DES MOINES THEATER REVIEWS

Des Moines Metro Opera recently brought its 50th Anniversary season to a close, and they saved a special treat for their audiences. For the 2024 season, they are commissioning a full-length opera of AMERICAN APOLLO. As a treat to those in attendance this season, they offered the opportunity to see t...

When an organization reaches a milestone like 50 years, it can be easy to look back at everything that brought you to that milestone. While Des Moines Metro Opera's productions of A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM and PORGY AND BESS do that, they are also looking at the future with the world premiere produ...

In March 2020, just a few weeks before 'My Fair Lady' was supposed to play at Des Moines Performing Arts, the Covid 19 pandemic hit Iowa, causing the Des Moines leg of the tour to be postponed. After an almost two-and-a-half-year delay, the show has finally made its way to the Civic Center Stage. Af...

Starting a theatre company is no easy feat, but for a theatre to be around for 50 years is something worth celebrating. You can celebrate 50 years with Des Moines Metro Opera this summer, which just opened up its 50th season with two spectacular productions. The season opened up a sold-out run of Th...

What did our critic think of Calendar Girls at Des Monies Playhouse? The people in our lives have a significant impact on us, and sometimes we don’t know their impact on us until they are gone. How we reflect on them can sometimes lead us to do extraordinary things. “Calendar Girls,” which ope...

What did our critic think of Cry it Out at Ankeny Community Theatre? Over the last few years of doing reviews, I've had the pleasure of seeing some true gems in our theatre community that are just outside of Des Moines. While these theatres may not have the budget of some of the Des Moines theatres,...

One of the great things about theatre is the stories it allows us to tell. It doesn't seem like it would work when you first hear the story 'Hamilton' and how it is being told. The show has proved that wrong since 2015 since it took New York and then the country by storm. When it first came to Des M...

Some of the best moments are when a small decision significantly impacts our lives. One of the great parts of being in theatre is how it can tap into those small decisions and deliver a show that can touch on the impact of those decisions. Tallgrass Theatre Company's production of 'Tiny Beautiful Th...

With theatre coming back, one of the most exciting parts is seeing new shows hit the stage that were developed entirely or in part during the pandemic. Seeing a new play even more exciting is when a local playwright writes it. So when Iowa Stage announced they would be doing the world premiere of 'G...

Growing up, one of my favorite movies to rent from our local library was about a strong girl named Pippi Longstocking, which was short for Pippilotta Delicatessa Windowshade Mackrelmint Efraim's Daughter Longstocking. So when Des Moines Playhouse announced it would be part of their 2021-2022 season,...

Stories can be told in many ways. Sometimes they are told verbally from person to person. Other times, such as in a show, they can be told in the pieces of set being used or through other technical elements. Ankeny Community Theatre is stretching its storytelling muscles with its current production ...

On March 14, 2020, after only two performances, Des Moines Playhouse made the difficult decision to postpone their spring production of “Singin’ In the Rain.” At the time, they didn’t realize that COVID-19 would force them to cancel their show. I was fortunate enough to attend the second per...

As actors, designers, directors, we can't help but find a little of ourselves in the work we do. It's what makes theatre so special. We open our hearts for people to see, live. Now imagine, if you will, that you are a playwright. Imagine writing something so personal that you refuse to have it publi...

Theatre is a form of storytelling. Sometimes a show tells a new story, and other times it takes a familiar one and gives it a new spin. 'Hadestown,' which opened on March 22 at Des Moines Performing Arts, does the latter in its retelling of the Greek story of Orpheus and Eurydice. The question going...

Every so often, a show comes out that asks its audience to take a look at something they may feel uncomfortable discussing. When care is taken, it can make for a powerful and thought-provoking production that evokes a dialogue to happen following the show. One of those shows is 'Next to Normal,' whi...

One of the great things about children's theatre is that it brings some of our favorite stories from growing up to life on the stage. This also sparks children's imagination to dig into the books they are based on. Des Moines Playhouse is sparking the imagination of this generation and encouraging t...

I love seeing in the arts when a company takes a classic work and reimagines it for a modern audience. This often allows for more imaginative and innovative production that brings a brand new audience to your company. As they begin their 50th Season, Des Moines Metro Opera brings Wolfgang Amadeus Mo...

One of the best parts of seeing live theatre is sitting in a show and having it surprise you. Sometimes it can be from a performance in the show, or it could come from a fantastic technical element such as sets or lighting. Then other times, it could be how an amazing script comes to life. While all...

While we may have had a few snowstorms this winter that has left us stuck in our houses, imagine if you were stuck on a train during a snowstorm. As you're stuck in the middle of nowhere on that train, a murder happens. If you can visualize this, then Des Moines Playhouse has the perfect play for yo...

Broadway is back at Des Moines Performing Arts. While this last fall we were treated got a glimpse into having the Willis Broadway Series this last fall with an engagement of 'The Bands Visit,' the series returned on February 8 with a hilarious production of 'Tootsie.' Like the title of the act 1 fi...

Growing up, there were two things I looked forward to being on TV each year, 'The Wizard of Oz' and 'The Sound of Music.' The latter of these movies has become a holiday tradition on TV each year, including the return of live musical productions. So when Des Moines Playhouse was looking for a family...

A Theatre finds out that they will no longer be able to use the space they perform. As they are going into tech week for one of their final shows in their former home, a pandemic hit, causing the production to be shut down and ultimately canceled. Over the next year and a half, the community gets be...

If the first thing you think of at the holidays is people in the nursing homes, then Ankeny Community Theatre has the perfect holiday show for you in 'Geezers' by Tommy Lee Johnston. While the play may not occur during the Christmas holiday or be at a typical holiday location, this show has a messag...

In March 2020, as Iowa Stage was getting ready to open their production of 'The Cake,' they had to start delaying their production due to the first cases of Covid 19 in Iowa. When it became clear that it wasn't going to be staged anytime soon, they took the initiative to present an outdoor staged re...

As kids, around the holidays, it was always fun to sing alternative lyrics to songs, especially Jingle Bells.  If you are like me, just hearing Jingle Bells puts you into the holiday spirit.  You can probably remember those alternative lyrics as well.  While this may be featured in Des Moines Pla...