The Pella Opera House has announced that Carol Van Klompenburg, a resident of Pella since 1979, has been selected to portray Maria Scholte in the one-woman play “The Reluctant Pioneer” during Tulip Time.
The show tells the story of the first lady of Pella in the late 1800s, and has been a staple at the Pella Opera House for several decades. Performances will be held each day of Tulip Time from 10-10:30 am on May 7th, 8th, and 9th. New this year, the Opera House will be offering a preview performance of “The Reluctant Pioneer” on Tuesday, May 5th at 6:30 pm. Van Klompenburg says she has always been fascinated by Maria Scholte, which added to her excitement for this opportunity.
“I’ve read about her. I wrote a play about her that was performed in the 90s. She’s such a fascinating mix of a sophisticated woman who ended up on the Iowa prairie when there was just one log cabin, and that makes a really interesting character study. So, when the Opera House asked me to perform, I was thrilled, because it’s an opportunity to understand Maria in a new way.”
Tickets for the preview performance on May 5th are $5 and can only be purchased at the door. Tickets for the performances on May 7th, 8th, and 9th are available for $10 and can be purchased either at the door or on their website here. Learn more about “The Reluctant Pioneer” from Carol Van Klompenburg on this weekend’s In Touch with South Central Iowa.
