"Map of My Kingdom" to be performed at NWC

Mary Swander’s one-woman show, “Map of My Kingdom,” will be performed and filmed in Northwestern College’s England Theatre Saturday, Aug. 1, at 7:30 p.m.

Swander interviewed dozens of farm families, bankers and other stakeholders across Iowa when writing the play, which explores the issues of farmland transition and is told from the perspective of a lawyer who mediates land disputes.

Stories are shared of how farmers and landowners approach land transfers, some struggling to resolve the sale or transfer of land, dissolving relationships. Others find peaceful solutions that focus on keeping the land, and the family, together.

“When I began my research, I wondered where I would find the conflict for the show,” said Swander. “But the conflict was everywhere I turned.”

The play stars Chicago actress and Northwestern College alumna Cora Vander Broek Brumlow ’00. Directing the play is Northwestern alum Matt Foss ’01, who recently won an award at the 42nd Annual Non-Equity Jeff Awards recognizing excellence in Chicago theatre.

The performance, commissioned by Practical Farmers of Iowa and being made into a DVD for wider distribution, is free and open to the public. The hourlong performance will be followed by a discussion and refreshments. For more information, contact ocArts@orangecityiowa.com or 712-707-4885.