Love, Loss and What I Wore Opens February 14

The cast of Love, Loss and What I Wore.

Coralville - City Circle Acting Company of Coralville will present Nora and Delia Ephron’s play Love, Loss and What I Wore on February 14-16 at the Coralville Center for the Performing Arts. Performances are February 14 and 15 at 7:30 pm and February 16 at 2:00 pm. The show is directed by Meg Dobbs. Set design and decoration is by The Luxe Zone of Coralville.

Based on the best seller by Ilene Beckerman as well as the recollections of the Ephron’s friends, the show uses clothing and accessories and the memories they trigger to tell funny and often poignant stories that all women can relate to: mothers, prom dresses, mothers, buying bras, mothers, hating purses, and why we only wear black.

Twelve talented actresses will bring these stories to life. They include Robyn Calhoun, Paula Grady, Ramya Hipp, Diviin Huff, Katy Karas, Sara Knox, Kathy Maxey, Nicole McDonough, Krista Neumann, Leslie Nolte, Mary Rinderspacher, and Mary Wedemeyer.

During the production, City Circle will be collecting donations of new and gently used professional women’s clothing to benefit the clients of the Domestic Violence Intervention Program (DVIP). Donations can be brought to the theatre or dropped off at Catherine’s Boutique in downtown Iowa City at 7 S. Dubuque Street during business hours February 10-22.

Nine local businesses have donated the costumes worn by the actresses: Catherine’s, Dress Barn, Domby, Dulcinea, Francesca’s, JC Penney, Revival, Textiles, and Velvet Coat. The dresses will be auctioned off after the show’s run to benefit the DVIP. More information about the clothing drive and auction can be found at www.citycircle.org.

Tickets to the show are $12-$27 and can be purchased online at coralvillearts.org or by calling 319.248.9370 or in person at the CCPA box office at 1301 5th Street and at the Coralville Recreation Center at 1506 8th Street. ASL interpreters will be translating the performance on Sunday, February 16 at 2 PM. Please call 319.248.9372 to request seating in the ASL section.

(Source: City Circle Press Release)

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)

Chore Boots Celebrates the Midwestern Farmer

By James E. Trainor III
Photo courtesy Riverside Theatre

Janet Schlapkohl

Iowa City - "Pay attention. Watch it. Get back."

Janet Schlapkohl, in her new play Coming of Age in Chore Boots, weaves those three concise phrases throughout the piece to reflect on what she learned growing up in the rural Midwest. The piece celebrates the farmer: the pragmatic survivor with the courage to weather the harsh Iowa winters and the tenacity to awake at dawn to do the work than needs to be done. It also tells the story of a girl growing up in this culture, at a time when the world around her was undergoing great upheaval.

Old Creamery's Next Season

Amana - "Season tickets are now on sale at The Old Creamery Theatre. See our lineup of all the fun to be had in 2014! Please take note that starting with the 2014 season, all matinees will be at 2 p.m. Call the box office at 319-622-6262 or visit our web site at www.oldcreamery.com for more information or to order individual or season tickets. It’s never to early to reserve your seats or to buy your season tickets for 2014! (Season ticket packages can not be used for special events.)

Fictional Murders Opens October 11

Iowa City - "Dreamwell Theatre announces Fictional Murders by Mike Moran and directed by Matt Falduto. "What I love most about Fictional Murders is that it's tackling a subject on stage that isn't done - internet relationships. In that sense, it's groundbreaking."- Director Matt Falduto

This unpublished original play is the work of local playwright, Mike Moran, otherwise known as the Iowa Goatsinger. It examines how a teenager gets lost in the fantasy of cyber sex and his parents’ reaction to his growing homosexuality. This ripped from the headlines play reflects on issues of trust and intimacy in internet relationships. Director Matt Falduto comments that "Part of Dreamwell's mission has always been to feature local playwrights. We're excited to have the opportunity to showcase Mike's sensational play."



Performance dates are October. 11, 12, 18, and 19 at the Unitarian Universalist Society 10 S. Gilbert St. Iowa City. All shows are at 7:30 pm. The play contains adult themes and is recommended for mature audiences. Visit our tickets page for reservations.

