News on your favorite shows, specials & more!

DES MOINES PLAYHOUSE

831 42nd St
Des Moines, IA 50312

Last Stop on Market Street
Last Stop on Market Street
11/8 - 11/24/2024


Last Stop on Market Street  is a collaboration with  Pyramid Theatre Company  and  City Voices . Guided by his veritable force-of-nature Nana, CJ travels a ...

Final Act Ensemble Holiday Show


Join the Final Act Ensemble (FAE) for old-time fun this holiday season. In “Easy Aces,” Ace tries to get his mother-in-law married off and out ...

Disney's Beauty and the Beast
Disney's Beauty and the Beast
12/6 - 12/29/2024


Belle longs for adventure and an escape from her provincial town. A cruel and arrogant prince is trapped in a beastly form in his castle. ...

Diary of a Wimpy Kid
Diary of a Wimpy Kid
1/17 - 2/2/2025


Middle school, ugh. It’s the worst. But Greg is determined not to be at the bottom of the popularity chart. Jeff Kinney’s much loved character ...

Men on Boats
Men on Boats
2/7 - 3/2/2025


The year: 1869. The crew: a maniacally talkative youth, an old Civil War vet who doesn’t like people, an overexcited Brit, and a hunter who ...

Jesus Christ Superstar
Jesus Christ Superstar
3/7 - 3/23/2025


Jesus Christ Superstar  tells the story of Jesus in the final days leading up to his crucifixion. Loosely based on the Gospels,  Superstar  focuses on ...

Knuffle Bunny: A Cautionary Musical


Based on the popular book by Mo Willems,  Knuffle Bunny: A Cautionary Musical , is a silly story about young Trixie, who loses her Knuffle ...

Alice in Wonderland
Alice in Wonderland
5/2 - 5/18/2025


There’s only one way out of Wonderland. Alice, a curious girl who plunges down a rabbit hole, travels through an unpredictable world where animals dress ...

Waitress
Waitress
7/11 - 7/27/2025


A waitress at Joe’s Diner, Jenna learns about a pie-baking contest that could change her life and offer the chance she needs to escape her ...

Penguin Project HONK JR
Penguin Project HONK JR
8/14 - 8/17/2025


Established in 2004, The Penguin Project has evolved into a  national program  that partners with local community theatres. It creates opportunities for young artists with ...


RELATED STORIES

Winners Announced For The 2023 BroadwayWorld Des Moines Awards


by BWW Awards - January 09, 2024

Winners have been announced for the 2023 BroadwayWorld Des Moines Awards! See who was selected audience favorite in Des Moines! Winners include Des Moines Playhouse, Iowa State University, and more!...

Last Chance to Vote for the BWW Des Moines Awards; Voting Ends 12/31


by BWW Awards - December 26, 2023

It's the final week left to vote for the 2023 BroadwayWorld Des Moines Awards! Voting ends on 12/31 at midnight. Don't miss out on making sure that your favorite theatres, stars, and shows get the recognition they deserve!...

2 Weeks to Vote for the BWW Des Moines Awards; NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD! THE MUSICAL!, SHE KILLS MONSTERS, Des Moines Playhouse & More Lead!


by BWW Awards - December 18, 2023

There's just two weeks left to vote and we have the latest standings as of Monday, December 18th for the 2023 BroadwayWorld Des Moines Awards! Don't miss out on making sure that your favorite theatres, stars, and shows get the recognition they deserve!...

BroadwayWorld Des Moines Awards; NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD! THE MUSICAL!, SHE KILLS MONSTERS, Des Moines Playhouse & More Lead!


by BWW Awards - December 11, 2023

It's the final 3 weeks and we have the latest standings as of Monday, December 11th for the 2023 BroadwayWorld Des Moines Awards! Don't miss out on making sure that your favorite theatres, stars, and shows get the recognition they deserve!...

BroadwayWorld Des Moines Awards December 5th Standings; NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD! THE MUSICAL! Leads Best Musical!


by BWW Awards - December 05, 2023

It's December, and the first standings of the month have been announced as of Tuesday, December 5th for the 2023 BroadwayWorld Des Moines Awards! Don't miss out on making sure that your favorite theatres, stars, and shows get the recognition they deserve!...

Latest Standings Announced For The 2023 BroadwayWorld Des Moines Awards; SHE KILLS MONSTERS Leads Best Play!


by BWW Awards - November 27, 2023

Happy Holidays! The latest wave of standings have been announced as of Monday, November 27th for the 2023 BroadwayWorld Des Moines Awards! Don't miss out on making sure that your favorite theatres, stars, and shows get the recognition they deserve!...

