Latest News

Nov 15, 2025

Eco Theatre Workshop

Join Us for a workshop in partnership with Ames Writers Collective

Aug 1, 2025

Climate Change Theatre Action: Fall 2025

Fall 2025
The EcoTheatre Lab facilitates a series of workshops and class visits in Central and Northwestern Iowa as part of the international Climate Change Theatre Action initiative.

Jul 27, 2025

Iowa Lakeside Laboratory Residency

The EcoTheatre Lab team are artists-in-residence at Iowa Lakeside Laboratory.

Mar 8, 2025

Resistance: A Community Tour

March 8-April 5, 2025
The EcoTheatre Lab produces an Iowa tour of Taylor Sklenar's new play, Resistance. The tour includes performances and community conversations in Audubon, Ruthven, Milford, Grinnell, and Ames.

Dec 6, 2024

Literary Roundtable, Iowa Farmers Union State Convention

Taylor Sklenar, playwright and producer with The EcoTheatre Lab, was featured at the 2024 Iowa Farmers Union State Convention

Sep 15, 2024

The Art of Climate Dialogue is recognized at the Iowa Podcast Awards

The Art of Climate Dialogue: Stories from Iowa won the Innovation Award and Best Cover Art (artist Moselle Nita Singh) at the 2024 Iowa Podcast Awards.

Aug 19, 2024

Resistance, produced by Iowa Stage Theatre Company's Scriptease

A staged reading of Artistic Producer Taylor Sklenar's new play, Resistance, was featured at Iowa Stage Theatre Company's August 2024 Scriptease event.

Jul 14, 2024

Resistance, produced by Marshalltown Community Theatre

Artistic Producer Taylor Sklenar's new play, Resistance, won the Marshalltown Community Theatre Playwriting Award and received a staged reading produced by MCT

Jun 5, 2024

AFHVS-ASFS Conference, Right to Food-Food as Commons

Vivian M. Cook shares The Art of Climate Dialogue: Stories from Iowa at the Agriculture, Food & Human Values Society (AFHVS) and the Association for the Study of Food and Society (ASFS) Conference in Syracuse, NY.

May 10, 2024

Baby I'll Turn the Sky Green For You, produced by Theatre du Mississippi

Artistic Producer Taylor Sklenar's new play, Baby I'll Turn the Sky Green For You, is produced at Theatre du Mississippi in Winona, Minnesota.

Apr 27, 2024

KHOI's "Climate Matters in Ames"

Vivian M. Cook is interviewed by Ames Climate Action Team members, Mary Richards and Lee Anne Willson, who host "Climate Matters in Ames" on KHOI radio.

Apr 26, 2024

One Sustainable Iowa Conference

Vivian M. Cook shares The Art of Climate Dialogue: Stories from Iowa at the One Sustainable Iowa Conference at Iowa State University.

Apr 22, 2024

ISU Earth Day Celebration and Monday Monologues

The EcoTheatre Lab performs two short climate comedies, written for the international Climate Change Theatre Action initiative: The Polar Bears by Nicolas Billon and The Climes They Are A' Changin' by MFA in Creative Writing & Environment playwrights, Summer Awad, Jessi Brock, and A'Ja Lyons.

Apr 18, 2024

CALS Open Academy for Team Science

Vivian M. Cook shares The Art of Climate Dialogue: Stories from Iowa at Iowa State University College of Agriculture and Life Sciences' Open Academy for Team Science.

Apr 17, 2024

"Women and Gender in Art" Class Visit

Vivian M. Cook visits ISU's "Women and Gender in Art" class to discuss The EcoTheatre Lab's recent work.

Apr 11, 2024

Reiman Gardens' "Nature at Noon"

Taylor Sklenar, in partnership with Linda Shenk and Bill Gutowski, joins Reiman Garden's "Nature at Noon" program to present, "Creative Strategies for Communicating Science."

Apr 3, 2024

Midwest Climate Summit

The EcoTheatre Lab facilitates a session on The Art of Climate Dialogue: Stories from Iowa at the Midwest Climate Summit 2024.

Mar 1, 2024

The Business of Art Conference

Vivian M. Cook facilitates a session, on behalf of The EcoTheatre Lab, at Ames' Business of Art Conference, hosted by the Octagon Center for the Arts and the Ames Community Arts Council.

Feb 27, 2024

ISU Sustainapalooza

The EcoTheatre Lab tables at ISU's Sustainapalooza event.

Feb 16, 2024

500/501, produced by Theatre du Mississippi

Taylor Sklenar's play is produced in Winona, Minnesota as part of Theatre du Mississippi's One-Act Festival.

Feb 7, 2024

Association of Writers and Writing Programs Conference

Charissa Menefee shares The EcoTheatre Lab's recent work.

Feb 3, 2024

Iowa Conservation Education Coalition Winter Workshop

The EcoTheatre Lab facilitates a session on The Art of Climate Dialogue: Stories from Iowa at ICEC's

"Climate Smart Agriculture: Rethinking Iowa’s Land, Water, and Food Production" Winter Workshop.

Sep 30, 2023

Ames EcoFair

The EcoTheatre Lab participates in the Ames EcoFair and shares The Art of Climate Dialogue: Stories from Iowa.

