In honor of duck season, a pair of stereotypical redneck hunters decide to go hunting, but instead of a duck, they shoot something a bit more glorious.
True to its title, the play “Duck Hunter Shoots Angel” is, in fact, about a pair of duck hunters who think they shot an angel. It takes place in Alabama, following a reporter on his hunt to find two hunters: Duane and Duwell.
“The set is my favorite part, so far,” said Jessica Webb, a marketing intern for Des Moines Playhouse and Drake University senior public relations major. “It is just fantastic. There is a huge tree that takes up most of the stage and extends out above the audience.”
Tim Wisgerhof, who has designed over 10,000 different window installations for Saks Fifth Avenue, designed the set. The tree takes up most of the stage and is covered with tabloids.
“I work at the Weekly World and Globe,” said reporter and main character Sandy.
The Weekly World and Globe comes out twice a week. It is a tabloid magazine that prints everything but the truth, hence the reason they are working so hard to get the “hunter-shoots-angel” story.
“Why don’t you call it the ‘Biweekly World and Globe?’” Duwell asked.
“Because the readers might think that the magazine is, well, gay,” Sandy replied.
“No, because ‘bi’ means you like both men and women,” Duwell said.
“So…you’ll get double the readers! Men and women!”
The play is full of Southern, redneck humor.
“This play is a full-out comedy,” Webb said. “The duck hunters themselves are a riot.”
The two of them are not the brightest crayons in the box, considering they think they shot an angel, and as Duwell said, “Angels are not in season.”
Although the play is titled “Duck Hunter Shoots Angel,” the play is mostly about Sandy and how he came to be where he is in his life. The reporter must leave his safe life in New York City in order to go back to Alabama, where he left the love of his life behind.
In the end, he uncovers a truth that shocks him and everyone in the audience.
“It is written by Mitch Albom, the man that wrote ‘Tuesdays with Morrie,’” Webb said. “Because he wrote it, there is a heartfelt, life-lesson learning aspect to the show.”
“Duck Hunter Shoots Angel” is now playing at the Des Moines Community Playhouse until Nov. 21. Coming in January will be “Still Life,” and “Dirty Rotten Scoundrels” will be performed in March. Tickets are $17 for students with a Drake ID.
