DM Playhouse's Play Reading Series to Continue with RECENT TRAGIC EVENTS, 9/8

The Des Moines Community Playhouse play reading series presents Craig Wright's "Recent Tragic Events," at 7:00 PM, Monday, Sept. 8. The evening is free; beverages will be available for purchase.

"Recent Tragic Events" begins on Sept. 12, 2001. The setting is the Minneapolis apartment of Waverly, a young advertising executive. She's about to venture on a blind date amidst the television news coverage of the Sept. 11 attacks. Waverly becomes preoccupied when she discovers that her twin sister, Wendy, a student living in New York, has not been heard from. As the evening unfolds, Waverly and her blind date, Andrew, an airport bookstore manager, realize that they are connected by a succession of strange coincidences. As Waverly awaits word on her sister, the date is further complicated by visits from her crazed-musician neighbor, Ron, and his girlfriend, Nancy, and a startling visit from Waverly's great aunt, Joyce Carol Oates, who is played by a sock puppet.

"Recent Tragic Events" is directed by Amanda Arthur-Struss. The cast includes Melissa Chavas-Miller, Susan Eisenhour, Jolene Gentzler, Jason Rainwater, and Joe Struss.

The Playhouse play reading series is held one night each month on the stage in the theatre's upper lobby. Actors read from scripts; there are no costumes or scenery pieces. The goal of the play reading series is to offer audiences and volunteers an opportunity to familiarize themselves with upcoming productions, as well as offer insight into new scripts and possible titles to be mounted in the future.

The Playhouse is Iowa's oldest and largest producing theatre. Located at the 42nd Street exit of I-235, the theatre has presented a full season of shows since 1919 and also offers a wide variety of educational experiences including classes for ages 4 to adult, theatre trips to New York, and volunteer opportunities onstage and backstage.

For more information about the Playhouse and the script reading series, contact the Playhouse ticket office at 515-277-6261.