Since New Ground Theatre began in 2000, its trademark has mostly edgier material and mostly dramatic work, artistic director Chris Jansen said. That’s why its upcoming show, “The Drawer Boy,” breaks the mold in several ways, she said.

“It’s an atypical New Ground show in that it’s funny, and it’s appropriate for any age,” said Jansen, who is also directing the comedy. “There’s a very, very tiny amount of bad words. It’s not edgy material at all.”

“The Drawer Boy” is based on a true story of a Canadian theater company visiting farmers to get inspiration for a show. In this case, it’s a playwright (played by Jeff DeLeon) who visits farmer brothers, played by Pat Flaherty and James Driscoll.

One brother has a brain injury from the war that effects his short-term memory, and the other is sly, creating inane chores for the city slicker. 

“He does a lot of playing with this actor’s mind, because he’s a bit pretentious and thinks he knows how to do things around the farm,” Jansen said.

The “fish out of water” aspect drives the comedy, Jansen said.

Jansen said she was looking forward to presenting a New Ground show with some lighter material.

“It’s hard to find a good comedy. I look far and wide, and all I can come up with are horrible murder stories,” she said. “It’s a real treat to find something that’s not only funny, but sophisticated humor. No one’s losing their pants.”

David Burke can be contacted at (563) 383-2400 or dburke@qctimes.com.