CASEY'S CENTER

by DC Felton - February 05, 2026

February is going to be an exciting month for Des Moines Performing Arts, as not one, but two Tony Award winners for best musical make their debut on the Civic Center stage. They are opening the month with a week-long run of the 2023 winner for Best Musical, 'Kimberly Akimbo.' If the lead-up activit...

by DC Felton - January 16, 2026

Every once in a while, a show finds its own path. The US national tour of 'Six' is making its second stop in Des Moines this week at Des Moines Performing Arts, and almost 10 years later, the show still has the same level of excitement it did then....

by DC Felton - December 20, 2025

One of my favorite parts of the Holiday season is seeing classic stories brought to the stage. For many people, their first experience in theatre is a production of “The Nutcracker” or “A Christmas Carol.” This season, we get the opportunity to add a third story to that growing list. On Tuesday, Dec...

by DC Felton - December 05, 2025

Stories can be one of the most powerful things in the world. We all have different reasons we share a story.  Sometimes it's to pass down a lesson we have learned.  Other times it's to remind us or someone we know about our story. 'The Notebook: The Musical,' which opened on Tuesday at Des Moines Pe...

by DC Felton - November 24, 2025

An epic musical is taking the stage this week as Des Moines Performing Arts gets ready for an epic change of its own. This week, it was announced that Monica Holt will take over as President and CEO of Des Moines Performing Arts, succeeding Jeff Chelsvig, who is retiring. A big thank you to Jeff Che...

by DC Felton - August 03, 2025

Another season at Des Moines Performing Arts is coming to a close, and they have saved one of the best shows of the season to close it out. ...

by DC Felton - May 11, 2025

On Tuesday, '& Juliet' opened, and the show is a new type of Jukebox musical.  One where the story comes first, and the music is an enhancement of the story. See here for the review! ...

by DC Felton - March 02, 2025

Stories are not just narratives, they are powerful tools that shape our understanding of the world. They can be about the legacy a person leaves, they can excite us about what is to come, or they can help us process the events in our lives. But most importantly, stories leave us with questions, spar...

by DC Felton - January 31, 2025

It's a rare sight to see a giant inflatable ear of corn in the lobby of Des Moines Performing Arts, or to be offered a show-themed drink. But when a musical about corn comes to Iowa, it's time to pull out all the stops. This is exactly what they've done for 'Shucked,' which premiered Tuesday night a...

by DC Felton - December 09, 2024

This season with Des Moines Performing Arts is full of 'Razzle Dazzle.' One of the things I'm excited about this season with Willis Broadway Series is that they are presenting not one but two shows that came out of the City Center Encore Series in NYC. The first is 'Chicago: The Musical,' which is c...