DC Felton - Page 9

Des Moines Playhouse has found itself adapting to the current climate throughout the pandemic and is continuing to produce live theatre. Last summer, they offered a drive-in theatre. Throughout the year, they have provided live indoor productions to smaller houses and streams of their shows. This summer, they are adapting once again by taking a step back in time. Taking a cue from the traveling tent shows the during the first part of the 20th century, the Playhouse is presenting a summer tent series. The tent series opened up on July 9 with a production of John-Michael Tebelak and Stephen Schwartz Godspell.

Pink, voguing, drag, stiletto heels, opera, seeing that list, you may feel that opera seems out of place, but you couldn't be more wrong. On July 10, Des Moines Metro Opera (DMMO) took all those and melded them together as they opened the company's premiere production of 'Platée.' While many companies may have taken a more classical approach to this opera, DMMO took the risk of taking a modern approach to this opera. After seeing this production on the 10th, I can tell you with certainty the risk certainly reaped the rewards that go with it.

In March of 2020, when other theatres were having to make decisions to shutter their productions due to the pandemic, Carousel Theatre was hoping to finish the second weekend of their run of 'Eurydice.' Fortunately, they were able to complete the run before rules about gatherings started to change. As it became clear that theatres wouldn't be opening up soon, they began brainstorming ideas of how they could still produce projects, even if they didn't have a live in-person audience. So far, the public has seen two virtual cabarets, but Carousel was also running a unique program for them throughout the pandemic. That program was Carousel Theatre's Play-write project.

While fireworks may have been going off outside on July 3, Des the Des Moines Metro Opera continued their grand opening weekend after a year with no live opera. The celebration inside was for the opening of their second production of the summer, Tchaikovsky's THE QUEEN OF SPADES, with a libretto by his brother Modest. While this opera may have premiered in 1890, Des Moines Metro Opera celebrates its premiere with their company.

On June 27th, 2019, Des Moines Metro Opera announced its 2020 season to the public but what captured my attention was a barber's chair dimly lit by a window above it. There is only one show that this could have been, Stephen Sondheim's SWEENEY TODD. I had seen the recording of the original production, two filmed concerts, and the movie, but I was going to be able to see it live for the first time. I was extremely excited but then came COVID, which forced the opera to postpone its season. I was heartbroken—but then it was postponed to 2021 and used it as their season opener.

On March 14, when I was sitting at Des Moines Playhouse watching their production of 'Singin' in the Rain,' I had no idea what was about to come. Iowa had just had its first case of Covid19 just a few short weeks prior. That evening an email came out that the production was being postponed. What came next was a nightmare, fifteen months without seeing a live show in a theatre. The Playhouse has been able to find a way to make live performances work this last year, but I needed to be comfortable going to the theatre.

What is an agitator? The New Oxford American Dictionary describes an agitator as a person who urges others to protest or rebel. In today's heated political climate, we see agitators on both sides of the aisle, some agitating for good and others not. Iowa Stage's production of 'The Agitators' by Mat Smart takes a look at two agitators from our history and the struggles they both ensued. While this production was only available for a limited time, it left its audiences with a powerful and thought-provoking play. It left them thinking not only about the differences of the times these two agitators lived in but the similarities to the world we live in now.

Children can tell some of the most creative stories. They aren't afraid to let whatever is in their imagination come to life. As we get older, we tend to let go of the imaginative stories we tell and focus more on the reality of what is currently going on in our lives. Des Moines playhouse opened their production of 'The Velveteen Rabbit, by Patrick Flynn, based on the book by Margery Williams, on April 16. Their imaginative telling taps into the power of a child's imagination and leaves audiences with a story that is both timely and heartwarming.

When Des Moines Playhouse closed their production of 'Singin' in the Rain' last year, no one could have imagined what would follow. A year without a musical performance on the stage. This meant that the big productions they had planned for Summer, Fall, and Winter had to be canceled. That changed on Friday, April 9, when they opened their spring production of 'Some Enchanted Evening: The Songs of Rodgers and Hammerstein.'

Throughout the history of theatre, the art form has adapted to its current times. In 2020 it was forced to adapt again due to Covid 19. Each theatre company has found its own unique way to adapt. This last summer, Iowa Stage did a one-night reading of a play called 'The Cake,' performed at Des Moines Playhouse's parking lot. Since then, they have adapted by doing a play via zoom and now are adapting again. On March 5, Iowa Stage opened their most recent production for the 2020-2021 virtual season, 'Bright Half Life' by Tanya Barfield.

