Cue: Inside Des Moines Performing Arts 2022

cue INSIDE DES MOINES PERFORMING ARTS 2022

Situated between two giant movable hands, the band Squonk thrilled audiences on Cowles Commons as part of our free outdoor programming initiative.

W E LCO M E B AC K Thanks to your unwavering support, through the toughest of times, we are back to a full schedule of live performances and the future is bright.

On October 12, 2021, the Willis Broadway Series returned to the Civic Center stage after a 19-month hiatus with The Band’s Visit. Exuberant ticket holders were greeted outside the theater doors by equally excited Des Moines Performing Arts employees, sharing the sheer joy of being able to safely gather once again.

That triumphant evening was a testament to the resilience of the arts, promising months ahead filled with comedies, concerts, family shows, and the best of Broadway.

Throughout the shutdown, we were able to sustain modified operations and remained committed to our mission of serving the community with great programming, because of loyal donors like you.

One of the best examples of that was the outdoor programming last summer in public parks all around the Des Moines Metro. These free performances (46 of them) brought national and international acts into a wide range of neighborhoods, allowing families to safely enjoy live entertainment again. What we learned about increasing access to the arts is shaping our future planning. Read more about it on page 4.

Your support also made it possible for our education team to partner with artists from all over the world to provide free online programming to more than 80,000 students statewide. And a new School-to-Stage Scholarship for our summer camps is opening more doors for young participants.

With your help, we not only weathered the storm, but are coming back better than ever. Thank you for all you do to support the arts and strengthen our community. n

JEFF CHELESVIG PRESIDENT AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER

34 TABLE OF CONTENTS

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ENGAGEMENT: FREE FOR ALL

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EDUCATION: HONOR ROLES

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NEW FACES: JOINING THE CAST

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PRESERVATION: MAINTAINING A GEM

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EDUCATION: SPOTLIGHT SHINES ON IOWA STUDENTS

SPOTLIGHTS: 12 / AVA PALMER

20 / CAITLIN BODY

32 / CECILIA CENDANA

On the covers: Audiences enjoyed an interactive experience with Ants in parks throughout the community. Learn more about how a new outdoor programming initiative is eliminating barriers and increasing access to the arts. The article begins on page 4.

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04_ ENGAGEMENT

FREE FOR ALL New outdoor programming eliminates barriers, increases access, and brings world-class artists into communities all around Des Moines.

Audiences were delighted by a free concert experience from the band Squonk on Cowles Commons.

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hile the summer of 2021 welcomed the return of live performances for Des Moines Performing Arts, it was far from business as usual. As safety concerns kept theater doors closed, DMPA turned to green spaces and to acts that had been waiting patiently in the wings.

In the wake of a global pandemic and a national reckoning on social justice, DMPA seized the opportunity to reimagine the role of performing arts in the community and to break down barriers to wider participation.

The barriers first to fall were cost and location.

The summer programs were 100 percent donor funded. That meant no tickets were required for any of the performances (which came with the added excitement of never knowing how many people would show up). To reach the most diverse audience, DMPA worked with six local Parks and Recreation Departments (Des Moines, West Des Moines, Altoona, Ankeny, Johnston, Urbandale) to identify outdoor spaces that could accommodate the shows.

“We did a lot of listening,” said Eric Olmscheid, DMPA’s Director of Programming. “We also relied on members of our community task force on diversity,

equity and inclusion to help us connect with the community more thoughtfully as we fine-tuned our summer plans.”

The focus was on two types of outdoor shows: nomadic acts that didn’t require a stage, but could pop up just about anywhere, and performers who could shine on the stages or amphitheaters available in local parks. The result: 46 free performances in public spaces that engaged new audiences and expanded the role of performing arts in our community for the summer — and for the future.

NEW ARTISTS IN TOWN

Rather than trying to take indoor shows and drop them into park settings, Olmscheid turned to productions built for outdoor presentation that had already caught his eye. That included Waterbombs!,

by Seth Bloom and Christina Gelsone, and Ants, from the Polyglot Theatre. Both acts were well established and met DMPA’s high standards. “But they are not necessarily ones we would have had a home for if it hadn’t been for this pivot,” Olmscheid said. “I always told them, ‘When the time is right, we’ll get you to Des Moines.’”

That time had arrived.

The DMPA staff were excited to get back to what they do best. So were the artists. Bloom and Gelsone have performed Waterbombs! for 15 years in 28

Folks gathered in parks throughout the metro to enjoy Waterbombs!, featuring an interactive water balloon fight set to music.

A family prepares to participate in the Ants experience by making their own antennae.

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DMPA’s free outdoor engagements encourage neighbors to celebrate the arts as a community.

PERFORMANCE SPACES • Ankeny Band Shell, Ankeny

• River Woods Elementary, Des Moines

• Carver Elementary, Des Moines

• Riverview Park, Des Moines

• Cowles Commons, Des Moines

• Terra Park, Johnston

• Crestview School of Inquiry, West Des Moines

• Union Park, Des Moines

• Evelyn K. Davis Park, Des Moines

• Walker Johnston Park, Urbandale

• Haines Park, Altoona

• Windsor Elementary, Des Moines

• Wagner Park, Ankeny

• Hillis Elementary, Des Moines • Hurd Amphitheater, West Des Moines • Jackson Elementary, Des Moines

SUMMER 2021 EVENTS

• Lauridsen Amphitheater at Water Works Park, Des Moines

• Waterbombs!

