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Mike Draper, owner and founder of Raygun LLC T-shirt store, spent only a few hours on the first draft of “No Coast.” After finishing the first draft, he spent weeks editing and revising it. The whole writing process took about six months.

It is easier to have the stage set stay the same throughout a play, so Draper thought a store was an interesting place to have conflicts of business. The play is not about Raygun, but it is about a “reimagining” of Raygun set in August 2015.

“It’s the greatest play ever written,” Draper said. “It’s about T-shirts, beards, bank fraud and Midwestern culture.”

Draper had the idea of writing a play for years. The play is an intersection of business, creativity and current events, and it’s a little “snarky” as well.

With the thought of writing a play, Draper reached out to Scott Siepker, “Iowa Nice Guy,” and asked about his thoughts on the idea. Siepker said it did not take much convincing before he agreed to join.

Draper and Siepker were friends before they started working on the play together.

“If you’re in your mid-30’s in Des Moines doing creative stuff, you need each other,” Draper said.

Draper said gathering all of the people and necessities together was like creating a band.

“One friend says, ‘I’ve got most of a drum set!’ and another friend says ‘and I’ve got a van!’” Draper said, laughing.

Kristin Larson, speech and theater professor at Grand View, said the play will appeal to the Midwest sense of humor and that it is a story with a lot of heart in it.

Larson and Siepker had also been friends for a couple years, and they did a play together at the Goldfinch Theater Company in 2014. Draper brought the script to Siepker, and Siepker showed it to Larson.

“I sent an advanced copy to William Shakespeare and he said ‘Wowzers! Mike, Scott, and Kristin have really raised the bar,’” Draper said, jokingly.

Siepker also added that if you want to laugh at other people and laugh at yourself, then “No Coast” is a great play to come watch.

The play was more work than anticipated, and there will still be a lot of trials and triumphs that have not taken place yet. Draper said that with any creative project, it’s one thing to have the idea and the creative thoughts running through your mind, but it’s another thing to actually bring those ideas and thoughts to life.

“Mostly, it’s just been a joyous ride,” Larson said. “It’s been easy, and the people that we are working together with are great. We are very lucky.”

“I think with anybody who is creatively driven and has an idea for something, you kind of want to see it through,” Draper said. “And once you’re far enough into it, you kind of want to complete it.”

Larson and Siepker held auditions and ended up with a cast they are excited about. Two people in the cast are first-time performers.

“I think it’s hard for people to come to this and not have fun,” Siepker said.  “They will see how much fun we are having up here.”

Draper said there is plenty of new, funny content in the play, along with Raygun ideas.

The play costs $15 for regular admission. As of writing, Grand View students can get $5 off their tickets every day except Saturday.