DC Felton - Page 7

Have you ever thought what would happen if a sitting President was unfit to serve in the White House? You probably just had an instant reaction to the questions based on your thoughts on our current administration. This review is not going to be a commentary on this or any other administration, but about Carousel Theatre of Indianola's current production of 'Delusions of Power' opening today November 10. This fun comedy is not your everyday political comedy that satirizes current events, it takes the idea of a rarely evoked amendment and asks what could happen if it were to be used.

If you were to look back on your childhood, one of the first books you probably read was a Dr. Seuss book. The books have become a rite of passage as the stories are passed down from generation to generation. In 2012, I had the pleasure to be involved in a production of a show and this weekend I got to share the show with a new generation by taking my friend's 5-year-old daughter to the show. That show was Des Moines Young Artists' Theatre's (DMYAT) production of a?oeSeussical: Jr.a?? This whimsical production is a reminder to adults about the power of imagination and shows the magic that happens when young artists get to tell stories on stage.

Suicide and mental illness are issues that people have a hard time discussing. When theatres take on one of these subjects, they have to ride a very thin line about how far they can push the subject and still be excepted by their audience. Each person's reaction can be very different. Ankeny Community Theatre (ACT) is taking that risk with their production of a?oe 'Night, Mothera?? which opened on October 31. Because the topic of suicide can have different implications for each person that sees the show, I'm not going say if I felt the play tackles that subject successfully or not, but I'm going to focus on what Ankeny is doing successfully with this show.

Just in time for Halloween, Tallgrass Theatre is opening its new season, which takes us from coast to coast, with a thrilling production that will keep you on the edge of your seat. Frederick Knott's a?oeWait Until Darka?? starts this season-long journey in a small apartment in New York. Each aspect of this production makes this chilling story a perfect fit for this haunting holiday season.

Did you ever wish you could trade places with your parents for them to see what life is like? Or have you wished you could switch places with your child so they can see just how difficult being a child is? If you can say yes to either of those questions, then Des Moines Playhouse has a production for you. a?oeFreaky Fridaya?? opened this last weekend as the opening to the Kate Goldman Children's Theatre 2019-2020 season.

It's that time of year when everyone starts doing the a?oeTime Warpa?? again. For most people, their introduction to the a?oeRocky Horror Showa?? is the cult classic 1975 movie. For the 4th year, Kata Klysmic Productions is doing a new production of a?oeThe Rocky Horror Show.a?? The audience in attendance were all having a great time not just seeing the show, but doing the typical audience participation that comes with it. What makes this production of Rocky Horror back for its fourth production with Kata Klysmic?

Sometimes, it's fun to go back and take a look at a past time in our lives, especially if there were good memories from it. If someone were to ask you about a time in your life, you probably aren't going to say high school. When we do look back, many times it is to laugh about the memories we have. a?oeMean Girlsa?? allows us to take a trip back and have a few laughs as we see characters that we have come to love through the 2000 movie, but also that we may recognize as well. This trip back in time is brought to Des Moines thanks to Des Moines Performing Arts where this show opens their 2019-2020 Willis Broadway Series.

Theatre companies always hope a show will do well, but every so often a show comes that exceeds their expectations, and eventually, they bring the show back. For Noce, known for bringing the best jazz artist to Des Moines, their show is a play ironically called a?oeSouvenira?? which is returning to the end of October. I missed it the first time the show was produced, and after seeing the show this weekend, this a?oeSouvenira?? was certainly worth taking another look at.

Revisiting the past can be difficult. Sometimes it's addressing an issue that has come up, while at other times it can be about coming to terms with events or actions from our past. In a?oeA Doll's House: Part 2a??, one of theatres most well know heroine's is doing just that. While a?oeA Doll's Housea?? is known for the door slamming at the end of the show, a?oeA Doll's House: Part 2a??, being presented in rep at Iowa Stage, opens the door for us to revisit these characters, and look at women's roles in the family today.

Have you ever wondered what it would be like if one of your family members that have passed on could come back and talk with you? What would they say? Ankeny Community Theatres production of a?oeMom's Gift,a?? which opened this weekend, asked the audience that very questions. The comedic and heartfelt play is a reminder of how sometimes we don't always know the full story. What is Mom's Gift? That you will have to come to the show to find out.

