The setting is a fishing lodge in rural Georgia where the depressed, despondent and painfully shy “Charlie” has tagged along with his friend Sgt. Froggy LeSeur, a British demolition expert. Charlie is so shy he doesn’t want to be bothered by anyone, or even speak or be spoken to. Froggy’s solution is to inform the locals that the foreigner does not speak or understand English. Lots of otherwise well-guarded secrets will be revealed to Charlie by the other visitors to the lodge thinking their secrets are safe. Now just stand back and let the fun begin!

Charlie and Froggy are played by seasoned IRP veterans, Zach Reed (Clarion) and Paul Bamford (Belmond). Mel Mayberry and Jim Davies (both from Hampton) are playing the roles of Betty (the lodge owner) and Reverend David Marshall Lee (a distant relative of Robert E.). The good reverend’s wealthy fiancee, a thoroughly modern Southern belle, Catherine Simms is played by Brittany Fender Loux (Rowan). Her little brother, Ellard is played by Brian Dean (Clarion). Steve Froehlich appears as Owen Musser, a throwback to The Dukes of Hazzard.

Iowa River Players is offering this show at $10 per ticket, with student tickets at half price. However, season tickets are available at a savings. Send a check made out to Iowa River Players for $25 and a pass will be mailed back which is good for three admissions (3 different shows, or double up). The season ticket option provides the community theatre with much needed operating funds for the year. Send your check to IRP, c/o Dale Arends, 3089 – 190th St., Belmond IA 50421.

A revival of “Of Mice and Men” which will be taken to the state festival competition in Newton the first weekend of April, 2013. It is a shorter version of the show presented in 2011 with the following cast: Kurt Hartmann as Lennie, David Dean as George, Megan O’Connor as Curley’s Wife and Paul Bamford as Candy. Luanne Krabbe, director. There will be a local performance to raise money for expenses associated with traveling to Festival. Check us out on Facebook, too. Frequent updates are found there.

“The Foreigner” goes on stage beginning April 19th. This hilarious script was written by Larry Shue, creator of “The Nerd”. If you liked “The Nerd”, you will love “The Foreigner”. Kathy Schnell is directing with assistance from Linda Dlouhy. The cast: Zach Reed, Paul Bamford, Mel Mayberry, Jim Davies, Brittany Loux, Brian Dean, Steve Froehlich. A society debutant with a bun in the oven and her unlikely entourage bring down the local Klan. April 19-21, 26-28 (Fri and Sat at 7:30 and Sundays at 2:00) General admission: $10.

The five women in the play met while on their college swim team. When the audience meets the five feisty women, twenty-some years have passed. They are all forty-four and, while life has taken them in different directions, they remain connected by gathering at the same beach cottage every year. Each successive scene follows the friends further down the road until, in the final scene, they are seventy-seven years of age.

For many, “The Dixie Swim Club” may have a familiar feel. It has all of the humor of “Steel Magnolias” and much of the poignance. It may call to mind so-called “chick flicks” such as “Thelma and Louise”. It may remind some of episodes of TV’s “Golden Girls” since one of the playwrights also wrote for that show.

The five friends in “The Dixie Swim Club” are portrayed by Karen Smith, Joleen Rolland and Luanne Krabbe (all of Belmond), Pamela Townsend and Kimberly Conlon (both of Clarion). Zach Reed (Lake Cornelia) and Melanie Mayberry (Hampton) are directing the production.

Tickets are $10 and may be purchased in advance with a credit card by calling 515-851-8487. They may also be purchased at the door before any performance. The play will be presented Thursday through Saturday, August 2 through 4 at 7:30. The final performance will be a Sunday matinee on August 5 at 2:00.

The shows planned for 2012 are “The Spirit of Hispania” in the spring, “Dixie Swim Club” in summer, and “James & the Giant Peach” in the fall. The regular price of a ticket is $10.

The annual meeting/awards night/ pot luck is on Saturday, January 7th at 6PM at the OSRM Community Room in Belmond (503 4th Street NE, Belmond — the old Ramsay elementary school). We are including an additional feature of a Murder Mystery game/play. RSVP to Luanne if you plan to attend and would like a role (641-444-4220). All members, volunteers, cast and crew are invited!! It will be fun!

