Marshalltown, IA

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Marshalltown Community Theatre

709 South Center Street

Marshalltown, IA 50158

Marshalltown Community Theatre

641-752-4164

History:

Our history occurs in two different eras, with two very distinct and dedicated groups of people. Our first era begins just after the Great Depression and runs until just before the end of the Second War to End All Wars.

This first troupe of thespians actually started in 1932 at the old Odeon Theater on Second Avenue downtown. If they weren’t performing at the Odeon then they were at the Marshalltown High School auditorium, now known as Miller Middle School. Their very first production was THE QUEEN'S HUSBAND and starred local favorites, including Carol Dodd Hollingsworth, Ed Wright, Evelyn Bowman Kennehan, and Alice Van Law Blue. According to historians, this first group of thespians also had a summer theatre that played at the Iowa Soldiers Home chapel. A program from that era is shown to the left, from a 1940 production of Family Portrait by Lenore Coffee and William Joyce Cowen. The photo is from an unknown production of that era, as well.

Although the plays were well attended and they provided a means for the townsfolk to escape their troubles of the time for a few hours, the real draw was the Community Theatre’s 20-piece orchestra. The orchestra played before every performance and at each intermission, adding to the much needed entertainment. The plays and music offered a respite from this time of material shortages and high unemployment.

During this era, one of the more serious items the theatre had to face was a heating fuel shortage. Not directly, (keep in mind at this time they used “borrowed” venues), but rather at one of their productions. The best remembered was at the high school. The School District could not afford to heat the high school auditorium during non-school hours, so when school was out, so was the heat. It is told that the auditorium would get so cold in the winter that theatre patrons could see their breath! The actors solved their problem by offering an optional admission price at the high school to be a bucket of coal. This brought in enough fuel to keep everyone warm for the performance and may have even helped a few students stay warm the next day.

The Theatre was truly a business of the time. With a yearly budget of less than a thousand dollars and membership dues of $1.00 per person, they were able to do a lot with a little. It was summed up nicely on every program for every play. “It is first, last, and foremost - OUR Community Theatre.”

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AARP Events for Marshalltown

AARP Events for Marshalltown

• Featured Event

  AARP Coffee Connections

  Tuesday, Nov 19, 2024 at 8:30 a.m. CT

  Palmer's Deli & Market

  Des Moines, IA

• Featured Event

  AARP Coffee Connections

  Tuesday, Nov 19, 2024 at 8:30 a.m. CT

  Uptown Coffee Company

  Marion, IA

• Featured Event

  AARP Coffee Connections

  Tuesday, Nov 19, 2024 at 8:30 a.m. CT

  Palmer's Deli & Market

  Urbandale, IA

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											<div>709 South Center Street</div>
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							<span>Marshalltown</span>,
							<span>IA</span>
												<span>50158</span>
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						<p>History:</p>
<p>Our history occurs in two different eras, with two very distinct and dedicated groups of people. Our first era begins just after the Great Depression and runs until just before the end of the Second War to End All Wars.</p>
<p>This first troupe of thespians actually started in 1932 at the old Odeon Theater on Second Avenue downtown. If they weren&rsquo;t performing at the Odeon then they were at the Marshalltown High School auditorium, now known as Miller Middle School. Their very first production was THE QUEEN'S HUSBAND and starred local favorites, including Carol Dodd Hollingsworth, Ed Wright, Evelyn Bowman Kennehan, and Alice Van Law Blue. According to historians, this first group of thespians also had a summer theatre that played at the Iowa Soldiers Home chapel. A program from that era is shown to the left, from a 1940 production of Family Portrait by Lenore Coffee and William Joyce Cowen. The photo is from an unknown production of that era, as well.</p>
<p>Although the plays were well attended and they provided a means for the townsfolk to escape their troubles of the time for a few hours, the real draw was the Community Theatre&rsquo;s 20-piece orchestra. The orchestra played before every performance and at each intermission, adding to the much needed entertainment. The plays and music offered a respite from this time of material shortages and high unemployment.</p>
<p>During this era, one of the more serious items the theatre had to face was a heating fuel shortage. Not directly, (keep in mind at this time they used &ldquo;borrowed&rdquo; venues), but rather at one of their productions. The best remembered was at the high school. The School District could not afford to heat the high school auditorium during non-school hours, so when school was out, so was the heat. It is told that the auditorium would get so cold in the winter that theatre patrons could see their breath! The actors solved their problem by offering an optional admission price at the high school to be a bucket of coal. This brought in enough fuel to keep everyone warm for the performance and may have even helped a few students stay warm the next day.</p>
<p>The Theatre was truly a business of the time. With a yearly budget of less than a thousand dollars and membership dues of $1.00 per person, they were able to do a lot with a little. It was summed up nicely on every program for every play. &ldquo;It is first, last, and foremost - OUR Community Theatre.&rdquo;</p>		</div>
		

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											<div>709 South Center Street</div>
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							<span>Marshalltown</span>,
							<span>IA</span>
												<span>50158</span>
											</div>
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												<div><i class="fa fa-phone-square"></i> 641-752-4164</div>
				
