Des Moines Playhouse Winter Class Registrations Now Open

The Des Moines Playhouse is continuing to offer children's classes in-person this winter while also offering other classes exclusively online. The theatre has classes for students in preschool through adults, beginning Jan. 9, 2021. For a complete list of classes, class descriptions, and registrations, visit dmplayhouse.com.

Creative drama classes for students in pre-kindergarten-grade 3 are literature-based and include dramatic play and theatre games. Picture Perfect for pre-K and kindergarten students, Storytime for students in grades 1-2, and Creative Characters: FUNdamentals for students in grades 2-3 will be taught in-person at The Playhouse by master teachers Robin Breen Fulton and Brett Spahr. These classes will move online using the Zoom platform should that become necessary.

Building on the successes of The Playhouse's summer and fall virtual classes, programs for students in grades 4-8 and adults will be held online via Zoom. Performance Academy (title to be announced soon), in which students in grades 4-8 rehearse and perform a musical, will again be directed by Meredith Toebben. Playhouse artistic director emeritus John Viars will be teaching his popular History of Broadway class for adults beginning Jan. 26.

In providing in-person classes, The Playhouse has drawn upon the guidelines suggested by local, state, and federal agencies, experts, and associations to create the theatre's procedures. The Playhouse continues to monitor current recommendations, guidelines, and restrictions. Full safety guidelines are posted on the theatre's website, dmplayhouse.com. Protocols for promoting safety include:

• A longstanding policy that asks students and staff to stay home if feeling unwell.
• Masks required at all times for all students and staff.
• Physical distancing of at least 6 feet.

• Classes are limited to 10 students plus an instructor with each class assigned an entrance and restroom. Restrooms are single use so staff can sanitize after each use.

Theatre arts education at The Playhouse provides students with the opportunity to explore, create, imagine, and express themselves, all within a safe, nurturing environment. Whether in person or online, every class at The Playhouse is unique and led by the theatre's professional teaching artists.

The Playhouse is Iowa's oldest and largest producing theatre. Located at the 42nd Street exit of I-235, the theatre has presented a full season of shows every year since 1919 and also offers a wide variety of educational experiences including classes for ages 4 to adult, theatre trips to New York, and volunteer opportunities onstage and backstage.

For more information about The Playhouse, classes, and reopening procedures, visit The Playhouse website at www.dmplayhouse.com or contact Robin Spahr, education associate, at 515.974.5365.

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