Des Moines playwright Karen Schaeffer is the author of ‘Girls Weekend,’ the sometimes all-too-real comedy about a group of women friends just trying to get away for a weekend. Schaeffer was honored with special recognition from the Cloris Awards, named for famed Iowa native Cloris Leachman, in 2015, for the release of “Girls Weekend.”

Hawkeye Community Theatre will bring “Girls Weekend” to the local stage Wednesday through Saturday in a show sure to delight both men and women.

“I would venture to guess that any guy, who has a girl that has a few girlfriends, will find it funny because they will be able to see their own girl, and all her friends in these characters,” said Alyssa Sparks, director of the local production. “The show is hysterical.”

“Girls Weekend” is considered both a comedy and a farce, putting a fast pace on the action and the laughs, with a touch of physical comedy thrown in to keep it interesting.

Brittany Thomas-Arthur, left, and Malaney Butrick team up in mother/daughter roles.

The play begins with friends from an otherwise mild-mannered book club who have the good intention of spending a weekend together at a cabin in Minnesota. They hope to read, discuss, chat, dine on wonderful food, and, yes, drink a little wine. But things soon go awry.

“It’s a girls’ weekend, but it turns into anything but a girls’ weekend,” said Sparks.

Not to give away too much of the plot, but, since the two-act play has a cast of four women and four men, it’s not hard to surmise that men just might have a hand in crashing the weekend and turning things upside down for these women.

Mary Jo Laupp plays Dot, the host of this weekend getaway at her Minnesota cabin. She is not responsible for the blizzard that crashes the party, nor anything that anyone else may or may not put in her drink.

“Dot doesn’t have a clue what’s going on,” Laupp says of her character. “Or at least she acts like, ‘what I don’t know can’t hurt my feelings.'”

Laupp has been doing community theater since she was a child and said she finds “Girls Weekend” to be a joy to bring to the stage. Laupp’s husband, Jim Laupp, has a decade of community theater experience behind him and takes on the role of Sheriff Tom in “Girls Weekend”.

“I enjoy the comedic aspect of this show,” Jim Laupp said. “It’s funny, and it shows situations that can really be true to life.”

Making his theatrical debut in “Girls’ Weekend” is C.J. Tracy, playing the role of Rick. He was recruited for the play by his real-life wife, Nicole Tracy, playing Rick’s wife, Carol.

Rick is summoned by Carol to crash the girls’ weekend when she runs a temperature and decides it’s time for things to get a little hot and heavy with her hubby. It’s all for a good cause, hoping a baby might be made on this memorable weekend get-away.

Brittany Thomas-Arthur and Malaney Butrick take on the mother-daughter roles of Meg and Ellie. Both women are theater veterans, but say this production has given them an opportunity to tap new character attributes.

“Playing Meg allows me to channel my inner mean girl,” said Thomas-Arthur. “She’s quick-witted and even brings some physical comedy to the stage.”

Likewise, Butrick is stepping out of her comfort zone in “Girls Weekend.”

“Ellie is a different kind of character for me,” Butrick said. “She’s sassy and rebellious, and it makes it fun to do a comedic show.”

Grant Webster takes on the role of Bubba. A veteran of high school musicals, this is his first show with Hawkeye Community Theatre.

“The show is a good break away from my normal life,” said Webster. “It’s realistic humor, and it’s just a lot of fun.”

Jay Price rounds out the cast of men in “Girls Weekend,” playing the character of Stephen, Dot’s son. Price was not available at the time of interviews — or maybe he was just hiding underneath the bed. With Dot’s son, anything can happen.

Sparks is proud of the way the cast has come together and is looking forward to opening night.

“They really play off each other, and I know they are all having a lot of fun,” Sparks said.

So, bring your girlfriends, and even let the men come along. There’s wine and beer available at the show, which has an intermission between acts. After all, “Girls’ Weekend” proves that as much fun as getting together with the girls can be, it’s even more fun when the guys somehow tag along.

Shows are 7 p.m., Wednesday through Saturday with a special matinee at 2 p.m. for the Saturday show. Tickets are $10 and available at the door. Hawkeye Community Theatre is located at 521 N. 12th St. in Fort Dodge.

Show Time

7 p.m., Wednesday-Saturday, June 7-10,

2 p.m., Saturday, June 10

Hawkeye Community Theatre, 521 N. 12th St.

Tickets: $10, available at the door