this piece a definite crowd favorite.

Brian Tanner’s “Black Friday,” performed by William Czerwionka, is about a retail worker who, counter to his proclamation that he will not work a double shift on the biggest shopping day of the year, caves at the promise of a date with a work crush. “Black Friday” nails it when it comes to irrational shoppers, blistered feet and cold break room pizza. Czerwionka’s droll “every guy” delivery perfectly complements Tanner’s clever zingers. Everyone can relate to “Black Friday” on some level, but an insider’s take on it, wrapped up in a sweet (but not sickeningly so) love story, was entertaining and structurally satisfying.

Megan Gogerty’s “New Year,” performed by the lovely Saffron Henke, is filled with comic gems about a family Christmas with a budding intellectually elitist college kid who has decided that the calendar should start with his birthday. Among other hilariousness, parental fears of the boy’s potential outspokenness at a holiday party are assuaged by “medicinal brownies.” Like everything I have ever read of Gogerty, the piece is skillfully witty and a crowd-pleaser.

“Holiday Transformation,” written and performed by Janet Schlapkohl, brought the house down and served as fitting finale. “Holiday Transformation” is about a perm-gone-wrong and a dress-gone-wrong at a holiday party for veterinarians. If Schlapkohl were to write and perform in a full-length one-woman show, I would be there opening night. She is a riot, and even offered up the evening’s visual piece-de-resistance in the form of a dress that was meant to be stenciled with holly, but wound up looking undeniably phallic.

I could say something great about every single piece in the show and every single performer. In all, this was an impressive night celebrating the talents of multiple writers, actors and the area’s own professional producing organization, Riverside Theatre. Again, if you can make it next year, don’t miss it.


Angie Toomsen has an MA in journalism from the University of Iowa and a BA in theatre from UNI. She spent nearly a decade in New York City, seeing, participating in and studying theatre. She still enjoys writing, acting and directing as time permits.

Holiday Tales at Riverside

Riverside - Riverside Theatre will host its 11th annual weekend of monologues, Walking the Wire: Holiday Tales November 19-22.

Walking the Wire: Holiday Tales is directed by Ron Clark and features twelve original monologues. As each piece is performed by a single actor who speaks directly to the audience, this element of Riverside’s 2009-2010 season represents theatre in one of its most ancient and stripped-down forms.

Though all of the monologues match the “holiday tale” theme, the calendar events in the spotlight range beyond those celebrated at the end of the year. The characters portrayed by the show’s performers include a determined young woman on the competitive eating circuit, a 1930s vagabond seeking shelter at a brothel, and a college student who ditches the traditional calendar in favor of one that commemorates events in his own life.

Riverside Theatre received monologues from all over the country in response to its call for submissions in summer 2009. The twelve playwrights whose work will be presented are: Ron Clark (Iowa City); Kent Forsberg (Middleton, WI); Megan Gogerty (Iowa City); Steven Hunt (Anchorage, AK); Barbara Lau (Mt. Vernon); Rebecca Leshin (New York City); Charles Monson (Iowa City); Carrie Lee O’Dell (Brooklyn, NY); Janet Schlapkohl (Iowa City); Brian Tanner (North Liberty); Amy Tofte (Los Angeles); and Amy White (Mt. Vernon.)

Among the performers, Riverside audiences will recognize Mary Bryant, Tim Budd, William Czerwionka, Kristy Hartsgrove, Saffron Henke, Janet Schlapkohl, Laura Tatar, and David Tull. Faces new to Riverside include Jessica Flood, Noah Wesley Parks, Becca Robinson, and Jessica Wilson.

Walking the Wire: Holiday Tales will run for four performances only Thursday, November 19-Sunday, November 22. Tickets range from $12-$26 with a $12 student rush 20 minutes before the performance. Tickets may be ordered through the Riverside Theatre Box Office at 213 N. Gilbert Street, by calling (319) 338-7672, or online.

Backstage with Annie

TCR - You have to check out this video of Jonathan Swenson getting his head shaved so he can play Daddy Warbucks in Annie. Then check out Annie this weekend!

