With winter weather upon us, parents may be scrambling to find some fun indoor activities to keep little ones entertained and engaged. From museums to trampoline parks, Des Moines offers lots of fun ways to spend a chilly day! The city’s arts scene also heats up as the temps cool down, with family friendly musicals, concerts and plays taking over local stages.
To find more entertainment happening in Des Moines this winter, sign up for our Weekend Fun Guide to get posts like this delivered to your inbox, visit the Events Calendar and check out our Winter Fun Guide.
Note: Dates listed are performance beginning and end dates. Please verify specific performance’s dates and times within those ranges, as not all performances take place on a daily basis. And, be sure to confirm dates, times, location and other information before heading to an event or activity, since circumstances may change.
Here’s your guide to finding family friendly theater performances in Des Moines this winter:
January
Stomp – Willis Broadway Series
Des Moines Civic Center
January 12-14, 2024; Friday 7:30 pm; Saturday 2:00 and 7:30 pm; Sunday 1:00 and 6:00 pm
Recommended for ages 5+
Tickets $35.00 – $60.00
Stomp is explosive, provocative, sophisticated, sexy, utterly unique and appeals to audiences of all ages. The international percussion sensation has garnered an armful of awards and rave reviews and has appeared on numerous national television shows. The eight-member troupe uses everything but conventional percussion instruments – matchboxes, wooden poles, brooms, garbage cans, Zippo lighters, hubcaps – to fill the stage with magnificent rhythms. The return of the percussive hit also brings some new surprises, with some sections of the show now updated and restructured and the addition of two new full-scale routines, utilizing props like tractor tire inner tubes and paint cans. See what all the noise is about.
Jesus Christ Superstar – Performing Arts Series
Stephens Auditorium, Ames
Tuesday, January 30, 2024; 7:30 pm
Recommended for ages 10+
Tickets start at $35
Celebrating its 50th Anniversary, Jesus Christ Superstar, a new mesmerizing production of the iconic musical phenomenon returns to the stage. Originally staged by London’s Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre and helmed by the acclaimed director Timothy Sheader (Crazy for You, Into the Woods) and cutting-edge choreographer Drew McOnie (King Kong, Strictly Ballroom), this production won the 2017 Olivier Award for Best Musical Revival garnering unprecedented reviews and accolades.
Mamma Mia! – Willis Broadway Series
Des Moines Civic Center
January 23-28, 2024; Tuesday through Friday 7:30 pm; Saturday 2:00 and 7:30 pm; Sunday 1:00 and 6:00 pm
Recommended for ages 10+
Tickets $40.00 – $164.00
A mother. A daughter. 3 possible dads. And a trip down the aisle you’ll never forget! Set on a Greek island paradise where the sun always shines, a tale of love, friendship, and identity is beautifully told through the timeless hits of ABBA. On the eve of her wedding, a daughter’s quest to discover the father she’s never known brings three men from her mother’s past back to the island they last visited decades ago. For nearly 25 years, people all around the world have fallen in love with the characters, the story, and the music that make Mamma Mia! the ultimate feel-good show.
Havana Pop – Wellmark Family Series
Temple Theater
Saturday, January 27, 2024, at 11:00 am and 2:00 pm
Recommended for All Ages
Tickets $10
Havana Hop: a children’s tale of culture and confidence! Young Yeila dreams of being a superstar but her lack of confidence gives her awful stage fright. With advice from her mother and mentors, Yeila begins her journey to find her roots, get confidence and be amazing! Travel with Yeila who visits her grandmother in Cuba to add a salsa flavor to her own hip-hop style! The audience gets to dance along in this dynamic participation play where one actress creates three generations of lively women. Journey with Yeila as she discovers the fun of her multi-cultural heritage.
