Relive the Magic of The Wizard of Oz

By Matthew Falduto

Photos by Len Struttmann

Daniel Kelchen as The Cowardly Lion, Melissa Tormene as Dorothy,
Jonathan Schmidt as The Tin Man, Michael Range as the Scarecrow

Cedar Rapids - My family watched the movie version of The Wizard of Oz on Easter Sunday this year. My daughters had seen parts of it before, but this was the first time we all sat down and watched it together as a family. The beautiful movie captured my daughters’ imaginations, and for my wife and me, it evoked memories of childhood. One of our family stories is my older brother running and hiding every time the winged monkeys appeared on screen. I imagine many of us have similar stories, for The Wizard of Oz is part our culture, part of our lives, part of who we are. Theatre Cedar Rapids chose to honor that history with their production of the story. Unlike the wildly inventive Alice in Wonderland from last season, this is effectively the movie on stage, with the actors channeling the performances of the movie stars. And they were all simply fantastic.

Carpe Your Seats for The Last Romance This Diem!

By K. Lindsay Eaves

Amana - They say you always remember your first love, but what about your last? Unfamiliar with Joe DiPietro’s script or his Tony-winning reputation, I was admittedly somewhat trepidatious when I took my seat amid a slightly older demographic to view what was billed as a love-story at the end of life. And then Troy Bruchwalski (“Young Man”) strutted on-stage and I sat up straight with renewed interest. With a dapper suit and a Ryan Gosling swagger, Bruchwalski’s operatic swell set the tone for the high notes The Last Romance would hit. As his younger self, this might have been a hard act for some to follow, but not for David Q. Combs (“Ralph”). His character exuded a kind of youthful brashness that at times had you wondering if he’d popped a little too much Viagra. But it was all in good fun. Combs’ Ralph is an audacious extrovert kept on a short leash by his over-bearing, if well-meaning, sister, Rose (played by Rachael Lindhart). As first-generation Italian immigrants living in Hoboken, NJ, they form a tight family unit brought together by mutual losses in love. And they’ve forged a good life together from those disappointments. Well, perhaps not good, but comfortable in its predictability and blandness. But all this is changed one day by a chance meeting in a dog park.

Musical Fans "Cain't Say No" to Oklahoma!

By Sharon Falduto

Iowa City - There’s a reason Rodgers and Hammerstein musicals are so popular, beloved, and often produced, and that reason is that they are just very good shows.

I had a great time at Iowa City Community Theatre’s production of “Oklahoma.” Each actor was a joy to watch, the show was well-paced and engaging, the set was a masterpiece of simplicity, and the band was phenomenal.

“Oklahoma!” is a love story set in the Oklahoma territory at the dawn of the 20th century. It’s not quite a state yet, and resident Laurey Williams isn’t quite ready to admit yet that she really does love Curly. She’s a strong country girl, she doesn’t faint at the sight of a man, and she’s certainly not going to go off with him to the Box Sociable just because he talks purty about a “surrey with the fringe on top.”

The Elephant Man at Mount Mercy

Cedar Rapids - "In Director Nich Radcliffe's inventive re-imagining of Bernard Pomerance's 1979 Tony Winner, the Mount Mercy Drama Dept tells a heartbreaking and uplifting story of faith, friendship and mercy - unlike anything you've ever seen on stage.

The Elephant Man is based on the life of John Merrick, who lived in London during the latter part of the nineteenth century. A horribly deformed young man, victim of rare skin and bone diseases, he has become the star freak attraction in traveling side shows. Found abandoned and helpless, he is admitted to London's prestigious Whitechapel hospital. Under the care of celebrated young physician Frederick Treves, Merrick is introduced to London society and slowly evolves from an object of pity to an urbane and witty favorite of the aristocracy and literati only to be denied his ultimate dream, to become a man like any other.

Seating is limited! Order your tickets today!
Tickets: $10/Adults; $5/Students & Seniors; $2/Age 12 & Under

To reserve tickets or for more information, call 319-363-1323 x1229

Performances:
Friday, May 3rd - 7:30pm
Saturday, May 4th - 7:30pm
Sunday, May 5th - 1:30pm"

(Source: Duane Larson)

Auditions for ITAC Internships

Amana - "The Iowa Theatre Artists Company (ITAC) is currently accepting applications for internship positions for the Summer of 2013. Local auditions/interviews will be held at their Amana location, 4709 220th Trail. ITAC is looking for One Male and One Female Actor/Singer, College age, who will be available for rehearsal and performances from May 20 --‐ August 24, 2013. Students must have own local housing and transportation.

