Des Moines Theater Reviews: Best Shows & Critic Recommendations Page 7

BWW Review: DISGRACED at Iowa Stage: Theatre at It's Best
by DC Felton - May 11, 2019

When Iowa Stage puts on a production, you can expect a few things going into the show, a strong production with some of the best actors in Des Moines, and a show that challenge the way you may think. The 2013 Pulitzer Prize winner 'Disgraced' by Ayad Akhtar is no different as it looks at issues such...

BWW Review: THE FRIENDLY HOUR at Theatre Midwest: A Theatre Is Born
by DC Felton - May 10, 2019

As I start my 5th month of reviewing Des Moines Theatre, I can't help but think about how each theatre brings its own unique voice to Des Moines and the surrounding areas. With as many voices as there are, there are still more stories that can be told. A few months ago, I started hearing about a new...

BWW Review: THE SECOND CITY: IT'S NOT YOU, IT'S ME at Des Moines Performing Arts: An Evening Full of Laughter
by DC Felton - May 02, 2019

The Second City is a premiere improv troupe from Chicago, and they are back in Des Moines for an all-new show. 'It's Not You, it's Me.-The Second City' opened on April 30 at The Temple Theatre as part of the Prairie Meadows Temple Comedy Series. I had the opportunity to go to the May 1 performance a...

BWW Review: SCHOOL OF ROCK at DES MOINES PERFORMING ARTS: Gold Stars All Around
by DC Felton - May 01, 2019

Another school year may be coming to an end, but school is just starting at Des Moines Performing Arts as “School of Rock: The Musical” opened up April 30 for a limited 1 week engagement as part of the Willis Broadway Series. This production is not to be missed, especially if you are wanting to intr...

BWW Review: PROOF at Ankeny Community Theatre: Risks Reeps Rewards
by DC Felton - April 29, 2019

Risk is something that is important for theatre. If theatres never took risks, they never would be able to grow, or know what their audience is comfortable seeing. Ankeny Community Theatre is taking risks with their Studio series. For the final show of their 2018-2019 studio series, the presented 'P...

BWW Review: SIMON SINGS PORGY AND BESS at Des Moines Symphony: A Jubilant Evening of Beautiful Music
by DC Felton - April 28, 2019

It is always a jubilant evening when I get to see the Des Moines Symphony, and their most recent concert was no different. I had the pleasure of attending the Saturday evening performance of 'Simon Sings Porgy and Bess' and was treated to an evening of stunning music. One thing I appreciate about th...

BWW Review: ELLA ENCHANTED at Kate Goldman Children's Theatre-Des Moines Playhouse: An Enchanting Evening for Children of All Ages
by DC Felton - April 27, 2019

Are you looking for an enchanting evening out with your family? Look no farther than the Kate Goldman's Theatre production of 'Ella Enchanted.' I was fortunate enough to be able to take my friend's 5-year-old daughter to see the show, and the show didn't just enchant her, but it enchanted me as well...

BWW Review: TREASURE ISLAND at Des Moines Young Artist Theatre: No Longer Just an Adventure for Boys
by DC Felton - April 22, 2019

One of the things I love about theatre is how it asks us to look at societal norms and challenge them. One of the ways theatre does that is by the people we see onstage. What we don't see is the people behind the stage. When you look behind the scenes, it is sad to see how few women there are desi...

BWW Review: CLOSER at Open Door Rep: An Intimate Show in an Intimate Location
by DC Felton - April 13, 2019

If your theatre doesn't have a home base, it can be difficult to find places to perform your shows. Sometimes it means finding a new place to perform. This can be both challenging and exciting at the same time. Now imagine a theatre that does this for every show. That would be Open Door Rep. They fi...

BWW Review: HELLO, DOLLY! at Des Moines Performing Arts: Back in Iowa, Where it Belongs!
by DC Felton - April 10, 2019

Hello Des Moines! It's time to put on your Sunday clothes because Hello, Dolly!' is here for one week only at the Civic Center as part of the Des Moines Performing Arts and Willis Broadway Series. If you don't have tickets yet to this show, get one before 'Hello, Dolly!' leaves Des Moines. This prod...

BWW Review: KISS ME, KATE at Ankeny Community Theatre: This Production is 'Too Darn Hot'!
by DC Felton - April 08, 2019

Over the weekend, I had the opportunity to see Ankeny Community Theatre's sizzling production of Cole Porter's "Kiss Me, Kate." Ankeny has done a great job getting the word out about this production. The tickets are hot and sold out for both the performance I was at on Saturday as well the matinee o...

BWW Review: GRUESOME PLAYGROUND INJURIES at Iowa Stage Theatre Company
by Denise Forney - April 06, 2019

Love hurts, and for some couples, that's the point. Over the course of 30 years, the lives of Kayleen and Doug intersect at the most bizarre intervals, leading the two childhood friends to compare scars and the physical calamities that keep drawing them together....