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				<div class="module-spacer clearfix">
						<p>History:</p>
<p>Our history occurs in two different eras, with two very distinct and dedicated groups of people. Our first era begins just after the Great Depression and runs until just before the end of the Second War to End All Wars.</p>
<p>This first troupe of thespians actually started in 1932 at the old Odeon Theater on Second Avenue downtown. If they weren&rsquo;t performing at the Odeon then they were at the Marshalltown High School auditorium, now known as Miller Middle School. Their very first production was THE QUEEN'S HUSBAND and starred local favorites, including Carol Dodd Hollingsworth, Ed Wright, Evelyn Bowman Kennehan, and Alice Van Law Blue. According to historians, this first group of thespians also had a summer theatre that played at the Iowa Soldiers Home chapel. A program from that era is shown to the left, from a 1940 production of Family Portrait by Lenore Coffee and William Joyce Cowen. The photo is from an unknown production of that era, as well.</p>
<p>Although the plays were well attended and they provided a means for the townsfolk to escape their troubles of the time for a few hours, the real draw was the Community Theatre&rsquo;s 20-piece orchestra. The orchestra played before every performance and at each intermission, adding to the much needed entertainment. The plays and music offered a respite from this time of material shortages and high unemployment.</p>
<p>During this era, one of the more serious items the theatre had to face was a heating fuel shortage. Not directly, (keep in mind at this time they used &ldquo;borrowed&rdquo; venues), but rather at one of their productions. The best remembered was at the high school. The School District could not afford to heat the high school auditorium during non-school hours, so when school was out, so was the heat. It is told that the auditorium would get so cold in the winter that theatre patrons could see their breath! The actors solved their problem by offering an optional admission price at the high school to be a bucket of coal. This brought in enough fuel to keep everyone warm for the performance and may have even helped a few students stay warm the next day.</p>
<p>The Theatre was truly a business of the time. With a yearly budget of less than a thousand dollars and membership dues of $1.00 per person, they were able to do a lot with a little. It was summed up nicely on every program for every play. &ldquo;It is first, last, and foremost - OUR Community Theatre.&rdquo;</p>		</div>
		

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					<p class="loc">Des Moines, IA</p>
					
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					<p class="time">Tuesday, Nov 19, 2024 at 8:30&nbsp;a.m. CT</p>
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Warning (2): include() [<a href='http://php.net/function.include'>function.include</a>]: Failed opening '/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/app/Resource/aarp2_master.footer.html' for inclusion (include_path='/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/lib:.:/usr/share/pear:/usr/share/php') [APP/View/Layouts/aarp_2023.ctp, line 242]
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											<div>709 South Center Street</div>
											<div>
							<span>Marshalltown</span>,
							<span>IA</span>
												<span>50158</span>
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					<i class="fa fa-external-link-square"></i> 
										<a href="http://www.marshalltowncommunitytheatre.org/" target="_blank">Marshalltown Community Theatre</a>
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												<div><i class="fa fa-phone-square"></i> 641-752-4164</div>
				
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						<p>History:</p>
<p>Our history occurs in two different eras, with two very distinct and dedicated groups of people. Our first era begins just after the Great Depression and runs until just before the end of the Second War to End All Wars.</p>
<p>This first troupe of thespians actually started in 1932 at the old Odeon Theater on Second Avenue downtown. If they weren&rsquo;t performing at the Odeon then they were at the Marshalltown High School auditorium, now known as Miller Middle School. Their very first production was THE QUEEN'S HUSBAND and starred local favorites, including Carol Dodd Hollingsworth, Ed Wright, Evelyn Bowman Kennehan, and Alice Van Law Blue. According to historians, this first group of thespians also had a summer theatre that played at the Iowa Soldiers Home chapel. A program from that era is shown to the left, from a 1940 production of Family Portrait by Lenore Coffee and William Joyce Cowen. The photo is from an unknown production of that era, as well.</p>
<p>Although the plays were well attended and they provided a means for the townsfolk to escape their troubles of the time for a few hours, the real draw was the Community Theatre&rsquo;s 20-piece orchestra. The orchestra played before every performance and at each intermission, adding to the much needed entertainment. The plays and music offered a respite from this time of material shortages and high unemployment.</p>
<p>During this era, one of the more serious items the theatre had to face was a heating fuel shortage. Not directly, (keep in mind at this time they used &ldquo;borrowed&rdquo; venues), but rather at one of their productions. The best remembered was at the high school. The School District could not afford to heat the high school auditorium during non-school hours, so when school was out, so was the heat. It is told that the auditorium would get so cold in the winter that theatre patrons could see their breath! The actors solved their problem by offering an optional admission price at the high school to be a bucket of coal. This brought in enough fuel to keep everyone warm for the performance and may have even helped a few students stay warm the next day.</p>
<p>The Theatre was truly a business of the time. With a yearly budget of less than a thousand dollars and membership dues of $1.00 per person, they were able to do a lot with a little. It was summed up nicely on every program for every play. &ldquo;It is first, last, and foremost - OUR Community Theatre.&rdquo;</p>		</div>
		

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											<div>709 South Center Street</div>
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							<span>Marshalltown</span>,
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												<span>50158</span>
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										<a href="http://www.marshalltowncommunitytheatre.org/" target="_blank">Marshalltown Community Theatre</a>
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												<div><i class="fa fa-phone-square"></i> 641-752-4164</div>
				
