Bold play performed at The Annex notches a pair of Cloris Award nominations
By Fred Love
An experimental play staged at the xBk Annex earlier this year has earned a pair of Cloris Award nominations, including Outstanding Play and Ensemble in a Play.
Written by Iranian playwright Nassim Soleimanpour, White Rabbit, Red Rabbit is unlike traditional theater. There’s no director and no rehearsal. Instead, a different actor takes the stage each night, opens a sealed envelope and reads the script cold for the very first time, discovering the story alongside the audience.
The result is unpredictable, intimate and daring, with each performance becoming a one-time-only experience. And for xBk, that’s exactly the artistic risk The Annex opened its doors in the spring of 2025 to host.
“When we created The Annex, we wanted it to be a space where artists could take chances and bring innovative performances to life in a more intimate setting,” said xBk talent booker Bill Rogers. “White Rabbit, Red Rabbit was exactly the kind of project we hoped would find a home there. We’re so proud of About Time Theatre Company, the actors and everyone who helped make these performances happen, and we’re thrilled to see the work recognized with these Cloris Award nominations.”
About Time Theatre Company spearheaded a series of seven performances at The Annex from April 1 through April 4, with a different actor taking on the starring role each time. About Time’s Marnie Strate said the venue provided the ideal environment for such an unconventional production.
“We sought out an intimate venue that would really put the actor in the face of the audience,” Strate said. “We also needed a venue that would allow some audience members to get out of their seat and participate in the action.”
Strate said the show’s unconventional approach made it a natural fit for About Time Theatre Company, which seeks to challenge actors and audiences alike.
“As for the show itself, we were drawn to its unusual nature: one actor per night who must not be familiar with the material,” Strate said. “This means that once you have seen it or performed it, you can never be in the show again.”
“We cast a diverse group of local actors to ensure each performance would be its own unique experience, and several audience members attended multiple times. It mixes heavy topics with some levity, and it was interesting to watch each actor and audience discover what the tone of the show actually was.”
Madison Ray, one of the actors who performed the play at The Annex, wouldn’t divulge much about the plot because surprise is such a central part of the experience. Ray, who also works at xBk and performs in the band The Finesse, said every performance of White Rabbit, Red Rabbit is unique.
For Ray, the lack of preparation was intimidating, but ultimately liberating.
“For me, the anticipation and curiosity were the biggest emotions I felt through the process,” Ray said. “The blank slate of not knowing can be really intimidating, but I did my best to lean into that freedom and get excited to take this ride together with the audience. Opening the script in front of the audience denies the opportunity to really absorb the words and material, so I also really wanted to remain present and savor the moment.”
Now, that experiment has earned recognition from the Cloris Awards, often thought of as the local Tony Awards.
The 11th Annual Cloris Leachman Excellence in Theatre Arts Awards will bring together 10 community theater companies from the Greater Des Moines area and feature seven musical numbers, along with a commemorative tribute celebrating the 100th birthday of the late award-winning actress and Iowa native Cloris Leachman. The 11th Annual Cloris Awards begin at 5 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 30, at Sheslow Auditorium, 2507 University Ave., Des Moines.