• McKinley Elementary, Des Moines

• Somos Amigos

• Pappajohn Sculpture Park, Des Moines

• Squonk (Hand to Hand)

• Pete Crivaro Park, Des Moines

• Terrance Simien and The Zydeco Experience

• Raccoon River Park, West Des Moines

• Weekly outdoor yoga

• Ants

different countries. The show is a water-balloonbursting gladiator clash filled with physical comedy and belly laughs. They perform regularly in Europe, where there’s a culture of street theater and presenting circus and comedy work outdoors. They have not found the same opportunities in the United States.

“Our favorite part is that it’s free,” said Bloom, “so that means anybody can come to see the art. We’ve been trying to get it to happen in the U.S. over and over. When COVID hit, we thought now everybody is going to be looking for outdoor shows, but they didn’t.

We were so thrilled to get that call from Des Moines.”

Waterbombs! is a 30-minute show that includes two audience volunteers who step into the role of gladiators, with half the crowd cheering each to victory. Shared knowledge of popular music (think Chariots of Fire) and emphatic whistles give the gladiators, and everyone watching, their cues.

Audience engagement is not just encouraged, it’s essential.

“We have done this show all over the world,” said Gelsone. “In Germany, people will bring out huge picnic baskets and it’s a really big to-do. We weren’t sure how the crowd would react in Des Moines, but there they were with their chairs and blankets and food. It feels like Des Moines was made for this.”

Getting folks to throw water balloons at one another is not easy in all countries. No problem here.

“We have a good throwing culture in the U.S.,” Bloom said with a laugh. “Everyone grows up throwing balls and being competitive. People like cheering for teams. It was a natural fit. Plus, the Des Moines audiences were the most fun. They got all the physical jokes and they liked to play along.”

The non-verbal nature of Waterbombs! and Ants, where three human-sized insects encourage children to help them gather up giant “breadcrumbs,” eliminates language barriers to increase access to the

arts. “With the universal themes of both those shows, we were able to connect with audiences of all ages, backgrounds, cultures,” Olmscheid said. “Not often do we experience the performing arts in a way that is that accessible.”

NEW PROCESSES, PARTNERSHIPS

Both shows were also very mobile, performing multiple times in a single day, and in new spaces.

That came with special challenges for DMPA Production Supervisor Cole Giudicessi.

“We had to put together a mobile theater production kit since we were always on the move,” Giudicessi said. “That usually looked like a rental van and sometimes a pop-up tent. The performers for Ants needed a mobile green room so they could get into their costumes.”

He and his team also conducted site visits at the various parks to find the perfect space for the performers and for the audience. They would examine the position of the sun at various times of day, consider whether the grass would be too wet to sit on and make sure there was ample space for lawn chairs and social distancing.

Once the plan was in place, they were still ready for changes, based on the size of the crowd and the weather that day. That’s the nature of outdoor performances.

“At one park, the performance would take place in the round,” Giudicessi said. “At the next, people would line up on one side. It was a neat experience.

We had to go with the flow and create our own stage space, to get everyone close and involved.”

That’s one thing you could always count on: high energy and interaction from the audience members.

“People were so ready to get out and enjoy a live performance,” Giudicessi said. “We had quite a few people who came to multiple shows. People were

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willing to put themselves out there and try something new. It was that audience engagement that made the magic.”

Mollie Wilhite, recreation superintendent for Urbandale Parks and Recreation Department, saw that happening, too. Walker Johnston Park hosted performances of both Waterbombs! and Ants.

Partnering with DMPA was a new experience, but a spectacular way to return to live programming.

“We always thought those performances had to be done inside,” Wilhite said. “What the pandemic taught us is, not only can it be done outside, sometimes it’s really appropriate to have these fun events outside.

That it was a Des Moines Performing Arts event that was free to the public: How exciting is that?

“It really opened our eyes to opportunities that utilize our outdoor spaces in a way that’s safe and in a way the community really wants to engage.”

The events brought Wilhite a bit of nervousness, too. With brand-new programming in the park and without ticket sales to give an idea of attendance, she admitted to a bit of clock-watching.

“I always get a little nervous with these free events because you never know who is going to show up,” she said. “Then 10 minutes before, people started to trickle in. At 5 minutes, a lot more. And when it’s showtime, I don’t even know where they are coming from. Then after the show, they wanted to know when we were going to do it again.”

A SUCCESSFUL EXPERIMENT

The response to the outdoor programming of summer 2021 has been overwhelmingly positive from all the stakeholders — audiences, city leaders, performers, donors, and DMPA staff. In addition to Waterbombs! and Ants, the lineup included musical groups Somos Amigos, Squonk: Hand to Hand, and Terrance Simien and The Zydeco Experience.

The focus on increasing accessibility and reaching new audiences is already having positive impacts. The actors of Waterbomb! witnessed it.

“We had between 100 and 400 people at each show,” said Bloom. “All the parks were in different neighborhoods, which drew different people to the show. To look out and see all those diverse faces together, laughing and having a great time, was very special.”

The audience experience is different indoors, where you often sit in the dark and don’t see the faces of the people around you. Outdoor theater provides an opportunity for a more communal experience.

“Indoors, you’re autonomous,” said Gelsone. “In an outdoor space, you realize you are part of a big group and that you all matter together.”

The change from performances held at a huge theater in downtown Des Moines to smaller shows in public spaces all around town created a new dynamic that Urbandale’s Wilhite appreciated.

“There is a need for this art and these performances in our communities,” she said. “It’s so nice not to have to pack up your young children, drive all the way downtown, find parking. Instead, the arts are meeting us where we are. We can walk to the show and see world-class artists in our own backyard. We are thrilled to have had the opportunity to be part of it.”

