Iowa City, IA - Riverside Theatre, Iowa City's resident professional theatre, opens its 2012-2013 Season on Friday, September 7th with the explosive and acidly comical True West by Sam Shepard, directed by Ron Clark.
True West is about two brothers with a score to settle. Austin, an ambitious Hollywood screenwriter working on a potential million-dollar movie project and Lee, a desert drifter and a thief with a compulsion for six-packs and toasters, are reunited at their mother's home while she is away and a struggle for dominance ensues.
"True West is sibling rivalry on steroids," said Director Ron Clark. "The two brothers could not be more different. They both despise and envy each other, which I think is always the foundation of sibling rivalry."
True West is considered to be a modern American classic and Shepard is revered as one of the greatest living playwrights of our time.
True West features Iowa City actors Tim Budd as Austin and Sean Christopher Lewis as Lee. Scot West of Chicago returns to Riverside as Saul Kimmer and Riverside Theatre Artistic Director Jody Hovland rounds out the cast as Mom.
"They're the A-Team that brings the play to life," Clark said. "It demands virtroso acting that can plumb the mysteries of the relationships. The turnabouts come fast and furious; the action is explosive."
True West also features scenic design by Shawn Ketchum Johnson, lighting design by Courtney Schmitz Watson, costume design by Osean Perez, and sound design by Drew Bielinski. Jason Tipsword choreographs the fight work.
Since the scenic design includes numerous toasters, Riverside Theatre is seeking donations of two-slot, old-school toasters (working and non-working) for the production. Donated toasters will not be returned. Toasters may be dropped off at the Box Office at 213 N. Gilbert St, Noon - 4 p.m., Monday - Friday.
Tickets for True West, September 7 - September 30, are $15-$28 with discounts available for those over 60, those under 30, and youth. $15 students rush tickets are available on a first come first served basis 20 minutes before curtain. Tickets are available by phone at (319) 338-7672, online at www.riversidetheatre.org or in person at the Riverside Theatre Box Office, located at 213 N. Gilbert St., Iowa City, IA.
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Photo information:
From left: Sean Christopher Lewis and Tim Budd in True West at Riverside Theatre, September 7 - September 30. Photo by Bob Goodfellow.
Performance Schedule
Friday, September 7 at 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, September 8 at 7:30 p.m.
Sunday, September 9 at 2 p.m.*
Thursday, September 13 at 7:30 p.m.
Friday, September 14 at 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, September 15 at 7:30 p.m.
Sunday, September 16 at 2 p.m.
Thursday, September 20 at 7:30 p.m.
Friday, September 21 at 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, September 22 at 7:30 p.m.
Sunday, September at 23 at 2 p.m.
Thursday, September 27 at 7:30 p.m.
Friday, September 28 at 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, September 29 at 7:30 p.m.
Sunday, September 30 at 2 p.m.
*Talkback Sunday, September 9 - Stay after this performance to chat with company members and gain behind-the-scenes info about the play. Free and open to the public.
Upcoming Events
Season-Opening Open House - Sunday, August 26, 2 - 4 p.m.
See behind the scenes before the season starts at the Riverside Theatre Open House. Start out in the Scene Shop, where sets for all the productions are built, and take a tour that includes the backstage area, the dressing room, and more. Refreshments will be provided. Enter the Scene Shop directly via the alley that runs behind the building/parking lot or go to the lobby. For more info, call 319-338-7672.
True West Thursday Theatre Talk - August 30, 5:30 - 6:30 p.m.
In Sam Shepard's True West, dualities abound; there are two brothers, one a city guy, the other coming out of the desert; one is an upwardly mobile screenwriter in Hollywood, the other a drifter and a thief. But gradually they switch roles, and, indeed, in a number of well-known productions the leading actors have alternated as Austin and Lee. Join Miriam Gilbert and Harry Stecopoulos, University of Iowa Department of English, as they discuss Shepard's play and its vision of America.
