Building The Wall
by Robert Schenkkan
An INCREDIBLY timely, dystopian piece, that imagines the future consequences of anti-immigrant policies, set in a near future America where martial law has been declared and mass detentions have occurred.
Cast
Gloria – Deshana Taylor
Rick – Eric Olson
Production Team
Director: Josh Visnapuu
Stage Manager: Kyle Bochart
Set Design: Kyle Bochart & Josh Visnapuu & Dan Haymes
Sound Design: Kyle Bochart
Eric Olson
as Rick
A resident company member with Iowa Stage Theatre Company, where heleads New Works Lab, developing new plays toward production. He received 2026 Cloris Award nominations for his performances in The Seagull (Iowa Stage) and Blithe Spirit (Tallgrass Theatre Company), and most recently appeared as the Duke in Measure for Measure at Shakespeare on the Lawn. He is also a playwright, SAG-AFTRA actor, and Dramatists Guild member.
DeShana Taylor
as Gloria
Fell in love with theater in late twenties. Her credits include Mississippi Goddamn, Disgraced and In the Upper Room. If you ask her to pick a favorite role, she’ll tell you it’s Mayme in Intimate Apparel.
DeShana is a proud vertern, having served in the United States Airforce. By day, she’s a Technical Architect. Off the clock, she’s happiest with her husband, grandchildren and circle of family and friends she calls home. She stepped away from the stage for a few years and now she’s back and glad to be a part of this production with About Time Theater Company!
Josh Visnapuu
Director
A Des Moines-based theatre artist and board member of About Time Theatre Company. His work in Central Iowa theatre spans two decades and includes performances and production work with Des Moines Playhouse, Tallgrass Theatre Company, Iowa Stage Theatre Company, Des Moines Young Artists’ Theatre, and his own company, Open Door Rep, which he operated with his wife, April Visnapuu.
He has appeared in award winning productions including One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, Lend Me a Tenor, Don’t Dress for Dinner, and A Streetcar Named Desire. And his credits include several world premieres, notably Girls’ Weekend and it’s sequel (at the Des Moines Playhouse and Iowa Stage Theatre Company, respectively) serving as both an actor and assistant director, and The Manic Monologues (Open Door Rep) which was the first production outside of it’s development at Stanford University
Josh is believer in the power of theatre to push the envelope and is excited to continue that tradition of creating challenging, meaningful theatre with About Time Theatre Company. He’s excited for the opportunity to direct Building the Wall, believing that theatre is at its best when it invites audiences into difficult conversations, challenges assumptions, and leaves people with something to think about long after the curtain falls.
Outside of the theatre, Josh spends his time with his family being an unabashed girl dad. Just ask him, he will be happy to show you many, many pictures!
Kyle Bochart
Stage Manager/Sound Designer
is thankful to be working with his friends on Building the Wall!
A graduate of Simpson College, Kyle’s past acting credits include Bilbo Baggins in The Hobbit at Des Moines Young Artists’ Theatre and Dad in Diary of a Wimpy Kid at The Des Moines Playhouse. Behind the scenes, Kyle is Stage Manager for the Des Moines Symphony and has composed and performed original music for productions of Metamorphoses and As You Like It at Grandview University.
Offstage, you can find him indulging in horror movies, supporting Drake University Volleyball, playing multiple instruments, or going on adventures with KP to hunt down new bookstores across the country!