More opportunities are on the way. Discussions began immediately about options for 2022. What started as an experiment, quickly turned into an experience that has re-energized a city’s passion for the performing arts.

“To be together, rediscovering the joy of being back in front of a live audience, reminded us why we do what we do,” Olmscheid said. “It was a real connection of art and community that was lost to us for so long.” n

Families came together to share a performance from the band Squonk while enjoying all that Cowles Commons has to offer.

Ava Palmer is one of the many students to enhance their love of performing arts through DMPA’s immersive summer camps.

PHOTOGRAPHER: DUANE TINKEY

12_ SPOTLIGHT

AVA PALME R Summer theater camp helps fuel high schooler’s passion for the arts.

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t’s become a familiar experience in Ava Palmer’s household. Sitting in the living room, Palmer overhears her grandmother playing the same video on repeat.

The video depicts Palmer’s solo performance at Des Moines Performing Arts’ 2019 Broadway Summer Intensive camp, where she beautifully belted out a rendition of “There Are Worse Things I Could Do” from the musical Grease.

The whole experience — and video — has become a huge point of pride for Palmer and her family.

“I’ll be sitting in the living room and hear the song playing, and that’s Grandma playing the video to her friends again,” Palmer says with a laugh.

Palmer, now a junior at Scavo High School in downtown Des Moines, says the performance was the biggest highlight in her love for the arts, which stems back to middle school.

During a stay at a youth shelter in sixth grade, Palmer learned to play piano from one of her mentors. It changed the course of her life — “it was a game changer,” Palmer says. From there, Palmer found her passion for dancing and singing. But she never had the opportunity to fuse the two together.

ArtForce Iowa, a nonprofit organization that provides crucial access to the arts for at-risk youth, has played a vital role in Palmer’s life and devotion to the arts. The organization connected Palmer to

DMPA, which offered her a full scholarship to its annual Broadway Summer Intensive camp. The weeklong retreat brings in Broadway professionals to work with teenagers. Participants act, dance and sing, all culminating with a showcase for family and friends at the end of the week.

Without DMPA’s scholarship and ArtForce Iowa, Palmer wouldn’t have been exposed to such a lifechanging opportunity.

“Cost has always been an issue for me,” she says.

“So being considered for a scholarship, I couldn’t believe it. It was crazy for me.”

Palmer excelled at the DMPA camp. Those working with her remarked about her work ethic and attitude. Palmer particularly enjoyed working with renowned Broadway performers, which only inspired her to learn and work more.

Her hard work stood out, and she eventually earned herself a coveted solo performance.

“I didn’t think I would get it because there are so many talented people,” Palmer says. “I thought there was no way I’d get picked. I was really proud.”

The camp has only furthered Palmer’s interest in theater.

“It was an amazing experience, and I was around such great people,” Palmer says. “It was really cool for me to have that first-hand experience. I think it’s an opportunity that everyone should have access to.” n

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HONOR ROLES New partnership with schools expands learning opportunities for all at summer camps.

Students practice their curtain call bows as part of a DMPA summer camp.

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ringing together more diverse experiences, more diverse interpretations, makes for a richer experience for all. That’s the driving force behind a new scholarship program that is changing summer camps at Des Moines Performing Arts.

School-to-Stage Scholarships were introduced in the summer of 2021 for students in both the Musical Theater Camp and Broadway Summer Intensive sessions. Local teachers were asked to identify students with a special passion and penchant for performing arts to represent their schools. Twentythree scholarships were awarded.

“We were seeing fewer students from urban schools at our summer camps, and we set out to understand why,” said Karoline Myers, Director of Education for DMPA. Working with school leaders helped to identify barriers that students and their families might be facing, from lack of knowledge of the camps, to the cost of tuition, and even access to transportation.

The School-to-Stage Scholarship program was built specifically to knock down those barriers and open up opportunities to more students. Since the

Opposite page: Campers build upon existing skills and learn new ones with the guidance of theater professionals.

scholarships are based on merit, they are a point of pride and encouragement for students and their families. And since classmates attend camp together, they can count on finding familiar faces in new surroundings.

Moulton Elementary School in Des Moines was one of the partners in the pilot program, sending five students to one of the week-long Musical Theater Camps in 2021.

“To me, it’s about access to opportunity from two different perspectives,” said Ben Heinen, Associate Principal at Moulton. “The opportunity for our students to participate in performing arts programming that historically would not have been as available for them. Then conversely, students for whom that programming is more readily available now have access to social experiences with a more diverse group, and that informs their perspective on the community and the world around them.”

Several of the schools involved in the new scholarship effort are also members of the Turnaround Arts program, created by the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in 2011. The schools use integrated arts education to invigorate the school environment and to increase student engagement and achievement. The arts become a

18_ EDUCATION

pathway to possibilities, from creative expression to careers, from scholarships to social change.

“The more opportunity our students have to live that identity in the broader community as opposed to just in the school community alone, the more it reinforces all the positive impacts of increasing access to the arts. That’s why partnerships like this one with Des Moines Performing Arts are so valuable,” said Heinen.

“As they grow and mature, being part of these environments won’t feel special, it will feel natural.

That’s where we need to be, where our students deserve to be. It begins with opportunities like this.”

Summer camp participants experience all the moving parts of a live theater production: the auditions, the costumes, the staging, the directing, the teamwork, the anticipation. As a result, they see different roles as possibilities for their own futures.

“You can never know what is going to open minds, and hearts, to what is possible,” said Myers.

DMPA hosted six weeks of Musical Theater Camp in 2021, with 35 students each week preparing and performing the out-of-this-world romp Space Pirates. The whirlwind adventure gave each student a chance to grab the spotlight. And what a spotlight it was. After shifting summer camps to a virtual format in 2020, DMPA celebrated the return to in-person participation at the Des Moines Civic Center.

