Down on Honey Dew Acres presented by Nomad Theatre Company
storytelling with the laid-back spirit of farm life.
This show takes place in a barn on a real, working farm—so you’ll be surrounded by nature (and a few animal neighbors, too). If you have allergies, just keep that in mind before attending.
Each ticket includes access to a unique pre-show experience starting an hour before curtain! Feed some farm animals, enjoy live, Old-Time music from The Georgia Boys (guitar and banjo) and treat yourself to treats from Straight Up Sips. Straight up Sips will be on site serving mini dessert pancakes and drinks from her restored mobile horse trailer.
Pre-show starts at 6:30 p.m. on May 22, 23, 29, and 30, and at 1:00 p.m. on May 24 and 31.
Get ready for a one-of-a-kind site-specific performance at Honey DEW Acres, where theatre takes a breath of fresh country air!
This original series of short plays directed by Chris Terven, unfolds in a restored antique barn—think twinkle lights, cedar beams, and wide-open charm. Down on Honey DEW Acres will blend immersive storytelling with the laid-back spirit of farm life.
Join us for a unique pre-show experience starting an hour before curtain! Feed some farm animals, enjoy live music, and treat yourself to treats from Straight Up Sips.
DOWN ON HONEY DEW ACRES is sponsored by Onward Injury and Law. This production is also partially supported by a Town of Normal Harmon Arts Grant.
Tickets on sale soon!
Winning plays:
The Cosmic Cow, or Bovine Intervention Written by Mathew Green
Synopsis: A pair of kindred spirits meet one night in a barn under a starlit sky. One is escaping trouble at home, while the other is escaping reality by becoming a cow. An unexpected connection forms between them.
Featuring Cat Woods and Nova Alvarez
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The Prodigal Cow
Written by Mark Harvey Levine
Synopsis: A familiar story is retold from a slightly more bovine point of view.
Featuring: Ammil Lyons and Reena Rhoda
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Alpaca Fracas
Written by Toby Inoue
Synopsis: In this comedy, two alpacas, Becca and Jack, argue about their rights. Suspecting their hair is valuable, Becca urges Jack to take a stand. Jack pushes back, pointing out to Becca how much they rely on people.
Featuring: Rich Tinaglia and Meghan Warmuth
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Animals Switching into Servants in a Barn
Written by Matt Hanf
Synopsis: Cinderella’s Fairy god mother begins the transformations–and the mouse ain’t happy.
Featuring: Catrina Parker, Wes Melton, and Ben Hackett
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Water By Any Other Name
Written by Joyce Fontana
Synopsis: Cosmic Dew Drops, a health and beauty product harvested on Honey Dew Acres Farm, entices Brooke, but draws ridicule from her science-oriented partner, Jarod. Natasha smells a sale but must use her wily showman’s art to overcome Jarod’s skepticism.
Featuring: Meghan Warmuth, Ben Hackett, and Jen Schuetz
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When Adams Slept With Franklin
Written by James Merolla
Synopsis: A comic chamber piece steeped in historical farce and philosophical friction, When Adams Slept with Franklin imagines a single night in where two founding fathers—and one saucy intermediary—collide in a lumpy bed, a drafty room, and a storm of ideological discomfort. Adams mentioned this calamity in his autobiography briefly. Inspired by Peter Stone and Sherman Edwards’ 1776, especially its sharp, affectionate portrayal of the Adams–Franklin dynamic, this one-act play serves as a mischievous sequel: not to the signing of the Declaration, but to the unseen labor of sleeping beside history.
Featuring: John D. Poling, Peter Kimerling, Brooke Moonan, and Matteo Moudy, with Ammil Lyons playing messenger on 5/24.
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CSI-EIEIO
Written by Frank Shima
Synopsis: A rural CSI team must solve a case set in a barn. Too much evidence makes it more difficult to find who is responsible for a murder.
Featuring: David Frantz, Sarah Hall, Catrina Parker, and Ezekiel Orme
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SUGAR ON THE BIT
Written by Daniel Hahn
Synopsis: In a barn in rural Illinois, 25-year-old Daisy clashes with her mother over jobs, identity, and the pressure to “grow up.” Their argument exposes long-buried resentments on both sides until Daisy’s grandfather steps in, offering a quieter, generational perspective. SUGAR ON THE BIT is an intimate family drama about authenticity, survival, and the fragile love that connects them.
Featuring: Chartamia Turner, Brooke Moonan, and Wes Melton