Come Home to Kanesville 2012

"Oh wipe the mud off your shoes and wipe the sweat off your brow.
Come on and set a spell cos' you're in Kanesville now".

This is how the show "Come Home to Kanesville" opens with the cast
singing and dancing their way to telling the story of the Mormons who
came to Kanesville in the late 1840s. Kanesville was named after
Thomas Kane and is one of the former names for Council Bluffs.

This story speaks of the hardships and the choices for many of the
Mormon people who came through this town after leaving Nauvoo,
Illinois when their leader Joseph Smith was killed. Most of the story
centers around the Indian Creek area of Kansville and of the group's
interactions and relationship with Thomas Kane. Combining the local
history with real people such as Brigham Young brings these significant figures
to life.

This year's performance is notable with many outstanding performances. Being
that most of the roles are shared, I am only mentioning the
performers on the night that I saw this production. David Young is an engaging
story teller as the well-respected Thomas Kane. As Mary
Lewis, Ami Hummel is delightful as the widowed and optimistic mother. The
Cline family, Dan, Molly, and Noah are all outstandingly believable as their
characters. Both Molly and Noah, as the Lewis children, interact with the
audience as their characters. As Hannah Martin, Mignonne
Rogers charms the entire audience as her character makes a difficult life
decision. Also outstanding was the dancing and especially the
clogging. The band and chorus stayed in perfect sync with the
prerecorded music.

The sets and costumes matched the characters and the time period. The sound and
lighting crews were attentive to the details which makes them invisible to the
audience, but extremely important.

The cast actually encircles the audience throughout the show. This
gives you a feeling of being a part of them and almost tempts you to
join in their singing in this intimate venue. However, it perfectly
matches the tone and setting of the performance.

This short musical last approximately 75 minutes and is intended for
audiences over the age of eight. This Winter Quarter Musical runs
from July 19th to August 4th and the Kanesville Tabernacle at 222 E.
Broadway in Council Bluffs, Iowa. The admission is free to everyone. The
show times are Tuesday through Saturdays at 7:30 p.m. and also at 3:30 p.m.on
Saturdays. Seating is on a first come, first served basis.

Why not learn a little of our local history this summer? The building is
air-conditioned and the price is free. Why not "Come on Home to Kanesville?"