That gave campers plenty of space where they could safely learn from their instructors and from one another. “The students bring different

“PROGRAMS LIKE THIS CREATE FUTURE PATRONS OF THE ARTS. IT’S AN INVESTMENT IN THE CULTURE OF THE FUTURE, THE MINDSET OF THE FUTURE.” Ben Heinen Associate Principal, Moulton Elementary School Des Moines, Iowa

perspectives and experiences to the mix,” said Myers.

“They meet on Monday for the first time and by the end of the week are performing side by side. It’s a beautiful representation of how in the arts, there’s a place for every single one of us.”

The end-of-week performances brought family and friends to the Civic Center — some for the first time — to see their students shine. Ben Heinen was there the Friday that his Moulton students took the stage, and he heard their enthusiasm afterward as they bubbled with “I loved it!” and “I can’t wait to do it again!”

But Heinen found even more power in what he saw. “What I took away was less about the words they used to describe their experience and more about the joy and confidence in their body language and facial expressions,” he said. “That confidence will manifest in a lot of different ways going forward.” n

Throughout the summer, campers gain confidence in themselves and their craft as they share the joy of performance with one another.

A DMPA internship set the stage for Caitlin Body’s future.

PHOTOGRAPHER: KEVIN SERNA

20_ SPOTLIGHT

CAITLIN BODY Des Moines Performing Arts serves as launching point for stage manager’s career.

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aitlin Body and theater have been intertwined since she was a young child. She first performed on stage in first grade at a children’s community theater in her hometown of Osceola, Iowa, a small city about 45 miles south of Des Moines. By second grade, Body’s mother, a longtime Des Moines Performing Arts subscriber, regularly took her to shows at the Civic Center.

“I’ve always just had this love of the stage,” Body says.

Her fascination and childlike wonder with theater carried throughout her teenage years. As a junior in high school, Body reached out to DMPA. She wanted to tour the Civic Center offices and get a feel for what it takes to put on world-class performances.

But what started as a day-long tour turned into a springboard for her career. From the outset, Body felt a connection to life behind the stage, and that day in the office became an internship in the summer of 2009 before Body’s senior year of high school.

It was that experience that led Body to pursue a career in stage managing. She attended DePaul University in Chicago, studying theater arts, and came back to DMPA as a summer intern, helping organize summer education programs.

After graduation in 2013, Body stayed in the Chicago area, and joined Collaboraction Theatre Company in her first stage manager role. Body’s career continued to gain traction, and she started interviewing with bigger venues. Today, she’s been booked and interviewed to stage manage performances in various Chicago theaters, including the Goodman Theatre, Chicago Shakespeare Theater and more.

One day, she hopes to return to the Civic Center with a nationally touring show. It would only be fitting, since DMPA was so integral to her budding theater career. “[That experience] really showed me and taught me everything that I did not know about theater, which was just how many people it takes in the offices and behind the stage to make things happen,” Body says. “My time [at DMPA] was extremely important.” n

22_ NEW FACES

JOINING THE CAST Meet the newest additions to the Des Moines Performing Arts ensemble, and learn how they developed their love of live theater.

Spoiler: For a couple, the Civic Center played a big role.

ALICIA BROOKS Executive Assistant

What is your favorite thing about your new job at DMPA? Walking into the Civic Center every day is surreal, especially since I am from Des Moines. I’m really looking forward to grasping what it takes to bring shows to town and to have a successful show season.

What sparked a love for the arts in you?

My mom brought me to a show at the Civic Center as a young girl. The time we spent together created a memory forever.

If you could have a meal with any theater professional, who would it be?

I would love to meet RuPaul. He’s so trendy and all about living life. When he transforms, he’s simply beautiful and inspiring.

What’s the one showtune that always brightens your day?

“9 to 5”

JASON DERNAY Education Program Specialist, IHSMTA

Who sparked a love for the arts in you?

My high school theater director definitely grew my passion. She always took deliberate time and had unlimited patience to help me discover and grow in the arts, making the work enjoyable, and being present.

Can you share a favorite memory of a theater experience?

In college, I attended a very small community theater production of Once Upon a Mattress.

At the time, I was starting to work professionally and study theater in-depth and had admittedly become a bit snobbish and distracted with my work. At that production, I was awestruck at the level of care, fun, and creativity from a wide variety of people with a wide variety of lives, it changed my perspective on the arts and brought me back to my passion.

If you could have a meal with any theater professional, who would it be?

The playwright Noah Haidle. He has written two of my favorite plays, and his work is all very different. I would love to hear more about what he chooses to write and how he finds inspiration in many different areas.

What’s the one showtune that always brightens your day?

The go-to showtune for me is “If I Were a Rich Man” from Fiddler on the Roof.

MARY KATHERINE GILLETTE Development Assistant

Who sparked a love for the arts in you?

My high school choir director, Mr. McNear, made me fall in love with the arts. He did not just teach us about music, but he taught us about how the arts can make us better people.

His classroom felt like home to me. Not a day goes by that I do not think about all the lessons he taught me.

Can you share a favorite memory of a theater experience?

My favorite memory of a theater experience was my first summer camp at DMPA as a child! I met many good friends that summer and learned how much I love performing. The camp opened my eyes to the world of theater, and I was so thankful for the DMPA staff for making the experience so fun.

If you could have a meal with any theater professional, who would it be?

Sutton Foster. She has been my favorite Broadway performer since I was a child, and I would love to ask her about her time on Broadway, her advice, and what she is hoping to accomplish going forward.

