Stage diversity in September

9/4/2024

As the month begins, the final Broadway chords of the North American Tour of “Moulin Rouge! The Musical” continue to reverberate from its signature two-week run at Des Moines Performing Arts (DMPA). This heralds a most appealing 2024-2025 Willis Broadway Series that includes such gems as “Back to the Future: The Musical,” “Shucked,” “Some Like It Hot,” “& Juliet” and “Parade.” DMPA is an internationally recognized performing hall, and its leadership has leveraged its savvy investing and industry knowledge to allow Des Moines and Iowa to savor early runs of first National Tour productions. 

The success of DMPA helps the regional community theatre scene. Their programming engages a wide swath of the public, providing performing arts fare for diverse audiences. This elevates awareness and participation of audiences with regional theatres, and these companies continue to excel in presenting top notch work. This month is anchored by a trio of appealing shows, so prepare for the audacious comedy of Terrence McNally, the crooning leadership of Frankie Valli, and a good ol’ classic dose of poison in your tea.

 

Hey – it’s only a play

Terrence McNally was an American playwright, librettist and screenwriter described as “the bard of American theater” (NY Times, 2019) and “one of the greatest contemporary playwrights the theater world has yet produced,” (Rex Reed, The New York Observer review). McNally was the recipient of five Tony Awards.

Tallgrass Theatre Company is producing McNally’s “It’s Only a Play” under the direction of veteran stage talent Maxwell Schaeffer. With an equally gifted cast, this production promises to deliver sassy, saucy laugh-a-minute humor in the playwright’s signature style of comedy coupled with a deep understanding of human nature and interaction. Tallgrass continues its evolution in selecting exceptional shows to produce in their unique black box theatre, giving audiences memorable, impactful theatrical experiences.

 

Croonin’ on 42nd Street

The Des Moines Community Playhouse has a great national reputation, presenting shows with production values often compared to regional, even national, touring company shows. “Jersey Boys: The Story of Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons” is sure to be another packed house crowd-pleaser. What has become a strong trend with such shows as this is that the Playhouse draws amazing talent to their stage in the telling of these pop music icon stories. 

Filled with “authentic Jersey language” (a bit of a language disclaimer?), “Jersey Boys” whisks patrons along the journey of a quartet of street-singing, blue-collar kids on their way to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. The back story of one of that era’s most popular groups is coupled with live performances of the toe-tapping numbers that still resonate today: “Sherry,” “Big Girls Don’t Cry,” “Walk Like a Man,” “Can’t Take My Eyes Off of You,” and more. 

The Playhouse even has a great community program for anyone who feels that ticket prices are keeping them away from experiencing a show. As Executive Director David Kilpatrick has shared, “We have supporters who want to make sure that everyone gets a chance to see this production.” Just contact the box office about the sponsored ticket program.

 

Spiking the wine

By far the most successful of Joseph Kesselring’s 12 published plays, “Arsenic and Old Lace” ran on Broadway for 1,444 performances. The New York Times reviewed it, saying the play was “so funny that none of us will ever forget it.” 

That stage heritage, and the play’s recent absence from the performing scene, made it an ideal choice for Ankeny Community Theatre. This completely volunteer company continues to grow, and this classic work is a great choice. 

“Arsenic and Old Lace” is a farcical black comedy about the quirky Brewster family, kin from the original Mayflower settlers. Most in the family has skewed outside the boundaries of normalcy, with the exception of Mortimer Brewster, the hero, a drama critic who is preparing to marry the minister’s daughter next door. Add the home’s resident pair of spinster aunts, Abby and Martha Brewster, with a proclivity for aiding the speedy earthly departures of lonely old men with their home-made elderberry wine…laced with arsenic, strychnine, and “just a pinch” of cyanide. Brother Teddy resides in the house, fantasizing himself as Teddy Roosevelt digging the Panama Canal in the basement, where he conveniently disposes of the aunts’ victims, who he believes died of yellow fever. Add a few more memorable characters, and this show is ripe to give everyone’s laugh muscles a great workout. ♦

John Busbee is a creative project developer, critic, playwright, author, producer and media professional. He has produced his weekly show, The Culture Buzz, on KFMG since 2007.