The Iowa Tent Theatre
is a non profit theatre company that was incorporated as a 501
(c) (3) in May of 2006 by founder and artistic director Ralph Hall.
ITT is the realization of Ralph's
longstanding dream to start a touring tent theatre in his home
state of Iowa. This
dream took root when Ralph was performing and touring with
the Caravan Stage
Company in Canada over twenty years ago. The
Caravan was a horse drawn tent theatre that traveled to small
communities on the Gulf Islands off the coast of British Columbia.
Ralph loved the magic ambiance created by a play performed
under a big
top tent and vowed that one day he would establish a tent theatre
of his own.
On June 24,
2007 the Iowa Tent Theatre opened it's first touring production
of STANDING TALL
in Iowa City, Iowa. ITT toured STANDING TALL to 11 towns
and performed 18 performances of the show. Iowa communities
that
hosted ITT included Tipton, Charles City, Belmond, Algona, Arnolds
Park, Sioux Center, Des Moines, Audubon, and Orient. ITT self-produced
performances in Iowa City and Red Oak. The show was attended
by people of all ages, young and old alike. The sponsoring towns
were wonderful hosts and the shows were warmly received. Both
the touring company and the communities in which ITT played heralded
the debut year a tremendous success.
ITT is now
in the process of creating & booking it's second touring
show which is scheduled to open in the later part of June 2008.
The tent plays that ITT
produces
are
new works written
and directed by Ralph Hall, though the company of actors and
designers are fully involved in the creative process. Ralph spends
the fall and winter writing a basic scenario with important
plot structures and dialogue, and then as the show goes into
rehearsal the actors and designers help shape the final script.
The running title of Hall's new play is PIRATES
OF THE PRAIRIES.
This year ITT will tour PIRATES
to some of the same communities it played last year in addition
to booking
new towns and sponsors who want to join the fun.
And it is truly fun. The Iowa Tent Theatre is one of the only
professional touring tent theatres in America today. And it's
in Iowa! ITT is striving to preserve a tradition that has been
pretty much
lost to comtemporary audiences (see
History). Yes, it can get
hot in the tent, and yes audiences must come out and sit in folding
chairs - but is well worth
the effort. There is simply nothing like the unique experiences
of a tent theatre performance. The kids in the audience will
never forget it...and neither will the adults.
Ralph isn't sure how long he will
be able to maintain ITT. A lot depends on what kind of support
he can continue to find in Iowa. But for now Hall's tent theatre
dream continues to gain momentum. We'll see you under the big
top.
.....STORY
OF ITT