What’s the one showtune that always brightens your day?

“Seasons of Love” from Rent.

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MEGAN KIRK Controller

What’s your favorite thing about your new job at DMPA? I love how passionate everyone is about what they get to do each day. Everyone has their role in making sure we can offer an amazing experience. It has been great seeing how all the departments work together closely and pull on their own individual strengths to work toward a common goal. I’m really looking forward to seeing kids here for shows with their schools and, of course, seeing some Broadway shows come through.

Can you share a favorite memory of a theater experience?

The first Broadway show I saw was Hamilton, and I’m super excited to see it (for the third time) in Des Moines this summer. The music is so catchy, and I think the hype around it got people excited to see musicals even if they had never been to a show before.

If you could have a meal with any theater professional, who would it be?

Julie Andrews. She has just lived such an incredible life and seems so wholesome.

What’s the one showtune that always brightens your day?

“My Shot” from Hamilton.

MICHELLE BRYLCZYK Ticketing Manager

What is your favorite thing about your new job at DMPA? I am so excited to be back in the world of live theater. I love the space when the audience is sharing this amazing, fleeting moment and comes away forever changed by the experience. I’m thrilled to be a small piece of creating that magic.

Who sparked a love for the arts in you?

As an awkward teen (because who isn’t?) in a new school, someone noticed I was lost and invited me to my first thespian meeting. That amazing high school theater teacher (Susan Thetard!) and the whole group of crazy, wonderful, self-proclaimed theater kids allowed me to discover a passion for theater, but also for music, dance, lighting, sound, and so much more.

Can you share a favorite memory of a theater experience?

The first time I went to a touring Broadway show, my sophomore year of high school. The curtain rose, and I was completely enraptured with the story of Les Miserables. I cried, I cheered, and I never looked back.

What’s the one showtune that always brightens your day?

Weirdly enough, anything from Jekyll and Hyde. It’s such a dark and foreboding musical, but it never fails to excite!

JACOB BADGER Digital Experience Specialist

What is your favorite thing about your new job at DMPA? All the great people around the building; it makes work very easy. I’m really looking forward to helping DMPA expand its digital footprint.

Who sparked a love for the arts in you?

I’ve always been into the arts, but playing in the high school band solidified that it was going to be a big part of my life. Band led to show choir, show choir to showtunes, and showtunes to Broadway.

Can you share a favorite memory of a theater experience?

My favorite theater experience was Des Moines Lincoln High School’s performance of Hamlet when I was in high school. I was able to play in the orchestra for the show and had a blast.

If you could have a meal with any theater professional, who would it be?

Lin-Manuel Miranda! Hamilton was the first show that I really got into, so being able to pick his brain would be a great time.

What’s the one showtune that always brightens your day?

All of Hamilton can brighten my day, but the “Cabinet Battles” always give me a good laugh.

JANET CASSON Education Program Coordinator, Community Engagement

What is your favorite thing about your new job at DMPA? In my role as Community Engagement Coordinator, I am delighted to get to know members of our community in a wide variety of ways. I love meeting new people, learning what lights them up, and then seeking or creating circumstances where they can shine.

Who sparked a love for the arts in you?

My mom. She always sang and played music, either around our home or for her students in her kindergarten classroom. She had a song for everything. If one did not exist, she would make one up!

Can you share a favorite memory of a theater experience?

I will forever deeply love all things Shakespeare for many reasons. I’m sure I didn’t do it justice, but I adored my time playing Beatrice in Much Ado About Nothing when I was in 11th grade.

And, seeing Miss Saigon was a formative experience for me as a teenager.

If you could have a meal with any theater professional, who would it be?

Gene Kelly. I’m always starstruck by his performance in Singing in the Rain.

What’s the one showtune that always brightens your day? “La Vie Boheme” from Rent. n

26_ PRESERVATION

MAINTAINING A GEM

PHOTOGRAPHER: DUANE TINKEY

The Des Moines Civic Center continues to shine as a world-class venue.

The Civic Center’s iconic multicolored seats as seen from above.

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hat first struck Laura Sweet on her inaugural tour of the Civic Center is what strikes so many who come through the iconic venue. Sweet, now Des Moines Performing Arts’ Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, walked onto the stage with DMPA President and CEO Jeff Chelesvig and looked out.

The sea of different seat colors — green, blue and red — is unlike any other theater. It’s become one of the defining characteristics of the Civic Center, a true architectural gem of Des Moines and the theater industry. In fact, the Civic Center was named the building of the decade statewide for the 1970s by the American Institute of Architects Iowa Chapter.

“I’ll never forget that,” Sweet says. “The color palette is truly unique to our theater, and I told Jeff I love it. It’s distinctive. We are committed to constantly updating the building to maintain a premier venue worthy of the performances on our stages. This means being good stewards of donor dollars while making important updates to keep the building modern. We think of our efforts as maintaining a work of art.”

The Civic Center and its seats have been a staple in Iowa’s arts and culture scene since opening in 1979. It’s among the largest theaters in the state, with

a capacity of more than 2,700 people for concerts, Broadway musicals, ballets and more. The building is also home to the Stoner Theater, a 200-seat venue ideal for more intimate performances.

It takes hard work and dedication to create world-class experiences at every show. DMPA’s operations team follows a tight schedule that plans any repairs or inspections in between a packed calendar of performances. Everything from seating trim to carpeting to the efficiency of concession lines are constantly monitored for an optimal guest experience.

