Now Playing Onstage in Des Moines - Week of 3/17/2013

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SEUSSICAL JR
WEST LYON JUNIOR HIGH
3/21-3/21/2013
A delight for children to perform, SEUSSICAL is now one of the most-performed shows in America! In this fantastical, magical, musical extravaganza, Tony winners Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty (LUCKY STIFF, MY FAVORITE YEAR, ONCE ON THIS ISLAND, and RAGTIME) have lovingly brought to life all of our favorite Dr. Seuss characters, including Horton the Elephant, The Cat in the Hat, Gertrude McFuzz, lazy Mayzie and a little boy with a big imagination--Jojo. The colorful characters transport us from the Jungle of Nool to the Circus McGurkus to the invisible world of the Whos.The Cat in the Hat tells the story of Horton, an elephant who discovers a speck of dust containing Whos, including Jojo, a Who child who gets in trouble for thinking too many "thinks." Horton faces a double challenge--not only must he protect the Whos from a world of naysayers and dangers, but he must guard an abandoned egg, left to his care by the irresponsible Mayzie La Bird. Although Horton faces ridicule, danger, kidnapping, and a trial, the intrepid Gertrude McFuzz never loses faith in him. Ultimately, the powers of friendship, loyalty, family, and community are challenged and emerge triumphant!SEUSSICAL JR. is fun for the whole family! Young performers will be excited to portray the characters from the familiar Dr. Seuss fables. This musical provides wonderful creative opportunities in terms of set design, lighting, and costuming.Note: for this version, certain
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THOROUGHLY MODERN MILLIE JR
EAST MILLS HIGH SCHOOL
3/22-3/23/2013
THOROUGHLY MODERN MILLIE JR. is a high-spirited musical romp that has allof New York dancing the Charleston. It's the zany new 1920's musicalthat has taken Broadway by storm! Taking place in New York City in1922, THOROUGHLY MODERN MILLIE JR. tells the story of young MillieDillmount, who has just moved to the city in search of a new life forherself. It's a New York full of intrigue and jazz - a time when womenwere entering the workforce and the rules of love and social behaviorwere changing forever. Based on the popular movie, the stage version of includes a full score of new songs and brightdance numbers.
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LEGALLY BLONDE
JANESVILLE HIGH SCHOOL
3/22-3/23/2013
Harvard's beloved blonde takes the stage by pink storm in this fun, upbeat musical about self-discovery. Based on the adored movie, LEGALLY BLONDE: THE MUSICAL stays true to form with a peppy score and playful book. This musical is ridiculously enjoyable from start to finish.Elle Woods appears to have it all. Her life is turned upside-down, however, when her boyfriend dumps her so he can start getting serious about his life and attend Harvard Law. Determined to get him back, Elle uses her charm to get into Harvard Law. At school, she struggles with peers, professors, and Warner Huntington. With the help of Paulette and Emmett, though, Elle quickly realizes her potential and sets out to prove herself to the world.This musical is relatively new to the theatre world, catering to the present-day's generation and culture. LEGALLY BLONDE: THE MUSICAL is perfect for high school and community theatre, featuring a large ensemble and several big song-and-dance numbers.
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LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS
TURKEY VALLEY HIGH SCHOOL
3/20-3/23/2013
A down-and out skid row floral assistant becomes an overnight sensation when he discovers an exotic plant with a mysterious craving for fresh blood. Soon "Audrey II" grows into an ill-tempered, foul-mouthed, R&B-singing carnivore who offers him fame and fortune in exchange for feeding its growing appetite, finally revealing itself to be an alien creature poised for global domination! One of the longest-running Off-Broadway shows of all time, this affectionate spoof of 1950s sci-fi movies has become a household name, thanks to a highly successful film version and a score by the songwriting team of Howard Ashman and Alan Menken, who redefined the animated musical film with Disney's The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast and Aladdin. Charming, tuneful and hilarious, with tongue firmly planted in cheek, LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS never fails to entertain. A small cast, band and unit set make the other aspects of production a snap.
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SHE LOVES ME
NORTHEAST HIGH SCHOOL
3/22-3/23/2013
An intimate and touching show, featuring music by Jerry Bock and Sheldon Harnick (FIDDLER ON THE ROOF) and book by Joe Masteroff (CABARET), SHE LOVES ME is considered by many to be the most charming musical ever written.Georg and Amalia are two feuding clerks in a European parfumerie during the 1930's who secretly find solace in their anonymous romantic pen pals, little knowing their respective correspondents are none other than each other. Funny, intelligent, honest and sentimental, SHE LOVES ME is a warm romantic comedy with an endearing innocence and a touch of old world elegance and nostalgia, yet as universal and relevant as ever in this age of internet romances.SHE LOVES ME showcases a small but strong ensemble cast playing a range of memorable characters of all ages. An ideal Christmas or Valentine's Day show, this heart-warming story will be adored by your entire audience.