Paddling with Polar Bears – Explorer Speaker Series
Des Moines Civic Center
Tuesday, January 30, 2024, at 7:30 pm
Recommended for ages 5+
Tickets $15-48
Mike Libecki defines himself in two ways: as an explorer obsessed with climbing the world’s most remote and untouched mountains, knocking off several first ascents every year, and as a dedicated father of an adventurous daughter who wants to save the world. National Geographic Adventurer of the Year, Dell Ambassador, and Adidas Athlete, Mike has completed 90 major global expeditions with the personal goal of “100 by 100.” He has summited from Afghanistan to Antarctica, Greenland to Guyana, Siberia to Socotra, and everywhere in between, making friends and garnering world-class adventures. Mike produces, directs, and films his expeditions using the latest technologies to bring his stories to life, including virtual reality elements that transport audiences to the far-flung corners of the globe. His travels with daughter Lilliana to all 7 continents, including Mt. Kilimanjaro in Africa, the peaks of Nepal and Peru, and polar bear territory in the high Arctic, have all focused on her interest in humanitarian and conservation work. According to Mike: “The time is now. Why ration passion? Dream big and climb those dreams.”
February
Our Town – John Viars Theatre
Des Moines Playhouse
February 2-18, 2024: Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday at 7:30 pm and Sunday at 2:00 pm
Recommended for ages 11+
Tickets $29-43
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 and Emily grow to love each other. Our Town presents a small town in three acts: “Daily Life,” “Love and Marriage,” and “Death and Eternity.” Narrated by a stage manager, audiences experience the simple daily lives of the Webb and Gibbs families as their children fall in love, marry, and eventually pass on.
The Mitten – Friday Funday
Des Moines Playhouse
Friday, February 9, 2024; 10:00 am and 1:30 pm
Recommended for ages 4-6
Tickets $6
In this Adventure Clubhouse favorite, a young child drops his mitten in the snow and does not realize it is missing. As woodland creatures seek warmth inside the mitten, it magically grows and grows!
Finding Nemo Jr. – DM Young Artists’ Theatre
Stoner Theater – Des Moines Civic Center
February 9-18, 2024; Friday 7:00 pm; Saturday and Sunday 2:00
Recommended for ages 3+ (All children who enter the theater for this production must have a ticket.)
Tickets $24.50
Marlin, an anxious and over-protective clownfish, lives in the Great Barrier Reef with his kid Nemo, who longs to explore the world beyond their anemone home. But when Nemo is captured and taken to Sydney, Marlin faces his fears and sets off on an epic adventure across the ocean. With the help of lovable characters such as optimistic Dory, laid-back sea turtle Crush, and the supportive Tank Gang, Marlin and Nemo both overcome challenges on their journey to find each other and themselves.
The Odd Couple, Female Version – Main Season
Ankeny Community Theatre, Ankeny
February 9-18, 2024; Thursday and Fridays at 7:30 pm, and Saturday and Sunday at 2:00 pm.
Rated PG-13
Tickets TBA
Unger and Madison are at it again! Florence Unger and Olive Madison, that is, in Neil Simon’s hilarious contemporary comic classic: the female version of The Odd Couple. Instead of the poker party that begins the original version, Ms. Madison has invited the girls over for an evening of Trivial Pursuit. The Pidgeon sisters have been replaced by the two Constanzuela brothers, but the hilarity remains the same!
The Very Hungry Caterpillar – Youth Matinee Series
Stephens Auditorium, Ames
Monday, February 12, 2024; 12:00 and 6:30 pm
Recommended for PreK-2
Tickets $4
The critically acclaimed production of The Very Hungry Caterpillar Show created by Jonathan Rockefeller features a menagerie of 75 lovable puppets. The production faithfully adapts four stories by author/illustrator Eric Carle: Brown Bear, Brown Bear, 10 Little Rubber Ducks, The Very Lonely Firefly and of course, the star of the show – The Very Hungry Caterpillar.
Baby Shark’s Big Broadwave Tour!
Des Moines Civic Center
Tuesday, February 13, 2024; 6:00 pm
Recommended for ages 3+ + (All children who enter the theater for this production must have a ticket.)
