Independent Actors Theatre

Now Announcing: IAT’s Season 6 – How Dare We?!

October 5-6, 12-13 – God of Carnageby Yasmina Reza
Directed by L. Alex Iben
Performance Venue: Missouri Contemporary Ballet
8 pm curtain

Winner of the 2009 Tony Award and the basis for the 2011 movie adaptation Carnage, Yasmina Reza’s contemporary comedy of manners centers around a playground altercation between eleven-year-old boys which brings together two sets of Brooklyn parents for a meeting to resolve the matter.  At first, diplomatic niceties are observed, but as the meeting progresses, tensions emerge and the gloves come off, leaving the couples with more than just their liberal principles in tatters.

December 6, 7, & 8 – The Santaland Diaries by David Sedaris, adapted by Joe Mantello
Directed by Bryan Vandevender
Performance Venue: The Blue Fugue
7 pm curtain

The Santaland Diaries gives us a glimpse of what a slacker’s Christmas must feel like. Out of work, our slacker decides to become a Macy’s elf during the holiday crunch. At first the job is simply humiliating, but once the thousands of visitors start pouring through Santa’s workshop, he becomes battle weary and bitter. Taking consolation in the fact that some of the other elves were television extras on One Life to Live, he grins and bears it, occasionally taking out his frustrations on the children and parents alike. The piece ends with yet another Santa being ushered into the workshop, but this one is different from the lecherous or drunken ones with whom he has had to work. This Santa actually seems to care about and love the children who come to see him, startling our hero into an uncharacteristic moment of goodwill just before his employment runs out.

March 14, 15 & 16 – short Women’s Play Festival 5
Directed by Cat Gleason & Carrie Winship
Performance Venue: The Bridge
7 pm curtain

IAT’s annual short Women’s Play Festival features new, short works by women playwrights from around the country and directed by local women theatre artists.  Performed in March as a part of Women’s History Month, this annual festival celebrates the work of women artists.

April 18, 19 & 20 – Distant Music by James McLindon
Directed by Emily A. Rollie
Performance Venue: Eastside Tavern
7 pm curtain

On a snowy night in an Irish pub, Connor, Maeve and Dev meet, each agonizing over an irrevocably life-changing decision. The three fight over religion and beer, whether truth exists at all, the differences between the Irish and Irish-Americans, the many failings (according to Dev) of the latter, and, finally, the capacity of stout to explain, metaphorically and metaphysically, most of life. As the evening unfolds, each is eager to tell the others exactly what they should do with their lives and equally resolved not to discuss his or her own. Ultimately, Maeve’s determination to force Connor to confront their feelings for each other, and Dev’s weakness for eavesdropping on them through the heating vent, bring all three face to face with their futures.

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