All work is completed with the original Civic Center architecture in mind. The distinct seat colors remain. Carpeting has been replaced, but still matches the original colors and patterns. Recently installed LED lights illuminate the lobby and stage areas in newer and better ways. Adding to the comfort and uniqueness of the venue is the original fan-shaped continental seating area, which allows patrons easy access to aisles and provides for a true center seat experience that is lost in many theaters with a center aisle.

That combination of historic charm and modern amenities makes the Civic Center an exciting destination for both touring acts and audience members.

“We are a venue that tours love to play,” says Janet Albanese, DMPA’s Director of Production and

OVER THE PAST 10 YEARS DMPA HAS INVESTED OVER $29 MILLION IN BUILDING MAINTENANCE AND CAPITAL PROJECTS. Highlights of previous projects: •

Installation of T-coil/assisted hearing technology

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Exterior updates including safety bollards and new digital sign

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State-of-the-art orchestra shell

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New sound system

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Expanding backstage loading docks

PHOTOGRAPHER: DUANE TINKEY

Anticipated future projects:

Multi-colored lights illuminate the Civic Center stage.

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Public Wi-Fi

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New design for Swirl sculpture

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Enhancements to the Temple Theater

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Backstage Civic Center updates

A steel structural beam high above the stage was installed in conjunction with The Phantom of the Opera’s first Civic Center engagement.

PHOTOGRAPHER: DUANE TINKEY

30_ PRESERVATION

This logo indicates that a space, like the Civic Center, has T-Coil technology available to provide guests with compatible hearing devices amplified sound.

Building Services. “We try and make it easy for shows to come in. And our attention to detail, that sets us apart from other venues. You want to be show ready at all times, so that everyone can focus on the experience of the Civic Center.”

CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT

Improving the Civic Center’s capability is just as important as maintaining its gem status. As performances, particularly Broadway shows, become more intricate and complex, being on the cutting edge is essential.

That’s where the Civic Center shines. Over the years, DMPA has steadily made improvements to the Civic Center to better accommodate touring shows and acts. In some instances, that included making small adjustments for renowned touring acts.

The longtime standard for theater venues was the capability to host The Phantom of the Opera, one of the most iconic and longest running Broadway musicals. When the performance first came through the Civic Center in 1997, DMPA outfitted steel structural beams high above the stage to support hanging the false proscenium used in the show.

Disney’s Mary Poppins came to Des Moines in 2010. To accommodate the final scene where Mary Poppins flies over the crowd and out of sight, DMPA created a hole in one of the ceiling clouds above the audience and lifted the performer up and away.

But much of the work being done is broader.

DMPA has taken steps to ensure the Civic Center is an ideal destination for any touring show. A new loading dock makes it much easier for shows — some of which have up to 20 semi-trucks — to unload. LED

stage lights can now be adjusted for brightness and color. A state-of-the-art sound system, installed in 2018, captures and delivers unparalleled sound.

The Civic Center’s sterling reputation is a product of the continuous effort from DMPA, which is always on the lookout for the best technologies and logistics to implement.

“We are constantly making adjustments,” Sweet says. “We’re doing things that hopefully make it easier for the touring productions to come in and use our space.”

The advancements extend to accessibility as well.

Catching a show at the Civic Center is a one-of-a-kind experience and serves as a source of inspiration. It’s crucial the venue is inviting to everyone.

In 2017, a T-coil system was installed throughout the Civic Center. Individuals with hearing loss can connect compatible hearing aids to the system and stream sound directly into their ears.

DMPA also has a partnership with the Iowa Radio Reading Information Service (IRIS) to enlist volunteers who provide a live audio description of performances to visually impaired patrons via a headset. Additionally, ADA-compliant seating is available at every performance and ASL interpreters are available at select performances.

It takes all of these pieces and more to make the Civic Center a historic, safe, accommodating and beautiful backdrop for any performance.

“When you walk in, we want your focus to be on the experience rather than noticing something is off. That’s our goal,” Albanese says. “These are things our audience members will never see or notice if we’re doing it right.” n

A true patron of the arts, Cecilia Cendana supports DMPA in countless ways.

PHOTOGRAPHER: DUANE TINKEY

32_ SPOTLIGHT

CECILIA CE NDANA Volunteer, season ticket holder, donor, neighbor: She’s all that and more.

W

hen Cecilia Cendana says the Civic Center feels like home, it’s not hyperbole.

She lives just minutes away.

“I’ve always been amazed by the theater,” she says, with her easy smile. “I moved downtown to be closer to the Civic Center. And when something is at Cowles Commons, I’m at that, too.”

If you’ve been to events in either space, you’ve probably seen Cendana. She has season tickets for the Willis Broadway Series; she’s a regular volunteer, including in the Patron Circle Lounge; and she’s a donor, too.

Even though she doesn’t drive, Cendana never let that be a showstopper. “They would have a matinee show on Thursday, and that meant I could take the bus home,” says Cendana, who was working downtown at the time. “So, Thursday afternoons, I was there.”

Once she moved downtown, she started volunteering with DMPA, earning matching funds from her employer for the time she invested. One of her favorite activities was helping children with Discovery Party activities before Wellmark Family Series shows. “That’s how I got started,” she says.

“I gave my time, and I was glad to have that opportunity.”

Soon she was donating more than just her time.

She was especially excited to support the donordriven Applause Series, which provides students with $1 tickets to world-class entertainment at the Civic Center.

“That really hit the spot for me,” says Cendana.

“Kids need to be exposed to the arts. They are becoming fans, advocates for the arts. And who knows, you might have a future star in the making.”

The arts played an important role in Cendana’s youth. She studied dance in her native Philippines, so she knows the effort it takes to be a professional.

