Brooke Bridenstine - Page 2

Once, the 2012 Tony Award winner for Best musical, is one of the most nontraditional musicals to come along in quite some time. Based on the Academy Award winning film of the same name, Once opened on Broadway in 2012 to strong reviews and the momentum continued to build to a Tony win and the launching of a national tour. Once played in Des Moines last week and, based upon the reception, will be welcome back anytime in the future.

Though spring officially began in March, April feels like the true beginning of a new season. The sun is shining, the weather is warming and April makes up for a slower March with shows of every variety.

Classic books are making a comeback - on stage, that is. From family plays based on books by E.B. White and Judy Blume to an epic musical based on a work by Victor Hugo, all kinds of books are coming to life on stage this month.

The blue, bald headed men of the aptly named Blue Man Group invaded Des Moines last week and proved why they have been leaving their blue prints around the globe for nearly thirty years. Time after time - and with decibels to spare - Blue Man Group brought audiences to their feet.

No matter what the groundhog said on February 2nd, February will kick start an early spring with shows of every variety setting up shop in Des Moines.

Let the theater be your respite from the cold this January. From rock and roll to award-winning plays, there is a show for everyone this month.

Though there is no shortage of cold air in Des Moines this month, there is also no shortage of great theater. Read on to find out what you can't miss this month.

The musical that flew back to Des Moines last week needs no introduction. Wicked, The Untold Story of the Witches of Oz, cast its spell on Des Moines in two prior engagements and this time around new spectators and Wicked veterans alike will be flocking to see the gravity defying musical.

Stages in November will be abuzz with song and dance, laughter and joy. November highlights include Broadway blockbusters, family-friendly musicals, and a classic play.

October will offer a variety of productions for Des Moines theatergoers. From Broadway blockbusters to smaller dramatic plays, there will be something for everyone. Read on to find out how to get involved.

Ballet is not a dance style often featured on a Broadway stage, but Matthew Bourne's Sleeping Beauty may change that. His production of Sleeping Beauty is as imaginative, expansive, and stunning as the best productions offered on Broadway. In its' North American premiere at the Des Moines Civic Center this past weekend, Sleeping Beauty won over audiences with virtuosity and spectacle.

Just as summer is transitioning to fall, September is also the month in which the slower summer theater season shifts into the busier fall and winter season. Several shows will open in September, including a show making its' North American Premiere.

August is caught between the relaxing stretch of summer and the buildup to the hustle back to school season. Luckily, there is a wonderful play you can see this month that will transform you to a different time and place.

When Jersey Boys opened on Broadway in 2005 it won numerous Tony awards and was heaped with praise. This week, the national tour makes a second stop in Des Moines, to remind us that the awards and praise are well deserved.

What has thus far been a relatively quiet summer on the stage heats up this month thanks to a national tour and a local take on a Broadway hit.

Des Moines Performing Arts' Temple Comedy Series has done an excellent job of showcasing small comedy and improv troupes this season. Wrapping up the series right now is the improv musical comedy Broadway's Nest Hit Musical running now through May 12th.

May is not quite the busy month that April was, but there are some fun events to look forward to in Des Moines this month.

When Rock of Ages stopped in Des Moines for a limited engagement last week, the beat could be heard for blocks and audiences were on their feet before the last number was over.

Des Moines audiences are getting spoiled with several productions again this month. After a busy March, April follows suit with a national tour and numerous local productions throughout the month.

Million Dollar Quartet is difficult to categorize. Billed as a musical, it is unlike almost any musical playing because it takes place over an extremely short time span and features a small cast of characters. The show, which tells of a recording session at Sam Phillips' Sun Records featuring Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis, Elvis Presley, and Carl Perkins, feels more like a concert because the musical numbers do not comment on the plot or characters. One thing is certain, when Million Dollar Quartet stopped in Des Moines last week, audiences were dancing in the aisles.