ITAC is All Wrapped Up

ITAC - The Iowa Theatre Artists Company opens their first holiday production in their new Amana home (the former Barn Restaurant) on Thursday, November 19. This original play with music written by Tom Johnson and the ITAC Ensemble will have a three week run over a four week period, with a week off during the Thanksgiving holidays. A special Saturday matinee on December 5 has been scheduled at 1:30 pm in addition to the five regular performances that week to coincide with the Prelude festivities in Amana.

All Wrapped Up For Christmas features ten Iowa Theatre Artists who play musical instruments which include banjo, guitar, violin, stand up bass, piano, harmonica, ukelele, and even an array of “bells and whistles.” This ensemble of actors also sings and tells stories – both new and traditional. The age range of the artists on stage is from 11 to 75 years of age and will introduce to ITAC audiences the Ockenfels family, three very talented young musicians/singers from Wellman who have entertained throughout Iowa, including being named a Semi Finalist at the 2009 Iowa State Fair Bill Riley Talent Search. Meg Merckens, ITAC co-producer stated, “We are excited to offer our very first family show that we think will be a hit with all ages. It’s a show “about” family for the entire family. So bring the kids, bring the grandparents, and everyone in-between!”

Rounding out the cast are Karl Bodenbender (East Amana), Stephani Daft (Iowa City) Meg Merckens (South Amana), Marshall Nielsen (Cedar Falls), Paul Roberts (Sharon Center), Ryan Westwood (Davenport), and Mark Wilson (Hills). Thomas P. Johnson is the director with set design by Paula Grady and Marshall Nielsen based on a visual concept by Johnson.

All Wrapped Up For Christmas runs November 19 -22 and December 3 – 13. ITAC offers a holiday special ticket price of $20 for Adults and $10 for Students. As an opening weekend "pre-Thanksgiving special," children age 6 – 15 are half price, or $5. The $5 Ticket Price is good only for performances from November 19 – 22. “Though fast-paced, funny with lots of music and good stories, we recommend this show for children 6 years of age and older,” explained Tom Johnson, Director of the show and ITAC co-producer. Afternoon performances are Thursday and Sunday at 1:30 PM with a “Talkback” session after each matinee performance. Evening Performances are Thursday through Sunday at 7:30 PM.

Ticket information and reservations are available through the ITAC Box Office: 319-622-3222. Information is also listed on the theatre's website.

TCR's Annie opens this weekend

TCR - Theatre Cedar Rapids audiences are no strangers to the musical Annie. It’s a longtime favorite and audiences have been clamoring for it to return to their stage — which is exactly what it will do beginning Nov. 20, when Annie opens at TCR Lindale.

In fact, it’s recommended that audiences reserve their tickets now. Annie tickets are selling faster than any other show on the season — even The Producers, which will see TCR finally return to its home in the Iowa Theater Building downtown.

So what’s the appeal?

“At the end of the day, this musical is about a little girl, the unbridled optimism of children and the importance of the love and care that every child receives,” says director Casey Prince.

It helps that Annie features several classic songs of musical theatre, from “Tomorrow” to “Easy Street” to “Hard-Knock Life.” It also features a heroic father figure in Daddy Warbucks, and one of the all-time classic villains in Miss Hannigan.

For those who don’t know the story: Annie centers on a Depression-era orphan who slaves away at her orphanage under the tyrannical rule of Miss Hannigan. One day, however, her fortunes change when billionaire Oliver Warbucks agrees to temporarily take in an orphan to live with him and Annie gets chosen.

Warbucks is strict and standoffish, but it doesn’t take long for Annie to warm his heart. Soon he’s ready to adopt the little girl for good. It seems that Annie’s life couldn’t get any better — but Hannigan and her brother Rooster are seeing dollar signs, and they start cooking up other plans.

