DM Playhouse Announces Mini-Season, In-Person and Online

The Des Moines Playhouse, now in its 102nd season, announced a mini-season for winter and spring 2021 that includes a comedy, a musical, and two shows for families. Tickets for in-person and online options are available at dmplayhouse.com and by phone at 515.277.6261.

The Winter/Spring John Viars Theatre Mini-Season features Leaving Iowa, a comedy about a family road trip that was originally scheduled for June 2020, and the musical revue Some Enchanted Evening, featuring songs from such popular Rodgers & Hammerstein musicals as The Sound of Music, South Pacific, Oklahoma!, The King and I, Carousel, and State Fair. The theatre is offering a Flex Four subscription - four vouchers that can be used in any combination for shows now through August 2021 - that is a savings over individual show tickets.

The Kate Goldman Children's Theatre, generously sponsored by Nationwide, will present two shows on the John Viars Theatre stage. These shows are adapted from classic children's literature. Stuart Little, the story of a little mouse on a big adventure, is adapted from the book by E.B. White, and The Velveteen Rabbit is based on the popular book by Margery Williams. School matinees will be offered online for Stuart Little and The Velveteen Rabbit. Information on school matinees is available online at dmplayhouse.com and by calling Playhouse education director Robin Spahr at 515.974.5365.

Shows will be presented in repertory. To perform in repertory means to present a series of plays over a given span of time. Leaving Iowa and Stuart Little will alternate weeks on the stage, Feb. 19-Mar. 21, 2021, and Some Enchanted Evening and The Velveteen Rabbit will alternate weeks from Apr. 9-May 9, 2021. Titles are subject to change. For those not yet ready to return to the theatre, The Playhouse will offer livestream and video-on-demand options for all four shows.

In Summer 2020, The Playhouse presented four shows outdoors with small casts and limited audiences. Three shows have been successfully presented indoors, October-December 2020. To promote safety, The Playhouse has drawn upon the guidelines suggested by local, state, and federal agencies, experts, and associations. Full safety guidelines are posted on the theatre's website, dmplayhouse.com. Protocols for audiences, volunteers, and staff include:

• A longstanding policy that asks guests, volunteers, and staff to stay home if feeling unwell. The theatre further requests individuals stay home that have been recently diagnosed with COVID-19 or are awaiting a COVID-19 test result. The Playhouse will refund tickets.
• Masks are required at all times for all guests, volunteers, and staff.
• Seating capacity is 35%.
• Seating is assigned, based upon when tickets were purchased and the size of groups, with at least 6 feet distance between parties.
• Shows are presented without intermission.
• Playbills are entirely digital.
• A limited array of prepackaged concessions is offered with credit/debit cards preferred for contactless payments.
• Restrooms and elevator are single-use so staff can sanitize after each use.

The Playhouse is Iowa's oldest and largest producing theatre. Located at the 42nd Street exit of I-235, the theatre has presented a season of shows every year since 1919 and also offers a wide variety of educational experiences including classes for ages 4 to adult and volunteer opportunities onstage and backstage.

For more information about The Playhouse and the winter/spring shows, visit The Playhouse website at www.dmplayhouse.com or contact The Playhouse ticket office at 515.277.6261. Ticket office hours are Noon-3:00 PM, Tuesdays-Fridays.

Leaving Iowa Performances: Feb. 19-Mar. 21, 2021, presented in repertory, alternating weeks, with Stuart Little
In-person: 7:30 PM Thursdays-Saturdays, 2:00 PM Sundays
Livestream: 7:30 PM, Friday, Feb. 19, 2021
On-Demand: Feb. 26-28 and Mar. 12-14, 2021
Tickets for in-person performances are $29 per person, all ages
Livestream and on-demand are $25 per device, one viewing
Purchase at dmplayhouse.com

Stuart Little Performances: Feb. 26-Mar. 14, 2021, presented in repertory, alternating weeks, with Leaving Iowa
In-person: 7:00 PM Fridays, 2:00 PM Saturdays-Sundays
Livestream: 7:00 PM, Friday, Feb. 26, 2021
On-Demand: Mar. 5-7 and Mar. 19-21, 2021
Tickets for in-person performances are $15 per person, all ages
Livestream and on-demand are $15 per device, one viewing
Purchase at dmplayhouse.com

Some Enchanted Evening Performances: Apr. 9-May 9, 2021, presented in repertory, alternating weeks, with The Velveteen Rabbit
In-person: 7:30 PM Thursdays-Saturdays, 2:00 PM Sundays
Livestream: 7:30 PM, Friday, Apr. 9, 2021
On-Demand: Dates to be determined
Tickets for in-person performances are $29 per person, all ages
Livestream and on-demand are $25 per device, one viewing
Purchase at dmplayhouse.com

The Velveteen Rabbit Performances: Apr. 16-May 11, 2021, presented in repertory, alternating weeks, with Some Enchanted Evening
In-person: 7:00 PM Fridays, 2:00 PM Saturdays-Sundays
Livestream: 7:00 PM, Friday, Apr. 16, 2021
On-Demand: Dates to be determined
Tickets for in-person performances are $15 per person, all ages
Livestream and on-demand are $15 per device, one viewing
Purchase at dmplayhouse.com