Sep 25, 2023

CCTA at Monday Monologues

The EcoTheatre Lab presents a series of short climate change plays, Climate Change Theatre Action: All Good Things Must Begin, in partnership with ISU library's Monday Monologues and the international Climate Change Theatre Action initiative.

Sep 19, 2023

Iowa Water Conference

The EcoTheatre Lab shares The Art of Climate Dialogue: Stories from Iowa.

Aug 29, 2023

Reading of Superfun(d)! by Taylor Sklenar

Taylor Sklenar's play is read at the Missouri Playwrights Workshop.

Aug 3, 2023

Association for Theatre in Higher Education Conference

Charissa Menefee represents The EcoTheatre Lab's work at ATHE 2023.

Jul 1, 2023

Embodied Playwriting: Improv and Acting Exercises for Writing and Devising

Charissa Menefee publishes her newest book.

Jul 1, 2023

Ames Green Drinks

The EcoTheatre Lab discusses The Art of Climate Dialogue with Ames' Green Drinks conversation group.

Apr 1, 2023

"The Art of Climate Dialogue" Podcast Released

Podcast available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and iHeartRadio.

Apr 29, 2023

Resistance by Taylor Sklenar @ ISU Fringe

As part of ISU Theatre's Fringe Festival, The EcoTheatre Lab is producing a staged reading of Taylor Sklenar's new play, Resistance. Free performance on Saturday, April 29th, 2:00 p.m., Ames Public Library Auditorium. See more information on ISU Theatre's website.

Mar 9, 2023

Mid-America Theatre Conference

The EcoTheatre Lab team shares their work in the MATC Practice/Production Symposium

Feb 21, 2023

ISU Sustainapalooza

The EcoTheatre Lab tables at ISU's Sustainapalooza event.

Nov 1, 2023

The Art of Climate Dialogue Interviews

Community Engagement Director, Vivian, conducts podcast interviews for The Art of Climate Dialogue.

Apr 21, 2022

William Inge Theatre Festival

The EcoTheatre Lab performs as a New Play Lab acting company.

Apr 9, 2022

"Arts, Environment, and Creating Connections"

The EcoTheatre Lab partners with Iowa 4-H to offer a workshop event for 7th-12th graders.

Mar 21, 2022

The Art of Climate Planning @ Design College

The Art of Climate Planning's entire exhibit is showcasing in the ISU College of Design gallery.

Feb 23, 2022

The Art of Climate Planning Update

Rob Sunderman's "Crib in Crisis Encounter" ' is showcasing at North Grand Mall.

Feb 22, 2022

The EcoTheatre Lab tables at Sustainapalooza:

See Featured Artwork

Feb 3, 2022

The Art of Climate Planning Update

Keygan Sands' "Field Guide to Climate Resilience" ("Resilient Life") is showcasing at Macubana.

Nov 3, 2021

The EcoTheatre Lab tables at the ISU Live Green! Campus Sustainability Month Celebration

Sep 23, 2021

Climate Change Theatre Action 2021

Climate Change Theatre Action 2021, produced in partnership with ISU Theatre and ISU's MFA Program in Creative Writing & Environment, tours Ames between September 23rd and October 16th. Most of The Art of Climate Planning artwork joins the tour!

Latest News

Eco Theatre Workshop

Climate Change Theatre Action: Fall 2025

Iowa Lakeside Laboratory Residency

Resistance: A Community Tour

Literary Roundtable, Iowa Farmers Union State Convention

The Art of Climate Dialogue is recognized at the Iowa Podcast Awards

Resistance, produced by Iowa Stage Theatre Company's Scriptease

Resistance, produced by Marshalltown Community Theatre

AFHVS-ASFS Conference, Right to Food-Food as Commons

Baby I'll Turn the Sky Green For You, produced by Theatre du Mississippi

KHOI's "Climate Matters in Ames"

One Sustainable Iowa Conference

ISU Earth Day Celebration and Monday Monologues

CALS Open Academy for Team Science

"Women and Gender in Art" Class Visit

Reiman Gardens' "Nature at Noon"

Midwest Climate Summit

​The Business of Art Conference

ISU Sustainapalooza

500/501, produced by Theatre du Mississippi

Association of Writers and Writing Programs Conference

Iowa Conservation Education Coalition Winter Workshop

Ames EcoFair

CCTA at Monday Monologues

Iowa Water Conference

Reading of Superfun(d)! by Taylor Sklenar

Association for Theatre in Higher Education Conference

Embodied Playwriting: Improv and Acting Exercises for Writing and Devising

Ames Green Drinks

"The Art of Climate Dialogue" Podcast Released

Resistance by Taylor Sklenar @ ISU Fringe

Mid-America Theatre Conference

ISU Sustainapalooza

The Art of Climate Dialogue Interviews

William Inge Theatre Festival

"Arts, Environment, and Creating Connections"

The Art of Climate Planning @ Design College

The Art of Climate Planning Update

The EcoTheatre Lab tables at Sustainapalooza:

The Art of Climate Planning Update

The EcoTheatre Lab tables at the ISU Live Green! Campus Sustainability Month Celebration

Climate Change Theatre Action 2021

The Business of Art Conference