Iowa River Players

“Aladdin” coming to IRP!

Kathy — Thu, 01 Jul 2010 03:05:32 +0000

Let the cast of Aladdin take you to exotic places on their magic carpet! China, Egypt, Rowan! Yes, in a snap you’ll be transported to Panto-land! To the cave of jewels and beyond~ Enjoy all the standard comedy of a real English Pantomime: The hero, the princess, the villain, the Dame! Magic! Music! Dancing! Cheer the hero and hiss the villain! Good will triumph over evil! You can count on it! Bring the kids! If you don’t have any of your own, bring a nephew, niece or a neighbor. Tickets are the right price at $5 for Adults and $1 for kids and students of any age.
The show times are a little later this summer: 8PM on Friday and Saturday, 3PM on Sunday.
Dates are July 16, 17, 18, 23, 24 and 25.

Aladdin auditions brought in loads of talent! Rehearsals begin June 1

Kathy — Thu, 13 May 2010 06:14:21 +0000

Auditions for “Aladdin” the Panto brought in loads of talent this week! The director (Luanne Krabbe) and her assistant (Rebecca Black) are mightily impressed with the “raw materials” in the way of area actors and actresses. This is most definitely a GROUP EFFORT, since nobody ever did theatre alone — not even a one-man show is a solo effort — so plan to have tons of fun getting this different kind of show ready. The kids will love this and so will the grown ups! If you missed out on auditions but want to be involved, call us at 641-444-4220. There is something for you!

“Aladdin” an English Panto!

Kathy — Mon, 26 Apr 2010 20:04:35 +0000

Spring has sprung and some of our best volunteers are out working in their fields.

We continue to work on most Saturdays to get ready for the summer’s events. Come on a Saturday and help build, sort, paint, clean, serve lunch, whatever your specialty is!! We typically start at 10:00 and take a break at 11:30, with lunch served at 1:00. Call Luanne at 641-444-4220 for more information.

“Aladdin” is our summer show, scheduled for July 16-18 and 23-25, 2010. It’s an English Pantomime with lots of comedy, songs, slapstick stuff that kids love! (The best explanation I can think of for pantomime is this: like every English child, the boys from Monte Python probably grew up going to Pantomimes every Christmas.) There will always be a struggle between good and evil in a panto, along with a “Dame” (in this case, Aladdin’s mother) played by a man in woman’s clothes, slosh scenes (IE buckets of water!), audience participation (hissing the villain, cheering the hero and responses of “He’s behind you!” when the villain is sneaking up on the hero), a chorus of little dancers and singers, and it’s always based on a well-known fairy tale.

Auditions for Aladdin are Monday and Tuesday, May 10 and 11, at 7PM at the theatre in Rowan.

“Don’t Drink the Water” opens on Friday, March 12 at 7:30

Kathy — Sun, 07 Mar 2010 21:57:53 +0000

Opening night coming this week. Hilarity! Beautiful set! Retro costumes! Some new people on stage:
Jason Miltenberger, Heather Sayer-Mohrhauser, Dewayne Knoshaug and others you’ve seen and loved before: Dean Evans, Luanne Krabbe, Jon Ahrendsen, Brian McGurk, Paul Bamford, Steve Froehlich, Cal Krabbe, Jerry Boelman, Karen Smith, Al Kollasch. Come and see this fun, crazy show!

A bungled international affair of comic proportions!

Kathy — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 20:19:05 +0000

NEXT SHOW The setting for the next production at Iowa River Players in Rowan is “an American embassy in a country somewhere firmly behind the Iron Curtain” in the mid 1960’s. What may not seem like a comical place to most of us becomes hilarious when written by the hand of comedic playwright Woody Allen.

TIMES/DATES The show runs March 12-14 and 19-21 — Fridays and Saturdays the show starts at 7:30PM and Sundays at 2:00PM

CHEAP SEATS! This show features special “Cold War” prices!! General admission just $5 with all student tickets priced at $1. No advanced tickets sold for this show, only available at box office one hour before curtain.

HERE’S THE STORY Zach Reed directs this “bungled international affair” involving an American family, Walter and Marian Hollander and their lovely daughter Susan, on vacation in Europe. Quite by accident while snapping some photos in a restricted area, Mr. Hollander endangers himself, his wife and daughter. A caterer by trade, he is mistaken by the Communists for an international spy and the family must seek refuge in the US Embassy.

Ambassador Magee has left his incompetent son, Axel, in charge. Trust that nothing will go right until the end. And count on fun characters, strange visitors and a romantic ending!

THE CAST includes Dr. Jon Ahrendsen, Brian McGurk, Jason Miltenburger, Dean Evans, Luanne Krabbe, Heather Sayer-Mohrhaufer, Paul Bamford, Dr. Al Kollasch, Steve Froehlich, Cal Krabbe, Nancy Strub, Jerry Boelman and Marillyn Korth.