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						<p>History:</p>
<p>Our history occurs in two different eras, with two very distinct and dedicated groups of people. Our first era begins just after the Great Depression and runs until just before the end of the Second War to End All Wars.</p>
<p>This first troupe of thespians actually started in 1932 at the old Odeon Theater on Second Avenue downtown. If they weren&rsquo;t performing at the Odeon then they were at the Marshalltown High School auditorium, now known as Miller Middle School. Their very first production was THE QUEEN'S HUSBAND and starred local favorites, including Carol Dodd Hollingsworth, Ed Wright, Evelyn Bowman Kennehan, and Alice Van Law Blue. According to historians, this first group of thespians also had a summer theatre that played at the Iowa Soldiers Home chapel. A program from that era is shown to the left, from a 1940 production of Family Portrait by Lenore Coffee and William Joyce Cowen. The photo is from an unknown production of that era, as well.</p>
<p>Although the plays were well attended and they provided a means for the townsfolk to escape their troubles of the time for a few hours, the real draw was the Community Theatre&rsquo;s 20-piece orchestra. The orchestra played before every performance and at each intermission, adding to the much needed entertainment. The plays and music offered a respite from this time of material shortages and high unemployment.</p>
<p>During this era, one of the more serious items the theatre had to face was a heating fuel shortage. Not directly, (keep in mind at this time they used &ldquo;borrowed&rdquo; venues), but rather at one of their productions. The best remembered was at the high school. The School District could not afford to heat the high school auditorium during non-school hours, so when school was out, so was the heat. It is told that the auditorium would get so cold in the winter that theatre patrons could see their breath! The actors solved their problem by offering an optional admission price at the high school to be a bucket of coal. This brought in enough fuel to keep everyone warm for the performance and may have even helped a few students stay warm the next day.</p>
<p>The Theatre was truly a business of the time. With a yearly budget of less than a thousand dollars and membership dues of $1.00 per person, they were able to do a lot with a little. It was summed up nicely on every program for every play. &ldquo;It is first, last, and foremost - OUR Community Theatre.&rdquo;</p>		</div>
		

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											<div>709 South Center Street</div>
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							<span>Marshalltown</span>,
							<span>IA</span>
												<span>50158</span>
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										<a href="http://www.marshalltowncommunitytheatre.org/" target="_blank">Marshalltown Community Theatre</a>
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												<div><i class="fa fa-phone-square"></i> 641-752-4164</div>
				
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						<p>History:</p>
<p>Our history occurs in two different eras, with two very distinct and dedicated groups of people. Our first era begins just after the Great Depression and runs until just before the end of the Second War to End All Wars.</p>
<p>This first troupe of thespians actually started in 1932 at the old Odeon Theater on Second Avenue downtown. If they weren&rsquo;t performing at the Odeon then they were at the Marshalltown High School auditorium, now known as Miller Middle School. Their very first production was THE QUEEN'S HUSBAND and starred local favorites, including Carol Dodd Hollingsworth, Ed Wright, Evelyn Bowman Kennehan, and Alice Van Law Blue. According to historians, this first group of thespians also had a summer theatre that played at the Iowa Soldiers Home chapel. A program from that era is shown to the left, from a 1940 production of Family Portrait by Lenore Coffee and William Joyce Cowen. The photo is from an unknown production of that era, as well.</p>
<p>Although the plays were well attended and they provided a means for the townsfolk to escape their troubles of the time for a few hours, the real draw was the Community Theatre&rsquo;s 20-piece orchestra. The orchestra played before every performance and at each intermission, adding to the much needed entertainment. The plays and music offered a respite from this time of material shortages and high unemployment.</p>
<p>During this era, one of the more serious items the theatre had to face was a heating fuel shortage. Not directly, (keep in mind at this time they used &ldquo;borrowed&rdquo; venues), but rather at one of their productions. The best remembered was at the high school. The School District could not afford to heat the high school auditorium during non-school hours, so when school was out, so was the heat. It is told that the auditorium would get so cold in the winter that theatre patrons could see their breath! The actors solved their problem by offering an optional admission price at the high school to be a bucket of coal. This brought in enough fuel to keep everyone warm for the performance and may have even helped a few students stay warm the next day.</p>
<p>The Theatre was truly a business of the time. With a yearly budget of less than a thousand dollars and membership dues of $1.00 per person, they were able to do a lot with a little. It was summed up nicely on every program for every play. &ldquo;It is first, last, and foremost - OUR Community Theatre.&rdquo;</p>		</div>
		

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											<div>709 South Center Street</div>
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							<span>Marshalltown</span>,
							<span>IA</span>
												<span>50158</span>
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										<a href="http://www.marshalltowncommunitytheatre.org/" target="_blank">Marshalltown Community Theatre</a>
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												<div><i class="fa fa-phone-square"></i> 641-752-4164</div>
				
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						<p>History:</p>
<p>Our history occurs in two different eras, with two very distinct and dedicated groups of people. Our first era begins just after the Great Depression and runs until just before the end of the Second War to End All Wars.</p>
<p>This first troupe of thespians actually started in 1932 at the old Odeon Theater on Second Avenue downtown. If they weren&rsquo;t performing at the Odeon then they were at the Marshalltown High School auditorium, now known as Miller Middle School. Their very first production was THE QUEEN'S HUSBAND and starred local favorites, including Carol Dodd Hollingsworth, Ed Wright, Evelyn Bowman Kennehan, and Alice Van Law Blue. According to historians, this first group of thespians also had a summer theatre that played at the Iowa Soldiers Home chapel. A program from that era is shown to the left, from a 1940 production of Family Portrait by Lenore Coffee and William Joyce Cowen. The photo is from an unknown production of that era, as well.</p>
<p>Although the plays were well attended and they provided a means for the townsfolk to escape their troubles of the time for a few hours, the real draw was the Community Theatre&rsquo;s 20-piece orchestra. The orchestra played before every performance and at each intermission, adding to the much needed entertainment. The plays and music offered a respite from this time of material shortages and high unemployment.</p>
<p>During this era, one of the more serious items the theatre had to face was a heating fuel shortage. Not directly, (keep in mind at this time they used &ldquo;borrowed&rdquo; venues), but rather at one of their productions. The best remembered was at the high school. The School District could not afford to heat the high school auditorium during non-school hours, so when school was out, so was the heat. It is told that the auditorium would get so cold in the winter that theatre patrons could see their breath! The actors solved their problem by offering an optional admission price at the high school to be a bucket of coal. This brought in enough fuel to keep everyone warm for the performance and may have even helped a few students stay warm the next day.</p>
<p>The Theatre was truly a business of the time. With a yearly budget of less than a thousand dollars and membership dues of $1.00 per person, they were able to do a lot with a little. It was summed up nicely on every program for every play. &ldquo;It is first, last, and foremost - OUR Community Theatre.&rdquo;</p>		</div>
		