Latest Standings Announced For The 2023 BroadwayWorld Des Moines Awards; NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD! THE MUSICAL! Leads Best Musical!


by BWW Awards - November 20, 2023

The latest wave of standings have been announced as of Monday, November 20th for the 2023 BroadwayWorld Des Moines Awards! Don't miss out on making sure that your favorite theatres, stars, and shows get the recognition they deserve!...

Danny K. Bernstein's WINGS to Receive World Premiere At Drake University


by Chloe Rabinowitz - September 07, 2023

WINGS, a new musical by Danny K. Bernstein (Far From Canterbury, On Your Mark!) will receive its long-awaited premiere at Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa this October....

NATIVE GARDENS is Now Playing at Des Moines Playhouse


by Stephi Wild - June 05, 2023

Native Gardens is now playing at Des Moines Playhouse. Performances run June 2-18....

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 ...

Past Shows

School of Rock
School of Rock
7/12 - 7/28/2024


Wannabe rock star Dewey Finn has been kicked out of his own band and makes a desperate attempt to be a substitute teacher at a ...

The Play That Goes Wrong
The Play That Goes Wrong
5/31 - 6/16/2024


After benefitting from a large and sudden inheritance, the inept and accident-prone Cornley Polytechnic Drama Society embarks on producing an ambitious 1920s murder mystery. Hilarious ...

Final Act Ensemble Spring Show


Join the Final Act Ensemble (FAE) for old-time fun. The Final Act Ensemble is a troupe of performers ages 55 and older that present classic ...

Beautiful: The Carole King Musical


Before she was hit-maker Carole King, she was Carole Klein, a spunky, young songwriter from Brooklyn with a unique voice. From the chart-topping hits she ...

Dragons Love Tacos
Dragons Love Tacos
3/1 - 3/10/2024


You know what dragons really love? Tacos of course! A kid and their dog are watching a TV show about dragons when they unexpectedly get ...

Our Town
Our Town
2/2 - 2/18/2024


Grover’s Corners is a nice town, much like yours or mine. The milk and the paper are delivered on time  and childhood friends like George ...

A Charlie Brown Christmas
A Charlie Brown Christmas
12/2 - 12/17/2023


The classic animated television special  A Charlie Brown Christmas  comes to life in this faithful stage adaptation in which Charlie Brown, Snoopy, and the rest ...

All Is Calm
All Is Calm
12/1 - 12/17/2023


All is Calm recalls the remarkable World War I truce between Allied Forces and German soldiers in No Man's Land on Christmas, 1914. A lull ...

Final Act Ensemble Holiday Show


Join the Final Act Ensemble (FAE) for old-time fun this holiday season. The Final Act Ensemble is a troupe of performers ages 55 and older ...

Seussical TYA
Seussical TYA
10/27 - 11/5/2023


The Cat in the Hat tells the story of Horton, an earnest elephant who discovers a speck of dust containing Whos that he now must ...

Penguin Project: Disney’s High School Musical, Jr


East High basketball star Troy and brainy Gabriella cause an uproar in the school when they audition for the spring musical. The thespians resent the ...

Once
Once
9/8 - 9/24/2023


On the streets of Dublin, an Irish musician and a Czech immigrant are drawn together by their shared love of music. Over one fateful week, ...

Little Shop of Horrors
Little Shop of Horrors
7/14 - 7/30/2023


Meek floral shop assistant Seymour pines for the love of his co-worker, Audrey. Musical sci-fi hilarity ensues when a foul-mouthed, R&B-singing, carnivorous plant from outer ...

School of Rock
School of Rock
7/12 - 7/28/2023


Wannabe rock star Dewey Finn has been kicked out of his own band and makes a desperate attempt to be a substitute teacher at a ...

Native Gardens
Native Gardens
6/2 - 6/18/2023


Pablo and Tania, an expecting couple, purchase a house next door to longtime community residents, Virginia and Frank. A disagreement over a long-standing fenceline soon ...

Final Act Ensemble Spring Show


Join the Final Act Ensemble (FAE) for old-time fun this holiday season. The Final Act Ensemble is a troupe of performers ages 55 and older ...

How I Became a Pirate
How I Became a Pirate
4/21 - 5/7/2023


Braid Beard and his mates enlist young Jeremy Jacob as they look for the perfect spot to bury their treasure. The whole family will love ...

