Victoria McKenzie/ Winonan
Too often it can be easy for people to forget time with family, but Heather Williams, a professor in the Winona State University theatre and dance department (THAD), said THAD’s next show can help spark those family memories.
Williams has taught within THAD for three years. Williams is directing Winona State’s next play, “Leaving Iowa” from Nov. 19-23.
Williams said, in “Leaving Iowa”, the main character Don is on a road trip to spread his father’s ashes, during which he constantly flashes back to family road trips from his childhood.
Williams said she finds the show relevant for people, and even began the process of rehearsing by asking cast members to share their memories of family road trips.
Rebekah Bailey, who plays Don’s mother, said the themes of the American dream and sustainability, in addition to the fact the setting takes place in the Midwest, make the play more relatable.
Bailey said Don’s mother is a multidimensional character.
“She’s like your stereotypical housewife, but I think that it is also clear that she does run the family,” Bailey said.
The “Leaving Iowa” cast consists of eight members. Williams said four of those members make up Don’s family, while the four others play multiple roles, switching among flashbacks.
Although the original script only called for two people to play the various roles, Williams said she chose to make four roles to get more people involved.
Bailey said auditions took place in August, when they received their scripts, and rehearsal began in October, after the completion of THAD’s first production of the year, “Assassins.”
Williams said working with a small cast can be challenging when scheduling rehearsals due to the need for all members to be at each rehearsal. However, she said she has also found working with a smaller cast to be rewarding due to a tighter sense of community.
“I think at least fifty percent of my cast has never done a main stage production [at Winona State],” Williams said.
Williams said she found it exciting to watch her cast learn. All but one member is a theatre major or minor, and auditions were open to all students and community members, Williams said.
She said she considers “Leaving Iowa” a sentimental comedy, which she said is far different from the first production of the year, “Assassins,” which is a rather dark musical.
When picking productions Williams said the Winona State theatre and dance department tries to “piece together things that will give students different perspectives and different experiences-as both actors and audience members.”
Bailey said “Leaving Iowa” is the first Winona State production she has been on-stage for. However, she is not new to theatre.
“I have done theater for as long as I can remember,” Bailey said.
“Leaving Iowa” has been a big learning curve, allowing her to learn more about herself and how she works in theatre, Bailey said.
“It has been one of the most rewarding things that I have done for myself at college,” Bailey said.
Like Bailey, Williams said she has also been involved in theatre from a young age.
Williams said her first show was Annie, at the age of ten. She later went on to earn her undergraduate degree in acting and Ph.D. in theatre.
“Every production you do there is going to be different challenges. You’re going to have different cast, different crew,” Williams said. “Even if you do the same production twice, it is always going to be different because of the people in the production.”
“Leaving Iowa,” is open to all students and community members. Admission is $6 with student ID and $10 for the general public. Bailey said she suggests buying tickets online, because the tickets will sell out quickly since the performance will take place in the Black Box, a smaller performance area.