Cabaret Both Ominous and Entertaining

by Genevieve Heinrich
Photos by Carol Johnk

Nate Sullivan as Cliff Bradshaw; Ashley Sorensen as Sally Bowles

Iowa City - A confession: I'm a sucker for theatre that makes me uncomfortable. Many people go for the catchy tunes or the dancing girls (and Cabaret has plenty of both of those), but despite some great performances early on, the moment I knew I was truly enjoying ICCT's production of Cabaret was when I found myself unable to clap following the closing number of the first act. It was chilling in its exuberance - the perfect ending to an act that began with the promise to take all of our troubles away. Cabaret is not for those who need a happy ending to be satisfied... but if you enjoy your dancing girls with a dash of moral dilemma, Iowa City Community Theatre does not disappoint.

Set in Berlin just as the Nazis are beginning to rise, Cabaret tells a pair of parallel love stories. Struggling American writer Cliff Bradshaw is caught off-guard by British dance hall girl Sally Bowles (Ashley Sorensen). Meanwhile, his aging landlady Fräulein Schneider (Linda Merritt) is being patiently wooed by another resident in the boarding house, Jewish grocer Herr Schultz (Chris Carpenter). The show's primary story, though, is that of a country struggling to maintain normalcy and sanity in the face of the coming fascist onslaught. The audience knows what is to come, but watching the way each character deals with the growing realization that their world is changing forces us to consider how we would react.

Does Last Days Redeem Judas?

By James E. Trainor III
Photos by Elisabeth Ross

Mike Nelson

Iowa City - In the first part of his Divine Comedy, Dante places Judas Iscariot in the final circle of Hell, forever to be chewed and clawed by a vicious Satan, the only traitor worse than Judas himself. Playwright Stephen Adly Guirgis is a bit more generous to the notorious biblical figure; not only does he get a chance to redeem himself, but his damnation is merely to ruminate on the past and his Satan is less a slobbering three-headed monster than a slick, pragmatic upper-level manager.

The Last Days of Judas Iscariot explores the story of Judas with an exhaustively researched examination of the Biblical stories, contemporary histories, and theological ideas surrounding his betrayal of Jesus. The piece is quite funny, though very long, and it centers around the conceit of a courtroom in Purgatory where historical witnesses, including the Devil himself, can be called upon and questioned. Dreamwell's production, directed by Matthew Brewbaker, runs through September 14.

Venus in Fur: Funny. Smart. Kinky.

By James E. Trainor III
Photos by Bob Goodfellow

Saffron Henke and Jess Prichard

Iowa City - Thomas Novachek (Jess Prichard) has spent his evening judging women, and finding them all wanting. It's not what it sounds like, though; he's a legitimate director. Well, I mean, it kind of is what it sounds like -- he's not really a director, he's a playwright, but he's taken directorial control over his own script. No one else can do it right, you see. Specifically, no one can realize his ideal of Vanda, the antagonist of Sacher-Masoch's notorious novel Venus in Furs. Unfortunately, none of the actresses who have auditioned have that certain je ne sais quoi, and he sits in his dingy studio (a very effective set by Sean Ketchum Johnson, with lights to match) complaining over the phone to his fiance about, well, women in general.

Who should walk in at that moment, but Vanda Jordan (Saffron Henke). At first she is everything he fears: brash, uneducated, overbearing, and presumptuous enough to bring her own costume pieces. He doesn't want her to read, wants to blow her off, but eventually he gives in, having no choice but to read Severin, Vanda's grovelling servant, himself. She reads the role perfectly, much to his surprise, and he keeps her there late, diving deep into the play until long after he knows she has the part.

What follows is some of playwright David Ives' funniest work, and it's also a very intriguing journey. We laugh because we recognize Henke's awful actress, and the juxtaposition when she's somehow suddenly a sophisticated European lady is hilarious. But there's also great drama, a slow striptease, as we try to figure out who this woman is and why she is here. As the two characters feel each other out, the game gets deeper and darker, and the grittier themes of the piece bare their teeth suddenly, at unexpected moments.