That’s why her season ticket is in the second row.

“When I am there, I can see their expressions. I can see their emotions. I feel like I’m part of the show.”

Her love of music draws Cendana to concerts of all kinds. But nothing tops her love of Phantom of the Opera. She has seen it 13 times, 12 of them just down the street. “I saw it once in New York at the Majestic,” she said, “but nothing beats the Civic Center.”

She proudly carries that message with her wherever she goes. In fact, she convinced a friend from San Diego to come to Des Moines for Hamilton this year. n

34_ EDUCATION

SPOTLIGHT SHINES ON IOWA S TUDENTS Musical theater awards program celebrates 10 years of uplifting Iowa high school casts and crew.

Students perform in a high school musical. One of the hundreds adjudicated as part of the Iowa High School Musical Theater Awards over the past 10 years.

36_ EDUCATION

W

hen Des Moines Performing Arts launched the Iowa High School Musical Theater Awards, the premise was simple: Build an education-based program that would celebrate and elevate the work being produced by Iowa schools.

The results have been simply amazing.

The first year of IHSMTA featured nine Central Iowa-area high schools. Ten years later, annual participation has grown to more than 80 schools — of all sizes and in all parts of the state. Overall, tens of thousands of Iowa students and educators have been inspired to new levels of performance, on stage and off.

“The goal was to build a program that would be sustainable and have a lasting impact on schools,” said Karoline Myers, Director of Education for DMPA. “What it has become far exceeds what we even had the capacity to imagine in those first years.”

One of the early steps in building the program was to reach out to Iowa drama directors to gather their input. A clear message emerged: Students have enough competition and pressures in their lives. The educators wanted a way to inspire and uplift their young talents.

That answer was exactly what the DMPA team was hoping to hear.

“It was this beautiful synergy,” said Myers. “The models we were most attracted to were right in line

with what we were hearing from our educators.”

Keeping the focus on education rather than competition would allow every high school to feel successful, regardless of their school size, their geographic location, or the budget of their arts program. It also provided support and inspiration for every level of the production, from director to stage manager, lighting team to sound crew, lead performer to ensemble.

“While celebrating, at every turn, what these schools were accomplishing, we could also give them the tools they needed to find that next level of possibilities,” said Myers.

To reach those goals, IHSMTA was built on three pillars: 1) master classes and educational workshops for students and directors, 2) experienced adjudicators who attend the shows and provide written feedback, and 3) a showcase performance at the end of the school year on the largest stage in the state, the Des Moines Civic Center.

THE POWER OF POSSIBILITIES

Stevie LeWarne was a freshman at Dowling Catholic High School in West Des Moines when the IHSMTA program began. The memories of that first showcase are still with him.

“I was just so inspired,” said LeWarne. “It really sparked the drive in me, to see musical theater as a serious pathway in my life. The Iowa High School Musical Theater Awards showed you that there was a future here. You could go to school for this.”

And he did, studying performance at New York

The IHSMTA culminate with a showcase where students are invited to perform in front of their families, peers and the public on the Civic Center stage.

38_ EDUCATION

University. The pathway LeWarne first discovered in high school has led him to the cast of the current national tour of Hairspray, which will perform on 58 stages in 28 states.

Still, the stage he loves best is in Des Moines.

“I remember being on the Civic Center stage singing with my peers and looking out on those green, red, and blue seats,” said LeWarne. “I can still feel it to this day.”

Students who met during IHSMTA formed social media groups so they could continue sharing information and encouragement. “Without that group of peers I could relate to, it would have been really hard and really lonely,” said LeWarne. “DMPA creates an important community for kids. It’s life-changing.”

Of course, not all students who have participated in IHSMTA over the past 10 years are on the road with a Broadway show. But all have been impacted in important ways by the experience.

LESSONS FOR LIFE

Tim Mitchell witnessed the impact on his students at Union High School in LaPorte City, population 2,284. He retired recently after 34 years of teaching vocal music at small schools in northeast Iowa.

Under his direction, Union students participated in IHSMTA for seven years.

He shared the story of a senior who was an accomplished athlete, but a newcomer to musical theater. “We performed Into the Woods that year, and she had the role of narrator,” he said. “She took such ownership of that part. And the feedback she

received from a panel of judges in attendance. It changed her world. She’s studying communications in college now and loving it.”

Mitchell was learning, too. He especially enjoyed the two-day directors’ seminar each August in Des Moines, with topics ranging from taking great stage photos, to new ideas for marketing a show, to ticket sales strategies.

One session of the directors’ forum — built around the theme of telling the story — especially resonated with Mitchell. It changed the way he worked with his students that year and every year after that.

“We would start our rehearsal process talking about the story. How are all of us connected to this story?” he said. “It’s just a little change in mindset, but what a difference it made.”

It also provides students with opportunities to make suggestions, to find solutions. That’s a skill that not only impacts their musical theater production, but also radiates into other classrooms and into the community.

Mitchell noted the impact on the ensemble cast. “You are always going to see the leads,” he said.

“But if the ensemble is amazing, then the show is amazing. By asking how their part tells the story, the ensemble takes more ownership of the show. That came from IHSMTA.” EXPERT ADJUDICATORS

Each high school musical participating in the IHSMTA program receives feedback from a panel of

“SITTING IN THESE AUDITORIUMS AND SEEING THE COMMUNITY SUPPORT AND SEEING HOW THE THEATER PROGRAMS HAVE GROWN, IT’S AN HONOR TO KNOW THAT WE’VE PLAYED EVEN A SMALL PART IN MAKING THAT HAPPEN.” Karoline Myers Director of Education, Des Moines Performing Arts

judges in attendance. Currently about 65 current or retired performing arts educators, artists, directors, and technicians answer the call.