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ANNIE JR
COLO-NESCO HIGH SCHOOL
3/22-3/23/2013
Leapin' Lizards! The popular comic strip heroine takes center stage in one of the world's best-loved musicals. With equal measures of pluck and positivity, little orphan ANNIE charms everyone's hearts, despite a next-to-nothing start in 1930s New York City. She is determined to find her parents, who abandoned her years ago on the doorstep of a New York City Orphanage run by the cruel, embittered Miss Hannigan. With the help of the other girls in the Orphanage, ANNIE escapes to the wondrous and magical world of NYC. In adventure after fun-filled adventure, ANNIE foils Miss Hannigan's evil machinations and befriends President Franklin Delano Roosevelt. She finds a new home and family in billionaire Oliver Warbucks, his personal secretary Grace Farrell, and a lovable mutt named Sandy.ANNIE JR. is ideal for productions involving different grade levels, or for middle schools where students may be maturing at different rates. The cast size and age range of the parts are flexible and the bright, tuneful score is easy to sing and filled with familiar numbers.
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DISNEY'S ALADDIN JR
WALNUT COMMUNITY SCHOOLS
3/22-3/23/2013
Welcome to Agrabah, City of Enchantment, where every beggar has a story and every camel has a tail! All of your favorite characters are here in Disney's ALADDIN JR., a stage adaptation of the Disney hit film. Filled with magic, mayhem, and flying carpet rides, audiences' spirits will soar with excitement. Most of all, the tuneful, Academy award-winning score with songs including "A Whole New World" and "Friend Like Me" will certainly make this musical a favorite for many years to come!
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OKLAHOMA!
Newton Community Theatre
3/15-3/23/2013
The 'G2K' Getting To Know Series: Uniquely adapted musicals specifically for youth performers. Rodgers & Hammerstein's first collaboration remains, in many ways, their most innovative, having set the standards and established the rules of musical theatre still being followed today. Set in a Western Indian territory just after the turn of the century, the high-spirited rivalry between the local farmers and cowboys provides the colorful background against which Curly, a handsome cowboy, and Laurey, a winsome farm girl, play out their love story. Although the road to true love never runs smooth, with these two headstrong romantics holding the reins, love's journey is as bumpy as a surrey ride down a country road. That they will succeed in making a new life together we have no doubt, and that this new life will begin in a brand-new state provides the ultimate climax to the triumphant OKLAHOMA! In this adaptation for pre-high school students, the content has been edited to better suit younger attention spans, but all the elements that make this show a classic are still in place. You and your students will be enchanted by the timeless story and the dazzling score, while at the same time learning about theater and its production. PLEASE NOTE: All schools wishing to peruse or perform a G2K musical should apply through theMusic by Rodgers, Richard; Book and Lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II; Based on the play GREEN GROW THE LILACS by Lynn Riggs; Original Dances by Agnes De Mille
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ANNIE KIDS
DES MOINES COMMUNITY PLAYHOUSE
3/22-3/23/2013
Leapin' Lizards! The popular comic strip heroine takes center stage in one of the world's best-loved musicals. With equal measures of pluck and positivity, little orphan ANNIE charms everyone's hearts, despite a next-to-nothing start in 1930s New York City. She is determined to find her parents, who abandoned her years ago on the doorstep of a New York City Orphanage run by the cruel, embittered Miss Hannigan. With the help of the other girls in the Orphanage, ANNIE escapes to the wondrous and magical world of NYC. In adventure after fun-filled adventure, ANNIE foils Miss Hannigan's evil machinations and befriends President Franklin Delano Roosevelt. She finds a new home and family in billionaire Oliver Warbucks, his personal secretary Grace Farrell, and a lovable mutt named Sandy.
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DIRTY ROTTEN SCOUNDRELS
CENTRAL COMMUNITY HIGH SCHOOL
3/22-3/23/2013
DIRTY ROTTEN SCOUNDRELS has been described as stylish, sexy, irreverent, and "Broadway musical comedy heaven."Based on the popular 1988 film, DIRTY ROTTEN SCOUNDRELS centers on two con men living on the French Riviera. Lawrence Jameson makes his lavish living by talking rich ladies out of their money. Freddy Benson more humbly swindles women by waking their compassion with fabricated stories about his grandmother's failing health. After meeting on a train, they attempt to work together only to find that this small French town isn't big enough for the two of them. They agree on a settlement: the first one to extract $50,000 from a young female target, heiress Christine Colgate, wins and the other must leave town. A hilarious battle of cons ensues that will keep audiences laughing, humming and guessing to the end!DIRTY ROTTEN SCOUNDRELS gives directors the wonderful opportunity to direct two leading men with a large ensemble. It's a great choice for community theaters looking to add some spice to their season!
