Dreamwell Theatre

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Iowa City, IA
Dreamwell Theatre

Dreamwell creates innovative, fresh, provocative experiences that challenge audiences & actors alike.

Dreamwell Theatre is a non-profit volunteer theatre company dedicated to creating professional-quality productions. Since we emerged in 1997, we have produced nearly 100 plays in various locations around Iowa City. We are honored to to be part of the vibrant cultural landscape of an amazing, intelligent and literary city. In 2001, we re-defined our mission as a theater that creates challenging, in

novative and inclusive theatrical experiences. At that time, we rededicated ourselves to the spirit of exploration and discovery and chose the image of a sextant, a nautical tool for navigation, as our logo. With each production, we reaffirm our identity as a “theatre of exploration.”

06/23/2026

🌈🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️ Rain or shine… and luckily for us, shine won out. ☀️🎭

Dreamwell Theatre had the best time walking in the Iowa City Pride parade and celebrating alongside a community that shows up as its full, colorful, creative self 🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️✨

At Dreamwell, we believe the stage — and the world — are better when people get to be exactly who they are. Pride is joyful, welcoming, expressive, and full of the kind of magic we love to be part of.

Thanks for sharing the day with us. Swipe through for some of our favorite moments, and for news about our upcoming 29th season and volunteer opportunities!🌈✨

06/15/2026

Please help us welcome (and wish a very happy birthday to) our incoming Artistic Director Owen! ✨🎉

Owen Brightman (he/him) is a lifelong theatre-doer, professional townie, and saying-the-weird-thing enthusiast. After many years as a performer (and 1.5 performing arts degrees), he found his truest bliss on the other side of the footlights as an intimacy director and choreographer.

Owen has been choreographing and coordinating intimacy for University and community theatre productions since 2022 and still sheds real actual wet tears of joy and fulfillment every single time. As of late he has begun to expand his horizons to directing full productions (his most recent credit being as director of Dreamwell's world premiere of Shiver, by Wren Stone) (his best friend) (he's crying again), and Dreamwell's 29th season will be his first lap as Artistic Director of the company.

Outside of the theatre sphere, Owen can be found shooting pool, tearing up dance floors, working the register at the city's hottest resale store, and musing on the erotic. He likes hands, teeth, sunshine, baked goods, truth, crosswords, and big feelings. He's more than thrilled to keep keeping Dreamwell weird.

06/05/2026

Happy Opening to our friends in Proof! Break legs! Be sure to get your tickets! ✨

06/04/2026

Please join us in welcoming Regan back to the Dreamwell Board! ✨

Regan Loula (she/her) is excited to be returning to the Dreamwell board! She has been involved in the Iowa City theatre community with various groups since her teens, but Dreamwell has always felt like home. Most recently she served as ASM and appeared in the ensemble of Dreamwell’s March 2025 production of The Penelopiad. Outside the theatre you will find her on the yoga mat or on the trail.

See you at the theatre!

06/02/2026

Please join us in welcoming Nicole Terry to the Dreamwell Board as our new Secretary! ✨

Nicole (she/they) is originally from a little town called Los Banos, California. She relocated to Iowa City in late 2019 in hopes she would find new beginnings and a theatre community where she would feel at home.

She’s been involved in theatre since high school, participating in the school’s shows as an actor as well as stage managing. She then went on to help run children’s theatre camps and soon after jumped into community theatre! Other hobbies of hers include karaoke, trivia nights, dancing like she's 21 again and playing with her puppy Graham.

Her first experience with Dreamwell was stage managing Shiver, and her experience was so fulfilling, she decided to see what other ways she could help! She's very excited for what the future holds! ♥️

06/01/2026

Happy Pride Month from all of us at Dreamwell! 🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️

As we celebrate Pride, we're taking a look back at some of the q***r stories that have graced the Dreamwell stage over the years. In 2009, Dreamwell produced The Drag by Mae West! This groundbreaking play premiered in 1927 and explored homosexuality, drag culture, and the societal pressures faced by LGBTQ+ people at a time when those stories were rarely seen (or even allowed) on stage.

Nearly a century after it was written, The Drag remains a powerful reminder of theatre's unique ability to challenge norms, and give voice to communities that have too often been pushed to the margins.

Q***r people have always been a part of theatre, both onstage and off. For generations, theatre has been a place where LGBTQ+ stories could be told, identities could be explored, and folks could find a sense of belonging.

This Pride Month, we're celebrating the artists, audiences, and stories that continue to make theatre a place for authenticity, expression, and belonging.♥️

04/27/2026

Congratulations to the cast and crew of The Legend of Georgia McBride on a fabulous run! Thank you to everyone who was part of the audience, we had a great time 💃🎙️🪩🎭👏

04/25/2026

Spotlight: The Legend of Trista Carlson

Trista brings out the best in her cast mates. No false lash goes uncurled. "Everybody should come see The Legend of Georgia McBride because we are an amazing cast of hilarious, talented folks!"

We totally agree! You have 2 more chances to see these people shine. Join us at The James Theater tonight at 7:30 pm and tomorrow for the matinee at 2 pm 👠✨🎭

https://www.dreamwell.com/the-legend-of-georgia-mcbrideb

Address

120 N. Dubuque Street
Iowa City, IA
52240

Telephone

+13194239820

Website

http://www.dreamwell.com/

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