Lessons from Cancer College

Lessons from Cancer College

By Nancy K. Barry
Directed by Eva Barr
Performed by Kristen Underwood

What happens when a college professor finds herself enrolled in a nine-month course of treatment for breast cancer? Assuming it will be a manageable task to continue teaching through cancer, she's surprised--and ultimately healed--by the revelation that somehow cancer is teaching through her.

Upcoming Performances

Regional Health Services of Howard County (Cresco, IA)
Thursday, April 22, 7pm
Tickets: $5
For reservations or more information: 563.547.5086, x2235

The Examined Life: Writing and the Art of Medicine Conference (Iowa City, IA)
Thursday, April 29, 3:30pm
For more information: 319.335.8058

DreamAcres (Wykoff, MN)
Saturday, June 26, 8pm
Tickets: $10
For reservations or more information: 507.352.4255

Luther College (Decorah, IA)
Wednesday, July 21, 7pm
Tickets: Free
Offered in conjunction with Luther Lag, in the Center for Faith and Life Recital Hall.

Dreamland Arts (St. Paul, MN)
Friday, October 8 and Saturday, October 9, 7:30pm; Sunday, October 10, 2:00pm
Friday, October 15 and Saturday, October 16 7:30pm; Sunday, October 17, 2:00pm
Tickets: $13
For tickets, directions, and more information: 651-645-5506, www.dreamlandarts.com

Commonweal Theatre (Lanesboro, MN)
Tuesday & Wednesday, Oct 19-20, 8pm
Tickets: $15
For reservations or more information: 800.657.7025

For Booking Information

This one-hour, one-woman show is available to come to your theatre, clinic, college, or other venue. Please contact us at arthaus508@gmail.com or 563.382.5440 to learn more.

What audiences are saying...

"Funny and powerful."

"My husband didn't want to come with me because he thought he'd be the only man in the audience. He wasn't -- and he enjoyed it every bit as much as I did."

"This play speaks to anyone who has faced a challenged and been changed by it."

"I was prepared for a serious, thoughtful play and couldn't believe how much I laughed! I loved every minute and didn't want it to end."

About the Artists

Eva Barr, a founding ensemble member of Lookingglass Theatre Company of Chicago, is an independent theatre artist, artistic director of the Dreamery Rural Arts Initiative, and director of Flourish Summer Camp, which links the performing arts and agriculture in experiences for youth and adults. She lives on DreamAcres Farm with her family in southeastern Minnesota. Eva dedicates work on this play to survivors of breast cancer (of whom many are her friends), and to the memories of mentors Becky and Karin, who did not survive the disease, but continue to teach.

Nancy K. Barry, originally from Baltimore, has lived in Decorah since 1990, when she joined the English Department at Luther College after teaching at the University of Iowa and the University of Illinois, where she earned her Ph.D. She is the author of published essays, newspaper columns, and radio essays, and a long-time teacher at the University of Iowa's Summer Writing Festival

Kristen Underwood holds her BFA in Theatre from the University of Colo/Boulder, and her MFA from San Francisco's American Conservatory Theatre. Originally from the SF Bay Area, Kristen worked as an actor and director around the country before moving to Lanesboro, MN where she served as a managing core artist at the Commonweal Theatre for ten years. She moved to Decorah in 2002 where she is an occasional visiting artist at Luther College, and serves as co-director of ArtHaus and artistic director of Upstart Crow Theatreworks.

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