Urbandale Community Theatre

06/09/2026

Everyone give a warm welcome to our newest board member, Joe Kimball! 🙌

Joe is absolutely elated to join the board! He developed a love for performing in high school, and hasn't looked back since. He has experience with many forms of performing, but his true love is singing. Theatre has given him the opportunity to develop the confidence and playfulness he didn’t know he was missing. 🫶

Currently, Joe enjoys working in property management, and he highly anticipates the next step in life! Joe is passionate about bringing people together and providing a unique experience. What better place to do that than with Urbandale Community Theatre? He is eager to be involved in every way he can! He most looks forward to making new connections and friends.

Welcome to the board, Joe! 🤩

05/14/2026

Urbandale Community Theatre is turning 30, and we want to celebrate with the people who helped build this place. 🎭✨

For three decades, UCT has been a home for families, friends, and generations who found their people under the stage lights. Now we’re inviting alumni, couples, parents, siblings, and longtime UCT families to join the ensemble for our 30th Anniversary Cabaret.

Whether you haven’t performed in years or you’ve always wanted to try theatre together, this is your moment to step back into the spotlight with your family.

Want to join the ensemble? Email [email protected] 💙

05/08/2026

✨ A new chapter is taking center stage at Urbandale Community Theatre! ✨

We’ve had lots of exciting changes happening behind the scenes, and we’re thrilled to introduce the powerhouse team that is leading us into this next chapter.

🎭 Carlee Smith - Board President  
🎭 Brynn Sweere - Board Vice President  
🎭 Josh Whitver - Board Secretary
🎭 Nick Flynn - Board Member
🎭 Michael Howland - Board Member
🎭 Kelly Friesleben - Board Member

The UCT board is working hard to bring unforgettable theatre experiences to our community. Here’s to new energy, bold ideas, and a season full of creativity and connection.

05/05/2026

Are you good with numbers AND love live theatre? 🤔✨ We’re casting a VERY important off-stage role - Board Treasurer! No memorizing lines, just keeping us in the black so we can keep the curtain rising. 🎭💛 Interested? Email us at: [email protected]

04/28/2026

Join us in welcoming Kelly Friesleben to the board!

Kelly was first bitten by the theater bug in elementary school with a role in her school’s production of Down by the Creekbank. Her love of music and theater led to roles throughout junior high, high school and college where she eventually earned a Bachelor of Music (BM) degree from Iowa State University. Kelly performed in community theater in MN, and continued to stay active singing in choral ensembles, cantoring, and in weddings. After a long hiatus to focus on career and family, Kelly’s first foray back into theater was with UCT in the summer of 2024 in the Wizard of Oz, and then in the summer of 2025 in Hello, Dolly! 👒

Kelly is excited to join the UCT board! She loves theater as a way to meet new people, and share her love of music and performing. In addition to her BM, Kelly holds an MA in Management and a PhD in Higher Education Leadership, and currently serves as a Student Success Consultant in the Bureau of Community Colleges at the Iowa Department of Education. ✨

Kelly, we are thrilled to have you on the team. Let’s make some magic! 🎭

04/10/2026

For 30 years, these melodies have told our story… 🎶

Now it’s time to relive them.

The Melodies That Made Us is our 30th Anniversary Cabaret, happening August 21–23, featuring songs from past UCT productions, the return of familiar faces and new opportunities for performers to join in.

This show is a celebration of our past — and a step toward an even brighter future for UCT.

Directed by Michael “Howie” Howland.
Stay tuned for audition details 👀

04/09/2026

We’ve been keeping a secret… 👀

And it’s finally time to announce.
Join us tomorrow at 6:30pm.

02/12/2026

It’s time to reintroduce the real MVPs behind the scenes, our amazing UCT board!

Starting out with a huge announcement - a big welcome to Michael "Howie" Howland to our team! 🤩

Michael Howland (Howie) is a two time Cloris Award winning actor who recently took on the title role of Jekyll and Hyde at Boone Community Theatre. Audiences have seen him in standout roles like Gleb in Anastasia (Cloris Best Featured Actor), Harold Hill in The Music Man (Cloris Best Actor), Beast (and later Lumiere!) in Beauty and the Beast and Dan in Next to Normal, just to name a few!

In addition to his Cloris wins, Howie is also a two time BroadwayWorld Award recipient for Bert in Mary Poppins and the Cowardly Lion in UCT's Wizard of Oz. 🦁

Not only is Howie a force under the stage lights, but he's also checked off some pretty epic life goals... running a marathon and singing the National Anthem in all 50 states! Last year, Howie sang the National Anthem for Yankee Doodle Pops performing for over 100,000 people! 😮🤩

He and his wife, Julie, are proud parents to twins, Josiah and Sierra. ✨

Howie, we are so extremely excited to have you, your expertise and your can-do attitude join our board! 🙌

08/07/2025

🎭✨ We are absolutely thrilled to share that we’ve received 8 nominations from this year’s Cloris Awards — our most ever!

This recognition is a testament to the incredible talent, heart and hard work poured in by our cast, crew, orchestra and production team. We are so proud and endlessly grateful to be part of such a passionate and supportive theatre community. 💛

Congratulations to all the nominees — let’s celebrate this amazing accomplishment together! 🌟

08/06/2025

🙌🙌 and for best musical nomination! What a fantastic list of nominations we’ve received for Hello, Dolly! We are extremely proud of the work put in by the cast, production team and crew! 🙌🎉🥳

🎶💛 With full hearts and standing ovations — congratulations to the nominees for Best Musical.🎼🏆🎭

These productions reminded us why we love theatre: the way a single song can stir the soul, a shared harmony can unite an audience, and a beautifully told story can linger long after the final bow.

This Cloris Awards nomination honors not just the excellence on our local stages here in central Iowa, but the countless hours of rehearsal, collaboration, and passion behind the curtain.

To the casts, crews, musicians, and creative teams — thank you for giving your all and giving us something unforgettable. You’ve created more than a show — you’ve created a moment in time. 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