Venus in Fur toys with the central irony of Sacher-Masoch's novel: Vanda, who is essentially a proto-dominatrix, is really only play-acting in a script Severin wrote. In making her into his object of worship, he's attempting to replace her identity with his own fantasy, whether the shoe (or boot) fits or not. So who's really in control? Director Sean Christopher Lewis explores this idea with frightening reality as he puts Prichard and Henke through the paces: the tempo is aggressive, the scenework is very engaged, and the risks the actors take are amazing. After opening up about why he wrote the piece (which Prichard does with uncomfortable intensity), Thomas lashes out, telling her where to stand, insulting and demeaning her. Twice she tries to leave, twice he begs her to come back. By this point he's so desperate he'll give up anything to see this thing through to the end -- and we wonder if it is really about the play after all.

SPOILER WARNING: what follows goes into fairly specific detail about the plot, so if you don't already know the ending, proceed with caution. (And if you're bookmarking this now so you can read more after seeing the show, head here for ticket info.)

Venus in Fur Opens Sept 6

Iowa City, Iowa – Kinky is classic. Riverside Theatre opens their season with the sexy, whip-smart comedy, VENUS IN FUR by David Ives, directed by Sean Christopher Lewis, featuring Saffron Henke and Jess Prichard. Shows run Thursday – Sunday, September 6 – 29, 2013. Tickets: Adults, $25-30; Youth/Student Rush, $15. Performance and ticket information available online at riversidetheatre.org, or by calling the Riverside Theatre Box Office, 319-338-7672. Riverside Theatre is located at 213 N. Gilbert Street, Iowa City, Iowa.

About the Play

In the play, Thomas, a director and playwright, has adapted a juicy 19th century novel into a sizzling modern theatre script - but it needs the perfect actress - seductive, clever, and powerful. The last audition of the day with an unknown named Vanda forces Thomas to embody the roles in ways he had only dared to imagine. A sexy, whip-smart comedy.

The Broadway hit, VENUS IN FUR, called by the Daily News, “A tasty, triple-layer cake of a play,” centers its plot around a playwright’s fascination with a real book, Venus in Furs by Leopold von Sacher-Masoch, published in 1870. The content of the book led to the creation of the word “masochism”, coined from the author’s name. David Ives’ play, set in modern times, takes the sexiness of the original story and infuses comedy and insight.

The Last Days of Judas Iscariot Opens Sept 6

Iowa City - The Last Days of Judas Iscariot, by Stephen Adly Guirgis and directed by Matthew Brewbaker, is ultimately a play about forgiveness. Set in the rundown corner of a town in Purgatory called Hope, a trial is set to re-examine Judas’s crimes and whether he deserves forgiveness or should continue to reside in hell. Witnesses are called including Sigmund Freud, Mother Theresa and Satan himself. Even the jury is forced to question who deserves forgiveness and can it be given if it’s not asked for or felt deserved by the very person being forgiven. This wickedly funny play has never been performed in our area before.

Performance dates are Sept. 6, 7, 13, and 14 at the Unitarian Universalist Society 10 S. Gilbert St. Iowa City. The play contains adult language and is recommended for mature audiences.

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.

Dreamwell Seeking Director

Iowa City - Dreamwell Theatre is looking for a director for its upcoming show Clybourne Park

Information here

Auditions for The Last Days of Judas Iscariot

Iowa City - Dreamwell Theatre announces auditions for The Last Days of Judas Iscariot by Stephen Adly Guirgis and directed by Matthew Brewbaker. Auditions will be at 1pm Saturday, July 20 and Sunday, July 21 at the Iowa City Public Library.

The Last Days of Judas Iscariot is ultimately a play about forgiveness. Set in the rundown corner of a town in Purgatory called Hope, a trial is set to re-examine Judas's crimes and whether he deserves forgiveness or should continue to reside in hell. Witnesses are called including Sigmund Freud, Mother Theresa and Satan himself and even the jury is forced to question who deserves forgiveness and can it be given if it's not asked for or felt deserved by the very person being forgiven. Performance dates are Sept. 6, 7, 13, and 14.