“The script is so great and the setting is so real that we are sucked in, and we truly believe — as unlikely as it sounds out of context — that the optimism of one little girl can change a nation,” Prince says. “When you witness the wholehearted belief of a child like Annie that everything will be better tomorrow, and know that her innocence is not yet jaded, you start to believe again too.”

Annie features many familiar TCR faces, including Jonathan Swenson (Fiddler on the Roof) as Warbucks; Heather Akers (Disney’s High School Musical On Stage) as Grace; Jen Boettger (Urinetown) as Miss Hannigan; Ryan Foizey (Altar Boyz) as Rooster; and Gene Whiteman (countless productions) as Franklin D. Roosevelt. However, it features a fresh face in the lead role: Michelle Lindhart is making her TCR debut as Annie.

“She’s optimistic, warm, funny and quite a talent,” Prince says of his leading lady. “She embodies Annie and she is an amazing little girl.”

Annie will be the final musical at TCR Lindale, which has served as TCR’s temporary home during flood recovery. While Prince is eager to see TCR get back downtown, he admits that he’ll miss the Lindale space.

“That space has been a blessing,” he says. “We’ve done a lot of great theatre in that building in a year and a half. Annie will be a fantastic addition to that.”

And in the spirit of the holiday season, TCR has a special program to help children in need. People who bring in a donation of one package of size 4 & 5 diapers get one free ticket to the Thanksgiving (Nov. 26) performance of Annie. Tickets/donations must be exchanged no later than Nov. 24. This special is only good in person at TCR’s temporary box office located at 800 Second Ave SE 52403. Please have donations with you at time of ticket purchase. All donations will go to Waypoint Services. All of those that make a donation for tickets for the Thanksgiving night performance of Annie will receive a special welcome at the show that night with an update as to the result of your collective donations.

Annie will be performed Nov. 20-Dec. 12 at TCR Lindale, 4444 1st Ave. NE. . Shows are at 7:30 p.m. Thursdays through Saturdays and at 2:30 p.m. Sundays. Tickets are $20 or $25 ($15 for students) and can be purchased in person at the TCR Box Office; by phone at 366-8591; or online.

Photo by Steve Eckert/Spotlight Images.

ICCT membership meeting scheduled

ICCT - Due to a petition started by a member of the Iowa City Community Theatre, a special membership meeting is scheduled for Monday, November 23rd at 7 PM in Meeting Room B at the Robert A Lee Recreation Center. This is the second attempt ICCT has made to schedule this meeting; the first did not have a quorum and therefore could not conduct any of the scheduled business for the meeting. At that last meeting, the President of the Board of Directors, Luis Sierra, resigned. The Past President, Patti Mott, is currently listed as President on the ICCT website.

The announcement on their website states: "This is going to be a very important meeting. We need to fill two openings on the board of directors. Come renew your membership and involvement in ICCT. Vote for the new board members. Of course, ICCT will welcome anyone who would like to become a member. So bring along a friend (or two even) who'd like to get involved!"

Actors shine in Dreamwell's Playboy

by James Trainor

In the county of Mayo on the western coast of Ireland, there's not much to talk about. Once in a while there's a wedding or a wake, but for the most part the simple folk of Mayo are thirsty for a good story. So it's fortunate for Christy Mahon, who arrives unannounced one dark night, that he has a whopper.

Though Christy affects reticence at first, it doesn't take long for the Michael James Flaherty (the owner of the tavern) to draw the story out. Christy is on the run because he killed his father with a shovel. He's afraid of being turned over to the police, but instead Flaherty applauds his bravery and asks him to stay on as a servant and keep his daughter, Pegeen Mike, safe from harm.

Pegeen Mike and Christy quickly fall in love. Meanwhile, Christy is the talk of the town, praised again and again for his bravery and eloquence. Everyone but the moralizing Shawn Keogh (who's supposed to marry Pegeen Mike) wants to hear Christy's story. It's all going better than he could have hoped...until his father shows up at the door to the tavern.

