Fresh take on a classic style

Jamie Ulmer • March 9, 2026

We are at the mid-season stop on our season journey, and we’re heading to the charming English countryside for a relaxing comic romp. Stylistically, The Cottage could have come from the likes of Noël Coward or George S. Kaufman. In the hands of modern playwright Sandy Rustin, the play has a fresh, contemporary feel.


First, let’s take a look at the signature elements of a Coward-esque comedy. The dialogue is fast, witty, and precise. Think of conversations as quick volleys, punctuated by a sharp button or punchline, as characters score points in their battle of wits.


The characters are sophisticated and smart - or at least they think they are. This style also employs classic character types: the dashing, sharp lead; the foil; the loyal friend; the unexpected visitor; and so forth. These familiar roles give the audience a quick setup for the formula, so the action (and jokes) can kick off in earnest. And of course, in classic comedy-of-manners tradition, it’s the upper crust being gently (and sometimes not-so-gently) mocked for jealousy, vanity, and pride.


We can’t forget the setting - which, by the way, kudos to our wonderful scenic design and set dressing. The set provides a stylish, glamorous playground for the characters to make frantic entrances and exits, miss seeing each other by seconds, and, of course, slam a few doors. Physicality builds and combines with the sharp, fast-paced dialogue as the circumstances become more and more outrageous.


The plot nearly always revolves around some sort of romantic entanglement. In a Coward comedy, the couples aren’t cozy - they’re combustible. Things are cute and playful until something tips the balance, and then it becomes a battle.


Now here’s where Rustin puts her contemporary lens on the formula. Instead of the plot being primarily driven by the choices of witty, sophisticated, charming men, it’s the choices of the women that drive, and ultimately decide, the story. It’s that small refocus that takes a style of comedy that can sometimes skew problematic and lets us appreciate the considerable skill and craft it takes to bring it to life in a way that looks both stylish and effortless.


Right now, we all need to take a moment and enjoy some laughs.


Jamie Ulmer

Executive Director

Theatre Lawrence News & Announcements

A summer filled with JOY

By Jamie Ulmer • July 20, 2026
Joy. That's the only word I can think of to describe the feeling that has been radiating from the TL stage over the past several weeks. First came the joy of our annual Penguin Project production. Seeing youth with special needs take the stage and experience the audience's warm appreciation each night is nothing short of magical. This year's production of Alice in Wonderland Jr. proved it with time-obsessed rabbits, murderous Queen of Hearts, and ever-growing and shrinking young Alices. That was followed last weekend by our sold-out run of Guys and Dolls SR ., our very first Vintage Players senior musical. The joy was written on the face of every cast member, some of whom were appearing in their very first show (one made her acting debut at 83!). That joy carried over after each performance as friends, children, and grandchildren eagerly waited to congratulate the cast.  There's one more weekend of summer joy on tap as we present two youth productions, Willy Wonka KIDS and The Aristocats KIDS , playing in repertory this Friday and Saturday. Sharing joy like this makes all the schedule juggling, rehearsals, and investment of resources worthwhile. It reminds us why we support community-based, locally produced theatre. There is truly nothing like it, and we're thrilled to have been bringing that joy to our community for 50 years. Our exciting 50th Anniversary Season is about to begin, and we can't wait to share that joy with you! Jamie Ulmer TL Executive Director
Purple poster with a skull-and-crossbones and the title “PIRATES! Penzance the Musical”

CAST LIST: Pirates! The Penzance Musical

July 17, 2026
View the cast list for 'Pirates! The Penzance Musical.' Tickets go on sale August 3. Check it out!

Announcing the first Striving Artists Project recipient

July 1, 2026
Theatre Lawrence is pleased to announce the first recipient of the Louise ImMasche Striving Artists Project is Anj Marie Riffel and her musical Chasing Nirvana . The show will receive a production at Theatre Lawrence Oct. 2 and 3, 2026. Information about auditions and participating in the first staging of this original musical will be available in the coming weeks. Anj Marie Riffel wears a stack of hats professionally and passionately — including writer, editor, designer, and songwriter — with an enduring love of artistic expression. Her short plays have been featured on stage at Theatre Lawrence for New Works Night. When she’s not searching for her missing iPhone or the meaning of life, Anj can be found wading heart-deep in creative pursuits and loving her people. The Striving Artists Project honors the legacy of Louise ImMasche and the art they created by fostering a space and providing resources to small artists with big shows. This project aims to provide an opportunity to kinder those like Louise – unyielding in their dreams, a need to tell their stories, and looking to go big with the chances they are provided. About the show: Travel back to the heyday of Gen X, when twentysomethings were trying to figure out who they were beyond the walls of Shermer High School—and discovering that reality does indeed bite. Presley Martin is an endearingly awkward, hot mess of a musician who’s hoping her band might be the next Nirvana. While reaching on tiptoe for the stars, she loses her balance and winds up flirting with rock bottom instead. With the resurgence of 1990s culture, CHASING NIRVANA feels simultaneously nostalgic and current. Driven by catchy 90’s alt-rock music, the story appeals to a multi-generational audience, as it examines life’s big questions: Who will love me? Why am I here? What really matters? Packed with heart, humor, and a healthy dose of pop-culture wisdom, we follow Presley’s journey as she navigates a Bermuda love triangle and risks losing herself in the void between two very different dreams. Will she find her own sense of nirvana?
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