Actors should prepare two short contrasting pieces with a total running time of 2--‐3 minutes. Actors who sing should also prepare 16 to 32 bars of music that best represents his/her vocal range and skills. Please plan to sing a cappella. A current picture and resumé should be emailed to the theatre prior to the audition, or may be brought to the actual audition.

The Iowa Theatre Artists Company is a small, professional not-for-profit theatre that operates under an Actors’ Equity Association SPT contract, Tier 3. This allows ITAC to hire both union and non-union actors and assistant stage managers.

For more information or to schedule an audition/interview, please call: 319-622-3222, or email: itac@southslope.net"

(Source: ITAC Press Release)

Solve the Mystery of Dreamwell's Next Season

Iowa City - "Beginning Saturday, April 20, Dreamwell will be posting clues about our next season of plays on our webpage www.dreamwell.com and on our Facebook page. For instance if the clue was “Set in Denmark, this play’s hero is consumed with uncertainty after learning his father was murdered by his stepfather…”, you’d immediately guess we were producing Hamlet. (Which we’re not.)

Make your guesses in our comment section of the post on the website or by replying to the Facebook post. At the end of the day, we’ll enter into a drawing all the people who gave the correct answer. One lucky person will win 2 tickets to that show! We’ll do one play each day and by the end of next week, you’ll know Dreamwell’s 2013-14 season and maybe have scored tickets to one of the shows!"

(Source: Dreamwell Theatre) (Note: We've been behind on the Blog, so it's already day 2 of the contest. Go here to jump in right away!)

Auditions for My Five Husbands

Iowa City - "Dreamwell Theatre will host auditions for My Five Husbands, directed by Meg Dobbs and written by Joe Jennison, on Sunday, May 19 at 1:00pm and Tuesday, May 21 at 6:30pm at the Iowa City Public Library. This original play was the winner of the 2012-13 Writer's Joust contest. Scripts will be available at the Iowa City and Coralville Public Libraries. My Five Husbands will be performed at the East Side Recycling Center on Scott Boulevard on July 19 and 20 at 7:30 pm.

The Children's Hour Opens May 10

Iowa City - "Dreamwell continues its 2012-13 season OVA-tions: A Season of Women's Words with The Children's Hour by Lillian Hellman and directed by Elizabeth Tracy. Performance dates are May 10, 11, 17, 18 at 7:30pm at the Unitarian Universalist Society, 10 S. Gilbert St., Iowa City. Tickets are $13 regular, $10 students/seniors.

The Children's Hour is a serious adult play about two women who run a school for girls. A malicious student, trying to protect herself, starts an entirely unfounded rumor about the two women. When the young teen sees the rumor turn to scandal, she understands the power she wields and sticks to her story, which eventually precipitates tragedy for the women.

The Children's Hour Cast
(in order of which they speak)
Peggy Rogers...Rachel Hittner
Catherine...Mary Vander Weg
Lois Fisher...Paige Harken
Mrs. Lily Mortar...Paula Grady
Evelyn Munn...Lizzie Carrell
Helen Burton...Mady Nachtman
Rosalie Wells...Genevieve Wisdom
Leslie...Anna Baynton
Mary Tilford...Serena Collins
Karen Wright...Aisling Beck
Martha Dobie...Heidi Bibler
Dr. Joseph Cardin... Matthew Falduto
Agatha...Valerie Keffala
Mrs. Amelia Tilford...Meg Dobbs"
(Source: Dreamwell Newsletter)

Riverside and African-American Museum Team Up for Play Reading

Cedar Rapids - "Riverside Theatre, partnering with the African American Museum of Iowa, is holding a special reading of the play PERMANENT COLLECTION by Thomas Gibbons on Monday, April 22, 2013, 6:30PM at the African American Museum of Iowa, 55 12th Ave. SE, Cedar Rapids, Iowa. A light reception follows the event. Tickets are pay-what-you-will at the door with a portion of the proceeds benefiting National New Play Network, the country's alliance of nonprofit theaters that champions the development, production and continued life of new plays. No ticket reservations are necessary, but please arrive 10 minutes early for seating considerations as space is limited.

