.bodytext {float: left; } .floatimg-left-hort { float:left; margin-top:10px; margin-right: 10px; width:300px; clear:left;} .floatimg-left-caption-hort { float:left; margin-bottom:10px; width:300px; margin-right:10px; clear:left;} .floatimg-left-vert { float:left; margin-top:10px; margin-right:15px; width:200px;} .floatimg-left-caption-vert { float:left; margin-right:10px; margin-bottom:10px; font-size: 10px; width:200px;} .floatimg-right-hort { float:right; margin-top:10px; margin-left:10px; margin-bottom:10px; width: 300px;} .floatimg-right-caption-hort { float:left; margin-right:10px; margin-bottom:10px; width: 300px; font-size: 10px; } .floatimg-right-vert { float:right; margin-top:10px; margin-left:10px; margin-bottom:10px; width: 200px;} .floatimg-right-caption-vert { float:left; margin-right:10px; margin-bottom:10px; width: 200px; font-size: 10px; } .floatimgright-sidebar { float:right; margin-top:10px; margin-left:10px; margin-bottom:10px; width: 200px; border-top-style: double; border-top-color: black; border-bottom-style: double; border-bottom-color: black;} .floatimgright-sidebar p { line-height: 115%; text-indent: 10px; } .floatimgright-sidebar h4 { font-variant:small-caps; } .pullquote { float:right; margin-top:10px; margin-left:10px; margin-bottom:10px; width: 150px; background: url(http://www.dmbusinessdaily.com/DAILY/editorial/extras/closequote.gif) no-repeat bottom right !important ; line-height: 150%; font-size: 125%; border-top: 1px solid; border-bottom: 1px solid;} .floatvidleft { float:left; margin-bottom:10px; width:325px; margin-right:10px; clear:left;} .floatvidright { float:right; margin-bottom:10px; width:325px; margin-right:10px; clear:left;} There were a lot of plays Thatcher Williams wanted to see. Unfortunately, he lives in Des Moines, which three years ago meant that his options were not as huge as if he lived in New York City or Chicago.

So to help remedy the situation, Williams founded Theater…for a Change, which is now in its third season, its first as a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization.

“It’s been a lot of fun,” he said. “The number one goal is to make theater available to as many people as possible. That’s what I see as our mission.”

So to see one of Williams’ productions at the Viking Theater at Grand View College, the troupe’s home for the past two seasons, it will cost only $10.

“Theater is for everyone,” he said. “Shakespeare didn’t write plays for the royalty. He wrote them for the groundlings.”

Attendance has grown each of the troupe’s three seasons, averaging around 40 to 50 people a night this year. The theater has 180 seats (220 in the round), making future expansion easier.

The group’s forte is shows that are off the beaten path.

“We put on some well-known plays, but we also do a lot of quirky, fun stuff,” Williams said.

Williams has appeared in several of the productions, but prefers to stay behind the scenes as a director or producer.

“I’m trying to stay out of my productions as much as possible,” he said. “I still direct, but my hope is that one day we’ll have enough actors, directors and designers so that I can focus on production and building the audience.”

The casts are made up of a mix of actors with professional experience and those who may only have limited stage time. Williams said he wants anyone who has ever been in a high school play to come out and take a shot at making it into the show.

Another way to support the theater is with a financial contribution. The average show costs around $8,000, which means a little donation can go a long way for the production, Williams said. They are also always looking for props and wardrobe, so donating furniture and clothing can help.

With his troupe and other groups like Stage West, the Des Moines Playhouse and others, along with events like the Iowa Fringe Festival and the 711 Theatre Project, Central Iowa is on the cusp of something big, Williams said.

“We’re at the same place Minneapolis was 20 years ago. And a big piece of that is the performing arts scene.”