Over the last year, there have been things we've all missed. I especially miss taking my friend's now seven-year-old daughter to see a children's show. Through the Playhouse's Friday Funday program, she was introduced to theatre, so I was excited to take her to a production at Kate Goldman's Children's Theatre. The first one we attended was 'Ella Enchanted,' which was a magical evening. So I was excited to see that the Playhouse was bringing back the Kate Goldman Children's series this winter, with their first show 'Stuart Little, by Joseph Robinette, based on the book by E.B. White, opening this last Friday.

You have a voice. You have a story. The life experiences you have, continue to add to your story. As your story continues, how often do you take the time to hear another person's story? How often do you take the time to listen to a person's story who is a different race than you? On Thursday, February 25, I had that opportunity when Two Steps from the Left Productions, with production assistance from Des Moines Playhouse, presented 'nature of the dream,' a devised theatre piece that uplifts voices and stories regarding Black identity in Iowa.

Sometimes, one of the hardest things we can do take the time to reflect. Taking that time to reminisce can sometimes lead to a fresh perspective for us. A few nights ago, one of my theatre friends Mariah Kerns took the time to reflect on the last year. She shared on Facebook, regarding her and her husband, 'The last 'normal' thing we did before voluntarily going into quarantine on March 15, 2020, was see a live show. Last night, nearly a year later, we went to see another.' The show she referred to was Des Moines Playhouse's preview of 'Leaving Iowa,' which I streamed on opening night, February 19. Since this viewing, the show's performances have been suspended for two weeks due to Covid 19.

This has been a strange year. It started with so many theatrical opportunities in the Des Moines area. Unfortunately that all changed on March 14 when theatres across the state started closing their current shows early and having to cancel the rest of their seasons due to Covid 19. This has led to financial hardships for theatres across the country. 

It’s that time of year again, a time when we gather at our local theatres to see our favorite stories come to life on the stage. While Covid may have impacted if and how we attend productions, Des Moines Playhouse is allowing us to see a show either in person or virtually with their holiday family classic, “Playhouse “On The Air” Presents: Miracle on 34th Street.” This production opened on December 4 and is now available to see in person or online.

One of the surprising parts of this pandemic is that we have been able to take the time to step back and think about what impacts our lives. Sometimes it may be a person, other times it may be an event or show that we attend. Not being able to sit in a theatre the last few months has allowed me to sit back and think about the different theatre companies I have been able to see over the last year and a half and what makes them unique. One of those theatres is Iowa Stage. I’ve missed going to their shows and leaving the show challenged by what was being said in the show. So I was excited to hear that they were doing a one week run of “Tuesday’s with Morrie,” and it was being done as a virtual production.

Theatre takes us on a journey each time we see a show. Sometimes that journey is comical like “Weekend Comedy” which opened last weekend at the is currently running every other weekend. Other times it takes us on an emotional journey, like in “You and I” by Lauren Gunderson, which opened at Des Moines Playhouse Friday evening. 

On March 14, I had the pleasure to see and review Des Moines Playhouse's fantastic production of 'Singing in the Rain.' What I didn't know at the time, was that the theatre community was getting ready to shut down due to COVID-19, or that the performance I was seeing was going to be the productions closing performance. After a summer of Drive-in theatre, the Playhouse has decided to bring their first production back inside to the John Viars Theatre. 'Weekend Comedy' by Jeanne Bobrick and Sam Bobrick opened on October 9 to a live and streaming audience, and it was just the dose of laughter everyone needed.

What a year 2020 has been for the theatre community. At this time of year, we are usually celebrating the previous season and anxiously awaiting the first productions of a new season. Like so many theatre companies, Iowa Stage started the year of 2020 off strong with the debut of Robert John Forda??s latest musical a?oeAdore Us! Line.a?? As they were getting ready to start performances of a?oeThe Cake,a?? by Bekah Brunstetter, Iowa Stage found themselves having to postpone the show. What no one realized at the time, was the time it would take to be able to perform live again. Now Iowa Stage is looking at how to start providing theatrical opportunities to the community.

Last week Des Moines Metro Opera (DMMO) and Iowa Public Broadcasting Service started the 2020 Virtual Opera season with a stunning airing of 'Manon.' The decision to go virtual this season was due to the continuing COVID crisis. They continue their summer season this week with their 2018 production of Antonin Dvořák's 'Rusalka,' which I had the opportunity to usher during the 2018 season.