Tickets $29.50-84.50
Let’s Doo-Doo-Doo-Doo-Doo-Doo-Doo it! Join Baby Shark and his fincredible fishy friends on an undersea adventure filled with oceans of fun and finship! To save their beloved Party Puddle Theatre, Baby and the squiddos must dive into action to create a flowstopping, splash-hit Broadwave swimsation — and they need your family’s help to put on the biggest Broadwave show ever! Jam-packed with catchy music, heartwarming characters and tidal waves of laughter, this interactive live show will make fishies of all ages shake their tail fins with delight.
The Music Man Jr. – Mainstage
CAP Theatre, Altoona
February 16 – March 3, 2024; Friday and Saturday at 7:00 pm; Saturday and Sunday at 2:00 pm.
Recommended for ages 5+
Tickets $10-16
By turns wicked, funny, warm, romantic and touching, The Music Man JR. is family entertainment at its best. Meredith Willson’s six-time, Tony Award-winning musical comedy has been entertaining audiences since 1957 and is a family-friendly story to be shared with every generation. The Music Man JR. 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 that he vows to organize – this, despite the fact that 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.
The Peking Acrobats – Wellmark Family Series
Des Moines Civic Center
Saturday, February 17, 2024, at 11:00 am
Recommended for All Ages
Tickets $10-20
For the last thirty-two years, The Peking Acrobats have redefined audience perceptions of Chinese acrobatics. They perform daring maneuvers atop a precarious pagoda of chairs and display their technical prowess at such arts as trick-cycling, precision tumbling, juggling, somersaulting, and gymnastics. They push the limits of human ability, defying gravity with amazing displays of contortion, flexibility, and control. The Peking Acrobats are often accompanied by live musicians who skillfully play traditional Chinese instruments; the time-honored Chinese music coalesces with high-tech special effects and awe-inspiring acrobatic feats, creating an exuberant entertainment event with the festive pageantry of a Chinese Carnival.
Dot Dot Dot: A New Musical – Youth Matinee Series
Stephens Auditorium, Ames
Tuesday, February 20, 2024; 10:00 am and 12:30 pm
Recommended for Grades 1-5
Tickets $4
Dot Dot Dot: A New Musical is an exciting new musical based on the trio of award-winning picture books by New York Times bestselling author Peter H. Reynolds – The Dot, Ish and Sky Color. Adapted by Keelay Gipson and Sam Salmond, the musical, like the series, celebrates the power of originality, self-expression, and opening our eyes to look beyond the expected.
Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo – The Dance Series
Des Moines Civic Center
Tuesday, February 24, 2024, at 7:30 pm
Recommended for 5+
Tickets $15-61
Toeing the line between high art and high camp, Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo is an international phenomenon of 16 all-male beloved burly dancers. Celebrating almost 50 years, they have been delighting audiences of all ages at sell-out performances featuring their fabulous sense of fun through flawless dance as they perform parodies of famed ballet classics. The “Trocks,” as they are affectionately known, boast a wicked comedic sense of humor which is only outmatched by their panache and technical prowess. Every performance frivolously froths with tutus and testosterone, blush-pink ballet pumps, fierce false eyelashes and prima ballerina attitude.
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix™ in Concert – Cineconcerts/Des Moines Symphony
Des Moines Civic Center
February 23-24, 2023, at 7:30 pm and 1:30 pm
Recommended for PG-13
Tickets $35-130
Get ready to join Dumbledore’s Army™! When Professor Umbridge™ takes over Hogwarts™ School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, what else can Harry do to resist her terrible rule? Find out in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix™ in Concert, accompanied byThe Des Moines Symphony!
March
Dragons Love Tacos – Kate Goldman Children’s Theatre
Des Moines Playhouse
March 1-10, 2024; Friday 7:00 pm; Saturday and Sunday 1:00 and 4:00 pm.
Recommended for ages 4+
Tickets $14-19
You know what Dragons really love? Tacos of course! A boy and his dog are watching a TV show about dragons when they unexpectedly get caught up in the ‘Dos and Don’ts’ of what to serve to dragons to eat. Dragons love tacos, but if they accidentally eat spicy salsa…watch out!
