Leaving Iowa

I’m happy to report that Gary and I were cast in the upcoming production of “Leaving Iowa” presented by Imaginary Inc. After auditioning last week, we received a call from one of the Producers on Saturday, and they offered both of us roles in the production!

I’m excited and a little nervous. We only have only four weeks until opening night, so the next few weeks are going to be very hectic. They want all actors to be off book (have all lines memorized) as soon as possible. I’m hoping I can keep up with everything — work, Saturday Night Life, church, family, travel, and Leaving Iowa rehearsals — without completely stressing out.

We met the other cast members tonight and had our first read through of the script. There are a total of six actors (3 men and 3 women) in the play, including me and Gary. The script is great. It’s a comical and sometimes touching story about the classic family road trip. Here’s a brief synopsis:

Leaving Iowa is the story of Don Browning, a middle-aged writer, who returns home and decides to finally take his father’s ashes to his childhood home, as requested. But when Don discovers Grandma’s house is now a grocery store, he begins traveling across Iowa searching for a proper resting place. This road trip shifts smoothly from the present to Don’s memories of the annual, torturous vacations of his childhood. Leaving Iowa is a postcard to anyone who has ever found himself or herself driving alone on a road, revisiting fond memories of youth.

Performances will be held on September 1-4 and 8-10 at the Courtyard Theatre in downtown Plano. Tickets will be available soon. The website should go live tomorrow.