Des Moines Theater Reviews: Best Shows & Critic Recommendations Page 3

BWW Review: HADESTOWN at Des Moines Performing Arts
by DC Felton - March 24, 2022

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...

BWW Review: NEXT TO NORMAL at Carousel Theatre Of Indianola
by DC Felton - March 21, 2022

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...

BWW Review: CHARLOTTE'S WEB at Kate Goldman Children's Theatre
by DC Felton - March 19, 2022

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...

BWW Review: THE MAGIC FLUTE at Des Moines Metro Opera
by DC Felton - March 10, 2022

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...

BWW Review: THE REVOLUTIONISTS at Tallgrass Theatre Company
by DC Felton - February 14, 2022

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...

BWW Review: MURDER ON THE ORIENT EXPRESS at Des Moines Playhouse
by DC Felton - February 14, 2022

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...

BWW Review: TOOTSIE at Des Moines Performing Arts
by DC Felton - February 12, 2022

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...

BWW Review: THE SOUND OF MUSIC at Des Moines Playhouse
by DC Felton - December 12, 2021

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...

BWW Review: THE GREATEST CHRISTMAS STORY EVER TOLD AND THEN SOME at TALLGRASS THEATRE COMPANY
by DC Felton - December 07, 2021

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...

BWW Review: GEEZERS at Ankeny Community Theatre
by DC Felton - December 06, 2021

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...

BWW Review: THE CAKE at Iowa Stage
by DC Felton - November 17, 2021

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...

BWW Review: JUNIE B. IN JINGLE BELLS BATMAN SMELLS at Des Moines Playhouse
by DC Felton - November 09, 2021

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 Playho...

BWW Review: AND THEN THERE WERE NONE at Carousel Theatre Of Indianola
by DC Felton - October 27, 2021

It’s that time of year again, when everyone gets into the spooky season for Halloween.  Some people like to go to scary or suspenseful movies, but what if you could experience this live as part of your Halloween plans.  Carousel Theatre of Indianola is giving their audiences that opportunity with th...

BWW Review: ESCAPING THE LABYRINTH at Des Moines Playhouse
by DC Felton - October 20, 2021

While we've been stuck at home for the last year, Des Moines Playhouse has been working behind the scenes on something brand new. They have been chosen as part of the American Association of Community Theatre AACT New Play Festival. This opportunity has allowed them to produce the world premiere of ...

BWW Review: THE BAND'S VISIT at Des Moines Performing Arts
by DC Felton - October 16, 2021

When the national tour of 'Anastasia' closed on March 1 at Des Moines Performing Arts, no one could have imagined it would be 19 months before another national tour of a Broadway show would hit the stage again at the Civic Center. 19 months. Who would have thought an intermission could last that lon...

BWW Review: CABARET at Des Moines Playhouse
by DC Felton - September 20, 2021

If you've been sitting alone in your house this last year, it's time to head over to Des Moines Playhouse to hear the music play. On September 10, they opened up their first production since 2019, where they opened their full house for tickets. While you may think this would be a place to put a ligh...

BWW Review: [TITLE OF SHOW] at Carousel Theatre Of Indianola
by DC Felton - August 19, 2021

It's been over a year since Carousel has been over a year since Carousel Theatre of Indianola has been able to welcome an audience. While Covid may have put live performances on hold, Carousel has adjusted and tried new things during the pandemic. Last fall, they held a Cabaret of musical theatre fa...

BWW Review: POLKADOTS: THE COOL KIDS MUSICAL at Des Moines Playhouse
by DC Felton - July 30, 2021

In college while studying theatre, I was introduced to a new world, the world of children's theatre. While many shows in that world are based on well-known stories, once and a while you would see a play that tackled a topic that might be difficult to talk about, and present it on stage in a kid frie...

BWW Review: JOSEPH AND THE AMAZING TECHNICOLOR DREAMCOAT at Urbandale Community Theatre
by DC Felton - July 26, 2021

One of the hardest parts of the last year with Covid was watching theatre after theatre canceling or postponing their summer shows and season. One of those theatres was Urbandale Community Theatre (UCT), who had announced a big summer production of 'Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat.' Th...

BWW Review: Splendid FELLOW TRAVELERS at Des Moines Metro Opera
by DC Felton - July 22, 2021

Every once in a while, a show comes along that takes you completely by surprise. For me, this recently happened with Des Moines Metro Opera's one-night-only performance of FELLOW TRAVELERS at Hoyt Sherman Place....

BWW Review: PLAZA SUITE at Des Moines Playhouse
by DC Felton - July 20, 2021

If hotels rooms could tell stories, what stories might they tell? Would they be stories of love or heartbreak, or something completely different? If you've ever thought of those questions, or are looking for a fun, entertaining night of theatre, then Des Moines Playhouse's production of 'Plaza Suite...

BWW Review: GODSPELL at Des Moines Playhouse: An Energetic Reimagining of a Classic Show!
by DC Felton - July 14, 2021

Des Moines Playhouse has found itself adapting to the current climate throughout the pandemic and is continuing to produce live theatre. Last summer, they offered a drive-in theatre. Throughout the year, they have provided live indoor productions to smaller houses and streams of their shows. This...

BWW Review: PLATEE at Des Moines Metro Opera: An Exciting Updated Production for a Classic Opera
by DC Felton - July 13, 2021

Pink, voguing, drag, stiletto heels, opera, seeing that list, you may feel that opera seems out of place, but you couldn't be more wrong. On July 10, Des Moines Metro Opera (DMMO) took all those and melded them together as they opened the company's premiere production of 'Platée.' While many compani...

BWW Review: QUEEN OF SPADES in Des Moines Sets Off Fireworks of Its Own in Time for the Holiday
by DC Felton - July 06, 2021

While fireworks may have been going off outside on July 3, Des the Des Moines Metro Opera continued their grand opening weekend after a year with no live opera. The celebration inside was for the opening of their second production of the summer, Tchaikovsky's THE QUEEN OF SPADES, with a libretto b...

BWW Review: Attend the Tale of SWEENEY TODD in Des Moines—the Perfect Evening After a Year Without Theatre
by DC Felton - July 07, 2021

On June 27th, 2019, Des Moines Metro Opera announced its 2020 season to the public but what captured my attention was a barber's chair dimly lit by a window above it. There is only one show that this could have been, Stephen Sondheim's SWEENEY TODD. I had seen the recording of the original product...