IOWA CITY

Wisconsin is wonderful. Every Friday you can find a fish fry somewhere, those glorious, battered fish filets with sides of fries, slaw, and rye bread offered everywhere from bars and restaurants to convenience stories and supermarkets. Beer gardens and halls welcome you with the best craft beer and soft pretzels you’ll ever find, where you can “Drink Wisconsinbly” indoors and out. And then there is the cheese, and of course, the Green Bay Packers.

From Feb. 28 to March 9, a bit of Wisconsin is coming to us in the form of “Guys on Ice,” a musical comedy written by Fred Alley and composed by James Kaplan that takes the audience inside an ice fishing shanty with a couple of madcap buddies, Lloyd and Marvin. Sold-out crowds of Wisconsinites have enjoyed it since 1998, and like the state’s award-winning cheese, it’s delighted folks around the country as well.

We, however, are especially lucky: the Iowa City Community Theatre’s production includes local talent many of us are familiar with: Trent Yoder, lead singer for Old Man Band, plays the character Lloyd, and Steve Groenewold, keyboardist for Old Man Band, provides musical accompaniment.

“This is the funniest and most accessible production I’ve ever been in,” Yoder says. “Anyone can enjoy this – men, women, any age, and hunters and fishermen will have a special appreciation.”

The play tells the story of two ice fishing buddies from Northern Wisconsin who talk and sing about life, love, and the one that got away. Long-time pals Lloyd and Marvin (played by Joshua Fryvecind), who share an appreciation for good bait, cold beer, and the Green Bay Packers, keep warm inside their ice fishing shanty and make sure fellow angler Ernie the Moocher (Brad Walters) doesn’t get into their beer supply. Marvin anxiously awaits his opportunity to appear on a cable TV fishing show and share secrets of his life on “da lake,” while Lloyd ponders a recent squabble with his wife concerning plans to spend their anniversary at Lambeau Field.

The result is both humorous, and at times, touching.

“One of the many things that make this fun is that we get to use thick Wisconsin accents,” Yoder says. “You will laugh your hat off.”

Being from the upper Midwest myself, I have no idea what accent he’s talking about, but let’s just go with it.

In addition to contributing their own musicians to the performance, Old Man Band is a sponsor of the production. On Jan. 31, the cover band held a sold-out concert at The James Theater to raise funds for the show, and Yoder reports it was an “awesome night and great crowd.”

Audiences have their pick of six performances of “Guys on Ice” over two weekends, all of which will take place inside the Park Lodge at Terry Trueblood Recreation Area, 579 McCollister Blvd., Iowa City. Friday, Feb. 28 at 7:30 p.m.; Saturday, March 1 at 7:30 p.m.; and Sunday, March 2 at 2 p.m. fill out opening weekend. The following weekend, performances are Friday, March 7 at 7:30 p.m.; Saturday, March 9 at 7:30 p.m., and Sunday, March 9 at 2 p.m.

Tickets are $22 adults (plus fees); $19 students and seniors; and $14 children. Purchase tickets online at iowacitycommunitytheatre.org or call 319-338-0443.