This reading is part of a nationwide theatre event of readings of the play in over 25 cities to celebrate National New Play Network’s (NNPN’s) 15th Anniversary. PERMANENT COLLECTION was NNPN's first Rolling World Premiere.

Cloud 9 at Cornell

Mount Vernon - "The Department of Theatre at Cornell College is proud to announce the upcoming production of Caryl Churchill’s comedy Cloud 9. Directed by Janeve West, Cloud 9 reveals the ties of colonial oppression and the bindings of post-colonial identities through cross-dressing, gender switching, and uproarious laughter.

Cloud 9 opens April 26th at 7:30 pm in the Plumb-Fleming Studio Theatre at Cornell College. The production will run April 27th and May 3rd and 4th at 7:30 pm. In addition, there will be an afternoon performance on May 5th at 2:00 pm. Tickets are $10 for adults and $7 for non-Cornell students. Faculty, staff, and students of Cornell are admitted without charge with a Cornell ID, but encouraged to reserve their tickets in advance. Seating is limited so early arrival and ticket reservations are strongly recommended.

The Last Romance Opens April 25

Licia Watson and Tom Milligan
Photo by Shelley Klimes

Amana - "Falling in love again was not something Ralph was expecting. Fate, however, had other ideas for this lively widower and a different path home one evening leads him to Carol and changes his life.

Don’t miss The Last Romance, a funny account of second chances and the surprises life can bring, opening on The Old Creamery Theatre’s Main Stage April 25. The Last Romance was written by Joe DiPietro and is directed by Krista Neumann of Iowa City. The cast consists of Troy Bruchwalski of Cleveland, OH, Tom Milligan of West Amana, Rachael Lindhart of Iowa City and Licia Watson of Kansas City, MO.

The Corridor Sings Broadway on April 19

Coralville - "Performers from across Iowa’s Creative Corridor will perform in a special one-night-only event, The Corridor Sings Broadway, on Friday, April 19 at 7:30pm. The performance is directed by Christopher Okiishi of City Circle Acting Company of Coralville, who will also serve as emcee. Proceeds from the evening benefit City Circle and the Coralville Center for the Performing Arts.

Timely and Well-Acted, R.U.R. Struggles With Staging

By Matt Falduto
Photos By Len Struttmann

Holly Fields as Sulla

Cedar Rapids - Theatre Cedar Rapids should be commended for its Grandon series, theatrical programming that often takes risks and is a wonderful complement to its more popular big budget shows, such as the Wizard of Oz, which opens in a couple of weeks. The most recent offering is a play written in 1920 by Czech playwright Karel Capek called R.U.R., which stands for Rossum’s Universal Robots. This play coined the term “robot”, and as director Jason Alberty notes in the program, is the grandfather of many of the science fiction storylines we take for granted today.

The robots are created to serve the world, but in what is hardly a surprise to audiences that grew up with Blade Runner, Star Trek, and A.I., the robots rebel against their masters. Have we seen this before? Sure. But cloning technology is a part of our present, and the ideas expressed here are very relevant. The most fascinating theme explored by this play is the question of what makes someone human. The robots’ awakening in this regard at the end of the play is riveting.

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.

Freud's Last Session a Passionate Take on an Age-Old Debate

Tom Milligan as Freud and Andy Brown as Lewis

By James E. Trainor III
Photo By Shelley Klimes

Amana - Mark St. Germain's Freud's Last Session takes us to Sigmund Freud's studio in London, just weeks before his death. Here we meet a young professor who would grow to be as influential, in his own way, as the aging psychoanalyst: C. S. Lewis, author of The Chronicles of Narnia as well as numerous books on theology. The conversation that follows is a fanciful encounter where the pair of great thinkers argue privately the views they put forth in their public writings. Freud, an atheist critical of religion, has invited Lewis to his home so that he can ask him in person: why did he give up atheism? Thus ensues an age-old debate, a debate that Old Creamery's audiences, seated before the intimate Studio Space, get front-row seats for.