Come witness the pandemonium — and the hilarity — when the Herdmans meet the Christmas story head-on in this holiday favorite. Performances are on Sat. & Sun., Nov. 12 & 13 and 19 & 20. All performances are afternoon matinees beginning at 2:00. The box office opens one hour before curtain and tickets are available at the door. (Adults $10, Students $2)

“The Best Christmas Pageant Ever” by Beverly Robinson has long been enjoyed by young readers. A favorite holiday show for families, the story is based on a popular children’s book that focuses on a clan of poorly-behaved children who through their involvement in the Christmas pageant help the community discover the true meaning of Christmas. What starts out looking like a disaster evolves into the most unusual and meaningful pageant anyone has seen. And without a doubt, the best one ever!

Cast members include as the Herdman kids: Eveie Sherman (Ralph), Chloe (Claudie) and Remi (Gladys) Johnson from Clarion; Matt Smith (LeRoy), Lizzie Nelson (Ollie) and Grace Ritter (Imogene) from Belmond.
The members of the Bradley family are portrayed by Linda DeNio (Mother) of Dows; Maddie Mason (Beth), Kelly (Father) and Chelsea (Charlie) Sayer of Belmond.
The Children of the congregation are played by: Hanna Jo Gustafson (Beverly) of Clarion, Mariah Smith (Alice), Kelsey Peterson (Hobie), Connor Miltenberger (David), Jesse Brown (Elmer) of Belmond.
Micheala Henrichs from Hampton portrays the more grown up Beth who narrates the story and she is joined by Mel Mayberry also from Hampton as Mrs. Armstrong. Others in the cast are Zach Reed (Rev Hopkins), Karen Smith (Mrs McCarthy), Jason (Fireman) and Michele Miltonberger (Mrs Slocum), Kate Simonson (Mrs Clausing) and Steve Froehlich (Fireman).

In its film version, “The Best Christmas Pageant Ever” starred Loretta Swit of TV’s M*A*S*H* fame.

We are excited to see your creative ideas.

ON Friday, October 21, 2011:
This Juried Art show will be set up at the IRP theatre at 901 Broadway St in Rowan, on Friday evening, October 21, 2011. Bra Art entries will be taken in between 4 and 7 p.m. You are responsible for display details. A statement about your work: title and/or meaning … may add popular interest to your work.

Saturday, October 22, 2011
Schedule for the Bras and Applause for the Cause Saturday, October 22, fundraiser is:
3:00 p.m. Judging of entries.
4:00 p.m. Art Show featuring Fabulous Fanciful Bras open to the public for viewing, silent auction (suggested $5 donation)
6:30 p.m. luscious deserts ($10 tickets for desert and show)
7:30 p.m. “Love, Loss and What I Wore” by Nora and Delia Ephron -staged reading of a play which is both comic and dramatic.

The winners will be announced at intermission of The Reading.

Registration
Please register your intent to participate as an artist by sending in this form on or before September 15, 2011. Your $5 entry fee will be used for the prize winners. All other proceeds for this event will go to Susan G. Koman for the Cure.
Contact Information

For any questions, contact Becky (515-532-2565), Kathy (kathyschnell@frontier.com) (515-571-6310) Michelle (515-859-3889) ( mevans@ifacadets.net ).

Send your $5 entry fee along with your name, address, phone number and email address to
Becky Ahrendsen, Attn: Art show 728 Maple Lane, Clarion, IA 50525
Please also include any information about your planned entry or entries.

In truth “Little Shop of Horrors” is something of a morality play. As in “Faust” by Goethe, the main character is tempted by the devil. Audrey 2 is undoubtedly a most devilish plant.

Props for Little Shop of Horrors will be very unusual, too. “Twoey” the plant, has to grow from the size that would fit in a coffee can to a plant that monopolizes the entire stage.

The cast is busily making steam punk accessories to go with the director’s concept for the play. For the unschooled, “steam punk” is alternate history, and speculative fiction, rising out of the 1980’s and early 90’s. It includes the technology of such fictional machines as those found in the works of Jules Verne or H. G. Wells, or even real technologies such as the computer or cell phone but as if developed at an earlier point in history.

Since the play takes place in a florist shop, IRP requests donations of any silk floral arrangements that might be otherwise headed for the Goodwill truck. Anyone who thinks they have something that might fill the bill, please call Luanne Krabbe at 641-444-4220 or Jon and Becky Ahrendsen at 515-532-2565.