Immigrants and their contribution to the larger rural environment will be the spotlight of two plays being performed this weekend.

Swander Woman Productions, a theatre company formed by Iowa Poet Laureate Mary Swander, will perform the pieces “Vang” and “Map of My Kingdom” at the Kalona Public Library. Vang is based off of interviews done with immigrant Iowa farmers, and Map of My Kingdom is a Practical Farmers of Iowa-commissioned play that tackles the issue of land transition.

Swander shares what distinguishes her theatrical productions, “They’re plays with purpose and Swander Woman Productions does plays about food, farming, and the larger rural environment. So we’re really a different kind of troupe and perform in different kinds of spaces with different material thant you’d normally find in New York – Broadway, or even Des Moines or Iowa City.”

The performances will be followed by a discussion with the theatre troupe and area farmers. This event is made possible with funding from the Kalona Library Foundation, Humanities Iowa, and the Friends of the Kalona Public Library. The event is free and open to the public, and begins at 1:30 p.m. Sunday at the Kalona Public Library.