In 1879, a door slam was heard around the world when Henrik Ibsen's 'A Doll's House' concluded for the first time. While the play is known for its ending, Iowa Stage is using it to open two new beginning for them, the beginning of a new season, and the beginning of a new location. I feel that this added to the buzz and excitement for 'A Doll's House,' and the upcoming 'A Doll's House: Part 2' being done in repertoire. The combination of a new performance space and a new season made this a dazzling evening of theatre.

Growing up can be hard. We try to do everything we can to stop it. We try to change our appearance or even hold on to a memory. What makes it difficult, is when they are memories we don't want to, or can't let go of. Kimberly Belflower's 'Lost Girl,' currently playing at Des Moines Young Artists' Theatre, allows us to look at letting go through the eyes of a familiar character. By doing this, it allows us as an audience to take a journey and reflect on the things we hold onto, and the impact they have.

Imagine finding out you have been living poor your whole life, only to find out you are part of the wealthiest family in your area. How far would you go to get your hands on part of that money? a?oeA Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder,a?? the first presentation of this season at Des Moines Playhouse presents this thought out to the audience. They do this by presenting the case of Monty Navarro. Is he guilty though? That is answered in the first few minutes of the show playing through September 29.

While Ankeny Community Theatre (ACT) may be closing their 2018-2019 season, they are also opening the 2019-2020 Des Moines Theatre season. To pull this off you need a show that transcends time, as well as instantly recognizable.   They've tackled this challenge by staging William Shakespeare's “A Midsummer Night's Dream,” which opened on August 2.  Not only do they show how timeless this show is, but they also put on a production that the audience can have fun with as well.

Becoming a teenager is a moment kids look up to. Growing up, we see teenagers as grown-up and cool, but we find out when we turn 13, that is all wrong. Des Moines Young Artist Theatre production of a?oe13,a?? with a book by Dan Elish and Robert Horn, with music and lyrics by Jason Robert Brown, examines the up and down a group of students goes through as they turn 13. While this can be one of the most awkward times in a person's life, there is nothing awkward about this amazing production!

What a week it has been for the city of Indianola. Des Moines Metro Opera closed their 2019 season, RAGBRAI has been through town, the county fair has started, and we are preparing for the National Balloon Classic. Yet there is another event in town that people will soon be talking about. Carousel Theatre of Indianola is opening the final production of their 2019 season with a big and grand production of a?oeThe Hunchback of Notre Dame.a?? Their production opens on July 26, but I was fortunate to be able to catch a preview of the show, and this theatre is giving Indianola another gem to add to the treasures the town has to offer.

One of the great things theatre can do is start a conversation on topics that may not be the most comfortable to talk about. Sometimes it prompts a conversation, and other times it leaves you to ponder what your thoughts are on an issue. In Iowa Stage's and Kingman Row Entertainment's joint production of a?oePrivate Passage,a?? it asks the audience to do both on an issue that has been featured heavily in the news lately. That issue is women's reproductive rights.

Everyone can remember the first time they saw Annie. Maybe it was on stage, or maybe it is one of 3 film/tv versions that have come out. No matter when you first saw it, it probably became one of those shows that stays with you for a long time. The show's optimistic message is one that has stood the test of time and remains relevant still to this day. On July 19, Urbandale Community Theatre opened their production of "Annie" and when you come to see the show, as the song says, "I think you're gonna like it here."

A new generation is taking over the Des Moines Playhouse! I'm not talking about a new artistic director, or the close of their 100th season. This generation can be seen on stage in DMP's production of Disney's 'Newsies: The Musical' which opened this weekend. I say a new generation because half, if not more, of the cast are making their DSM debuts, and if this production is any indication of where the Playhouse is going, they will be around for another 100 years and more.

Every so often, a production comes around that leaves you pondering about the show when it is done. For me, it's usually a jarring show that asks the audience to think about how we see things in the world, and if the way we see things can be adjusted or not. Des Moines Metro Opera's (DMMO) production of 'WOZZECK' was a production that will leave you thinking about a topic that is very prevalent in our world today, mental illness. This production deals with a character that is dealing with insanity. What this production does well is having the idea of insanity prevalent in multiple aspects of the show.