Posted July 31, 2024in Center Stage
This annual fete is as resilient as its namesake, Cloris Leachman. The Cloris Leachman Excellence in Theatre Arts Awards, fondly called The Clorises, is Greater Des Moines’ annual homage to our metro’s stage artistry. Our answer to the Tony Awards, it has survived outgrowing its original venue (Des Moines Social
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Posted July 03, 2024in Center Stage
July brings a variety of stage enticements, from opera to plays to musicals. Free your inner cultural adventurer and explore these immersive performance worlds. Wiz One of the most beloved stories to hit the stage is L. Frank Baum’s adaptation of his initial Oz book, “The Wonderful Wizard of
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Posted June 05, 2024in Center Stage
Let the month of June be proclaimed as Cultural Adventurer Month for those seeking new works, spine-tingling performances and a diverse and immersive offering of stage works. The venerable Des Moines Metro Opera (DMMO), with its world-renowned Summer Festival, has the opera world chattering about their boldly seductive season. Iowa
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Posted May 01, 2024in Center Stage
There is a special beauty about great stage scripts for children’s theatre. In the hands of an experienced producer such as the Kate Goldman Children’s Theatre at the Des Moines Community Playhouse, true magic manifests when the actors and the audiences combine to create meaningful memories through the power of
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Posted April 03, 2024in Center Stage
Oh, those wicked thespians up north. Ankeny Community Theatre embarks on a classic lethal, suspense-laden romp with “Dial M for Murder.” It’s no secret that influences from “across the pond” have saturated America’s fascination with murder mysteries. Blame Britain’s 19th-century Industrial Revolution, which stimulated its passion to read about murder.
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Posted March 06, 2024in Center Stage
The evolution of Greater Des Moines theatre companies is fascinating. Exploring these unique purveyors of community engagement gives cultural adventurers a greater understanding of the cultural icebergs beneath the surface. One of the longest continually running community theatres in Amerca is the Des Moines Community Playhouse. Surpassing its centennial producing
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Posted January 31, 2024in Center Stage
February stages come to vibrant life, enticing winter dwellers from their cozy confines. A tantalizing range of shows spans from classic to comedy to musical to children’s theatre as the region’s talent focuses on a bounty of shows to savor. Ballet Des Moines even brings another world premiere to the
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Posted January 03, 2024in Center Stage
The term “volunteering” does not begin to cover the gamut of opportunities that await the cultural adventurer. Your time and enthusiasm are desired contributions for cultural organizations. Since you are reading this column, you have an interest in the performing arts scene. Perhaps 2024 can bring a new perspective on
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Posted December 06, 2023in Center Stage
Like a present-laden tree during the holidays, this December is filled with a bounty of performance arts gifts. When we all likely need an escape from the hustle and bustle of our lives, central Iowa’s entertainment producers deliver escapes to delight, engage and thoroughly enjoy. Take advantage of the wealth
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Posted November 01, 2023in Center Stage
When it comes to storytelling on stage, great antagonists provide the tension and counterpoints for each story’s righteous path. Tallgrass Theatre Company’s inaugural mainstage Seedlings production, “Wicked Queen,” and CAP (Class Acts Productions) Theatre’s “The Wizard of Oz: Youth Edition,” are two gems sure to delight young audiences — and
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