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Warning (2): include() [<a href='http://php.net/function.include'>function.include</a>]: Failed opening '/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/app/Resource/aarp2_master.bodyTargeting.html' for inclusion (include_path='/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/lib:.:/usr/share/pear:/usr/share/php') [APP/View/Layouts/aarp_2023.ctp, line 243]
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		<header><h1 class="article-headline">Marshalltown Community Theatre</h1></header>

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											<div>709 South Center Street</div>
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							<span>Marshalltown</span>,
							<span>IA</span>
												<span>50158</span>
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					<i class="fa fa-external-link-square"></i> 
										<a href="http://www.marshalltowncommunitytheatre.org/" target="_blank">Marshalltown Community Theatre</a>
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												<div><i class="fa fa-phone-square"></i> 641-752-4164</div>
				
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						<p>History:</p>
<p>Our history occurs in two different eras, with two very distinct and dedicated groups of people. Our first era begins just after the Great Depression and runs until just before the end of the Second War to End All Wars.</p>
<p>This first troupe of thespians actually started in 1932 at the old Odeon Theater on Second Avenue downtown. If they weren&rsquo;t performing at the Odeon then they were at the Marshalltown High School auditorium, now known as Miller Middle School. Their very first production was THE QUEEN'S HUSBAND and starred local favorites, including Carol Dodd Hollingsworth, Ed Wright, Evelyn Bowman Kennehan, and Alice Van Law Blue. According to historians, this first group of thespians also had a summer theatre that played at the Iowa Soldiers Home chapel. A program from that era is shown to the left, from a 1940 production of Family Portrait by Lenore Coffee and William Joyce Cowen. The photo is from an unknown production of that era, as well.</p>
<p>Although the plays were well attended and they provided a means for the townsfolk to escape their troubles of the time for a few hours, the real draw was the Community Theatre&rsquo;s 20-piece orchestra. The orchestra played before every performance and at each intermission, adding to the much needed entertainment. The plays and music offered a respite from this time of material shortages and high unemployment.</p>
<p>During this era, one of the more serious items the theatre had to face was a heating fuel shortage. Not directly, (keep in mind at this time they used &ldquo;borrowed&rdquo; venues), but rather at one of their productions. The best remembered was at the high school. The School District could not afford to heat the high school auditorium during non-school hours, so when school was out, so was the heat. It is told that the auditorium would get so cold in the winter that theatre patrons could see their breath! The actors solved their problem by offering an optional admission price at the high school to be a bucket of coal. This brought in enough fuel to keep everyone warm for the performance and may have even helped a few students stay warm the next day.</p>
<p>The Theatre was truly a business of the time. With a yearly budget of less than a thousand dollars and membership dues of $1.00 per person, they were able to do a lot with a little. It was summed up nicely on every program for every play. &ldquo;It is first, last, and foremost - OUR Community Theatre.&rdquo;</p>		</div>
		

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					<p class="loc">Urbandale, IA</p>
					
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											<div>709 South Center Street</div>
											<div>
							<span>Marshalltown</span>,
							<span>IA</span>
												<span>50158</span>
											</div>
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					<i class="fa fa-external-link-square"></i> 
										<a href="http://www.marshalltowncommunitytheatre.org/" target="_blank">Marshalltown Community Theatre</a>
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												<div><i class="fa fa-phone-square"></i> 641-752-4164</div>
				
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				<div class="module-spacer clearfix">
						<p>History:</p>
<p>Our history occurs in two different eras, with two very distinct and dedicated groups of people. Our first era begins just after the Great Depression and runs until just before the end of the Second War to End All Wars.</p>
<p>This first troupe of thespians actually started in 1932 at the old Odeon Theater on Second Avenue downtown. If they weren&rsquo;t performing at the Odeon then they were at the Marshalltown High School auditorium, now known as Miller Middle School. Their very first production was THE QUEEN'S HUSBAND and starred local favorites, including Carol Dodd Hollingsworth, Ed Wright, Evelyn Bowman Kennehan, and Alice Van Law Blue. According to historians, this first group of thespians also had a summer theatre that played at the Iowa Soldiers Home chapel. A program from that era is shown to the left, from a 1940 production of Family Portrait by Lenore Coffee and William Joyce Cowen. The photo is from an unknown production of that era, as well.</p>
<p>Although the plays were well attended and they provided a means for the townsfolk to escape their troubles of the time for a few hours, the real draw was the Community Theatre&rsquo;s 20-piece orchestra. The orchestra played before every performance and at each intermission, adding to the much needed entertainment. The plays and music offered a respite from this time of material shortages and high unemployment.</p>
<p>During this era, one of the more serious items the theatre had to face was a heating fuel shortage. Not directly, (keep in mind at this time they used &ldquo;borrowed&rdquo; venues), but rather at one of their productions. The best remembered was at the high school. The School District could not afford to heat the high school auditorium during non-school hours, so when school was out, so was the heat. It is told that the auditorium would get so cold in the winter that theatre patrons could see their breath! The actors solved their problem by offering an optional admission price at the high school to be a bucket of coal. This brought in enough fuel to keep everyone warm for the performance and may have even helped a few students stay warm the next day.</p>
<p>The Theatre was truly a business of the time. With a yearly budget of less than a thousand dollars and membership dues of $1.00 per person, they were able to do a lot with a little. It was summed up nicely on every program for every play. &ldquo;It is first, last, and foremost - OUR Community Theatre.&rdquo;</p>		</div>
		

