The Iowa Theatre Artists Company Announces 2013 Fall Season

Amana - "As the successful summer production, Oma Tales – Stories My Grandmother Told Me comes to a close on August 17, the Iowa Theatre Artists Company (ITAC) will begin to gear up for two shows this Fall, The Dining Room by A.R. Gurney and a regional premiere of The Old Guy written by ITAC co-founder, Thomas P. Johnson. In addition to these two stage productions, ITAC will also present three different Christmas Concerts running from Thanksgiving weekend through December 14.

The first fall production, The Dining Room, features six actors portraying the joys, sorrows, love and laughter of dozens of characters as they explore the changing times and life-changing moments around that once vital but now vanishing center of American life – the dining room table. Robert Gardner and Judy Gardner (St. Peter, MN), Stacia McKee (Coralville), Meg Merckens (South Amana) and Ian Zahren (Minneapolis, MN) are members of the versatile ensemble that will perform in this play. The Dining Room runs September 20 - 29 and October 11 - 20. There will be no performances (the week of Oktoberfest in Amana, Oct. 4 - 6. The Dining Room will also travel to Dysart for two performances on Saturday, October 12 at 7 pm and Sunday, October 13 at 2 pm as a fundraiser for the Garrison and Dysart Lions Clubs. Performances in Amana are Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 pm and Saturdays and Sundays at 2:30 pm. Please note that the matinée performance time is one hour later than in past seasons.

November 1 – 24, a new comedy, The Old Guy written by Thomas P. Johnson, will take the stage for the first time with audience favorite, Steve Shaffer (Eden Prairie, MN) in the title role. The story follows a broke and out-of-work mechanic who learns that he is “only as old as he feels” once he puts the problems of others ahead of his own. Shaffer, joins ITAC’s Artistic Director, Meg Merckens and company regular, Marshall Nielsen in the cast of this very funny new play. Performance days and times match those of The Dining Room.

Musical events are also an important part of the ITAC schedule in 2013. Songs and Stories of the Lincoln Highway celebrates the 100th Anniversary of the first American cross-country highway through music and stories. Musical Performance is by the Mike Maas Trio with a narrated script written by Robert Assink and performed by Rick Titus, both of Cedar Rapids, Songs and Stories of the Lincoln Highway is a collaboration of the Mike Maas Trio, (Mike Maas, Carlis Faurot and Mike Crist, all of Cedar Rapids), the History Center of Linn County and the Iowa Theatre Artists Company. Two performances are slated on the ITAC stage on Sunday, August 25 at 1:30 pm and 6:30 pm. All seats are $10 and seating is general admission. For information about performances at the History Center in Cedar Rapids, visit historycenter.org. Call the ITAC box office for seating in Amana: 319-622-3222.

A Celtic Christmas ~ Irish Music and Tales of the Season returns for a second year at ITAC with musical group, IrishJam offering two performances on Saturday, November 30 at 2:30 pm and 7:30 pm. The following week, December 6-8, the Great Bluegrass Herons return for their fourth annual Great Bluegrass Herons Acoustic Christmas Concert. The bluegrass performances are Friday and Saturday at 7:30 pm and Sunday at 2:30 pm. Lynne Rothrock’s Christmas Cabaret takes the ITAC stage for a third year, featuring humorous sketches and a wide variety of music filled with Christmas cheer. Two performances only in Amana: 2:30 pm and 7:30 pm on Saturday, December 14.

Reservations are strongly encouraged for all of the concerts and stage productions at ITAC’s intimate 99-seat theatre housed in what was once the Amana Barn Restaurant. For more information, to reserve tickets or to receive a 2013 schedule, call 319-622-3222. Or visit: iowatheatreartists.org for performance times, dates and ticket prices. The Iowa Theatre Artists Company is a small, not-for-profit, professional theatre company located on the main street of Amana."



source: ITAC press release