By the Bog of Cats at Coe

Lily Palmersheim as Josie and Lynette Volden as Hester

Cedar Rapids - "The Coe College Department of Theatre Arts will conclude its season with a mystical contemporary play with classic themes of prophecy and fate loosely based on the legend of Medea. By the Bog of Cats will be presented on April 19-21 and 25-27 in Dows Theatre on the Coe campus. All performances begin at 7:30 p.m. with the exception of the Sunday, April 21 show, which starts at 2 p.m.

Oklahoma! Opens April 26

Iowa City - "The Iowa City Community Theatre is presenting the classic musical “Oklahoma!” on April 26 and 27 and May 3 and 4 at 7:30 p.m., as well as April 27 and 28 and May 4 and 5 at 2 p.m. in the Exhibition Hall at the Johnson County Fairgrounds.

The show, with music by Richard Rodgers, book and lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II is co-directed by Josh Sazon and Richard Riggleman, with music direction by Wes Habley and choreography by Jill and Doug Beardsley.

The performances are sponsored by Dr. William Olin and Bertha Olin and Dr. Steve Hedlund and Chris Hedlund.

Tickets are $18 for adults, $15 for students and seniors, and $10 for children." (Source: ICCT Press Release)

Two from Dreamwell: "Mothering in the Trenches" and Writer's Joust Winner

Iowa City - Dreamwell has announced two special events to take place at the East Side Recycling Center on Scott Boulevard: a "un-Hallmark" Mother's Day event on May 12, and Joe Jennison's My Five Husbands, the winner of this years Writer's Joust, on July 19 and 20.

Neighborhood 3: Requisition of Doom - A Modern Fairytale

By Brad Quinn
Photos by Elisabeth Ross

Jeff Emrich as Steve and Avonique Tipsword as Chelsea

Iowa City - You've missed the first weekend performance of Neighborhood 3: Requisition of Doom. Don’t panic; there is still one more weekend left to see it. You may wish to go see it on Friday night, so that you can go back and see it again on Saturday night in order to catch some of the things you might have missed the first time.

When you sit down in the theater, you’re confronted by a very simple set. Two black flats with a white screen between them, and three black acting cubes. As you will discover, this is more than enough to draw you in to the show. Once the lights go down and the show begins, a very different kind of staging emerges. There are ten scenes, each of which has a different set which are photographic backgrounds projected on to the white screen. Ominous music plays underneath each scene, sometimes mixed with video game sounds. The lighting is harsh and white, mainly projected from the rear sides rather than the standard front and front side projected lighting common to most productions. A narrator in a suit (John Crosheck) steps forward and begins to speak, but he is not your standard narrator. He doesn't tell you anything about what has happened before, or what is about to happen, or who the characters are, or anything you might have come to expect from narration. Those in the audience who are video game aficionados will recognize it as something known as a walk-through, a set of instructions set down by video game developers or players who have completed a game to help new players through it. The effect of all of this is to give the audience notice that we are now in a video game world.

Blackbird Exquisitely Striking and Uncomfortable

Stephen Spencer as Ray and Fannie Hungerford as Una

By James E. Trainor III

Iowa City - Fifteen years have passed since Ray and Una's illicit relationship. Though he now has a new life with a different name and she is now a grown woman, it is clear they have not grown past the damage that was done back then. When Una suddenly sees Ray's photo in a trade magazine and drives to his workplace to confront him, the conversation opens deep scars that have never truly healed. The question is raised: can either party ever be healthy or normal again?

David Harrower's Blackbird is an intense drama that examines the long-term effects of child abuse. Riverside's production, directed by Margaret Eginton, takes a frank but expressive approach to the material. The honest acting, bold direction, and striking design choices combine to create a truly powerful piece of theatre.

Indiegogo Campaign for Free Shakespeare Production

Iowa City - Fourth Room Theatre has announced a campaign to raise money to allow audiences to see Shakespeare's Cymbeline for free. From Fourth Room Member K. Michael Moore:

"Hello friends!

Fourth Room Theatre has embarked on a new and exciting challenge. We're doing Shakespeare's Cymbeline in the last two weeks of May! A lot of people don't know this play: it's a fun fairy tale that pulls from the Bard's other masterpieces and weaves them together in a brand new, magical way. Gods, fighting, love, evil potions, identity switches, a complex plot filled with some of Shakespeare's most beautiful (and least known) language.

Even more exciting than that, we have decided to try something new to the Eastern Iowa Area - we're going to try to put this production together totally free to the audience!

