Tyler Area Arts Council Brings the Comedic Road-Trip Play Leaving Iowa to the Stage This Weekend

The Tyler Area Arts Council is set to deliver a lively dose of humor and heart this weekend as it presents three performances of the comedic play Leaving Iowa at the Russell-Tyler-Ruthton Performing Arts Center in Tyler. The shows will run Friday and Saturday at 7 p.m., followed by a Sunday matinee at 2 p.m. Tickets are available at the door or online through the council’s official ticketing page: buy tickets here.

Written by Tim Clue and Spike Manton, Leaving Iowa is a roughly two-hour production (including an intermission) that blends humor, nostalgia and family reflection. The story follows a family of four — mom, dad, brother, and sister — on a road trip from Iowa to Hannibal, Missouri. Along the way, the family encounters a variety of characters during their stops, creating a series of comedic moments that many audiences will find familiar from their own family vacations.

Director Ryan Juutilainen describes the play as something “people can relate to”, especially anyone who has survived the chaos and charm of a family road trip. One of the most distinctive aspects of the production is its continuous switching between past and present. The story jumps from childhood memories of the siblings to their adult lives, offering the audience a playful yet emotional contrast.

Juutilainen highlights this element as his favorite part of the show: the visual challenge and creativity involved in shifting time periods seamlessly on stage. In the present-day timeline, the father has passed away, and the adult son sets out on a journey to find a final resting place for his father’s ashes, attempting to complete an important family task. These warm, introspective moments weave naturally into the lighthearted road-trip comedy, giving the play its signature balance of humor and sentiment.

The cast for this production includes seven performers from surrounding communities: Alexander Castro, Amanda Castro, Chris Cordes, and Ashton Stahl of Marshall; Payton Zaske of Lake Benton; and Mark Wilmes and Izzy Blagdon of Tyler. In addition to the four actors playing the central family members, three cast members take on multiple roles, portraying the many quirky characters the family encounters during their journey — a major source of the show’s zany comedic style.

Rehearsals have spanned four to five weeks, and Juutilainen notes that this has been a challenging production for the actors due to the large amount of dialogue and the complexity of the shifting scenes. Still, he says the cast has risen to the challenge, and the show has come together into something he believes audiences will truly enjoy.

Behind the scenes, an equally dedicated team is handling props, costumes, lighting, and other production tasks to bring the experience to life. Their work helps reinforce both the humor and the heartwarming storytelling that the play delivers from start to finish.

Ticket prices are $17 for adults, $15 for students, and $12 for children, making it an accessible weekend outing for families and theatre lovers alike. For more information on the play itself, you can also visit its official site here: learn more about Leaving Iowa.

Audiences attending this weekend can expect a blend of comedy, nostalgia, and family memories, brought together by a skilled local cast and a story that finds humor in the everyday chaos of being on the road with the people you love.