Des Moines Community Playhouse to Present MAPLE AND VINE Reading Today

The Des Moines Community Playhouse play reading series continues tonight, Monday, Sept. 9, at 7:00 PM with Jordan Harrison's "Maple and Vine." The evening is free; beverages will be available for purchase.

Katha and Ryu are sick of their 21st Century lives. After meeting a man from a community of 1950s re-enactors, they decide to ditch their modern lives with Wi-Fi and cell phones and head back to the slower lifestyle of the '50s. This dramatic comedy brings up powerful questions as the two must decide how much they are willing to sacrifice for happiness. The Playhouse cast, under the direction of Brianne Magel, features Shane Donegan, Dave Kaniuk, Caleb Lubka, Megan Schettler Schug, and Sarah Noll Wilson.

The 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. John Viars, Playhouse executive director, says, "The goal of this project 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. "

Upcoming script reading presentations include "Shipwrecked" by Donald Margulies on Oct. 7, "Tribes" by Nina Raine on Nov. 11, and "A Small Fire" by Adam Bock on Dec. 2.

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.