“Musical theater is such a collaborative art form, not every adjudicator is going to be an expert in every area,” said Myers, leader of the DMPA education team.

“But they have a sense of the whole performance as an audience member and then they can lean into the areas where they have that depth of knowledge.”

The judges’ comments serve as motivation for improvement year after year. Engagement grows on all levels. Students who participate in one of the educational opportunities through IHSMTA are bringing that information and energy back to their schools. Older students are developing training for younger students, so the bar continues to rise.

“Knowing that the judges are coming to see the show sharpens me as an educator,” said Mitchell. “It sharpens the students. It’s not just happy parents or

supportive administrators in the audience, but professionals who know their stuff. It drives us.”

SHOWCASE ON THE BIG STAGE

After the educational workshops, after the musicals are performed, and after the judges’ feedback is delivered, the stage is set for the Iowa High School Musical Theater Awards Showcase at the Des Moines Civic Center at the end of the school year.

Outstanding ensembles and individual performers share favorite highlights from their productions. Others are invited to participate in blockbuster medleys that open and close the showcase. More than 500 students from all around Iowa come together under the direction of a team of Broadway professionals.

The end result is a 2½-hour, high-quality, highenergy, musical celebration of Iowa high school talent, presented to an enthusiastic audience of family, friends and supporters. The show reaches an even bigger audience when the recording is played on Iowa PBS. The showcase caps a week of rehearsals where life-long connections are created and students learn even more about the world of theater and themselves.

“I love seeing the behind-the-scenes connections that happen during that week,” Myers said. “The students are just in awe of what their peers are capable of. There’s something so special in watching students come off the stage after a huge ovation with ear-to-ear grins, pumping their fists in the air and saying, ‘I didn’t know I could feel this way.’ ” n

40_ BOARD OF DIRECTORS AND STAFF

BOARD OF DIRECTORS Officers Stacy Wanderscheid* Chair Perspective Consulting Partners, LLC Espnola Cartmill* Vice Chair Belin McCormick Ardis Kelley* Treasurer Federal Home Loan Bank of Des Moines Paul Hlivko* Secretary Wellmark Blue Cross & Blue Shield

Timothy Perkins Community Leader

Karoline Myers Director of Education

Nicholas Romano Production Manager/ Head Carpenter

Lynnae Lathrop Education Program Coordinator, Camps

Jamie Stepp Production Manager/ Head Audio

Rich Willis* Willis Automotive

Sara Perez Education Program Coordinator, Curriculum

Ryan Anderson Production Manager/ Head Electrician

Legal Counsel

Janet Casson Education Program Coordinator, Community Engagement

Cole Giudicessi Production Supervisor

Jason Dernay Education Program Specialist, IHSMTA

Heng Teav Building Services Assistant Manager

Bob Ritz* MercyOne Linda Westergaard City of Des Moines

Mike Kulik Davis Brown Law Firm * indicates Executive Committee Member

STAFF Administration

Christine Lauridsen Sand* Past Chair

Jeff Chelesvig President and Chief Executive Officer

Directors Tom Ahart Des Moines Public Schools

Laura Sweet Vice President and Chief Operating Officer

LaNae Ceryanec Community Leader

Bill Pinegar Director of Human Resources

Frank Cownie, Mayor City of Des Moines

Christopher Cuhel Database Analyst

Chuck Freeman State Farm Insurance

Alicia Brooks Executive Assistant

Lisa Gobber Nationwide Insurance

Communications

Christine Her ArtForce Iowa Hannah Krause Owner, Eden Matt McCoy Polk County Board of Supervisors Dennis Menken* Principal Financial Group Katie Patterson Happy Medium Sonia Parras Konrad* Law Office of Sonia Parras, PLCC

Education

Jonathan Brendemuehl Director of Communications Development Anna Cramer Development Manager Emily Kruse Development Manager Mary Katherine Gillette Development Assistant Digital Experience Greg Votava Director of Digital Experience

Finance Heidi Watkins Chief Financial Officer Megan Kirk Controller Rita Gardner Accountant Wendy Albrecht Payroll and Benefits Specialist Guest Services Allie Ross Guest Services Manager Micaela Veenstra Guest Services Assistant Manager Charlene Brown Kerry George Shirley Ramirez David Wright House Managers

Ly Ung Building Services Manager

Bret Engel Francisco Mora Denise Shade Anthony Benson Building Services Associates Programming Eric Olmscheid Director of Programming Julie Houghton Programming Coordinator, Artist Services Brooke Bridenstine Programming Coordinator, Event Booking Melinda Mastrofski Catering and Hospitality Specialist Jones Pfeifer Programming Intern Ticket Office

Marketing

Kennedy Bollmeyer Director of Ticketing

Barb Preuss Director of Marketing

Michelle Brylczyk Ticket Office Manager

Brianna Hall Marketing Manager

Ashlin Berthelsen Madison Bishop Ticketing Coordinators

Beth Kneeskern Marketing Manager

Jacob Badger Digital Experience Specialist

Production and Building Services

Sarah Infante Graphic Designer

Janet Albanese Director of Production and Building Services

Laura Arenson Dakota Rachuy Sarah Davis Ticketing Specialists

Premier Partners:

CUE 2022, Issue 3. Produced by Business Publications Corp.

CUE is issued and published annually by Des Moines Performing Arts. Contents ©2022. Reproduction or other use, in whole or in part, of the publication including but not limited to photos, articles and logos without expressed written permission of the publisher is strictly prohibited.

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