HAIRSPRAY & THE COLOR PURPLE Comes To Civic Center In March

The return of Broadway's big fat musical comedy hit HAIRSPRAY and the Iowa debut of Oprah Winfrey'S THE COLOR PURPLE are coming to the Civic Center. The Civic Center's Education Department has organized a variety of community programs to complement the theater-goers' experience.

THEATER JAM TEEN NIGHT, Saturday, March 21, 6:30 p.m.
Civic Center of Greater Des Moines, $20 per ticket

High school teens are invited to the Civic Center to experience HAIRSRPRAY, as part of Theater Jam - a teen night at the theater. The night will include the performance, an opportunity to hang out in an exclusive teen lounge, learn a move from the musical, chat with HAIRSPRAY cast members, and refreshments. A special $20 ticket which includes a ticket to HAIRSPRAY and all Theater Jam activities is available for high school teens.

Theater Jam tickets are limited and can be purchased in person at the Civic Center Ticket Office (open Monday-Friday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.). A valid ID is required for purchase and access into Theater Jam events.

FILM + COMMENTARY: The Color Purple, Sunday, March 15, 1 p.m.
Des Moines Art Center's Levitt Auditorium (4700 Grand Ave.), FREE

The Civic Center, in partnership with the Des Moines Art Center, presents a unique opportunity to experience the 1985 film The Color Purple. The screening will culminate with a facilitated discussion led by Dr. Eric Johnson.* The conversation will explore themes presented in the film and their relevance today, and draw parallels between the book and film-introduced in the 80's-and the musical adaptation produced more than 20 years later.

READERS NIGHT BOOK DISCUSSION: The Color Purple, Tuesday, March 31, 7:30 p.m.

Civic Center of Greater Des Moines, West Balcony Lounge, FREE

In a series of letters to God, The Color Purple author Alice Walker created an unforgettable character who, through love, finds the strength to triumph over adversity and discover her own voice in the world. As a result of this groundbreaking, sometimes controversial, work, Alice Walker was awarded a 1983 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction - the first African American woman to ever be recognized with this honor. In a discussion paying tribute to Ms. Walker's work, Dr. Eric Johnson and Vallery Griffis* will lead the conversation through universal themes, issues of difference, choices presented to Celie, and other topics brought up by participants. Join us for good conversation, desserts and refreshments, and connection with other patrons around THE COLOR PURPLE.

Visit CivicCenter.org for complete details on all community programs offered by the Civic Center.

HAIRSPRAY and THE COLOR PURPLE are presentations of the Willis Broadway Series. HAIRSPRAY, appears at the Civic Center Friday, March 20 to Sunday, March 22, 2009. THE COLOR PURPLE appears at the Civic Center Tuesday, April 7 to Sunday April 12, 2009.

Tickets for both shows are on sale now at the Civic Center Ticket Office, all Ticketmaster locations, charge-by-phone at (800) 745-3000 and online at CivicCenter.org.

*Dr. Eric L. Johnson is Director of the Urban Education Program in the School of Education at Drake University. He has earned seven college degrees, four undergraduate and three graduate degrees, one being his Ph.D. in Education from The Ohio State University.

*Vallery P. Griffis, Vice Principal at Theodore Roosevelt High School, holds a B.S. Degree in English from Alabama State University in Montgomery, Alabama, and an M.A. Degree in English (with emphasis in African American Literature) from Iowa State University.

The Civic Center of Greater Des Moines

The Civic Center of Greater Des Moines is a private not-for-profit corporation celebrating its 30th season of presenting the performing arts to Iowa and the surrounding states. It is the presenter of major Broadway and educational touring companies, performers and groups, and is the performing home of many local and regional groups, including the Des Moines Symphony and StageWest. All performances of the Broadway Series are supported by Willis Auto Campus. All performances at the Civic Center's Temple Theater are supported by Prairie Meadows.