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		<header><h1 class="article-headline">Marshalltown Community Theatre</h1></header>

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											<div>709 South Center Street</div>
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							<span>Marshalltown</span>,
							<span>IA</span>
												<span>50158</span>
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										<a href="http://www.marshalltowncommunitytheatre.org/" target="_blank">Marshalltown Community Theatre</a>
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												<div><i class="fa fa-phone-square"></i> 641-752-4164</div>
				
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						<p>History:</p>
<p>Our history occurs in two different eras, with two very distinct and dedicated groups of people. Our first era begins just after the Great Depression and runs until just before the end of the Second War to End All Wars.</p>
<p>This first troupe of thespians actually started in 1932 at the old Odeon Theater on Second Avenue downtown. If they weren&rsquo;t performing at the Odeon then they were at the Marshalltown High School auditorium, now known as Miller Middle School. Their very first production was THE QUEEN'S HUSBAND and starred local favorites, including Carol Dodd Hollingsworth, Ed Wright, Evelyn Bowman Kennehan, and Alice Van Law Blue. According to historians, this first group of thespians also had a summer theatre that played at the Iowa Soldiers Home chapel. A program from that era is shown to the left, from a 1940 production of Family Portrait by Lenore Coffee and William Joyce Cowen. The photo is from an unknown production of that era, as well.</p>
<p>Although the plays were well attended and they provided a means for the townsfolk to escape their troubles of the time for a few hours, the real draw was the Community Theatre&rsquo;s 20-piece orchestra. The orchestra played before every performance and at each intermission, adding to the much needed entertainment. The plays and music offered a respite from this time of material shortages and high unemployment.</p>
<p>During this era, one of the more serious items the theatre had to face was a heating fuel shortage. Not directly, (keep in mind at this time they used &ldquo;borrowed&rdquo; venues), but rather at one of their productions. The best remembered was at the high school. The School District could not afford to heat the high school auditorium during non-school hours, so when school was out, so was the heat. It is told that the auditorium would get so cold in the winter that theatre patrons could see their breath! The actors solved their problem by offering an optional admission price at the high school to be a bucket of coal. This brought in enough fuel to keep everyone warm for the performance and may have even helped a few students stay warm the next day.</p>
<p>The Theatre was truly a business of the time. With a yearly budget of less than a thousand dollars and membership dues of $1.00 per person, they were able to do a lot with a little. It was summed up nicely on every program for every play. &ldquo;It is first, last, and foremost - OUR Community Theatre.&rdquo;</p>		</div>
		

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											<div>709 South Center Street</div>
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							<span>Marshalltown</span>,
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												<span>50158</span>
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										<a href="http://www.marshalltowncommunitytheatre.org/" target="_blank">Marshalltown Community Theatre</a>
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												<div><i class="fa fa-phone-square"></i> 641-752-4164</div>
				
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						<p>History:</p>
<p>Our history occurs in two different eras, with two very distinct and dedicated groups of people. Our first era begins just after the Great Depression and runs until just before the end of the Second War to End All Wars.</p>
<p>This first troupe of thespians actually started in 1932 at the old Odeon Theater on Second Avenue downtown. If they weren&rsquo;t performing at the Odeon then they were at the Marshalltown High School auditorium, now known as Miller Middle School. Their very first production was THE QUEEN'S HUSBAND and starred local favorites, including Carol Dodd Hollingsworth, Ed Wright, Evelyn Bowman Kennehan, and Alice Van Law Blue. According to historians, this first group of thespians also had a summer theatre that played at the Iowa Soldiers Home chapel. A program from that era is shown to the left, from a 1940 production of Family Portrait by Lenore Coffee and William Joyce Cowen. The photo is from an unknown production of that era, as well.</p>
<p>Although the plays were well attended and they provided a means for the townsfolk to escape their troubles of the time for a few hours, the real draw was the Community Theatre&rsquo;s 20-piece orchestra. The orchestra played before every performance and at each intermission, adding to the much needed entertainment. The plays and music offered a respite from this time of material shortages and high unemployment.</p>
<p>During this era, one of the more serious items the theatre had to face was a heating fuel shortage. Not directly, (keep in mind at this time they used &ldquo;borrowed&rdquo; venues), but rather at one of their productions. The best remembered was at the high school. The School District could not afford to heat the high school auditorium during non-school hours, so when school was out, so was the heat. It is told that the auditorium would get so cold in the winter that theatre patrons could see their breath! The actors solved their problem by offering an optional admission price at the high school to be a bucket of coal. This brought in enough fuel to keep everyone warm for the performance and may have even helped a few students stay warm the next day.</p>
<p>The Theatre was truly a business of the time. With a yearly budget of less than a thousand dollars and membership dues of $1.00 per person, they were able to do a lot with a little. It was summed up nicely on every program for every play. &ldquo;It is first, last, and foremost - OUR Community Theatre.&rdquo;</p>		</div>
		