BWW Review: COME FROM AWAY at Omaha Performing Arts: Iowa Nice Meet Canada Nice
by DC Felton - April 01, 2019

Most of the people who read this article will know what Iowa Nice is if they heard it, but I would wager that most of those same people who not know what Gander Nice is. This is going to change soon as 'Come From Away,' by Irene Sankoff and David Hein, is coming to Des Moines as part of Des Moines P...

BWW Review: MEN ARE FROM MARS WOMEN ARE FROM VENUS LIVE! at Des Moines Performing Arts: Date Night May Never be the Same Again.
by DC Felton - March 28, 2019

Have you ever found looking at your significant other and wondering to yourself, 'What is going on in that mind of yours'? Have you found yourself saying 'If my significant other just knew this about me then things would make life easier'? If you have found yourself saying yes to either of those q...

BWW Review: CATCH ME IF YOU CAN at Des Moines Playhouse: A Welcome and Colorful Journey
by DC Felton - March 23, 2019

After a few months of seeing the white and snow-covered ground, I think everyone is ready to have some color brought back into life. While we may be getting to that time of year outside where we start seeing color again, inside at Des Moines Playhouse, you can see a show that is 'Live and in Living ...

BWW Review: DISNEY AND CAMERON MACKINTOSH'S MARY POPPINS at Newton Community Theatre: A Jolly Trip to Cherry Tree Lane
by DC Felton - March 12, 2019

This last weekend, I had the joy of taking a trip to Cherry Tree Lane to see Newton Community Theatre's production of Disney and Cameron Mackintosh's 'Mary Poppins. It's always fun to take a trip to a theatre that I have never been to before to see how the take and mold a show together. While this p...

BWW Review: ROCK OF AGES at Des Moines Performing Arts: Nothing But a Good Time
by DC Felton - March 10, 2019

Now while this is a new production, it is the same script and songs that people enjoyed with the show before. The music was fun, and for the most part the script was as well. Act 1 still has moments that slow the show down, but the pacing in this production was much better than the original producti...

BWW Review: THE LION IN WINTER at Iowa Stage: Holiday Family Issues at Their Best
by DC Felton - February 25, 2019

Every family has issues, and for some reason those issues always appear during the holidays. In the Iowa Stage production of 'The Lion in Winter', by James Goldman family issues are prevalent as King Henry, Queen Eleanor and their three sons argue over who should take over the throne after King Henr...

BWW Review: JUDY MOODY AND STINK: THE MAD, MAD, MAD, MAD TREASURE HUNT at Des Moines Playhouse: Kate Goldman's Children's Theatre: An Adventure Awaits
by DC Felton - February 23, 2019

As a kid we have huge dreams on what we are going to do over the summer. Usually when it comes to the end of the summer and the school year is getting ready to start, we find that those dreams haven't been fulfilled. In "Judy Moody & Stink: The Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad Treasure Hunt" by Allison Gregory,...

BWW Review: DOG SEES GOD at Des Moines Young Artist Theatre-DOG SEES GOD, I see art.
by DC Felton - February 18, 2019

Why is theatre important? That is a question that everyone answers differently. For me, it is important because it is an artform that pushes us to examine ourselves and pushes us to have a dialogue about things that we might not talk about in our every day life. For me, Des Moines Young Artist Theat...

BWW Review: YOU'RE A GOOD MAN CHARLIE BROWN at Des Moines Young Artist Theatre: Happiness is...
by DC Felton - February 16, 2019

What is happiness? I think this is something we forget about all too often. And who better to remind us what happiness is than a group of young artists performing. Happiness is… going to Des Moines Young Artist Theatre's production of “You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown”....

BWW Review: HAPPILY EVER AFTER: A WEDDING COMEDY at Ankeny Community Theatre-A Wedding Day to Remember
by DC Felton - February 11, 2019

Weddings can be fun, or they can be full of drama. We all like watching the Bride walk down the aisle, and eating food at the reception. While it may not be the time of year for outdoor weddings, Ankeny Community Theatre is inviting us inside for "Happily Ever After: A Wedding Comedy," by Mark Dun...

BWW Review: DEAR EVAN HANSEN at Des Moines Performing Arts-We Have Been Found
by DC Felton - February 09, 2019

Des Moines Has been found! The tour of 'Dear Even Hansen' plays at Des Moines Performing Arts Civic Center through February 10 and this is a not to be missed production....

BWW Review: ORDINARY DAYS at Tallgrass Theatre Company - Find Beauty in the Ordinary
by DC Felton - February 04, 2019

Sometimes, what seems like an insignificant moment, can have an amazing impact. "Ordinary Days" by Adam Gwon, this year's Dream Project for Tallgrass Theatre Company, asked us to take a look at the small moments in our life and see that they are anything by ordinary. While the show may have closed o...