2014 Fall Arts & Entertainment Guide- Theater
8/20/2014
The “Phantom of the Opera” will be at the Des Moines Civic Center Sept. 10-21.
Although films and TV dramas are able to satisfy all kinds of fantasy one has in mind, with all the fictional and non-fictional stories in addition to CGI effects that are getting more realistic day by day, there is one aspect that holds the flat screens back from matching up with theater performances — the sense of presence. Overall, the sense of being there in the scene is a big plus for attending a live theater performance. The movements, gestures and emotions coming from the actors and actresses on stage are completely directed to you without being filtered through the TV screen. You understand the story, you see the acting and you feel the hard work of the performers and the production team through the performance, props and settings of the entire stage, without all the post-production effects.
From comedies to suspense thrillers, live theater offers different genres suitable for all ages. The fact that theater entertainment still manages to sustain itself proves that a significant population of audiences understands the charm of it. After the summer slowdown, theaters in and around the Des Moines area are finally back with new theatrical season schedules with more fascinating musical and live theater performances. Whether to enjoy a classical stage with a friend or a Christmas special with your family, take some time to appreciate the talent of the performing and production crew this fall.
DES MOINES COMMUNITY PLAYHOUSE
831 42nd St., www.dmplayhouse.com
Sept. 5-28 — “South Pacific” (Main Stage)
Oct. 17 – Nov. 2 — “Girls’ Weekend” (Main Stage)
Nov. 14-29 — “The Best Christmas Pageant Ever” (Children’s Theater)
Dec. 5-28 — “Mary Poppins” (Family Holiday)
DES MOINES PERFORMING ARTS
Civic Center/Stoner Theater/Temple Theater/Cowles Commons
221 Walnut St., www.desmoinesperformingarts.org
Aug. 21-23 — “Evita” (Willis Broadway Series)
Aug. 26 — One-time performance by Neil Byrne & Ryan Kelly (The Temple Theater)
Sept. 10-21 — “Phantom of the Opera” (Willis Broadway Series)
Sept. 27-28 — “The Firebird” (Des Moines Symphony)
Oct. 14 — American musician group The Piano Guys (Civic Center)
Oct. 25-26 — “Vivaldi’s The Four Seasons” (Des Moines Symphony)
Oct. 29 — Alton Brown Live (Civic Center)
Nov. 3-4 — Schoolhouse Rock Live! (Applause Series, Grade 1-4)
Nov. 8 — One-time performance by Paul Taylor Dance Company (Dance Series)
Nov. 6 — “Stella, Queen of the Snow” (Applause Series, preK-2)
Nov. 15-16 — “Beethoven’s Fifth” (Des Moines Symphony)
Nov. 18-23 — “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat” (Willis Broadway Series)
Nov. 28 — Family favorites, The Oak Ridge Boys Hits & Christmas Show (Civic Center)
Nov. 29 — Celtic Thunder’s First Symphony Tour (Civic Center)
Dec. 2-7 — “Motown,” the musical (Willis Broadway Series)
Dec. 19-20 — Mannheim Steamroller Christmas by Chip Davis (Civic Center)
Dec. 31 — New Year’s Eve Pops with Cirque de la Symphonie (Civic Center)
Jan. 6-11 — “The Book of Mormon” (Willis Broadway Series)
REPERTORY THEATER OF IOWA
Des Moines Onstage Building
2124 Grand Ave., www.rtiowa.com
Sept. 12-28 — “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf” at Des Moines Social Club’s Kum & Go Theater.
December — “A Christmas Carol” by Charles Dickens and adapted by Larry Carpenter.
DES MOINES ONSTAGE
Des Moines Young Artists Theatre
2124 Grand Ave., www.desmoinesonstage.org
Oct. 24 – Nov. 2 — “Cabaret” at Des Moines Social Club’s basement bar.
Nov. 21-30 — “FAME Jr.” at Des Moines Social Club’s Kum & Go Theater.
STAGEWEST THEATER COMPANY
Oct.10-26 — “Carrie the Musical,” based on bestselling novel by Stephen King. Des Moines Social Club’s Kum & Go Theater.
Nov. 7-15 — “Neighborhood #3: Requisition of Doom” by Jennifer Haley, at Des Moines Social Club’s Kum & Go Theater.
TALL GRASS THEATER COMPANY
Rex Mathis Auditorium
1401 Vine St., www.tallgrasstheater.org/
Nov. 7-22 — “The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (Abridged)” by Adam Long, Daniel Singer and Jess Winfield.
BALLET DES MOINES
Oct. 24-26 — Triple Bill performance at Hoyt Sherman Place Theater
Dec. 11-14 — Holiday classic “Nutcracker” at Hoyt Sherman Place Theater
DRAKE UNIVERSITY THEATER ARTS
Oct. 2-5 — “Square One” by Steve Tesich
Oct. 24-26 — Student Theater Showcase
Nov. 13-16 — “Jesus Christ Superstar” lyrics by Tim Rice, music by Andrew Lloyd Webber
SIMPSON COLLEGE THEATER
Oct. 17-19 — “Carousel,” a co-production between Theater Simpson and Music Simpson, at Pote Theater
Nov. 14-16 — “The Memory of Water by Shelagh Stephenson” at Barnum Theater
IOWA STATE CENTER
Stephen Auditorium/Fisher Theater/Scheman Building
Oct. 23 — “Spank! The Fifty Shades Parody,” comedy musical.
Oct. 24 — “We the People” presented by TheaterworksUSA (Youth Matinee Series, Grades 4-8)
Oct. 26 — Colin Mochrie & Brad Sherwood from “Who’s Line is it Anyway?”
Nov. 6 — Moscow State Symphony featuring violin soloist Nadja Salerno-Sonnenberg.
Nov. 12 — “Harry the Dirty Dog” presented by ArtsPower (Youth Matinee Series, Grades K-2)
Nov. 15 — “Elf the Musical”
Nov. 19 — China National Acrobats
Dec. 13-14 — 34th annual Nutcracker Ballet choreographed by Robert Thomas and Miyoko Kato Thomas of the Dancenter (Ames)
Dec. 16 — Christmas gathering with Irish Music Band Danú.
Dec. 18 — “Sister Act,” based on the award-winning film.
IOWA STATE UNIVERSITY THEATER
Oct. 3-5, 10-12 — “Spring Awakening”
Oct. 31, Nov. 1-2, 7-9 — “Crimes of the Heart”
Nov. 15 — 100th Anniversary Gala
Dec. 5-7, 12-14 — “A Christmas Carol”
AMES COMMUNITY THEATER
120 Abraham Drive, www.actorsinc.org
Sept. 19-28 — “No Sex Please, We’re British” by Alistair Foot and Anthony Marriott
Nov. 21-30 — “The Game’s Afoot or Holmes for the Holidays,” a Comedy Thriller by Ken Ludwig
ANKENY COMMUNITY THEATER
1932 S.W. 3rd St., www.ankenycommunitytheater.com
Sept. 26 – Oct. 12 — “The Little Princess” by Cynthia Mercati (Children’s Drama)
Dec. 5-21 — “Uh-Oh, Here Comes Christmas” by Ernest Zulia & David Caldwell (Robert Fulgrum)(Comedy/Drama)
BOONE COMMUNITY THEATER
106 S. Webster St., www.boonecommunitytheater.org
Sept. 5-6 — Pufferbilly Show: “Voice of the Prairie” directed by Christopher and Mishelle Levi
UNION STREET PLAYERS
712 Union St. Suite 202, www.unionstreetplayers.com
Dec. 4-7 — “A Christmas Carol” by Charles Dickens, directed by Pat Van Zante. CV
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