Who: Ames Community Theater What: “Canterbury Tales” Where: ACTORS Studio When: Oct. 8, 9, 15 and 16, 8 p.m.; Oct. 10 and 17, 2 p.m. Cost: $15, $11 for students

Rowdy, bawdy fun is the name of the game as Ames Community Theater [ACTORS] presents a musical adaptation of Geoffrey Chaucer’s “Canterbury Tales.”

The show follows a group of travelers on a four-day trip from London to Canterbury. Along the way, the travelers pass the time by telling funny and sometimes off-color stories.

Carole Horowitz, one of the show’s producers, said the play represents a departure for ACTORS.

“One of the things that concerns us is that [ACTORS] is 44 years old, and the people who attend our shows are aging,” Horowitz said. “We need to touch base with a younger audience.”

It may seem strange to try to draw a younger audience with a story written in 1387, but Horowitz believes “Canterbury Tales” is the perfect choice.

“This show is a rowdy, rollicking, fun work,” Horowitz said. “Chaucer writes with no holds barred. There is a lot of adult material in this show. We’ve taken [the play] as it was originally adapted — no cutting, no censorship.”

Keith Wirtz is directing “Canterbury Tales,” which marks the third time he has been involved with the show.

Wirtz was previously part of two productions as a performer, including one at Iowa State in 1977 under Frank Brandt.

Wirtz’s casting call drew a wide variety of talents, including some Iowa State students and staff. Wirtz said he was very happy with the level of performers he was able to cast.

“This show is heavily double-cast,” Wirtz said. “Some play up to four characters, but everyone plays at least two. We could have [double-cast] even more, but we had so many wonderful people, I wanted to get them all in.”

Horowitz also said she’s been very happy with the group.

“The talent is very, very good,” Horowitz said. “To get this quality of voice and acting ability, we lucked out. These people are doing this because they love it.”

Wirtz decided to present the show in a three-fourths round, instead of the traditional proscenium staging.

“Most of the audience ends up being [on what is typically the stage at ACTORS Studio],” Wirtz said. “We have staircases that go upstairs. Characters enter from three different areas in the building.”

Wirtz said the rehearsal process has been short, but doing so was necessary to allow ISU students to be involved in the show.

“You could always use more time,” Wirtz said. “We’ve put the show up in about six weeks.”

Although the rehearsal schedule has been intensive, the cast and Wirtz have had some fun during the rehearsal process.

“The play is in metered rhyme,” Wirtz said, “So, I had [the actors] come up with raps. Each actor took one of their characters that they liked and created a rap. Then we had a contest to see who won.

“Now we’re doing the same thing with limericks, which are a little easier,” he said. “Raps are pretty intensive, limericks are a little shorter.”

One strength of the play, according to Horowitz, is the musical arrangement by Cynthia Marten, of music classified as baroque rock.

“Ours is better than two professional recordings I’ve heard,” Horowitz said. “[The music] is pretty, but it doesn’t lose the humor of the play.”

Horowitz said people can expect to have a good time.

“Let your hair down and have fun.”