Des Moines Playhouse

by DC Felton - October 05, 2023

All you gotta do is say his name three times, and he will appear on the Civic Center stage. 'Beetlejuice: The Musical' has been summoned to Des Moines Performing Arts as the finale of the 2022-2023 Willis Broadway Series. You may be asking if 'Beetlejuice' is the perfect start to your spooky season....

by DC Felton - June 07, 2023

Dear Broadwayworld Reader. This week is going to be a good week. That is because 'Dear Evan Hansen' is back in Des Moines through June 11. In 2019, Des Moines Performing Arts brought the first national tour of 'Dear Evan Hansen' early in its run. So it's fitting that it is returning to Des Moines th...

by DC Felton - May 18, 2023

What did our Some artists are remembered for being one-hit wonders, while others are known for producing hit after hit. In either case, we are left with the legacy of their music. When you think of Tina Turner, you think of all the hit songs she is known for. The legacy her music still has can be se...

by DC Felton - May 14, 2023

Every once and a while, when a new season is announced, I find a show in the lineup that I can help but anticipate seeing. For me, that happened when Iowa Stage announced they would be doing 'A Bright New Boise' as part of their 2023 season. It wasn't a show I was familiar with, but it was a plot I ...

by DC Felton - April 06, 2023

In 1957 after a 91-performance Off-Broadway run, a Broadway transfer was planned for Alice Childress' 'Trouble in Mind.' The transfer was halted when Childress refused to soften the themes of racism in the play. Had it premiered, it would have been the first play by an African American female. That ...

by DC Felton - April 03, 2023

September 14, 2021, is a day I will never forget.  After an 18-month break due to Covid, Broadway reopened.  Something special happened that morning.  On Good Morning America, there was a special performance from 'The Lion King' that had the cast in places around New York City, awakening the city an...

by DC Felton - March 26, 2023

Everybody say yeah! It's that time of year when multiple productions start opening after spending the colder winter months inside. For the spring, Des Moines Playhouse has opened its production of "Kinky Boots." While the musical is fun and had the audience on their feet at the end, the show's messa...

by DC Felton - March 16, 2023

In March 0f 2020, Des Moines Performing Arts announced it was bringing the musical '1776' as part of its 2020/2021 Broadway Series. At the time, the production was billed as a pre-Broadway run. What we didn't know at the time was that it would be almost three years before the show was finally able t...

by DC Felton - March 16, 2023

What did our critic think of RUHave you heard what's going on in Indianola? Not only has Carousel announced their new season, more on that at the end of this review, but they opened their latest production to a sold-out audience on March 10. The show that had a sold-out opening night is Neil Simon's...

by DC Felton - March 03, 2023

Our words are powerful; they can tear people down and quickly build people up. This is a lesson that kids of all ages, at times, need to be reminded of. This last weekend, Des Moines Playhouse opened 'The Hundred Dresses' as part of the Kate Goldman Children's Series. This production envelops the en...