DECORAH, IA (10/02/2014)(readMedia)-- Michael Ehrecke, Luther College senior of Davenport, Iowa, and Lis Athas, Luther College senior of Blue Grass, Iowa, will perform as Nurse in Luther's Visual and Performing Arts production of "A Thread in the Dark," by Hella Haasse.

"A Thread in the Dark" is the story of an individual challenging gods, heroes, myths and monsters in pursuit of truth. In the story, Ariadne watches her father, King Minos, send 14 young men and women into the labyrinth as sacrifice to the minotaur each year. Horrified, Ariadne feels helpless to act, until Theseus is called in as a sacrifice. Buoyed by her love for Theseus, Ariadne finds the courage to demand that her father spare the lives of this year's 14. Instead, she soon discovers that deep within the labyrinth, there are secrets and terrors more horrible than monsters.

The performances, held in the Jewel Theatre in the Center for the Arts on the Luther campus, are at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 9, 9:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 10, and 1:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 11.

Ehrecke, the son of Mark and Nancy Ehrecke, is majoring in theatre at Luther. He is a 2011 graduate of Davenport West High School.

Tickets for the performances are $12 for adults, $5 for children five and under. Tickets can be purchased at Luther's ticket website, www.tickets.luther.edu, by calling the Ticket Office at (563) 387-1357, or by visiting the Luther Ticket Office, open Monday, Wednesday and Friday, 9-10:30 a.m. and 11a.m.-3 p.m.; and Tuesday, 9 a.m.-3 p.m., with extended hours on Thursdays, 9 a.m.-7 p.m.

"A Thread in the Dark" is directed by guest director, Ylfa Muindi.

Recently Muindi wrote and performed her one-woman show, "Typhoid Fever", as part of Chicago's long running fringe festival, Rhino Fest. She regularly collaborates with Redmoon Theater, which used her puppets for "Astronaut's Birthday" at the Museum of Contemporary Art. In Chicago she has also worked with Collaboraction, Curious Theater Branch, Rough House, Screen Door Productions and the Whiskey Rebellion.

Muindi's unique style is evident in all her productions. She says, "I utilize puppetry, spectacle, and robust physical performance to tell stories in ways that overcome the barriers created by language, ability and societal norms."

October 1, 2014 - Iowa City, Iowa - This fall, Riverside Theatre brings to Iowa City KIMBERLY AKIMBO, David Lindsay-Abaire's quirky comedy, directed by Sean Christopher Lewis.

Kimberly is your regular teenager, except that she has an age-advancing genetic disease, an alcoholic father, a pregnant, hypochondriac mother and a pesky criminal aunt.  Now she is facing the most terrifying thing of all... the possibility of first love.

Featuring Jody Hovland as Kimberly, with Tim Budd, Carrie Houchins-Witt, Kristy Hartsgrove Mooers, and Frankie Rose.  Budd, Houchins-Witt, Hovland and Mooers were all seen in the cast of Lindsay-Abaire's GOOD PEOPLE last January at Riverside.

KIMBERLY AKIMBO runs Thursday-Sunday, October 17-November 2, 2014.  Tickets: Adults, $28-30; Youth, $18, Student Rush, $20.   Details at riversidetheatre.org, or by phone at 319-338-7672.   Riverside Theatre is located at 213 N. Gilbert Street, Iowa City, Iowa.

KIMBERLY AKIMBO is the second show of Riverside's 34^th season of professional theatre.

ABOUT THE PLAY

"It's rare to find a play that is both incredibly poignant on topics like loneliness and love but that can still stay completely hysterical and surprising throughout." -Sean Christopher Lewis, Director 

Moving suddenly to Bogota (pronounced buh-GO-da), New Jersey in the 80's is tough, especially with a dysfunctional family, especially as a teenage girl with an extremely rare age-advancing disease.  But Kimberly has more to deal with than being 16 and looking 70 - her family is hiding a secret and is hoping that they'll be safe in Bogota....

The play contains coarse language.

The Characters:

Kimberly Levaco (Jody Hovland):  A sixteen year old girl who has an age-advancing genetic disease.  Besides trying to do her schoolwork like a normal teenager, she's dating a boy for the first time... and helping her homeless aunt commit a little fraud.

Pattie Levaco, Kimberly's Mom (Carrie Houchins-Witt):  A very pregnant, sharp-tongued hypochondriac with casts on both arms (carpel tunnel surgery) who is hiding a very big secret from the world.

Buddy Levaco, Kimberly's Dad (Tim Budd): A good natured alcoholic who loves his family but while at the bar forgets important domestic details, like dinner, and Kimberly's birthday.

Jeff McCracken, Kimberly's love interest (Frankie Rose): An awkward teenage boy in Kimberly's class who plays Dungeons & Dragons and studies the "puzzleistic arts", especially anagrams, and who has a big crush on Kimberly.

Debra, Kimberly's aunt (Kristy Hartsgrove Mooers): Homeless, foul-mouthed and resourceful, Debra follows the Levaco family from town to town causing criminal mischief.  Though she is unstable, she is emotionally close with Kimberly.

The play is brought to life by professional designers Courtney Schmitz (Scenic & Lighting Designer), Sarah Pipho (Costume Designer), and Sean Christopher Lewis (Sound Designer & Director).

ABOUT THE DIRECTOR

Sean Christopher Lewis is a director, actor and playwright. His work has won the Kennedy Center's Rosa Parks Award, NEA Voices in Community Award, Smith Prize, Barrymore Award and numerous other awards. With Riverside he has directed Mary's Wedding, Goat Show, Marion Bridge, Venus in Fur, The Syringa Tree and Manning Up. He has also directed for the Centre X Centre International Theatre Festival in Rwanda and at the Institut Del Teatre in Barcelona. Lewis is the artist director of Working Group Theatre.

KIMBERLY AKIMBO PERFORMANCE SCHEDULE

Fri 10/17, 7:30pm

Sat 10/18, 7:30pm

Sun 10/19, 2:00pm

Thurs 10/23, 7:30pm

Fri 10/24, 7:30pm

Sat 10/25, 7:30pm

Sun 10/26, 2:00pm

Thurs 10/30, 7:30pm

Fri 10/31, 7:30pm

Sat 11/1, 7:30pm

Sun 11/2, 2:00pm

RELATED EVENTS 

Post-performance Talkbacks:  Sunday, October 19 & Friday, October 24.  Stay after the show on these dates to discuss the play with the actors.