Dreamwell's production of Playboy, directed by Rich Riggleman, is well-executed. The story is clear and the accent work is quite good. Several performances stand out, most notably Ottavia DeLuca as Pegeen Mike, who is as charming in her cautious flirtation with Christy as she is funny in her fiery rejection of Shawn. K. Michael Moore also gives an energetic performance as Christy. John Crosheck and Gary Tyrrell make a great comic duo as Philly and Jimmy, Flaherty's drinking buddies.

The only shortcoming of this production is that the stage seemed to small to hold this play, which has eleven characters and all the elements of a good farce. Dreamwell's playing space at the Unitarian Universalist Society works extremely well for most of their productions, but this one seemed a bit static, and a lot of opportunities for fun physical business were missed. Director Rich Riggleman used the space well, though, and the last scene of the play was hectic, exciting and quite funny.

Playboy of the Western World is presented November 13, 14, 20, and 21 at 7:30 pm at the Unitarian Universalist Society. Tickets are $12 regular, $10 senior, and $8 student. Call 319-541-0140 for tickets or go to www.dreamwell.com


James recently graduated from Cornell College with a Bachelor of Special Studies in English and Theater. He has also acted and directed for Stage Left Theater in Cedar Rapids.

Weekend Round Up

It's your last chance to see From the Homefront and Shady Business. Reviews are here and here.

And opening this weekend is Dreamwell's Playboy of the Western World. The DI has a nice article and here's our preview.

A Review of Rocky Horror

By Sarah Jarmon

CSPS - Rocky Horror is the kind of cult classic that die hard followers can feel comfortable coming home to, so it seemed an odd choice to start the show off with an unfamiliar, albeit hauntingly beautiful, rendition of “Science Fiction.” And while Meghan Donohue, this production’s Magenta, was more than equal to the task, belting the sliding notes of this revised piece with chilling grace, it nevertheless started the show off with a shaky equilibrium that never quite settled into comfortable territory.

The simplistic set worked well for this production, giving the actors opportunities to act as set pieces and props while providing levels and interesting stage pictures, which they did admirably. The most notable example of this was the transition from “Over at the Frankenstein Place” to Brad and Janet’s entry into the castle. When the lights cut out for the song there were audible gasps. Flashlights created both the storm and a wickedly appropriate convention for lighting Brad and Janet’s journey to the castle door where the phantoms, who formed the castle wall, rotated en mass to show the switch from outdoors to indoors. It was easily the most visually exciting section of the play. They set up this convention with the audience well, but regrettably underutilized it.

The sold-out house was comprised of more than a few Rocky Horror “virgins,” perhaps due to the slightly questionable casting of more than a few minors. But the large crowd on Thursday night was oddly subdued for a Rocky audience. There were some technical aspects that may have been the cause of this hush. The cast and crew were allowed only two days, of their already tight production schedule of twenty-three, to rehearse in the performance space. This manifested itself in a helter-skelter spattering of lighting issues and microphone complications. The most regrettable of which rendered all of what I’m sure was a wonderful rendition “Sweet Transvestite” entirely inaudible.

But when we couldn’t hear everything, we certainly had plenty to look at. The costumes blazed with the vibrant pizazz we in the Cedar Rapids arts community have come to almost unconsciously associate with Alisabeth Caraway. Oversexed pastels practically dripped off the phantoms, while Frank, Magenta, and Riff Raff were adorned in the more typical black leather and red lace Rocky fans the world over will instantly recognize.

The largest problem with this Rocky seemed to be character development. Janet started out with more worldly qualities than perhaps wise. She never quite came off as innocent and seemed all too willing to sex up Frank which made “Touch-a Touch-a Touch-a Touch me” less about giving in and more about going all out, which actually made me feel really sorry for Brad. The chorus themselves never really gave Ryan Foizey, or Frank ‘N’ Furter, the cowed and lustful respect Frank is due. That lack of reverence coupled with the choice to sodomize Eddie with a giant dildo gun, as opposed to murdering him with a chainsaw, muddied the story. Frank, whose Ziggy Stardust make-up and soulful vocal quality should have stood out above all else, was shunted aside in favor of Abby Pederson as a valley-girl version of Columbia, who was pretty consistently falling out of whatever top she was in.

