It’s not often that a children’s play contains deep themes, but “This is Not a Pipe Dream,” a play that will be showing in Fisher Theater in the coming weekends, may be able to speak more to the adults in the audience than the children.

Keaton Lane, a senior in journalism and performing arts, plays the father of painter René Magritte in the show.

“’This is Not a Pipe Dream’ is basically the life story of the famous surrealist painter, René Magritte,” Lane said. “It tells the story of how he came to be an artist and the struggles that he faced along the way in a kind of abstract style that really mirrors the style that he painted in.”

Emily Heckle, a junior in animal ecology, plays the character of René Magritte’s mother in “This is Not a Pipe Dream” and said this show is unlike anything she has been a part of before.

“It’s definitely the weirdest, coolest show I’ve ever been in here at Iowa State,” Heckle said. “It’s very vaudevillian, very charming and very cutesy, but it also deals with some really deep stuff that I wouldn’t necessarily find in another children’s show.”

Heckle said although this show has a fun and fast-paced energy, it centers around Magritte, who often does not speak, forcing him to figure out how to live and express his emotions and words through his paintings.

“This show is about how his art kind of saves his life and helps him,” Heckle said.

“This is Not a Pipe Dream” also manages to bring Magritte’s art directly into the theatre by incorporating it into the set design.

Heckle claims they decided to use his art in the manner so the audience can look at the art in comparison to what’s happening in the play and see how it relates.

“All of the show is based around different pieces of his artwork and where he would have drawn that inspiration from, which is really cool because we have his actual artwork all over the stage,” Heckle said.

In addition to their respective characters, both Lane and Heckle also serve as members of the anonymous men’s chorus.

“The anonymous men run around and do crazy things and do crazy bits,” Heckle said. “It’s a very physically-intense show. There’s a lot of flipping and somersaults and dumping water on people, it’s very Tom and Jerry-esque.”

Beyond the craziness that accompanies the anonymous men, “This is Not a Pipe Dream” is a play which touches deep themes the cast and crew deal with in their daily lives.

“This show is so special to me because, as someone who is studying theater, I totally understand what it’s like to question whether or not you should follow your passion,” Lane said. “Is it better to risk security and study something that really fulfills you, or settle for something that you don’t love to do but know will make you money?”

Lane said these questions are ones that many performing arts students struggle with everyday in their classes, and that it is exciting to be a part of a show that validates the work they are doing and shows the audience that though their path is challenging, it is worthwhile.

Both Heckle and Lane said they think this show is one everyone should try to see, and with a run time of under an hour, would be great for the whole family.

“Doing a children’s show and trying to get these really heavy themes to kids in an accessible way was really bizarre to me when I first read it,” Heckle said. “As you start to perform the script and read the script, it’s really neat to see how it can connect to all people.”

Lane said though this show is considered a children’s show, people of all ages can learn from the story.

“I think this show is important for people to see because it is just so human … there are parts of the play that literally make me tear up every night,” Lane said. “I don’t know anyone who could come to this show and not find a moment that speaks to them and the experiences that they have had.”

“This is Not a Pipe Dream” will be running in Fisher Theater Sept. 28 to 29 and Oct. 5 to 6 at 7:30 p.m., and Sept. 30 and Oct. 7 at 2 p.m.