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OKLAHOMA!
Newton Community Theatre
3/15-3/23/2013
G2K Oklahoma!The 'G2K' Getting To Know Series: Uniquely adapted musicals specifically for youth performers. Rodgers & Hammerstein's first collaboration remains, in many ways, their most innovative, having set the standards and established the rules of musical theatre still being followed today. Set in a Western Indian territory just after the turn of the century, the high-spirited rivalry between the local farmers and cowboys provides the colorful background against which Curly
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FOOTLOOSE
North Iowa High School
3/22-3/23/2013
FootlooseOne of the most explosive movie musicals in recent memory bursts onto the live stage with exhilarating results. When Ren and his mother move from Chicago to a small farming town, Ren is prepared for the inevitable adjustment period at his new high school. What he isn't prepared for are the rigorous local edicts, including a ban on dancing instituted by the local preacher, determined to exercise the control over the town's youth that he cannot command in his own home. When the revere
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ONCE UPON A MATTRESS
Manson Northwest Webster High School
3/22-3/23/2013
Once Upon a MattressIf you thought you knew the story of 'The Princess and The Pea,' you may be in for a walloping surprise! Did you know, for instance, that Princess Winnifred actually swam the moat to reach Prince Dauntless the Drab? Or that Lady Larken's love for Sir Harry provided a rather compelling reason that she reach the bridal altar post haste? Or that, in fact, it wasn't the pea at all that caused the princess a sleepless night? Carried on a wave of wonderful songs, by turns hilarious and rauco
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THE SOUND OF MUSIC
HLV Community School
3/22-3/23/2013
The Sound of MusicThe final collaboration between Rodgers & Hammerstein was destined to become the world's most beloved musical. When a postulant proves too high-spirited for the religious life, she is dispatched to serve as governess for the seven children of a widowed naval Captain. Her growing rapport with the youngsters, coupled with her generosity of spirit, gradually captures the heart of the stern Captain, and they marry. Upon returning from their honeymoon they discover that Austria has been inv
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THE MUSIC MAN
MEDIAPOLIS COMMUNITY THEATRE
3/21-3/24/2013
An affectionate paean to Smalltown, U.S.A. of a bygone era, Meredith Willson's THE MUSIC MAN follows fast-talking traveling salesman Harold Hill as he cons the people of River City, Iowa into buying instruments and uniforms for a boys' band he vows to organize - this despite the fact he doesn't know a trombone from a treble clef. His plans to skip town with the cash are foiled when he falls for Marian the librarian, who transforms him into a respectable citizen by curtain's fall. Perfect for professional theatres, community groups, summer stock and schools alike, this award-winning, critically acclaimed Broadway classic is an all-American institution, thanks to is quirky characters, charmingly predictable dramatic situations, and one-of-a-kind, nostalgic score of rousing marches, barbershop quartets and sentimental ballads which have become popular standards. The cast features a soaring soprano ingenue, parts for young performers and children, and one of the musical theatre's treasures, a tour de force leading role for a charismatic actor who doesn't need to be a trained singer. By turns wicked, funny, warm, romantic and touching, THE MUSIC MAN is family entertainment at its best.
