‘Blind Date” creator and star Rebecca Northan has never been on a blind date, unless she were to count all of the dates she’s had onstage in front of a live audience while wearing a clown nose.

Such is the premise of her improvisational play “Blind Date,” an experience that’s different every night, in part due to the whims of an unsuspecting, or perhaps suspecting, audience member who will serve as her other half for the evening.

“It’s an improvised clown show, which for me automatically sounds like a nightmare, because clowns are creepy,” Northan said. “But my clown is not. My clown is really sexy and looking for love.”

Northan brings her Parisian clown to the stage in Des Moines, as “Blind Date” plays at the Temple for Performing Arts through Jan. 22. The play has finished sold-out runs in Toronto, as well as New York, where it was backed by Tony Award-winning producer Kevin McCollum (“Rent,” “Avenue Q”).

“(McCollum) seems to have an eye for what’s hip and up-and-coming,” Northan said. “I guess that means that ‘Blind Date’ has caught his eye. It puts a lot of pressure on me, but it’s really cool.”

When theater-goers arrive at the intimate Temple Theater, they can expect to engage in a mingle session during which Northan does her reconnaissance and chooses her date for the rest of the evening. And instead of looking for an actor-type, Northan will be seeking out some regular guy to join her onstage for 90 minutes, which she assures is not as excruciating as it may sound. In fact, some of her dates have left with phone numbers of women in the audience.

“Some dude being exactly who he is, is so much more interesting than anything I could make up or write,” Northan said. “The whole audience ends up falling in love with them. Nobody seems to leave traumatized. I think a lot of people are used to going to see improv comedy. They get pulled up for five minutes and get made fun of, which is a style of comedy I hate. If you’re brave enough to get up on stage with me, I’m going to take care of you and give you every opportunity to be the romantic hero and see what you’re made of.”

‘Blind Date’

‘Blind Date’

Where: Temple for Performing Arts, 1011 Locust St.

When: 7:30 p.m. Wednesday-Friday, 5 and 8 p.m. Saturday, 3 p.m. Sunday

Cost: $30

Info: 246-2300; civiccenter.org