From Jan. 28-31, the Ames Community Theatre group (ACTORS) will be performing “Don’t Dress for Dinner” live at Stephens Auditorium.

“Don’t Dress for Dinner” is a “sex inspired farce” that centers around married couple Bernard and Jacqueline as they both try to keep their respective affairs a secret. Meanwhile, Robert, Bernard’s best friend and Jacqueline’s lover, gets wrapped up in their increasingly frenzied schemes.

ACTORS is an Ames community-based theater company that has put on over 300 productions over its 64-year career.

“I’ve had to leave the Ankeny community theater and experience other community theaters,” said Corinn Brush, an Ames community and show cast member. “This is now my third community theater I’ve worked with just because the Ankeny one is closed.”

Ben Smith, a fellow Ames community and cast member of “Don’t Dress for Dinner” spoke about putting on an exclusively live show instead of a virtual one.

“This show is not allowed to be streamed,” Smith said. “The weird thing is, apparently they don’t tell you until you apply for rights whether or not [the show] can be streamed.” 

Due to the many canceled shows at Stephens Auditorium and through ACTORS, the cast members were excited to finally be in front of a live audience.

“This is my second show at ACTORS, so I was more so auditioning to continue being a part of this community theater,” said Benjamin Nuckolls, a junior English and psychology major. “I also read the script and I thought it was really funny.”

“Don’t Dress for Dinner” is a unique play in that it does not tell a stand-alone story.

“We are always a fan sex farces and British humor, we do that a lot,” said Kyle Peter, a senior at the University of Northern Iowa. “[Don’t Dress for Dinner] is a continuation of a show we did a little while ago called ‘Boeing Boeing.’”

Despite its status being a sequel, “Don’t Dress for Dinner” can still be enjoyed and understood without experiencing its predecessor.

Safety is ACTORS’ first priority. As such, limited seating will be available at Stephens. Only every other row of seats will be utilized and seat groupings will be no less than three seats apart. Masks are required for audience members at all times.

Tickets for “Don’t Dress for Dinner” can be purchased on the ACTORS website, in store at Alpha Copies & Print Center as well as at the door on the nights of the shows. Showtimes will be at 7:30 p.m. Jan. 28-30 and 2 p.m. Jan. 31. Tickets are $15 with the exception of Jan. 30, where a $3 discount will be given to Iowa State students who present their ID when purchasing tickets.