Kinky Boots
Kinky Boots
3/17 - 4/8/2023


Flashy, inspiring, and downright fun, Kinky Boots is the heartwarming Broadway musical. Charlie Price reluctantly agrees to take over the familys failing shoe factory. Inspiration ...

The Hundred Dresses
The Hundred Dresses
2/24 - 3/12/2023


Maddie Reeves has a dilemma. New classmate Wanda Petronski is a Polish immigrant with one dress. Peggy is a popular rich girl with dozens. When ...

August Wilson's The Piano Lesson


In August Wilsons stunning story, brother and sister struggle with family history. Willie wants to sell the family piano so he can buy some land ...

Go, Dog. Go!
Go, Dog. Go!
1/6 - 1/22/2023


Big dogs and little dogs. Dogs on bikes and dogs wearing hats. Where are they going fast in those cars? PD Eastmans classic childrens book ...

Rodgers + Hammerstein's Cinderella


The magic has been updated in this version created for Broadway, but all the beloved songs, including "In My Own Little Corner," "Impossible/It's Possible," and ...

Final Act Ensemble: Holiday Broadcast to the Troops 1943


Mystery! Comedy! Nostalgia! Travel back in time to the Golden Age of Radio for a special 1943 holiday broadcast to the troops. Match wits with ...

Harriet the Spy
Harriet the Spy
10/28 - 11/13/2022


Harriet M. Welsch is a spy who writes down everything about her neighbors and classmates. After her friends read her secret notebook, they want nothing ...

Penguin Project: Annie Jr.
Penguin Project: Annie Jr.
10/14 - 10/16/2022


A spunky orphan finds her home with wealthy Daddy Warbucks in this family favorite. Annie Jr. is The Playhouses first Penguin Project production, featuring a ...

Guys and Dolls
Guys and Dolls
9/16 - 10/2/2022


A classic romantic comedy where opposites attract and the real gamble is love, this musical fable of Broadway has colorful gamblers, showgirls, and missionaries plus ...

Matilda: The Musical
Matilda: The Musical
7/8 - 7/31/2022


Magical. Mischievous. Miraculous. From the nonsensical mind of Roald Dahl comes this timeless tale of young Matilda Wormwood. Intellectually gifted, Matilda is unappreciated by her ...

Calendar Girls
Calendar Girls
6/3 - 6/19/2022


When Annies husband, John, dies of leukemia, she and her best friend, Chris, resolve to raise money for the local hospital. They manage to persuade ...

Pippi Longstocking
Pippi Longstocking
4/22 - 5/7/2022


On the outskirts of town stands a ramshackle house. It may not seem like much until you peek through the railings. Then theres a horse ...

Singin' in the Rain
Singin' in the Rain
3/25 - 4/10/2022


Silent movies are out. Talkies are in! Unfortunately for famed movie star Don Lockwood, his leading ladys comically harsh and squeaky voice is ill-suited for ...

Charlotte's Web
Charlotte's Web
3/4 - 3/20/2022


Based on E.B. Whites endearing childrens novel, Charlottes Web is a beautiful and knowing story of friendship. Wilbur the pig, the runt of the litter, ...

Murder on the Orient Express


From the Queen of Mystery comes the classic story in which everyone is a suspect. Just after midnight, a snowdrift stops the Orient Express in ...

Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus


Whatever you do, dont let the Pigeon star in his own musical production! With a script written by Mo Willems, the creator of the #1 ...

The Sound of Music
The Sound of Music
12/3 - 12/19/2021


The hills are alive with the sound of music! Free-spirited postulant Maria has trouble fitting into Nonnberg Abbey. Sent to be a governess for the ...

Junie B. in Jingle Bells, Batman Smells!


Its holiday time and Room 1 is doing a lot of things to celebrate, like making elf costumes and singing carols. Tattletale May keeps ruining ...

Escaping the Labyrinth
Escaping the Labyrinth
10/15 - 10/24/2021


The WORLD PREMIERE of a romantic comedy worthy of the gods the Greek gods, that is. American classics grad student Bud Schliemann is touring Greece ...

Cabaret
Cabaret
9/10 - 9/26/2021


In a Berlin nightclub, as the 1920s draw to a close, a garish Master of Ceremonies welcomes the audience and assures them they will forget ...

Godspell
Godspell
7/9 - 8/8/2021


Prepare ye for Godspell, a modern-day retelling of the New Testament parables. With a Tony-nominated score of songs ranging in style from pop to vaudeville, ...

