The play, written in 2023 by Justin Borak, will be presented Oct. 17-20 at Decker Auditorium in the newly renovated Center for Performing Arts.

“As I was reading plays this summer, I was excited to discover a gem of a show written and published just last year,” said Teresa Jackson, director of theatre. “I am thrilled when a play is well-written, when it grabs me at the start and takes me on a worthwhile journey to an engaging closure. I love the newness, the freshness of this story, and it’s one that is both meaningful and moving.”

Community Garden tells the story of Ralph, an uptown Chicago newcomer who doesn’t quite know what to expect when he volunteers for his first shift at the Uptown City Gardens. Ralph’s character definitely didn’t expect to come across a vibrant, bustling community checking on their plants, composting their food scraps, meeting up with friends, and even falling in love inside of the greenspace. Ralph soon begins to understand why seasoned volunteer, Donald, claims that the garden is magic.

The play is a series of vignettes with different people coming into the garden, some returning while others do not.

“I never understood how much air meant to me until I was trapped in my stuffy Chicago

apartment for over a year,” explained Borak of his play. “Being a Chicagoan is a wonderful experience, but you never really think about what living in a city means. It means you immediately become part of a larger carbon footprint in a place where you struggle to find a recycling bin. For a long time, I let that drift to the back of my mind, like most 22-year-olds trying to be comedians, but after being afraid to leave my apartment for the better part of 2020, I began to find joy in the smallest things. I lost my city but gained the direct community contained within my lifesaving 30-minute walks. The community of Uptown, Chicago. On these walks, I developed more of an appreciation for the neighborhood and found things I never knew existed.”

“That description from Justin Borak resonated with me,” said Jackson. “As a lifelong educator, I delight in plays that are crafted to be educational as well as entertaining. We hope audience members will be inspired to learn some things about gardening and to find their own local community where they can connect, contribute, and help to preserve our most precious of resources — the air we breathe and the earth we inhabit.”

The cast of Community Garden includes 20 returning Iowa Central students as well as 20 who are new to the theater and performing arts programs.

“We continue to be amazed with the depth of talent each new year brings to our program,” said Jackson.

The production will also include a “Take A Book, Leave A Book” library in the show. According to Jackson, patrons are asked to consider bringing a children’s book to donate. All books collected at the Community Garden productions will be gifted to the Fort Dodge Community School District’s Early Childhood Center.

Community Garden is the first fall play to be presented in the newly renovated Decker Auditorium. The show, running just under two hours, will also feature a number of community groups and businesses who thrive in promoting healthy green spaces as well. These groups and businesses will be featured in the foyer and outdoor spaces of the Center for Performing Arts.

“Our team is working hard to create a magical space,” said Jackson. “Ashley Garst now occupies the helm as our director of technical theatre, and we welcome the incredible addition of Brady O’Brien to our team of regulars. Brady is our new coordinator of Decker Auditorium and Center for Performing Arts, and Scott Deuel continues to assist us as well. Mike Weidemann returns as our sound engineer, and Joseph Jackson aided in the original stage design process. The playwright encourages us to be creative with the set, using the entire space and making the audience feel like they are a part of the community as well — using things like music, art, sensory devices, and anything else our team believes could help build community in space. Our hope is to make the theater feel like one big neighborhood. For this reason, we are looking to bring the audience as close to the stage as possible and surround them with gardens.”

Community Garden will be presented at 7 p.m. Oct. 17-19 and 2 p.m. Oct. 20. Tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for students with Iowa Central faculty, staff, and students attending for free. Tickets are available online or at the Iowa Central bookstore. Tickets will also be available at the door.

Community Garden

When:

7 p.m. Oct. 17-19,

2 p.m. Oct. 20

Where:

Decker Auditorium,

Iowa Central

Community College

Tickets:

$10 for adults,

$5 students

Tickets available online,

at Iowa Central Bookstore, or at the door

Community

Garden Cast

Ralph: Justin Durr

Bella: Kloee Jones

Donald: Sam Opfer

Kelly: Gracie Grady

Casey: Elle Clark

Andi: Que Fortune

Trace: Laura Heisterkamp

Davey: Sydney Lauck

Adam: Evan Pratt

Ken: Maddox Williams

April: Reese Pederson

Sadie: Lesley Chavez

August: Luke Royster

Daphne: Emma Davis

Kape: Bri Horton

Mr. Putnam: Andy Sweazey

Taylor: Lundyn Jones

Jordan: Jacob Carman

Crossover Patron Ensemble

Rhonda Aurodou,

Camden Doster,

Emma Englin,

Piper Graham,

Aliyah Henry,

Keilah Jensen,

Kayla Johns-McGarity,

Cindy Lopez,

Korina Sears,

Chloe Speck,

Brenna Mahoney,

Linus Areblad,

DJ Jennings,

Ben Stinnett,

Andy Sweazey,

Collin Vik,

Bryce Walker,

Bill Wright