Review: TINA: THE TINA TURNER MUSICAL at Des Moines Performing Arts
by DC Felton - May 18, 2023
What did our Some artists are remembered for being one-hit wonders, while others are known for producing hit after hit. In either case, we are left with the legacy of their music. When you think of Tina Turner, you think of all the hit songs she is known for. The legacy her music still has can be se...
Review: A BRIGHT NEW BOISE at Iowa Stage
by DC Felton - May 14, 2023
Every once and a while, when a new season is announced, I find a show in the lineup that I can help but anticipate seeing. For me, that happened when Iowa Stage announced they would be doing 'A Bright New Boise' as part of their 2023 season. It wasn't a show I was familiar with, but it was a plot I ...
Review: Alice Childress' TROUBLE IN MIND At Iowa Stage
by DC Felton - April 06, 2023
In 1957 after a 91-performance Off-Broadway run, a Broadway transfer was planned for Alice Childress' 'Trouble in Mind.' The transfer was halted when Childress refused to soften the themes of racism in the play. Had it premiered, it would have been the first play by an African American female. That ...
Review: THE LION KING at Des Moines Performing Arts
by DC Felton - April 03, 2023
September 14, 2021, is a day I will never forget. After an 18-month break due to Covid, Broadway reopened. Something special happened that morning. On Good Morning America, there was a special performance from 'The Lion King' that had the cast in places around New York City, awakening the city an...
Review: KINKY BOOTS at Des Moines Playhouse
by DC Felton - March 26, 2023
Everybody say yeah! It's that time of year when multiple productions start opening after spending the colder winter months inside. For the spring, Des Moines Playhouse has opened its production of "Kinky Boots." While the musical is fun and had the audience on their feet at the end, the show's messa...
Review: 1776 at Des Moines Performing Arts
by DC Felton - March 16, 2023
In March 0f 2020, Des Moines Performing Arts announced it was bringing the musical '1776' as part of its 2020/2021 Broadway Series. At the time, the production was billed as a pre-Broadway run. What we didn't know at the time was that it would be almost three years before the show was finally able t...
Review: RUMORS at Carousel Theatre Of Indianola
by DC Felton - March 16, 2023
What did our critic think of RUHave you heard what's going on in Indianola? Not only has Carousel announced their new season, more on that at the end of this review, but they opened their latest production to a sold-out audience on March 10. The show that had a sold-out opening night is Neil Simon's...
Review: THE HUNDRED DRESSES at Kate Goldman Children's Theatre
by DC Felton - March 03, 2023
Our words are powerful; they can tear people down and quickly build people up. This is a lesson that kids of all ages, at times, need to be reminded of. This last weekend, Des Moines Playhouse opened 'The Hundred Dresses' as part of the Kate Goldman Children's Series. This production envelops the en...
Review: SIX: THE MUSICAL at Des Moines Performing Arts
by DC Felton - February 11, 2023
In 2017, a show opened in London. Over the next few years, its popularity would grow, leading to a small US tour before getting ready to open on Broadway. The show was already building hype, but days before it opened, Covid 19 caused its opening to be delayed, producing even more buzz for the show. ...
Review: GOD OF CARNAGE at Tallgrass Theatre Company
by DC Felton - February 10, 2023
Conflict. It's something that can be challenging for anyone. Imagine that conflict centers around your child or a family member. Tallgrass Theatre Company's production of 'God of Carnage' by Yasmina Reza, translated by Christopher Hampton, asks us, an audience, to do just that. This play is the 8th ...