WANT TO HELP? The set is being built on Saturdays through March 6. Skilled and unskilled workers are invited to come and help between 10:00 AM and 3:30 PM. The IRP shop foreman stresses that breaks are an important part of the work. Lunch is provided for volunteers. Horrible blizzards usually mean work is canceled so be sure to stay in touch with us on

The Great Big Doorstep

Kathy — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 21:02:14 +0000

When Ol’ Man River floats an aristocratic big doorstep to their tumbledown shack, Mrs. Crochet feels that her dream of a home may really come true. At least they have the doorstep to one! Now she wants a home more than ever. With 17-year-old Topal fretting at the clutter and Mr. Crochet flying into rages, Mrs. Crochet fears her family may break up. Then, as if in answer to her moving prayers, Mrs. Crochet gets the house to fit her doorstep!

The cast of players includes:
Kurt Hartmann as Commodore, Luanne Krabbe as Mrs. Crochet, Megan O’Connor as Evvie, Jamie Huffman as Topal, Trevor Grummitt as Arthur, Paul Bamford as Uncle Dewey, Karen Smith as Mrs. Dupre, Dawn Sherman as Mrs. Beaumont Crochet. Elna and Fleece are played by Frances Kem and Eevie Sherman, and by Mariah Smith and Lexie Hartmann. Dave Tobin is played by Zach Reed and Tayo Delacroix is played by Chance Wahl.

The Great Big Doorstep opens December 4, 2009

Kathy — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 20:54:06 +0000

The Great Big Doorstep opens on Friday, December 4 at 7:30. Here are the dates: Dec 4, 5, 11, and 12 at 7:30 and Dec 6 and 13 at 2:00 PM. We are half sold out for our final perfomance even before tickets officially go on sale, as Thrivent Financial for Lutherans has bought up a group of tickets for their people.

Auditions: The Great Big Doorstep — Sept 28 & 29

Kathy — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 15:02:51 +0000

Auditions for the next production of the season are scheduled for Mon & Tues, Sept 28 & 29 at 7PM in the theatre in Rowan. Scripts are available for reading — email us at info@iowariverplayers.org and we’ll arrange for you to pick up a copy.

The play is an old comedy by Frances Goodrich and Albert Hackett, the pair who staged an award winning dramatized version of Anne Frank’s diary. It is based on the only book ever published by E. P. O’Donnell which some consider a masterpiece of Southern comedy.

The play concerns the Crochet family of Grass Margin, Louisiana in the Mississippi Delta. They are the poor, but proud owners of a huge set of doorsteps which 16 year old Arthur fished out of the muddy river after a flood. Dodging the landlady who comes around for the rent, they live in a shack that is falling down around them, yet somehow believe that this doorstep is an omen that their luck is going to change; someday they will live in a house that will match the doorstep.

There are parts for 5 women and 5 men and two children about age 10 to play twins.

Dramapalooza Sept 26

Kathy — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 14:44:36 +0000

Iowa River Players annual children’s theatre event is scheduled for September 26th. This is open to any child in grades 3 through 6 in area schools. It’s a full day of activities from 9AM to 4PM with a show presented to parents and friends at 3PM

Doors open at 9AM for registration. The cost of the event is $10 which includes lunch and two snacks. If you would like a T shirt, please add another $5. This is payable the day of the event.

Information sheets will be sent home with children in the Belmond-Klemme school system as well as Clarion-Goldfield and CAL. If you want your child to attend but s/he does not attend one of those schools, please email info@iowariverplayers.org and we will see that a registration form is emailed back to you. The deadline for registering is Septmeber 7. Space is limited to 40 students.

Iowa River Players – The First Ten Years

Kathy — Sun, 16 Aug 2009 06:30:12 +0000

Havin’ some fun now! Join us as we celebrate our tenth anniversary season on Sunday, September 6th in the green space just north of the theatre building. The day will start with yard games at 5PM, kickball (sign up for your team!), live music by Annie and Terri Avery, brats and burgers with side dishes, dessert and a beverage, a celebrity roast you can’t miss, and an outdoor movie after dark! (The next day is Labor Day and you can sleep late, so don’t miss the party!)

Bring something to sit on (lawn chairs, blankets, etc), some people to help us party, your swimming suit for a dip in the pool, towels, and maybe some bug spray, too.

The whole day is just $10 per person ($7.50 for those 18 and younger). Commemorative tee shirts available.

RSVP by sending a check for your group to Iowa River Players, PO Box 22, Belmond IA 50421

Call Kathy if you want more information at 641-444-3649