Des Moines Iowa Theater | Tallgrass Theatre Company

“Three Changes” Cast Announced!

tallgrass — Sat, 14 Aug 2010 05:15:55 +0000

Laurel: Karen Schaeffer
Nate: Gabe Thompson
Hal: Josh Visnapuu
Steffi: Corissa Thompson
Gordon: Paul Valleau

For more information, visit the Three Changes page.

2010-2011 Season Announced!

tallgrass — Wed, 12 May 2010 16:12:12 +0000

Announcing the 2010-2011 Season at Rex Mathes Auditorium:

Three Changes by Nicky Silver

Directed by Maranda Turner

Performances: October 1-16, 2010
Auditions: August 9-10
Available Roles: 2 men, age 25+, 1 man, age 18-25, 1 woman, age 18-25, 1 woman, age 25+
Synopsis: Nate and Laurel are a seemingly happy couple—busy, content and comfortable—until the surprising arrival of Hal, Nate’s long-lost brother. A once-successful television writer, Hal is just out of rehab. He’s out of cash and alone in the world. But what seems to be a casual visit, a chance to reconnect, is quickly revealed to be something much more ominous. As he attempts to write his first novel, Hal insidiously usurps Nate’s place in the home. As the play builds to its climax, the two brothers who have tried to find a way to love each other, become locked in a battle that will cost one of them their life.

Fifth Annual Iowa Playwrights Workshop
-A fresh new work by a local playwright-

Workshop and production under the direction of Josh Visnapuu

Submissions welcome through September 1
Selected Script Announced October 4

WORKSHOP DATES:
Workshop 1: October 24-30
Staged Readings: November 1-2
Workshop 2: November 7-13

PRODUCTION DATES:
Performances: January 21-February 5, 2011
Auditions: November 15-16
Available Roles: To be announced upon script selection

The Shadow Box by Michael Cristofer

Directed by Daryl Vitali

Performances: April 22-May 7, 2011
Auditions: February 21-22
Available Roles: 1 man, age 16-21, 3 men, age 25+, 3 women, age 25+, 1 woman, age 50+, 1 flexible (no gender/age requirement)
Synopsis: Winner of the Tony Award and the Pulitzer Prize, The Shadow Box centers around three terminal cancer patients dwelling in separate cottages on a hospital grounds. The three are attended and visited by family and close friends: Agnes and her mother Felicity, estranged further by the latter’s dementia; Brian and ex-wife Beverly, whose complications are exacerbated by Brian’s new lover, Mark; and Joe and Maggie, unready for the strain of Joe’s impending death and its effect on their teenage son.

Death and the Maiden Reviews

tallgrass — Tue, 20 Apr 2010 14:37:40 +0000

The reviews are in! Click on the quotes below to be redirected to the associated review…

“a tightly wound performance…carefully tugging the audience
deeper into the unsettling mystery”- Michael Morain, The Des Moines Register

“another reason to invest an evening with this community-enriching troupe’s current offering”- John Busbee, The Culture Buzz

Three Changes – October 1st-16th, 2010

tallgrass — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 19:32:03 +0000

By Nicky Silver

Directed by Maranda Turner

Performances:

October 1st-16th, 2010 @ 7:30 PM

Cast:

Laurel: Karen Schaeffer
Nate: Gabe Thompson
Hal: Josh Visnapuu
Steffi: Corissa Thompson
Gordon: Paul Valleau

Production Team:

Production Manager: Ron Gilbert
Assistant Director/Stage Manager: Kelly Mayhew
Assistant Stage Manager: Abby Clayton
Scenic Design: Tracy Stewart
Lighting Design: Mark Mayhew
Properties Coordination: Tom Perrine
Costume Coordination: Fran Moline
Sound Design: Ron Gilbert

Tickets Available Soon!

Synopsis:

Nate and Laurel are a seemingly happy couple living on New York’s Upper West Side, busy, content and comfortable—until the surprising arrival of Hal, Nate’s long-lost brother. A once-successful television writer, Hal is just out of rehab. He’s out of cash and alone in the world. But what seems to be a casual visit, a chance to reconnect, is quickly revealed to be something much more ominous. As he attempts to write his first novel, Hal insidiously usurps Nate’s place in the home. He unearths long-buried feelings in Laurel and adds to the household by bringing in a young man, a runaway, who seems to somehow complete the family. A family that ultimately has no place for Nate. And as the play builds to its climax, we understand that these two men, these brothers who have tried to find a way to love each other, are locked in a battle that will cost one of them their life.

Flutter the Dovecotes Reviews

tallgrass — Thu, 21 Jan 2010 22:11:05 +0000

Reviews are in!

Des Moines Register’s Michael Morain

The Culture Buzz’ John Busbee

Fall Newsletter – Tallgrass Times October 09

tallgrass — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 14:49:04 +0000

Check out the latest happenings with Tallgrass Theatre! Click on the link below:

Tallgrass Times–Volume 2, Fall 2009

Playwrights Workshop Staged Readings – November 4 and 5 at 7:30 p.m.

tallgrass — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 15:59:29 +0000

Be a part of the fourth annual Iowa Playwrights Workshop by attending one of the two staged readings of Flutter the Dovecotes by Christine Meinecke. After the reading, there will be a moderated discussion with the playwright, and attendees will be invited to provide feedback or ask questions about the play.

Anyone is welcome! Admission is free and refreshments will be served. Don’t miss out on the opportunity to hear a brand-new work by an Iowa playwright!

Readings:

November 4 and 5, 7:30 p.m.

Rex Mathes Auditorium

1401 Vine St.

West Des Moines

Past Productions

tallgrass — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 19:26:49 +0000

Click on a show title below to see information about the production, as well as production photos.

Under Construction! Keep checking back as we are continually updating our archives!

2009-2010 Season

Einstein and the Polar Bear – October 2009

2008-2009 Season

Prelude to a Kiss – October 2008

Sleeping Dogs – Third Annual Iowa Playwrights Workshop – January 2009

Crimes of the Heart – April 2009

2007-2008 Season

How I Learned to Drive – October 2007

A Simple Matter of Fear – Second Annual Iowa Playwrights Workshop -January 2008

Steel Magnolias – April 2008

2006-2007 Season

Wiley and the Hairy Man – October 2006

A Light that Burns – First Iowa Playwrights Workshop – February 2007

Newsroom – May 2007

2006

Rounding Third – May 2006

2005

A Banter New Year – July 2005

Williams Triple Bill – November 2005

2004

Attention Deficit Drama – October 2004

Sign Up For Our E-mail List

tallgrass — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 14:39:00 +0000

If you’d like to be notified of upcoming performances and other TTC news on an infrequent basis, sign-up to our e-mail list.

Our New Site

admin — Sat, 17 Oct 2009 03:48:36 +0000

As you’ve probably noticed, we recently launched a brand-new website with more content and easy-to-navigate pages. Check back here throughout the year to stay up-to-date on the latest Tallgrass Theatre news and shows.

If you have any issues with the site or find something we’ve missed, please email us at info@tallgrasstheatre.org.

Thanks for your continued support of Tallgrass!