MUSCATINE, Iowa — It’s a first for some and a last for others.

For the seniors in the upcoming Muscatine High School production, “Leaving Iowa,” it’s the last fall play they’ll do before leaving high school.

But the freshmen in the cast are just getting started — and so is the director.

Rene Mauck, the new high school drama director, will present her MHS directorial debut with a comedy about family vacations, written by Tim Clue and Spike Manton, at 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday, Nov. 6 and 7 at the MHS auditorium.

Although she is new to MHS, Mauck is no stranger to the stage. The Oregon native directed the spring musical at West Middle School for the past three years and currently serves as drama director for both the youth and adults at Calvary Church. She has also acted in various community theater productions in Muscatine as well as other areas in which she has lived.

Before the MHS directing position was even open, Mauck had already read the script for “Leaving Iowa” and was determined to do it somewhere.

“I thought, ‘This is such a great script. I want to direct this script. I don’t know when, but I’ll think of something,’” Mauck said. “Then when I got the job I knew exactly what I wanted to do for the fall play.”

Jake Siefers, a 17-year-old senior, plays the part of Don Browning, the story’s main character. Browning is a journalist who left his small Iowa hometown for the big city and is coming to terms with the death of his father. The story is told through a series of flashbacks of a childhood vacation that the main character has while finding the perfect spot to scatter his father’s ashes.

“He’s remembering these family vacations they had, that he thinks were stupid,” Siefers explained. “But as the story progresses he starts to realize that his dad only took these vacations so that his kids could have fun, and he starts to realize how much his dad actually did for him and how little he got back.”

Zach Minder, an 18-year-old senior who plays Dad in the show, said he has been in productions at the high school in the past, but his involvement with the school’s cross country team usually prevented him from participating in the fall play. This year, since it was his senior year, Minder decided to do both, and he’s glad he did.

He has also enjoyed getting to know the new director.

“I’ve never had Rene as a director but she’s easy to get along with. We haven’t had a lot of time, and a lot of directors would be stressed about it, but she’s been really calm and keeps our confidence up and our morale high,” Minder said.

The two other central characters in the show, Mom, played by senior Elisabeth Bermel, 17, and Sis, played by senior KellieAnn Burton, 17, agree that Mauck is making their final fall play a positive experience.

“It’s a well written play,” Bermel said. “I like it because it’s set ‘nowadays’ and not like the 1800s, or 1905. It’s relatable to now.”

“Even though it is set in the 1970s, the lines sound normal,” Burton added. “It’s funny, but it’s good, clean fun. And it’s not just a comedy. It has a lot of emotional attachment to the characters.”

And Mauck seems to like her students just as much as they like her.

“This group of students is really working hard and they’ve been a lot of fun to work with,” she said. “It’s such a great show for Iowa, a great show for high school kids to perform, and I think anybody could enjoy this play.”

Details

The production

What: “Leaving Iowa”

Who: Muscatine High School drama department

When: 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday, Nov. 6 and 7

Where: Muscatine High School auditorium

Tickets: $5 – Available at the door

The cast

Don Browning  Jake Siefers

Dad  Zach Minder

Mom  Elisabeth Bermel

Sis   KellieAnn Burton

Jack Singer/Bob Timothy Stacy

Grandma/Judy  Kelly Dunsmore

Uncle Phil/Civil War Guy/Mechanic

 Reid Chandler

Museum Assistant/Jessie

 Sarah Turner

Cart Guy/Wayne Gabriel Robinson

Mr. Johnson/Joe Hoefinger/

Amish Guy Sam Strajack

Mrs. Johnson/Inebriated Lady

 Madeline Hartman

Grandpa/Clerk  Davis Schrock

Amish Gal  Sarada Mauck

Aunt Phyllis/Jamie/Park Ranger

 Bessa Stern