Cabaret Auditions

Iowa City - "Join us July 13 & 14 from 2:00-5:00 p.m. in Room B of the Robert A. Lee Rec Center for Cabaret auditions. The show will run September 13-15 & 20-22.

directed by Josh Sazon
music direction by Wes Habley
choreography by Fawn Boston-Halter

Set in 1931 Berlin as the Nazis are rising to power, the show focuses on nightlife at the seedy Kit Kat Klub and revolves around the 19-year-old English cabaret performer Sally Bowles and her relationship with the young American writer Cliff Bradshaw. Overseeing the action is the Kit Kat Klub’s Master of Ceremonies, who provides oblique commentary to the tenuous and threatening state of late Weimar Germany throughout the show.

Cookin' With Gus Is a Smorgasbord of Silliness

By James E. Trainor III
Photo By Jackie McCall

Deborah Kennedy as Gus;
Marquetta Senters as Carmen

Amana - Gourmet chef Gus Richardson (Deborah Kennedy) has been offered the chance of a lifetime: her very own cooking show. There's only one problem: she's deathly afraid of cameras, microphones, and public speaking in general. Well, there are two problems, really; her boyfriend Walter (Dion Stover) doesn't want her to do the show. He's a retired inventor who wants her to take some time off, travel with him, and finally tie the knot. When they strike a precarious bargain — he'll hypnotize her to overcome her stage fright if she'll agree to get married and go on safari — the stage is set for the series of farcical mishaps that is Cookin' with Gus.

Diary of a Worm, a Spider and a Fly Opens June 15

Hannah Spina, Beau Wilson, and Lou Petrucci

Amana – "Join The Old Creamery Theatre for Young Audiences and follow the adventures of Worm, Spider and Fly from their first day of school through the last as they learn to dream big in this show filled with music and fun for all! Diary of a Worm, a Spider and a Fly opens June 15 on the Main Stage in Amana and runs through June 29.

The cast consists of Lou Petrucci, Beau Wilson, Hannah Spina, Jackie McCall, Lisa Crosby Wipperling, and Eddie Skaggs. Directed by Sean McCall, Diary of a Worm, a Spider and a Fly was written by Joan Cushing.

Shows are at 1 p.m. on Saturdays, June 15, 22, and 29. Special weekday matinees are at 10 a.m. on Tuesday June 18, Thursday June 20, Wednesday June 26, and Thursday June 27. Tickets are $8.50 per person. Some weekday matinees are sold out so please call ahead to reserve your seats today. Diary of a Worm, a Spider and a Fly is sponsored by Scheels with Kiss Country 96.5 as the media sponsor."

(Source: Old Creamery Press Release)

Subscriptions on Sale for TCR's 80th Season

Cedar Rapids - Tickets are now on sale for TCR's 2013-14 Season, beginning with the "Curtain Raiser" event in September. More information here.

Dreamwell Seeks 2013-14 Directors

Iowa City - "Dreamwell Theatre is pleased to announce that we are selecting directors for the following plays in our 2013 – 2014 season:

The Last Days of Judas Iscariot
by Stephen Adly Guirgis
(tentatively Sept 6 - 14, 2013)

Clybourne Park
by Bruce Norris
(tentatively November 15 - 23, 2013)

Time Stands Still
by Donald Margulies
(tentatively March 28 - April 5, 2014)

Becky's New Car
by Steven Dietz
(tentatively May 2 - 10, 2014)

Shrek The Musical Opens June 14

Coralville - "Shrek The Musical opens City Circle’s 16th season on June 14-17 at the Coralville Center for the Performing Arts.

Based on the Oscar-winning 2001 DreamWorks film that started it all, this hilarious story of everyone’s favorite ogre comes to life on stage. City Circle Acting Company's youth production directed by Chris Okiishi features a talented cast of 62 area youth from grades 6-12.

Dreamwell Announces 2013-14 Season

Iowa City - "The Dreamwell Board has approved Dreamwell's Play Selection Committee selections for next season.