Three Little Pigs Full of Endearing Charm for the Younger Crowd

By Sharon Falduto (and Piper Falduto, age 5)
Photo by Jackie McCall

Amana—In our post-ironic age, it’s nice to see a good old straightforward telling of the story of the three little pigs. The Life and Times of the Three Little Pigs, by Gene Mackey, presented at the Old Creamery Theatre in their Theatre For Young Audiences series, is a delightful retelling of the age old tale of three pigs and the wolf who wants to eat them. I brought my 5 year old daughter Piper with me to get the view from the ground floor.

TCR Accepting Applications for Underground New Play Festival

Cedar Rapids - "Continuing an annual tradition, TCR will hold the Underground New Play Festival during the fall of 2013. The Festival is currently accepting submissions of new plays written by playwrights residing in Iowa, or who have strong Iowa connections. TCR is looking for a wide variety of original plays which have never been produced or published.

Submissions can be ten-minute pieces, one-acts, or full-length plays. We welcome a wide variety of genres, from comedies to dramas to musicals, and pieces can appeal to a family audience, a strictly adult audience, or may be pieces geared specifically to a child audience.

Auditions for The Little Mermaid Jr.

Iowa City - "Auditions for Young Footliter's Production of Disney's The Little Mermaid Jr. will be held Saturday, April 6th and Sunday, April 7th from 1:00-4:00 at the Robert A. Lee Recreation Center (Downtown Iowa City).

Performance dates July 19-21, 2013 at The Coralville Center for the Performing Arts.

Please come prepared to sing 16 bars of a musical theatre selection. An accompanist will be provided. We will be casting young people currently in kindergarten through 12th grades. Participation fees will be slightly higher due to extreme costs to produce this musical. All auditioning are required to be enrolled in some sort of acting class. Please note that if you are cast in Shrek this summer, you are still eligible to be in The Little Mermaid Jr."

(Source: Young Footliter's Press Release)

Neighborhood 3 Opens April 5

Iowa City - "Dreamwell Theatre is proud to present “Neighborhood 3: Requisition of Doom” by Jennifer Haley, directed by Jason Tipsword. The play will be presented April 5, 6, 12 and 13 at 7:30 at the Unitarian Universalist Society, 10 S. Gilbert St. in Iowa City. Tickets: adults $13, students/seniors $10. To reserve tickets click here or call 319-423-9820.

In a suburban subdivision with identical houses, parents find their teenagers addicted to an online horror video game. The game setting? A subdivision with identical houses. The goal? Smash through an army of zombies to escape the neighborhood for good. But as the line blurs between virtual and reality, both parents and players realize that fear has a life of its own. This show is a thrilling addition to the Dreamwell season, in conjunction with the theme, Ova-tion: A Season of Women’s Words. This season showcases a wide range of themes by women playwrights.

Contains Mature Content.

Freud's Last Session Plays Through April 21

Amana – "Be a fly on the wall as legendary psychoanalyst Dr. Sigmund Freud meets with famous author C.S. Lewis to discuss and debate love, sex, the existence of God and the very meaning of life in Freud’s Last Session, opening April 4 on The Old Creamery Theatre Studio Stage in Middle Amana.

Blackbird Opens April 5

Iowa City - "This Spring, Riverside Theatre produces the award-winning play BLACKBIRD by David Harrower, directed by Meg Eginton. Una, now 27 years old, confronts Ray 15 years after their relationship. Ray is out of prison with a new name and a new life and Una is now a grown woman, but both are still emotionally scarred from their experience. Can Una heal from what she experienced as a 12-year-old girl? Can Ray truly move on with his life after what he has done? Shows run Friday, April 5 through Sunday, April 21, 2013 at Riverside Theatre, 213 N. Gilbert Street, Iowa City, Iowa. Tickets available online at or by calling the Riverside Theatre Box Office, 319-338-7672. This play contains adult subject matter.

Tales from the Writers' Room: 4 April 12 & 13

Cedar Rapids - The next installment of SPT's "Tales from the Writers' Room," entitled 4, will be performed at CSPS April 12 & 13 starting at 8:00 p.m. Guest Artists are Stephen Ginsberg and Meg Merckens; musical guests are Gayle Elliott, Craig Erickson, Greg Kanz & Dave Ollinger.