Meghan Donohue and Rob Merritt stood out as the most believable characters. As Magenta, Megan went with classically sardonic and slightly bored, while Rob opted for an unusually nerdy thus understandably jealous Riff Raff. The duo were spot on and delightfully alien in contrast with the human phantoms whose in your face sexuality seemed slightly distasteful by comparison.

This performance did showcase the extremely ardent work that was put into this Rocky. Given a few more days and a bit more attention to the development of the plot this piece would have matured into a great show. The outstanding vocal talent and diversity of this group of actors made this a visually appealing wonderfully outrageous Rocky Horror to be remembered.

SPT conjures a spirit of fun

by Vicki Krajewski

SPT Theatre - An Elizabethan couple chatters away as several long-haired hippies squint behind pink-tinted John Lennon glasses. Meanwhile, a half-hearted vampire scans the crowd for fresh blood while a lonely Goth with a face full of piercings ponders volunteering to be the next meal. Heads turn when a masked Michael Jackson enters accompanied by a girlish devil — and this all happens offstage before the show begins.

Last weekend—yes, Halloween weekend — SPT Theatre offered the latest installment of their Tales from the Writer’s Room series entitled, Dead Moose on the Table, and the entertainment provided was as eclectic as the characters in the audience.

The program explained that the evening’s host was “Edgar Adam Woe” (Adam Witte), though this most fascinating emcee was not much developed as a character (which is a shame because he seemed like an amiable chap). Instead, he simply appeared on stage periodically with a leather-bound volume and, without comment, read pieces of Poe’s spellbinding works, beginning with The Conqueror Worm.

Upon first hearing this poem, I thought that the writers modified it, but then I realized that this selection was just that keen of a match for the occasion. Mr. Woe began:

Lo! 't is a gala night
Within the lonesome latter years.
An angel throng, bewinged, bedight
In veils, and drowned in tears,
Sit in a theatre to see
A play of hopes and fears,
While the orchestra breathes fitfully
The music of the spheres.

The poem ended by explaining that, “the play is the tragedy, ‘Man,’/and its hero, the Conqueror Worm.” In the way that this piece directly addressed the audience and acknowledged that we were watching a play, this opening was almost Shakespearean, reminiscent of Puck’s moment at the end of A Midsummer Night’s Dream, only this was more of a mid-fall evening’s musings. I’d say nightmare, but even though SPT chose a slightly ominous theme and performed on Halloween weekend, their approach to their subject matter remained consistently Puck-like: playful and never too serious, as evidenced by what happened after Woe finished reading the introductory poem. He slammed shut the book and dramatically, yet very properly proclaimed, “Oh mama, I’m in fear for my life from the long arm of the law,” at which point, the band leapt in with their pulsing version of the song, Renegade, which begins with those lyrics.

You can find good, live music in the Corridor area. And you can find good, live theatre, too. But it is rare to find these two things together in the Corridor, or anywhere, and that is one of the special things about SPT. Their music and theatre goes together like so much chocolate and peanut butter, only without the guilt or potential for triggering nut allergies. How everything works so well is something of a mystery, however, because the musicians and vocalists are as eclectic and individual as is the range of scenes, stories and characters typical of an SPT show. Their styles run from lounge-like to bluesy to folk-rock, but, somehow, their voices blend wonderfully. They all demonstrate an ability to balance their contributions to the music, shining in solo moments, and never stealing focus by overplaying or over-singing harmonies. Two reasons I was looking forward to seeing another SPT show were Janelle Lauer’s rich, textured vocals and Bill Heller’s sensitive and interesting song choices. I was not disappointed on either count. This time, though, Greg Kanz also busted out his mad skills in a furious drum solo. The band was creatively lit with multi-colored spots that danced to the music, creating the feel of a miniature (but still bonafide) rock concert. As evidence of this, I offer the following observed behavior: the audience not only clapped, but whooped and hollered after most of the numbers. By the end of the show, I found myself among the whoopers, having uncontrollably abandoned any pretense of my cold, impartial reviewer persona. I felt like a food critic in a fine restaurant with crumbs all over my face, loudly exclaiming, “Mmmmmmmmmmm! Can I kiss the chef?” But I digress.

