Six shows, one ISU Theatre season (summer pub)

Jill O'Brien

This year, Iowa State’s theatre season is full of variety, with their chosen productions ranging from student-written monologues to Golden Age musicals and Greek tragedies. Get familiar with this year’s shows here: 

Out of the Fire 

September 29-October 8 

“Out of the Fire: A Banned Books Project” focuses on banned and challenged books, freedom of speech and censorship. It features the work of several national playwrights, but will also feature student-written monologues that were chosen to be added to the play. These submissions may be written from the perspective of banned book authors, banned book characters or people asking for the book to be banned. 

The Children’s Hour 

November 3-12

In Lillian Hellman’s controversial play, the friendship between Martha Dobie and Karen Wright, who run a private school for girls, is tested when a student tells a lie that the two women had an affair. 

A Christmas Carol

December 1-10

A holiday classic, A Christmas Carol is the story of curmudgeonly Ebenezer Scrooge, who goes on a journey with the ghosts of Christmas Past, Present and Yet to Come, who show him the consequences of his selfish actions and maybe even change his ways. 

Iphigenia

February 23-March 4

Written by Greek playwright Euripides, Iphigenia is set during the Trojan War, and revolves around Agamemnon’s decision to sacrifice his daughter, Iphigenia, to the goddess Artemis in order for his troops to maintain their honor in battle. However, he butts heads with Achilles over this decision, creating a conflict between the two heroes. 

Oklahoma!

April 5-8 

The acclaimed Rodgers and Hammerstein musical follows cowboy Curly and his attempts to woo local farm girl Laurey Williams, all while the Oklahoma territory is on the brink of statehood. 

Our Town 

April 20-29

Our Town is a three-act play that follows life in the fictional town of Grover’s Corners, New Hampshire. The three acts are separated by universal themes that relate to the lives of every character in the play: Daily Life, Love and Marriage and Death and Dying.