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Warning (2): include() [<a href='http://php.net/function.include'>function.include</a>]: Failed opening '/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/app/Resource/aarp2_master.resource.footer.root.html' for inclusion (include_path='/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/lib:.:/usr/share/pear:/usr/share/php') [APP/View/Layouts/aarp_2023.ctp, line 244]
Code Context
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                    include (APP . "Resource/aarp2_master.resource.footer.root.html");
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	<div class="col-md-8 left-rail"><div class="module clearfix"><div class="ar-basic-box">
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		<header><h1 class="article-headline">Marshalltown Community Theatre</h1></header>

		<div class="row">
			<div class="col-sm-6 left module-spacer">
				<p>
					<div>
											<div>709 South Center Street</div>
											<div>
							<span>Marshalltown</span>,
							<span>IA</span>
												<span>50158</span>
											</div>
					</div>
				</p>
								<div>
					<i class="fa fa-external-link-square"></i> 
										<a href="http://www.marshalltowncommunitytheatre.org/" target="_blank">Marshalltown Community Theatre</a>
								</div>
												<div><i class="fa fa-phone-square"></i> 641-752-4164</div>
				
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				<div class="module-spacer clearfix">
						<p>History:</p>
<p>Our history occurs in two different eras, with two very distinct and dedicated groups of people. Our first era begins just after the Great Depression and runs until just before the end of the Second War to End All Wars.</p>
<p>This first troupe of thespians actually started in 1932 at the old Odeon Theater on Second Avenue downtown. If they weren&rsquo;t performing at the Odeon then they were at the Marshalltown High School auditorium, now known as Miller Middle School. Their very first production was THE QUEEN'S HUSBAND and starred local favorites, including Carol Dodd Hollingsworth, Ed Wright, Evelyn Bowman Kennehan, and Alice Van Law Blue. According to historians, this first group of thespians also had a summer theatre that played at the Iowa Soldiers Home chapel. A program from that era is shown to the left, from a 1940 production of Family Portrait by Lenore Coffee and William Joyce Cowen. The photo is from an unknown production of that era, as well.</p>
<p>Although the plays were well attended and they provided a means for the townsfolk to escape their troubles of the time for a few hours, the real draw was the Community Theatre&rsquo;s 20-piece orchestra. The orchestra played before every performance and at each intermission, adding to the much needed entertainment. The plays and music offered a respite from this time of material shortages and high unemployment.</p>
<p>During this era, one of the more serious items the theatre had to face was a heating fuel shortage. Not directly, (keep in mind at this time they used &ldquo;borrowed&rdquo; venues), but rather at one of their productions. The best remembered was at the high school. The School District could not afford to heat the high school auditorium during non-school hours, so when school was out, so was the heat. It is told that the auditorium would get so cold in the winter that theatre patrons could see their breath! The actors solved their problem by offering an optional admission price at the high school to be a bucket of coal. This brought in enough fuel to keep everyone warm for the performance and may have even helped a few students stay warm the next day.</p>
<p>The Theatre was truly a business of the time. With a yearly budget of less than a thousand dollars and membership dues of $1.00 per person, they were able to do a lot with a little. It was summed up nicely on every program for every play. &ldquo;It is first, last, and foremost - OUR Community Theatre.&rdquo;</p>		</div>
		

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                <form method="post" action="/marshalltown-ia/report/place/marshalltown-community-theatre-marshalltown-ia.html">
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				<img style="width:30px;" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/template/icons/aarp_event_icon.png" alt="Upcoming AARP Events" />
			</a>
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		<h2 class="visible-lg">AARP Events for Marshalltown</h2>
		<h2 class="hidden-lg">AARP Events for Marshalltown</h2>
	</header>
	<div class="wrap">
		<div class="ar-listing snippet">
			<ul class="list">
				<li class="item" data-pageindex="1">

										<h3 class="topic">Featured Event</h3>
					
					<h2 class="title"><a href="/aarp-event/aarp-ia-aarp-coffee-connections-ingersoll-des-moines-ia-111924-9dnqnf7dlpb.html" data-formelementid="LOCAL-BTN-CLK-EVENTS-AARP-COFFEE-CONNECTIONS">AARP Coffee Connections</a></h2>
					<p class="time">Tuesday, Nov 19, 2024 at 8:30&nbsp;a.m. CT</p>
					<p class="venue">Palmer's Deli & Market</p>
					<p class="loc">Des Moines, IA</p>
					
				</li><li class="item" data-pageindex="1">

										<h3 class="topic">Featured Event</h3>
					
					<h2 class="title"><a href="/aarp-event/aarp-ia-aarp-coffee-connections-marion-ia-111924-65nf8699skf.html" data-formelementid="LOCAL-BTN-CLK-EVENTS-AARP-COFFEE-CONNECTIONS">AARP Coffee Connections</a></h2>
					<p class="time">Tuesday, Nov 19, 2024 at 8:30&nbsp;a.m. CT</p>
					<p class="venue">Uptown Coffee Company</p>
					<p class="loc">Marion, IA</p>
					