For the next two or so hours, these sonic treats were woven in-between comical sketches about the grim reaper as convenience store employee, storytelling-type monologues about childhood fears, more readings of Poe, and scenes covering topics ranging from the hazards of drunk dialing to the “real” story behind Grant Wood’s famous “American Gothic.” With few exceptions, the actors commanded the stage and created engaging situations and characters.

A particularly gut-busting sketch was recurring character Professor Peter Pizzle’s plenary address at the American Paper and Pulp Conference entitled, Up from the Cob, which was a lengthy and well-researched academic treatise focused mainly on the virtues of folding versus wadding one’s toilet paper. As Pizzle, Jason Alberty pulled off a perfect intellectual, pompous deadpan while explaining how toilet papering habits connect to personality. FDR, for instance, was a “folder,” while Stalin, he sneered, was a “wadder.” Waxing philosophical, he liberally quoted Robespierre and Nietzsche on the topic as the sketch reached for the heights of absurdity.

“What does toilet paper have to do with Halloween or Edgar Allen Poe or an expired moose?” you may ask. Not much, as far as I could tell, but it was so funny that it didn’t matter. One of the charms of SPT’s approach is that they aren’t heavy-handed or overly literal. For their Writer’s Room scenes and stories, they’ve been choosing loose themes, but then following their ideas down divergent paths, if that’s where they’ve led. The same is true of the song selections. Some pieces, like Frankenstein and Witchy Woman, very clearly connected to the theme or the sketch they followed, while other pieces just sounded great or gave the band a chance to showcase a particular, talented individual. Because you’re not beaten over the head by a one-dimensional idea, it’s easier to let your mind wander and engage yourself in finding connections between the disparate flurry of scenes, characters, and songs. So while everyone was having great fun, the evening as a whole was busy adding up to a sort of meditation around fear. How is it part of the human experience? How do individuals experience it differently—and in the same way? What is at the root of it?

Nowhere was this more evident than when Woe’s reading of The Raven was followed by Janelle Lauer’s rendition of Hurt, the pained song’s refrain repeating itself:

What have I become?
My sweetest friend
Everyone I know
Goes away in the end

The Raven is one of the first pieces of literature that I was exposed to—before I could even read by myself. I remember sitting on our basement couch in pink cotton pajamas while my father cracked a book and read it to me. I remember being struck by the spell that words could cast. I remember, even at that age, knowing that this poem was “scary.” But at that time my fear arose from the dark and foreboding imagery, and from the ominous tones of my father’s voice. Fear, at a young age, is made concrete, given form: there is a monster in the closet, there is a phantom in the dark. But even then, what we are actually afraid of is not the monster or the phantom, but the possibility that they might hurt us.

We are all, from a very early age, simply afraid of getting hurt. And that is so often the "Dead Moose on the Table;" the reason we do the crazy, irrational or even hurtful, defensive things we do; the one thing we try to protect ourselves from; the primal fear we flirt with and try to turn upside down on Halloween. The drive to avoid pain, whether physical or psychic, is something that unites all of us.

Listening again to The Raven as an adult, I understood the narrator’s darkness anew. This is a poem about our deepest, most central fear: the irreversible and inevitable pain of death and loss. “Everyone I know/Goes away in the end,” Woe repeated after Lauer’s song ended, and I could smell the dead moose on the table.

Then I thought, “Hey, how did I get from laughing about bum wiping to pondering the nature of human existence inside half and hour? Should I be upset by this dramatic change in tone?” But I wasn’t upset, because, before I knew it, a new scene unfolded and we were watching something that felt like a fairy tale, or a Jungian dream. When SPT tackles a theme, they include the kitchen sink, the yin and the yang, the long and the short. And it’s fun to not know what’s coming next and to be constantly surprised.

