2004 Pulitzer Prize & Tony^® Award winner by Doug Wright

Central Iowa Premiere

“superbly delivered … powerful”
John Busbee, ArtScene Magazine
(full review - adobe pdf)

Buy the script on amazon.com:
I Am My Own Wife: A Play

ORIGINAL RUN
September 7-17, 2006

The cast and crew

Starring	Dean R. Krouch
Directors	Ron Ziegler Thatcher Williams
Lighting Designer	Jarrod Bodensteiner
Original Music & Sound Design	Ryan Rumery
Miniature Furniture Designer	Paul Pape
Stage Manager	Melissa Rezab

About the show

Pulitzer & Tony Award winner I Am My Own Wife follows a young American playwright’s attempt to write a play about Charlotte von Mahlsdorf, a transvestite who managed to survive both Hitler’s Gestapo and the Stasi, the East German secret police. Doug Wright became fascinated by this amazing person and began a quest to discover the truth about her life, through a series of interviews with her and an often contradictory Stasi file. In her own museum, amid a treasure trove of antique furniture, Victrolas, records and bric-a-brac from the late 19th century, Charlotte tells her stunning story of how, through cunning and charm, she defied the iron grip of two political regimes. And after it all, viewed as a cultural ambassador, Berlin honored her with the “Verdienstkreuz,” Germany’s highest civil award, in 1993.

Learn more at the official I Am My Own Wife web site.

About the cast and crew

Dean R. Krouch debuted in Des Moines at the Playhouse in a run of Big, the Musical (Chorus). A quick succession of shows followed and he finished with StageWest’s 2000 performance of Hair before disappearing to the University of Iowa to complete his academic career, graduating in 2003 with a Bachelor of Arts in Theatre. Since then, Dean has achieved monumental success … making chocolate. Because acting doesn’t pay the bills, that’s why! After appearing in several new plays at the university level, Dean returned to Des Moines to perform in three StageWest shows: The Goat, or Who is Sylvia? (Billy); Angels in America, Part One: Millennium Approaches (Prior Walter); and Judy’s Scary Little Christmas (Chorus). This year, he has enjoyed the opportunity to work with Tallgrass Theatre Company in Rounding Third (Michael) to create a fun and intimate theatrical experience. Dean will reprise the role of Prior Walter in StageWest’s production of Parts One and Two of Angels in America in March.

Ron Ziegler is a freelance director and theatre artist based in Des Moines, IA, where he served on staff of The Des Moines Playhouse as Associate Director and also was the first Managing Director for the Kate Goldman Children’s Theatre. He founded and managed the Iowa Fringe Festival, worked as Executive Director for StageWest Theatre Company and was Executive Director for Orlando (FL) Repertory Theatre, a professional theatre for young audiences. Ron is a past president of The American Association of Community Theatre and was named an AACT Fellow. As a stage director, his credits include the recent Des Moines Playhouse productions of Pump Boys and Dinettes and The Foreigner, The Secret Garden, The Who’s Tommy, Jesus Christ Superstar, Laughter on the 23rd Floor, Equus and Dancing at Lughnasa, among many others. Ron has adjudicated many state and regional theatre festivals across the country and abroad and was recently named one of three adjudicators for the 2007 National AACTFest in Charlotte, NC. He also served as facilitator for the 2006 National Artistic Director’s Conference in Tacoma, WA and spent the early spring on a six-week tour adjudicating plays on military bases throughout Europe.

Thatcher Williams is the Producing Artistic Director for CHANGE. He has directed several productions in the past few years, including Copenhagen and Clarence Darrow. Some of his set designs have be seen in past CHANGE productions as well as Sunrise at Campobello and Smell of the Kill for Drama Workshop. Thatcher also enjoys acting on the stage as Ralph Kramden in CHANGE’s Reruns - LIVE which are tributes to classic television comedies. Outside of theatre, he is a database manager for political organizations. He owes every bit of his strength and success to the love and support of his wife Amy and daughter Chloe.

Jarrod Bodensteiner has worked as a lighting designer in Des Moines for CHANGE and the Drama Workshop. Drama Workshop credits include: The Smell of the Kill, The Drawer Boy, Sunrise at Campobello, and Reynard the Fox. His CHANGE designs include Copenhagen. Jarrod worked as the assistant technical director at Theatre Cedar Rapids through their 2005-2006 season where he designed the set for My Way. He has accepted a position on staff at the Des Moines Playhouse.

Ryan Rumery chose to interrupt his vacation to design sound and original music for this production (thanks Ryan). His sound design for Thief River (Theatre Alliance) earned him a Helen Hayes nomination in 2004. His other sound design credits include - NEW YORK: Based on a Totally True Story (Manhattan Theatre Club); Getting Home (Second Stage); Mayhem (SPF at Theatre Row); Macbeth (Theatre of the Riverside Church); Much Ado About Nothing (Queen’s Company); Twelfth Night (Juilliard School of Drama). REGIONAL: Thurgood (Westport Country Playhouse, Starring James Earl Jones); Jesus Hopped the ‘A’ Train (Round House Theatre); Frozen (Studio Theatre); Hamlet (Syracuse Stage). ORIGINAL MUSIC AND SOUND DESIGN: I Am My Own Wife (Hangar Theatre, Riverside Theatre); Thief River (Theatre Alliance).

Paul Pape is a freelance Scenic Designer and Craftsman working out of Omaha, Nebraska. An expert model maker, he started his own business creating laser die-cut scale furniture and accessories called Pop-Out Furniture. Recently, Paul decided to expand his horizons and started another company that blends his love for sculpture and models; called Too High Horse, Inc. The company specializes in creating personalized specialty props, gifts and memorabilia. An award winning designer, Paul has worked all over the country for a variety of venues, including La Jolla Playhouse, Kitchen Dog Theatre, and Riverside Theatre. He also designed the scenery for Alicia Keys’ My Diary Tour.

Melissa Rezab is not a new face to the Viking Theater but new to CHANGE. She started in the theater at the age of 5 at The Grand Opera House in Dubuque, IA and went on to major in theater here at Grand View University. Melissa and her new husband, Ben, recently moved back to the Des Moines area after spending a year in her hometown and getting married this past June.