Des Moines Theater Reviews
View the latest BroadwayWorld reviews of live + streaming theatre in Des Moines.

by DC Felton - December 16, 2020
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 f...

by DC Felton - December 05, 2020
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 ...

by DC Felton - October 21, 2020
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...

by DC Felton - October 19, 2020
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 Moin...

by DC Felton - October 14, 2020
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 ...

by DC Felton - July 06, 2020
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 ...

by DC Felton - June 30, 2020
Opera companies worldwide have found themselves canceling their seasons, including Des Moines Metro Opera (DMMO). The difference with DMMO is that they have had an Emmy winning partnership with Iowa Public Television, now called Iowa Public Broadcasting Service (PBS), coming together to give you th...

by DC Felton - June 12, 2020
Recently, the term intermission has taken on a new meaning in the theatre community. While we usually use it as a term to signify a break in a show, we have recently modified it to a break in theatre productions due to COVID19. While we may not be able to gather as a theatre community to sit in a t...

by DC Felton - March 20, 2020
As we head out of the winter season and into spring, there is one thing we know is coming, rain. This last weekend Des Moines Playhouse opened their production of 'Singin' In The Rain.' As their production opened this weekend, there was a giant storm cloud in the distance called COVID-19 that caused...

by DC Felton - March 06, 2020
Loss. It's not easy for anyone to discuss. Everyone deals with loss in different ways. Carousel Theatre of Indianola is exploring the process of dealing with losing a loved one in their current production of Sarah Ruhl's 'Eurydice,' which opens on March 6. While the subject matter may be challeng...

by DC Felton - February 27, 2020
Have you ever found yourself wrapped up in a rumor, and in the end, wasn't sure what was real or not? Or have you wanted something to happen so badly it feels as though it becomes a reality? This week Des Moines Performing Arts opened 'Anastasia' as part of the 2019-2020 Willis Broadway Series. This...

by DC Felton - February 23, 2020
Do you believe in fairies? Or have you grown too old for that belief? Maybe a better question is, do you have a friend? Someone who believes in you, especially when you disagree with each other? Des Moines Playhouse's current production of 'Tinker Bell' by Patrick Flynn, uses everyone's favorite ...

by DC Felton - February 22, 2020
A few years ago, on a cold winters night, Des Moines symphony brought an event to Des Moines that lead to a series of special engagements. This was the launch of the films in concert series that have brought the first two Harry Potter films, Star Wars: A New Hope, and Home Alone to Des Moines accom...

by DC Felton - February 20, 2020
Have you ever gone to a show and thought about how much room there was on a stage? Some shows I go to, it seems like there is hardly any room for the actors to get around, and I leave impressed by all that they were able to do. Now imagine the stage at Des Moines Performing Arts. How many people ...

by DC Felton - February 17, 2020
Becoming a teenager can be hard. It can be hard as they transition from wanting to be treated like a kid and wanting to be treated like an adult. These become the formative years where interest starts to form that will impact the career path they decide to go down in their lives. This weekend, Des...

by DC Felton - February 12, 2020
It's that time of year in Iowa where we get stuck inside, either due to the cold weather or snow shutting things down. As we get stuck inside, there tends to be one thing missing, laughter. Ankeny Community Theatre is giving us that laughter in their current production of a?oeDon't Dress for Dinne...

by DC Felton - February 10, 2020
Looking in the mirror can be hard. At times we see the best side of us. At other times we see the worst. One of the things we look at is our weight. We are either too skinny or too fat. It's time that we quit using labels do define who we are. This is a challenge given to the audience who attend ...

by DC Felton - January 29, 2020
In 2017, I decided in preparation for hosting my first Tony Party to listen to the nominees for Best Musical and Revival. Listening to these shows introduced me to 'Come From Away,' which opened at Des Moines Performing Arts on January 28. As I listened to the fantastic music, I fell in love with '...

by DC Felton - January 27, 2020
Looking for the light in the dark times we face can be very difficult. In 1942, a girl went into hiding with her family, along with another family, from the Nazi's who had invaded Holland. While in hiding the girl kept a diary of her experience, which after her death would become the most read boo...

by DC Felton - January 26, 2020
It is that season again in Iowa. No, I'm talking about winter, I'm talking about caucus season. Candidates are coming to the state vying for something a?' one single nomination. Iowa Stage is taking a look at the candidates and the raucous caucus in their first offering of 2020, Robert Jason Ford's...

by DC Felton - January 20, 2020
With the cold weather outside, do you long to escape to a warmer place? While you may not be able to escape someplace warm, Tallgrass Theatre Company is taking us to a warmer place in their season-long journey across America. Their current production of a?oeOther Desert Citiesa?? takes us to the sun...

by DC Felton - January 15, 2020
When you hear of a musical turning 50 years old, many think of shows musicals from the golden age of Broadway. Now we are entering a new era were the blockbuster musicals, that have made Broadway what it is today, start celebrating their 50th anniversary. Des Moines Performing Arts is presenting the...

by DC Felton - January 05, 2020
Has being home for winter break given your kids the blues? Are they in need of an adventure? Or do you need an escape? If the answer to any of these questions is yes, then Kate Godman Children's Theatre's production of David Woods a?oeJames and the Giant Peacha?? is for you. This journey will tak...

by DC Felton - January 05, 2020
It's that time of year where everyone is wondering when and If we are going to have a major snowstorm? And if so how much? Now take a moment and imagine there is a blizzard with white out conditions. This is what you hear as you enter into a?oeTheatre Midwesta?? production of a?oeBrilliant Traces...

by DC Felton - December 14, 2019
Everyone loves a good ghost story. Usually, these stories have been reserved for around a campfire or Halloween. So why would someone tell a ghost story around the holidays? Iowa Stage is telling us this in their production, which opens today 'A Christmas Carol: A Ghost Story of Christmas.' While th...