“Eden Prairie, 1971" at Riverside Theatre -- January 27 through February 20.

Thursday, January 27, through Sunday, February 20

Riverside Theatre, 119 East College Street, Iowa City IA

A world-premiere presentation that challenges commonly held beliefs about the true cost of freedom, playwright Mat Smart's Eden Prairie, 1971 enjoys a January 27 through February 20 run at Iowa City's Riverside Theatre, its author a noted talent whose The Royal Society of Antarctica received Chicago's 2015 Jeff Award for Best New Work.

In this debuting production, on the same night that the Apollo 15 spacecraft lands on the moon, draft-dodger Pete steals home to Eden Prairie, Minnesota, after a 300-mile walk from Canada. Even though he risks arrest, Pete has an important message to deliver to an old friend, a young woman from his high-school class. And in a moment of national and interpersonal tension that mirrors our own, Pete must consequently defend his choices and grapple with the sacrifices he’s made. The stark, passionate drama of Eden Prairie, 1971 confidently questions our notions of bravery and responsibility, and author Smart is the recipient of two Jerome Fellowships; a McKnight Advancement Grant; two Edgerton Foundation New Play Awards; and the 2014 Otis Guernsey New Voices Award from the William Inge Center for the Arts.

Directing Eden Prairie, 1971 is Riverside Theatre's producing artistic director Adam Knight, who began his tenure in 2018 and spent the previous 17 years as a producer and director in New York City, where he produced 25 world premieres and worked on projects with Ensemble Studio Theatre, Cherry Lane, aMios Theatre, Poetry Project, and HERE Arts Center. Knight's three-person cast is composed of Kyle Clark, Christina Sullivan, and Kristy Hartsfgrove Mooers. And with Jared Kiebel serving as Eden Prairie, 1971's stage manager, additional members of the show's creative team include scenic designer S. Benjamin Farrar, costume designer Zamora Simmons, lighting designer Jim Vogt, sound designer Chris Okiishi, prop designer Stephen Polchert, and technical director Chris Rich.

In addition to its preview performances being held January 27 through February 3, Eden Prairie, 1971 runs at Riversider Theatre from February 4 through 20, with weekly performances on Thursdays through Saturdays at 7:30 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m. Admission is $15-35, and more information and tickets are available by calling (319)887-1360 and visiting RiversideTheatre.org.

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