Iowa City Community Theater brings Theophilus North to the stage, based on Thornton Wilder’s last novel.

By Devyn Young
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Theophilus North, a play by Matthew Burnett, will take the stage this weekend at Iowa City Community Theater, opening Friday at the Johnson County Fairgrounds in Exhibit Hall A.
Theophilus North tells the story of young Theophilus, a man living in Rhode Island, as he explores all the different things he wants to be. Throughout the book, he’s a book reader and a tennis instructor. The play is based on Thornton Wilder’s last novel.

“[The play] is a coming-of-age story for a man who is 30 years old,” Director Kehry Anson Lane said.

Nate Sullivan plays the title character.

“It would be easy to say that [the play] is a journey of self-discovery, but I think there’s more to it than that,” Sullivan said. “Theophilus is a young man who feels lost in the world, so he takes drastic measures to break free from the mundane and experience what the world has to offer.”     Besides Sullivan, there are six other actors in the show, with each playing up to five characters.

“We have three men and three women … and they all play multiple roles,” Lane said. “We had to break this show down into basic, little scenes … and there was a lot of logistics that went into it to make sure we have the best use of the time. We worked one group of characters, then moved onto the next.”

Lane said this show is perfect for the holiday season.

“It wouldn’t seem like it’s a holiday show, but I think it’s appropriate for the time. It’s sort of an escape from their daily lives but also a nod to the simple things and the interactions we have with others and how that fulfills our lives and gives us purpose,” Lane said.

Sullivan agreed, saying she hopes the audience members walk away with something more.

“I think our audiences will be invigorated by the energy of this play and maybe even inspired to live their lives a little larger,” Sullivan said.

THEATER
Theophilus North
Where: Exhibit Hall A, Johnson County Fairgrounds, 4261 Oak Crest Road
When: 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday, 2 p.m. Dec. 6
Admission: $9-$17