David Landis is not Ted Kooser, the Pulitzer Prize-winning poet from Garland. Nor will the local actor try to be him when he takes the stage to perform in a new theater piece based on the former U.S. Poet Laureate’s award-winning works. Landis “plays” the part of the poet in the Nebraska Repertory Theatre’s world premiere of “Local Wonders,” the title of Kooser’s first book of prose.

“I’m not doing an impression of Ted,” Landis said. “I’m a little more animated, and I’m sure people will recognize me before they recognize Ted.”

Landis will perform “Local Wonders” with his wife, Melodee. Doane College theater professor Robin McKercher is the director. The piece opens Wednesday in Temple Building’s Studio Theatre.

Rep artistic director Virginia Smith teamed with Paul Amandes, a musician, actor and playwright from Chicago, to create “Local Wonders.” The two collaborated on the University Theatre children’s musical the “Little Humpback Horse” in March 2002.

It was Smith’s idea to turn Kooser’s words into a theater piece. She became a fan when she came to the University of Nebraska-Lincoln as a theater professor six years ago.

“From the beginning, I wanted to put his work on the stage,” she said.

She became more convinced after local actor Cork Ramer read excerpts of “Local Wonders” on stage last year for Destinations, The Rep’s performance series.

“I knew what other pieces of his I wanted, and I knew I wanted it to be a musical,” Smith said.

“Local Wonders” is a combination of monologues, readings and music. It combines Kooser’s Pulitzer Prize-winning poetry with exquisite observations of “the good life” in Nebraska, such as this excerpt:

“Contrary to what out-of-state tourists might tell you, Nebraska isn’t flat but slightly tilted, like a long church-basement table with the legs on one end not perfectly snapped in place, not quite enough of a slant for a the tuna-and-potato-chip casserole to slide off into the Missouri River.”

Original songs include “So This is Nebraska,” “The Back Door,” “The Empty House,” “After Years” and “Local Wonders.” The music was a bit of hurdle because Kooser doesn’t write in a rhyming scheme, Smith said. Plus there’s the intimidation factor, she added.

“Paul was writing music with words from a poet who has won the Pulitzer Prize and was the U.S. Poet Laureate,” Smith said. “It was something of a challenge.”

Kooser will be on hand for the July 23 performance. Afterward, he will join the cast and creators in a discussion about the work over coffee and dessert. The event is free with paid admission.

Reach Jeff Korbelik at 473-7213 or jkorbelik@journalstar.com.

If you go

What: “Local Wonders,” Nebraska Repertory Theatre

Where: Studio Theatre, third floor Temple Building, 12th and R streets

When: 7:30 p.m. Wednesday through July 15 and July 25; 2 p.m. July 23

Tickets: $20, $18 senior citizens and UNL faculty/staff, $10 students; 472-4747 or (800) 432-3231