Letters From Pella 2009

World Premier of an Original Play – Written by Tom Vander Well

Cast Members

Tim Bloem – Robert D. Justice
Shirley Harrison – Peggy Moriarity
Hendrik Hospers – Cameron Van Kooten
Isaac Overkamp – Arvin Van Zante
Teunis – Sherman Van Zee
Anna – Sara Peterson
Jannetje – Christina Thompson
Widow Overkamp – Sally Job
Rev. H.P. Scholte – Tom Vander Well
Mareah Scholte – Wendy Vander Well

Production Team

Director – Ann Wilkinson
Light Design – Shawn Jensen
Producer – Pat Moriarity

The play is based on actual letters written by Pella’s first residents back to their native Holland. In their own words and through their experiences, we are reminded that “people are people” and the struggle for true community does not change with time.

Letters From Pella tells the forgotten story of Pella’s first immigrants. It reveals the intense conflict and interpersonal hardship they faced as they struggled to forge a community on the Iowa prairie. Based on actual letters from the founding citizens to their families, friends, and colleagues back in the Netherlands, Letters From Pella is the untold story of Pella’s past!

Even life-long Pella residents claimed to learn things about Pella’s history that they did not know, even as they were entertained by the story and the colorful characters in Tom Vander Well’s original script. The one-hour show shared a largely forgotten story of the intense personal discord between Pella’s founders and their struggle towards reconciliation as they built the town of Pella in the middle of the Iowa prairie.

Robert D. Justice plays Tim Bloem, a young pastor who is struggling with the realities of leading his first congregation. Peggy Moriarity plays the matriarchal librarian, Shirley, who takes Tim under her wing and shares with him the incredible story of Pella’s first residents.

Cameron Van Kooten (left) portrays Hendrik Hospers, who at 17 came to America by himself and helped create the town of Pella, eventually becoming mayor. Arvin Van Zante (right) portrays Isaac Overkamp, a tutor to members of the Dutch royal family who became Pella’s first schoolmaster.

Sherm Van Zee, Sara Peterson, Sally Job, and Christina Thompson portray disgruntled colonists.

Tom Vander Well portrays Pella founder Dominie Hendrik Peter Scholte with Christina Thompson.

Sherm Van Zee portrays Teunis, a disgruntled immigrant.

Tom and Wendy Vander Well portray Dominie H.P. Scholte and his wife, Mareah.

Another Tulip Time in Pella is behind us, and the curtain dropped on the 2009 Union Street Players premier of Letters From Pella. The show was very well received by residents and tourists alike, who appreciated learning a forgotten chapter in Pella’s rich history.

Attendance was down compared to the past Tulip Time productions, though the show enjoyed good houses. Unofficial attendance figures from Producer Pat Moriarity are:

Wednesday: 124
Thursday: 80
Friday: 164
Saturday: 142
Total: 510