				</li><li class="item" data-pageindex="1">

										<h3 class="topic">Featured Event</h3>
					
					<h2 class="title"><a href="/aarp-event/aarp-ia-aarp-coffee-connections-86th-des-moines-ia-111924-2gnp7gbh5k7.html" data-formelementid="LOCAL-BTN-CLK-EVENTS-AARP-COFFEE-CONNECTIONS">AARP Coffee Connections</a></h2>
					<p class="time">Tuesday, Nov 19, 2024 at 8:30&nbsp;a.m. CT</p>
					<p class="venue">Palmer's Deli & Market</p>
					<p class="loc">Urbandale, IA</p>
					
				</li>			</ul>

			<p><a class="link-red" href="/marshalltown-ia/aarp-events/" data-formelementid="LOCAL-BTN-CLK-SEEALL-EVENTS">View All AARP Events<i class="ml-1 fas fa-chevron-right"></i></a></p>
	
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                            <script type="text/javascript">
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<div class="card-tout card-dark membership-tout" style="margin:0 0 30px 0;">
	<img class="img-responsive image" 
		title="image of two AARP membership cards"
		alt="image of two AARP membership cards" 
		src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/tout-two-cards.png">
	<div class="title">Only $12 your first year with Automatic Renewal</div>
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		<div class="body">Already a member? <a href="https://appsec.aarp.org/mem/renew?campaignid= UARFT3&intcmp=LNK-CSN-AARPLOCAL-JRTOUT-RR-A-MARSHALLTOWN-IA">Renew</a> or 
			<a href="https://www.aarp.org/benefits-discounts/my-membership/print-your-card/">Print Card</a></div>
	</div>
</div>
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<h2>Contact AARP<br />Iowa</h2>
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<div class="ar-quick-list module-spacer">
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<li><i class="list-icon fa fa-envelope" alt="Email icon" title="Email icon" aria-hidden="true"></i><a href="mailto:IAAARP@aarp.org" target="_blank" rel="noopener">IAAARP@aarp.org</a></li>
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											<div>709 South Center Street</div>
											<div>
							<span>Marshalltown</span>,
							<span>IA</span>
												<span>50158</span>
											</div>
					</div>
				</p>
								<div>
					<i class="fa fa-external-link-square"></i> 
										<a href="http://www.marshalltowncommunitytheatre.org/" target="_blank">Marshalltown Community Theatre</a>
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												<div><i class="fa fa-phone-square"></i> 641-752-4164</div>
				
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				<div class="module-spacer clearfix">
						<p>History:</p>
<p>Our history occurs in two different eras, with two very distinct and dedicated groups of people. Our first era begins just after the Great Depression and runs until just before the end of the Second War to End All Wars.</p>
<p>This first troupe of thespians actually started in 1932 at the old Odeon Theater on Second Avenue downtown. If they weren&rsquo;t performing at the Odeon then they were at the Marshalltown High School auditorium, now known as Miller Middle School. Their very first production was THE QUEEN'S HUSBAND and starred local favorites, including Carol Dodd Hollingsworth, Ed Wright, Evelyn Bowman Kennehan, and Alice Van Law Blue. According to historians, this first group of thespians also had a summer theatre that played at the Iowa Soldiers Home chapel. A program from that era is shown to the left, from a 1940 production of Family Portrait by Lenore Coffee and William Joyce Cowen. The photo is from an unknown production of that era, as well.</p>
<p>Although the plays were well attended and they provided a means for the townsfolk to escape their troubles of the time for a few hours, the real draw was the Community Theatre&rsquo;s 20-piece orchestra. The orchestra played before every performance and at each intermission, adding to the much needed entertainment. The plays and music offered a respite from this time of material shortages and high unemployment.</p>
<p>During this era, one of the more serious items the theatre had to face was a heating fuel shortage. Not directly, (keep in mind at this time they used &ldquo;borrowed&rdquo; venues), but rather at one of their productions. The best remembered was at the high school. The School District could not afford to heat the high school auditorium during non-school hours, so when school was out, so was the heat. It is told that the auditorium would get so cold in the winter that theatre patrons could see their breath! The actors solved their problem by offering an optional admission price at the high school to be a bucket of coal. This brought in enough fuel to keep everyone warm for the performance and may have even helped a few students stay warm the next day.</p>
<p>The Theatre was truly a business of the time. With a yearly budget of less than a thousand dollars and membership dues of $1.00 per person, they were able to do a lot with a little. It was summed up nicely on every program for every play. &ldquo;It is first, last, and foremost - OUR Community Theatre.&rdquo;</p>		</div>
		

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	alt="Explore the free AARP HomeFit Guide" title="Explore the free AARP HomeFit Guide" 
	src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/touts/HomeFit_750x150.png"></a>
</div></div></div>
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		<div class="pull-right">
			<a href="/marshalltown-ia/aarp-events/" data-formelementid="LOCAL-BTN-CLK-SEEALL-EVENTS">
				<img style="width:30px;" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/template/icons/aarp_event_icon.png" alt="Upcoming AARP Events" />
			</a>
		</div>
		<h2 class="visible-lg">AARP Events for Marshalltown</h2>
		<h2 class="hidden-lg">AARP Events for Marshalltown</h2>
	</header>
	<div class="wrap">
		<div class="ar-listing snippet">
			<ul class="list">
				<li class="item" data-pageindex="1">

										<h3 class="topic">Featured Event</h3>
					
					<h2 class="title"><a href="/aarp-event/aarp-ia-aarp-coffee-connections-ingersoll-des-moines-ia-111924-9dnqnf7dlpb.html" data-formelementid="LOCAL-BTN-CLK-EVENTS-AARP-COFFEE-CONNECTIONS">AARP Coffee Connections</a></h2>
					<p class="time">Tuesday, Nov 19, 2024 at 8:30&nbsp;a.m. CT</p>
					<p class="venue">Palmer's Deli & Market</p>
					<p class="loc">Des Moines, IA</p>
					
