ITAC Presents Lions Club Fundraiser

For a fifth straight year, the Garrison and Dysart Lions Clubs will host a theatrical production by the Iowa Theatre Artists Company (ITAC) of Amana as a fundraiser for the two clubs. On Saturday and Sunday, November 17 and 18, the ITAC musical production of “Pump Boys And Dinettes” will take the stage at the Union Middle School in Dysart and entertain the local audience. Both clubs sell tickets and the proceeds are split evenly. Not only has it been a successful fundraiser for the two clubs, but also it has also helped support the not-for-profit small professional organization, the Iowa Theatre Artists Company, and has also provided a fundraising opportunity for the local community theatre of Dysart, the Wolf Creek Players, which provides the refreshments before the show and during the intermission. ITAC Artistic Director, Meg Merckens comments, “This has been a fantastic fundraiser for all involved. It’s such fun to work with the two clubs and the community theatre and also to provide a very special event for the local audience in Benton and Tama Counties.”

Celebrating its 30th Anniversary, Pump Boys And Dinettes was written and first performed Off-Broadway in 1982 by John Foley, Mark Hardwick, Debra Monk, Cass Morgan, John Schimmel and Jim Wann. ITAC fills the stage with a multi-talented cast of singers and musicians from the local area as well as two performers from the Nashville, Tennessee area. Paul Binkley is Music Director and is also singing and playing the role of Jim in the 2012 production at ITAC. ITAC first performed Pump Boys as its debut production in 2008 at the Colony Village Restaurant in Little Amana before moving to its permanent home in the former Barn Restaurant in Amana in the spring of 2009. Over the past fifteen years, Binkley has served as music director/sound designer for Tennessee Repertory Theatre, Nashville Shakespeare Festival and Coterie Theatre in Kansas City in addition to performing with numerous bands and performers including Alabama, Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, Red River Boys and at Opryland U.S.A. Joining Binkley on stage is local favorite Lynne Rothrock (Cedar Rapids) as Rhetta Cupp and ITAC newcomer Erin R. Ramsey (Adams, TN) as Prudie Cupp. These two sassy and spirited sisters run the Double Cupp Cafe, which is located right next door to the service station where the Pump Boys often contemplate actually working on a car, but would rather sing about work than actually change a tire. The Pump Boys are: Binkley (Nashville, TN), Ron DeWitte (Cedar Rapids), Gilbert Perez (Kalona), Paul Roberts, (Sharon Center) Alex Shockley (South Amana) and Ian Zahren (South Amana).

The Saturday performance on November 17 is scheduled at 7:30 pm and the Sunday matinee performance on November 18 will be at 2:00 pm. Tickets are $16 for Adults and $10 for students and are general admission. Tickets may be purchased by contacting the following club members: Dysart Lions: Dwayne Luze: (319) 476-4949 or Garrison Lions: Dick Flickinger: (319) 477-8423 or by calling the ITAC box office: (319) 622-3222. Information about ITAC can be found by visiting the website: iowatheatreartists.org.