A parody of Johnny Cash’s hit song “I’ve Been Everywhere” is one of the features in a play that opened last night (Friday) in Des Moines. “Leaving Iowa,” a comedy about family vacations, returns to Iowa after a short run last fall. Playwright and Independence native Tim Clue created the new tune with producer Spike Manton of Chicago.

Manton says the song “I’ve Been Iowa-Where” will open the show. He says the parody is amusing because it makes you want to listen for your town name and it sets the funny mood and tone for the show. Manton says it was a real challenge to channel the late Johnny Cash to make the song sound right.Manton says he was up late one night, wrestling with the lyrics, which are all the names of Iowa towns strung together. He says it was tough because the rhythm and syllables have to be just right.

Manton says he had an atlas in one hand and his phone in the other, calling convenience stores all over Iowa just to have them pronounce the names of their towns. “Leaving Iowa” will stay in Iowa five weeks at the Temple for Performing Arts in Des Moines. For more information, surf to “www.civiccenter.org”.