Polkadots: The Cool Kids Musical


Lily Polkadot has just moved to Rockaway, a Squares only town. As the first Polkadot in an all-Square school, Lily struggles to gain acceptance from ...

Plaza Suite
Plaza Suite
7/16 - 8/1/2021


A suburban couple takes a suite while their house is being painted and it turns out to be the one in which they honeymooned 23 ...

FAE Rides Again


The Final Act Ensemble radio troupe is back with a comedy show featuring Burns and Allen in George Meets a Hit-Man and Fibber McGee and ...

A Love Offering
6/4 - 6/20/2021


Mortality, relationships, loyalty, love, honor, trust, assumptions, bias, family, how we treat caregivers, and dealing with dementia are all themes in A Love Offering by ...

Some Enchanted Evening
Some Enchanted Evening
4/9 - 5/9/2021


A cast of five singers pays tribute to the iconic Broadway musical team of Rodgers & Hammerstein with a celebration of their songs from Carousel, ...

The Velveteen Rabbit Video On Demand


A child and a sawdust-filled rabbit embark on adventures and discover love is the greatest force in the universe. The Playhouse will offer video-on-demand of ...

Some Enchanted Evening Video On Demand


A cast of five singers pays tribute to the iconic Broadway musical team of Rodgers & Hammerstein with a celebration of their songs from Carousel, ...

The Velveteen Rabbit
The Velveteen Rabbit
4/16 - 5/2/2021


A child and a sawdust-filled rabbit embark on adventures and discover love is the greatest force in the universe. The Velveteen Rabbit and Some Enchanted ...

The Velveteen Rabbit Opening Night Livestream


A child and a sawdust-filled rabbit embark on adventures and discover love is the greatest force in the universe. The Playhouse will provide a Livestream ...

Some Enchanted Evening Opening Night Livestream


A cast of five singers pays tribute to the iconic Broadway musical team of Rodgers & Hammerstein with a celebration of their songs from Carousel, ...

Leaving Iowa
Leaving Iowa
2/19 - 3/21/2021


An outlandish take on the classic family road trip, Leaving Iowa is the story of writer Don who returns home to find a final resting ...

Leaving Iowa
Leaving Iowa
2/19 - 3/21/2021


Leaving Iowa is a postcard to anyone who has ever taken a family road trip.Leaving Iowa and Stuart Little will be in repertory, alternating weeks. ...

Stuart Little Video On Demand


Stuart Little is a mouse born into a family of humans. Shy and thoughtful, Stuart is also a lover of adventure. When his friend, the ...

Leaving Iowa -Video On Demand


Leaving Iowa is a postcard to anyone who has ever taken a family road trip. The Playhouse will provide the opening night recording as video-on-demand, ...

Stuart Little
Stuart Little
2/26 - 3/14/2021


Stuart Little is a mouse born into a family of humans. Shy and thoughtful, Stuart is also a lover of adventure. When his friend, the ...

Stuart Little Opening Night Livestream


Stuart Little is a mouse born into a family of humans. Shy and thoughtful, Stuart is also a lover of adventure. When his friend, the ...

Leaving Iowa Opening Night Stream


Leaving Iowa is a postcard to anyone who has ever taken a family road trip. The livestream is opening night, Feb. 19th, at 7:30 PM. ...

Hansel and Gretel
12/18 - 12/31/2020


Join The Des Moines Playhouse online this fall for Friday Funday, a creative participatory story theatre program for children ages 4-6. New stories will be ...

Playhouse on the Air Presents: Miracle on 34th Street


This December, audiences will enter a 1940s radio studio where a radio host, sound effects artists, and a star-studded acting company perform the holiday classic, ...

Little Red Riding Hood
11/20 - 12/17/2020


Join The Des Moines Playhouse online this fall for Friday Funday, a creative participatory story theatre program for children ages 4-6. New stories will be ...

Chicken Little
11/6 - 11/19/2020


Join The Des Moines Playhouse online this fall for Friday Funday, a creative participatory story theatre program for children ages 4-6. New stories will be ...

I and You
I and You
10/16 - 11/15/2020


Anthony (Clifton Antoine) arrives unexpectedly at classmate Caroline's (Natalie Grote) door bearing a beat-up copy of Walt Whitman's Leaves of Grass with an urgent assignment ...

Weekend Comedy
Weekend Comedy
10/9 - 11/8/2020


Weekend Comedy finds a middle-aged couple (Sean Kanuso, Gina Gedler) and a young couple (Tiffany Liechty, Jobe Fee) accidentally renting the same cottage for a ...