				</li><li class="item" data-pageindex="1">

										<h3 class="topic">Featured Event</h3>
					
					<h2 class="title"><a href="/aarp-event/aarp-ia-aarp-coffee-connections-marion-ia-111924-65nf8699skf.html" data-formelementid="LOCAL-BTN-CLK-EVENTS-AARP-COFFEE-CONNECTIONS">AARP Coffee Connections</a></h2>
					<p class="time">Tuesday, Nov 19, 2024 at 8:30&nbsp;a.m. CT</p>
					<p class="venue">Uptown Coffee Company</p>
					<p class="loc">Marion, IA</p>
					
				</li><li class="item" data-pageindex="1">

										<h3 class="topic">Featured Event</h3>
					
					<h2 class="title"><a href="/aarp-event/aarp-ia-aarp-coffee-connections-86th-des-moines-ia-111924-2gnp7gbh5k7.html" data-formelementid="LOCAL-BTN-CLK-EVENTS-AARP-COFFEE-CONNECTIONS">AARP Coffee Connections</a></h2>
					<p class="time">Tuesday, Nov 19, 2024 at 8:30&nbsp;a.m. CT</p>
					<p class="venue">Palmer's Deli & Market</p>
					<p class="loc">Urbandale, IA</p>
					
				</li>			</ul>

			<p><a class="link-red" href="/marshalltown-ia/aarp-events/" data-formelementid="LOCAL-BTN-CLK-SEEALL-EVENTS">View All AARP Events<i class="ml-1 fas fa-chevron-right"></i></a></p>
	
		</div>
	</div>
</div>


<div aria-hidden="true" class="aarpe-ad-wrapper">
                    
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	<div class="title">Only $12 your first year with Automatic Renewal</div>
	<ul class="list">
		<li>Immediate access to your <a href="https://www.aarp.org/benefits-discounts/">member benefits</a></li>
		<li>Discounts on travel and everyday savings</li>
		<li>Subscription to AARP The Magazine</li>
		<li>FREE second membership</li>
	</ul>
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		<a class="btn" href="https://appsec.aarp.org/mem/join?campaignid=UAJFT3&intcmp=LNK-CSN-AARPLOCAL-JRTOUT-RR-A-MARSHALLTOWN-IA">Join AARP</a>
		<div class="body">Already a member? <a href="https://appsec.aarp.org/mem/renew?campaignid= UARFT3&intcmp=LNK-CSN-AARPLOCAL-JRTOUT-RR-A-MARSHALLTOWN-IA">Renew</a> or 
			<a href="https://www.aarp.org/benefits-discounts/my-membership/print-your-card/">Print Card</a></div>
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<div class="fb-page" alt="Image of AARP Iowa Facebook Page" title="Image of AARP Iowa Facebook Page" data-href="https://www.facebook.com/aarpiowa" data-tabs="timeline" width="320" height="" data-small-header="false" data-adapt-container-width="true" data-hide-cover="false" data-show-facepile="true" lazy="true">
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<div class="ar-basic-box module-spacer">
<header>
<h2>Contact AARP<br />Iowa</h2>
</header>
<div class="wrap">

<div class="ar-quick-list module-spacer">
<ul class="list-unstyled">
<li><i class="list-icon fa fa-envelope" alt="Email icon" title="Email icon" aria-hidden="true"></i><a href="mailto:IAAARP@aarp.org" target="_blank" rel="noopener">IAAARP@aarp.org</a></li>
<li><i class="list-icon fa fa-globe" alt="Globe icon" title="Globe icon" aria-hidden="true"></i><a href="https://states.aarp.org/region/iowa/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">AARP Iowa</a></li>
<li><i class="list-icon fa fa-map-marker" alt="Map Marker icon" title="Map Marker icon" aria-hidden="true"></i><a href="https://states.aarp.org/contact-us-2/?intcmp=SNG-LNK-AARPLOCAL-CONTACT-20140101-MARSHALLTOWN-IA" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Contact Us</a></li>


</ul>
</div>
<a href="https://www.facebook.com/aarpiowa" target="_blank" rel="noopener" aria-label="Open Facebook"><img alt="Facebook icon" title="Facebook icon" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/responsive/icons/48/facebook-dreamstale25.png"></a>&nbsp;&nbsp;
<a href="https://twitter.com/aarpIA" target="_blank" rel="noopener" aria-label="Open Twitter"><img alt="Twitter icon" title="Twitter icon" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/responsive/icons/48/x-logo-black.png"></a>
&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://www.instagram.com/aarp_iowa/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" aria-label="Open Instagram"><img src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/icon-ig.png" alt="Instagram icon" title="Instagram icon" style="height: 49px;"></a>


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include - APP/View/Layouts/aarp_2023.ctp, line 244
include - APP/View/Layouts/aarp_2023.ctp, line 244
View::_evaluate() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 971
View::_render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 933
View::renderLayout() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 546
View::render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 481
Controller::render() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 963
AppController::renderPage() - APP/Controller/AppController.php, line 136
PlacesController::display() - APP/Controller/PlacesController.php, line 501
ReflectionMethod::invokeArgs() - [internal], line ??
Controller::invokeAction() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 491
Dispatcher::_invoke() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 193
Dispatcher::dispatch() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 167
[main] - APP/webroot/index.php, line 118