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SEUSSICAL
BECKMAN CATHOLIC HIGH SCHOOL
3/20-3/24/2013
Now one of the most performed shows in America, SEUSSICAL is a fantastical, magical, musical extravaganza! Tony winners Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty (LUCKY STIFF, MY FAVORITE YEAR, ONCE ON THIS ISLAND, and RAGTIME) have lovingly brought to life all of our favorite Dr. Seuss characters, including Horton the Elephant, The Cat in the Hat, Gertrude McFuzz, lazy Mayzie, and a little boy with a big imagination--Jojo. The colorful characters transport us from the Jungle of Nool to the Circus McGurkus to the invisible world of the Whos.The Cat in the Hat tells the story of Horton, an elephant who discovers a speck of dust containing Whos, including Jojo, a Who child sent off to military school for thinking too many "thinks." Horton faces a double challenge--not only must he protect the Whos from a world of naysayers and dangers, but he must guard an abandoned egg, left to his care by the irresponsible Mayzie La Bird. Although Horton faces ridicule, danger, kidnapping, and a trial, the intrepid Gertrude McFuzz never loses faith in him. Ultimately, the powers of friendship, loyalty, family, and community are challenged and emerge triumphant.SEUSSICAL is fun for the whole family! Performers of all ages will be excited to portray the characters from the familiar Dr. Seuss fables. This musical provides wonderful creative opportunities for set, lighting, and costume design.More Ahrens and FlahertyFor complet
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CINDERELLA
Cardinal High School
3/22-3/24/2013
The timeless enchantment of a magical fairy tale is reborn with the Rodgers & Hammerstein hallmarks of originality, charm and elegance. Originally presented on television in 1957 starring Julie Andrews, Rodgers & Hammerstein's CINDERELLA was the most widely viewed program in the history of the medium. Its recreation in 1965 starring Lesley Ann Warren was no less successful in transporting a new generation to the miraculous kingdom of dreams-come-true, and so was a second remake in 1997, which starred Brandy as Cinderella and Whitney Houston as her Fairy Godmother. As adapted for the stage, with great warmth and more than a touch of hilarity, the hearts of children and adults alike still soar when the slipper fits.Music by Rodgers, Richard; Book by Oscar Hammerstein II; Lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II
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CINDERELLA
Cardinal High School
3/22-3/24/2013
CinderellaThe timeless enchantment of a magical fairy tale is reborn with the Rodgers & Hammerstein hallmarks of originality, charm and elegance. Originally presented on television in 1957 starring Julie Andrews, Rodgers & Hammerstein's CINDERELLA was the most widely viewed program in the history of the medium. Its recreation in 1965 starring Lesley Ann Warren was no less successful in transporting a new generation to the miraculous kingdom of dreams-come-true, and so was a second remake in 1997
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THE COCOANUTS
Woodbury Central High School
3/22-3/24/2013
The CocoanutsThe Marx Brothers infiltrate the Florida real estate boom circa 1920 and find Margaret Dumont, jewels to steal, pockets to pick, lovers to confuse, hotel guests to confound, and a treasure trove of songs by Irving Berlin. The show that introduced the standard 'Always' in 1925 was a smash Off-Broadway hit in 1997. We are proud to make this historic madcap romp available, so Groucho, Harpo, Chico and Zeppo-brush up your slap-stick and head south for a feast of wild hilarity!
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THE SOUND OF MUSIC
Holbrook Elementary School
3/15-3/28/2013
The final collaboration between Rodgers & Hammerstein was destined to become the world's most beloved musical. When a postulant proves too high-spirited for the religious life, she is dispatched to serve as governess for the seven children of a widowed naval Captain. Her growing rapport with the youngsters, coupled with her generosity of spirit, gradually captures the heart of the stern Captain, and they marry. Upon returning from their honeymoon they discover that Austria has been invaded by the Nazis, who demand the Captain's immediate service in their navy. The family's narrow escape over the mountains to Switzerland on the eve of World War II provides one of the most thrilling and inspirational finales ever presented in the theatre. The motion picture version remains the most popular movie musical of all time.Music by Rodgers, Richard; Lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II; Book by Howard Lindsay & Russel Crouse; Suggested by
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HOW TO SUCCEED IN BUSINESS...TRYING
BLOOMINGTON HIGH SCHOOL SOUTH
3/25-3/31/2013
Power, sex, ambition, greed... it's just another day at the office. From the authors of GUYS AND DOLLS comes one of the most delightfully irreverent musicals of all time. A satire of big business and all it holds sacred, HOW TO SUCCEED IN BUSINESS WITHOUT REALLY TRYING follows the rise of J. Pierrepont Finch, who uses a little handbook called "How To Succeed In Business Without Really Trying" to climb the corporate ladder from lowly window washer to high-powered executive, tackling such familiar but potent dangers as the aggressively compliant "company man," the office party, backstabbing co-workers, caffeine addiction and, of course, true love.Winner of the 1962 Pulitzer Prize for Drama, HOW TO SUCCEED melds wit, comedy, and romance together to perfection. This show requires a large cast, featuring many roles for all types of performers.
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JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR
Sioux City Community Theatre
3/22-4/7/2013
Jesus Christ SuperstarIt seems especially fitting that the first rock opera, created as a concept album at the end of the turbulent '60s, should have at its center a social and political rebel. Jesus' meteor-like rise in renown provides, as the title suggests, a parallel to contemporary celebrity worship. As his radical teachings are evermore embraced, Judas increasingly questions the enlightened motives of this new prophet, resulting in betrayal. Christ's final days are dramatized with emotional intensity,
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