I and You
I and You
10/16


Anthony (Clifton Antoine) arrives unexpectedly at classmate Caroline's (Natalie Grote) door bearing a beat-up copy of Walt Whitman's Leaves of Grass with an urgent assignment ...

Singin' in the Rain
Singin' in the Rain
3/13 - 4/5/2020


What a Glorious Feeling!Silent movies are out. Talkies are in! Unfortunately for famed movie star Don Lockwood, his leading ladys comically harsh and squeaky voice ...

Tinker Bell
Tinker Bell
2/21 - 3/8/2020


Do you believe in fairies? Because they believe in you! A multicolored tale of Tinker Bell meeting Peter Pan and their triumph at the Battle ...

The Diary of Anne Frank
The Diary of Anne Frank
1/24 - 2/9/2020


"Where there's hope, there's life." Anne FrankIn a powerful new adaptation by Wendy Kesselman, Anne Frank emerges from history a living, lyrical, intensely gifted young ...

James and the Giant Peach
James and the Giant Peach
1/3 - 1/19/2020


Adventures this big dont grow on trees!Recently orphaned James Trotter finds himself free of his cruel and repulsive aunts. He escapes in a giant peach ...

A Christmas Story, The Musical
A Christmas Story, The Musical
12/6 - 12/23/2019


We triple dog dare you to see this show!Follow Ralphie Parker on his journey to procure the greatest Christmas gift of all time: an Official ...

100th Birthday Bash
100th Birthday Bash
11/8 - 11/9/2019


Join the Des Moines Community Playhouse as it celebrates the 100s of shows and 1000s of volunteers, audience members, donors, and staff who have been ...

Disney's Freaky Friday
Disney's Freaky Friday
10/18 - 11/3/2019


How freaky would it be if you turned into your mother?! Freaky Friday, a new musical based on the celebrated novel by Mary Rodgers and ...

A CHORUS LINE
9/7 - 10/1/2017


The show won the 1976 Pulitzer Prize for Drama, one of the few musicals ever to receive this honor, and the New York Drama Critics' ...

Moonlight and Magnolias
Moonlight and Magnolias
6/8 - 6/24/2012


1939 Hollywood is abuzz. Legendary producer David O. Selznick has shut down production of his new epic, Gone with the Wind. The screenplay, it turns ...

Ring of Fire
Ring of Fire
3/30 - 4/22/2012


Ring of Fire celebrates the Man in Black, Johnny Cash. Born a poor Arkansas boy, he picked cotton on the family farm before embarking on ...

To Kill a Mockingbird
To Kill a Mockingbird
1/20 - 2/5/2012


Scout, a young girl in a quiet southern town in 1935, is about to experience the dramatic events that will affect the rest of her ...

The Sound of Music
The Sound of Music
12/2 - 12/30/2011


Maria, who proves too high-spirited for the religious life, is sent to serve as governess to the seven children of a widowed naval captain. Featuring ...

The 39 Steps
The 39 Steps
10/21 - 11/6/2011


Gunshots, murder, and dastardly plots; seductive spies, thrilling chases and serious flirtation; they’re all part of this rollicking comedy/mystery and Broadway hit. Based on the ...

The Producers
The Producers
9/9 - 10/2/2011


"Step 1: We find the worst play ever written. Step 2: We hire the worst director in town. Step 3: We raise two million dollars. ...

Videos


Diary of a Wimpy Kid in Des Moines Diary of a Wimpy Kid
Des Moines Playhouse (1/17 - 2/2)
Hamilton (Angelica Company) in Des Moines Hamilton (Angelica Company)
Civic Center Of Greater Des Moines (6/3 - 6/15)
Hadestown (Non-Equity) in Des Moines Hadestown (Non-Equity)
Gallagher Bluedorn Performing Arts Center [Great Hall] (4/4 - 4/5)
Mean Girls (Non-Equity) in Des Moines Mean Girls (Non-Equity)
RiverCenter Adler Theatre (3/13 - 3/13)
Knuffle Bunny: A Cautionary Musical in Des Moines Knuffle Bunny: A Cautionary Musical
Des Moines Playhouse (3/28 - 4/13)
Jesus Christ Superstar in Des Moines Jesus Christ Superstar
Des Moines Playhouse (3/7 - 3/23)
Some Like It Hot in Des Moines Some Like It Hot
Civic Center Of Greater Des Moines (3/18 - 3/23)
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