An Invitation to Laugh and Warm Your Heart

22 hours ago

6 min read

Dear Friends, Students and Colleagues,

Get ready for a road trip to remember! Whether you’re local to Watertown, SD or not, this hilarious ride down memory lane will be live-streamed from the Town Players’ (https://www.facebook.com/WatertownTownPlayers/) stage November 18 – 22.

LEAVING IOWA

Directed By Laura Maag

Written By Tim Clue and Spike Manton

Don Browning is a mid-aged writer on a mission: return home and fulfill his father’s final wish by scattering his ashes at his father's childhood home. The only problem? Grandma’s house is now a grocery store. Armed with an urn and zero backup plans, Don is forced right back onto the highway for an unexpected, hilarious detour across the state.

LEAVING IOWA is a heartwarming comedy that effortlessly transitions between a son’s present-day quest and the legendary, torturous family road trips of his 1970s childhood. Equal parts a toast to our parents' grit and a roast of the classic station-wagon vacation, this play is a funny, nostalgic journey about reconciling the past, embracing the present, and discovering that the destination matters much less than the ride.

Here’s a bit about my co-stars and our director, whom I asked the following two questions:

Why should people see LEAVING IOWA?

What have you learned about yourself as an artistic performer through the process of creating this show?

Scott Polski

Scott grew up an "Air Force Brat" in the 70's. He moved all over the country and endured road trips very much like the ones in LEAVING IOWA. As an adult, he continued to explore for many years, living in Fort Worth and New Orleans (where he met his amazing wife, Cheryl), with short stays in Atlanta, Jacksonville, and other southern cities. Scott's work history includes picking potatoes in Maine, land surveying in several states, driving trucks, a stint of stand-up comedy, and working with an improv troupe in Dallas. He eventually settled into law enforcement in New Orleans and finally attended law school and became a lawyer in the early 2000's. He moved to South Dakota to work in several Tribal Courts throughout the state. He and his wife relocated to Watertown in 2020. This is his first production with the Town Players.

Why should people come see the show? It's good comedy, with some genuine heart. Everybody knows people like these characters. It's a story of a family that survived the ordeal and challenges of family vacations!! And still wound up liking each other.

What have I learned about myself as a performer in the process of preparing for this show?

It's been a long time since I've been on a stage, but I still like performing. I enjoy taking the words and trying to bring the situations to life and getting an emotional response from the audience. That almost overcomes the fear of forgetting your lines!!!

Stuart Melby

Stu is a resident of Brookings, SD, and is a professional photographer with his wife, Kathy. He’s active in several area community theatres, having performed over 50 shows, normally cast as a loud, clueless husband.

LEAVING IOWA is a show that is a very funny yet sentimental experience that almost everyone can relate to. The story will make your memories come alive from growing up with your quirky yet normal family members.

Playing the part of the Dad is a comfortable and familiar role for me. Having a son and daughter in real life gave me years of rehearsal prep for this play…although my real wife, Kathy, was much bossier than my stage wife.

Naomi Even

Naomi loves spending time with her spouse, Aaron, their three adult children, and their lively crew of cats, a dog, and Bruce the lizard. When she’s not working as the Quality Assurance Manager at the Human Service Agency, she enjoys reading, exploring her creative side, and being part of the fun and magic of community theater.

LEAVING IOWA is funny, heartwarming, and will make you miss those family road trips.

What I've learned as a performer is that we just need a mile marker!

Laura Handke

Laura is Watertown’s Transformational Voice® Teacher (Transformational Voice® is a registered trademark of Transformational Voice® Training Institute, LLC, and Linda Brice). She grew up on a farm 11 miles from Raymond, SD, and recently moved to Watertown from the Pacific Northwest with her husband, George, and their cat, Linn.

I could tell from the first rehearsal how much potential this show has. The script is great and had me laughing out loud early on. It's been great fun trying different things and getting to know our characters. Which is many characters for a couple of our actors!

I haven’t played a child on stage since I was a child on stage. I’m thinking specifically of 5^th grade in Clark playing Harriet, a very lively orphan, in the operetta SUNNY OF SUNNYSIDE. So, that’s been a stretch. Perhaps not as much of a stretch as it should have been...?!

Andrea Mashek

Andrea is proof that one personality is overrated, so naturally, she’s playing multiple characters. She enjoys keeping life interesting, and occasionally a little chaotic. When she’s not onstage, she can usually be found being a mom to her daughter, who keeps her on her toes more than any cast member ever could. Andrea is excited to bring a whole lineup of personalities to the stage in LEAVING IOWA. Please laugh with her, not at her… unless the scene calls for it 😉

Why should people come see the show? Because family road trips are rarely as peaceful as they look in the pictures! LEAVING IOWA is a nostalgic look at family vacations, childhood memories, and the wonderfully chaotic people we call family. It's packed with moments that might remind you of your own family adventures.

Through this show, I've learned that I don't have to personally relate to every experience in a story to find meaning in it. My upbringing looked very different from the childhood memories portrayed in LEAVING IOWA, and that's taught me that storytelling isn't just about sharing experiences we have in common. It's also about understanding experiences we've never had and the different ways we all experience life. Playing multiple characters has challenged me to embrace the versatility of performing and trust myself to make each character their own.

Gabriel Modisette

Gabriel Modisette, 23 years old, male, has been with Town Players for about 2 years now, playing miscellaneous roles.

I feel that people should come see LEAVING IOWA, if anything, for it's ending. Which out of context seems like a subtle insult in a way, but I do promise I mean it with all sincerity. As of now in my theatrical performances, I've only ever been in much more abstract and thoroughly comedic shows. The more somber and/or bittersweet ending has been a very nice change of pace for my own experiences personally, and I do believe it would be a very moving experience for an audience.

Unfortunately, I can't quite pin down anything specific I've learned about myself and my endeavors in theatrics. But, I suppose I can give you a much sillier joke answer, that being that this show has reminded me of how much I dislike being around children, even adults pretending to BE one.

Laura Maag

Laura Maag is a Direct Support Professional supervisor for LifeQuest's satellite office in Milbank, SD. After graduating from South Dakota State University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in theater, she spent five years as a scenic carpenter and deck hand working in off-Broadway theater. She taught high school Communications and English for 13 years while also coaching oral interpretation and directing many high school theatrical productions. Laura has been involved with Town Players since the 1993 production of THE MIRACLE WORKER. Her directorial debut with Town Players was 1996's JAKE’S WOMEN. Most recently she played Carol in The Holiday Channel Movie Wonderthon.

Why should people come see LEAVING IOWA? It is hilarious, but it also has a lot of heart. Even if you are not from the Midwest, you can relate to this family on a road trip that does not always go as planned. After watching the show, you just might want to call your dad.

I know creativity can flourish under adversity, but it is way more fun when you are working with other creative people in a supportive environment. As the director, I hope that is the environment I am helping to foster. I have also learned how much I really miss sleep!

Sneak preview: https://www.facebook.com/share/v/19YghjUJsN/

Show Dates & Times:

Wednesday, Nov 18 – Saturday, Nov 21 | 7:00 PM

Sunday, Nov 22 Matinee | 2:00 PM

Tickets:

Season Pass Holders: Your VIP access is open now! Book your preferred seats today!

General Public: Tickets go on sale October 28.

Purchase online at https://www.rfr.bz/f7441c5cb or by phone at 605-882-2076

Don't wait to grab your tickets for this hilarious and heartfelt family comedy!