Of course, it wasn’t a perfect show. There was a wigged out doorbell and some awkwardly fumbled lines. Some scenes were stronger than others. One or two felt a little too short or undeveloped. However, none of these minor flaws stopped the performers from quickly recovering and jumping right back into the moment.

Unfortunately, I can’t recommend you go see this show, as there were only two performances. It is a testament to these artists’ creativity that instead of using the same material for a long run of performances, they present their work, and then move on to a new project—which is exactly what they’re doing now. So, while the Dead Moose has been laid to rest, you can plan to attend the next installment of Tales from the Writer’s Room, which is called Bless Your Heart and will be performed February 12th and 13th. This is no trick; it’s sure to be a treat.

Check out the rest of SPT’s season, or even buy their first CD here.

Vicki Krajewski has acted and directed with theatre companies in Chicago and Iowa including the Prairie Center for the Arts, Sandcastle Productions, Dreamwell, Catalyst, Iowa City Community Theatre and City Circle. Several of her short plays and monologues have been produced in Iowa City and Cedar Rapids. Along with her performance pieces, she does occasional newspaper reporting, freelance feature writing, technical writing, personal essays and even some poetry.

Dreamwell ends "Season of Inciting Theatre"

Dreamwell - Concluding its "Season of Inciting Theatre," Dreamwell Theatre presents Playboy of the Western World by J.M. Synge on November 13, 14, 20, and 21 with all performances at 7:30 pm at the Unitarian Universalist Society (at Iowa Avenue and Gilbert Street). Directed by Rich Riggleman and assistant directed by Meg Dobbs. Tickets are $12 regular, $10 senior, and $8 student. Reservations can be made here or by calling 319-541-0140.

When young renegade Christy Mahon stumbles into a remote pub on the Irish coast he soon catches the eye of every woman around with his daring story, including the innkeeper's beautiful daughter Pegeen Mike. Christy is on the run after murdering his father and now women chase him everywhere, Pegeen begins to fall in love with him, and life is good... until his father turns up to tell his side of the story!

First produced in 1907, this play sent shock waves through the dramatic world, pushing the limits of decency and stoking an already red-hot nationalistic fire. Though met with near instant rioting and controversy, it is now considered a masterpiece of poetic drama. The cast is led by Kevin Moore as Christy and Ottavia De Luca as Pegeen.

Cast
(in order of appearance)
Pegeen Mike - Ottavia De Luca
Shawn - Brad Quinn
Michael - Tom Aprile
Philly - John Crosheck
Jimmy - Gary Tyrrell
Christy - K. Michael Moore
Widow Quinn - Robyn McCright
Susan - Erin Mills
Nelly - Elizabeth Dobbs
Sara - Elisabeth Ross
Old Mahon - Brian Tanner

Tonight only - free reading at Riverside

Riverside - Riverside Theatre will host a reading of Militant Language: A Play With Sand, by Sean Christopher Lewis on Wednesday, November 4 at 7:00 p.m. at Riverside Theatre, 213 N. Gilbert Street. This one night only event is free and open to the public.

Set in a remote Iraqi construction site, Militant Language explores the violence of our current conflict, its consequences on our soldiers, and how war, at times, can make as much sense as sand falling from the heavens.

The reading is directed by Jennifer Fawcett.

Playwright Sean Christopher Lewis is the recipient of awards including the Rosa Parks Award for Social Justice in Playwriting from the Kennedy Center, The William Inge Arts Center Playwright Residency, and a National New Play Network Emerging Playwright Residency. He holds an MFA from the Iowa Playwrights Workshop and currently resides in Iowa City.

Five professional theatres presented a joint world premiere of Militant Language in 2008. This special reading of the play is part of Riverside Theatre’s National Endowment for the Arts grant activities.

Please note that Militant Language contains adult situations and language and is not recommended for younger audiences. A link to a synopsis of the play is available here.

This event is free, and no tickets are required. More information is available here.