Funny Girl – Willis Broadway Series
Des Moines Civic Center
March 12-17, 2024; Tuesday through Friday 7:30 pm; Saturday 2:00 and 7:30 pm; Sunday 1:00 and 6:00 pm
Recommended for ages 10+
Tickets $40.00 – $175.00
Featuring one of the most iconic scores of all time by Jule Styne and Bob Merrill, an updated book from Harvey Fierstein based on the original classic by Isobel Lennart, tap choreography by Ayodele Casel, choreography by Ellenore Scott, and direction from Michael Mayer, this love letter to the theatre has the whole shebang! The sensational Broadway revival dazzles with celebrated classic songs, including “Don’t Rain On My Parade,” “I’m the Greatest Star,” and “People.” This bittersweet comedy is the story of the indomitable Fanny Brice, a girl from the Lower East Side who dreamed of a life on the stage. Everyone told her she’d never be a star, but then something funny happened—she became one of the most beloved performers in history, shining brighter than the brightest lights of Broadway.
Beyond Earth: The Quest for Life on an Icy Moon – Explorer Speaker Series
Des Moines Civic Center
Thursday, March 21, 2024, at 7:30 pm
Recommended for ages 5+
Tickets $15-48
Kobie Boykins became an engineer because he wanted to be “that guy who figures out how to design and build things to function at their highest level.” Well, he’s succeeded. Kobie is a principal mechanical engineer at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in Pasadena, California, where he has worked since graduating from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. In more than twenty-five years at the lab, he has worked on every Mars mission since the Pathfinder mission, which took the first Rover, “Sojourner,” to Mars in 1996. Later, Kobie designed the solar arrays that powered the Mars Exploration Rovers, “Spirit” and “Opportunity.” Those Rovers landed in 2004 and were expected to perform for 90 days, but they lived for six years and fourteen years, respectively, sending images and data back to Earth and discovering that the surface of Mars once held water.
Pilobolus’s new Re: Creation – The Dance Series
Des Moines Civic Center
Wednesday, March 27, 2024, at 7:30 pm
Recommended for 5+
Tickets $15-61
Pilobolus’s new Re: Creation Tour reminds us that play and creativity are fundamental to the human experience and that stories are alive and breathing and can teach, comfort, and connect us to ourselves and each other. After their successful Big Five-OH! Anniversary tour, Pilobolus moves confidently into the next half century of creation and performance, featuring new works with new collaborators that take the company into uncharted waters, which is where the innovative troupe feels most at home. Alongside groundbreaking new pieces, the company breathes new life into beloved works from the past to create an experience both timely and timeless. Re: Creationis not to be missed.
The Boy Who Cried Wolf – Youth Matinee Series
Stephens Auditorium, Ames
Wednesday, March 20, 2024; 10:00 am and 12:30 pm
Recommended for Grades PreK-5
Tickets $4
Silas is from a family of shepherds and has to do right by his mum and granddad as he reluctantly takes on the responsibility of watching their sheep up on the mountain over the winter. But he’s bored, lonely, and missing out on the fun of the annual knitting competition in town, so he cries – “Wolf!” Written by playwright Mike Kenny and inspired by Aesop’s famous fable, this is a beautiful wintery tale about a boy who learns that “nobody believes a liar, even when they’re telling the truth”. A gifted ensemble of actor musicians play instruments and sing live as they embody all the delightful characters, including hilarious sheep and perhaps a scary wolf or two… All set in a village of knitters with fingers flicking, needles clicking and where every new jumper tells a tale! Ultimately, Silas finds a place for himself (and his imagination) in his warm woolly community.
The Pa’Akai We Bring – Wellmark Family Series
Temple Theater
Saturday, March 30, 2024, at 11:00 am
Recommended for All Ages
Tickets $10
This original production introduces audiences to Native Hawaiian ideas of balance and healing by exploring our relationship to pa‘akai (salt). This original production introduces young audiences to the Native Hawaiian relationship to pa‘akai (salt). Traditionally, pa‘akai is food, medicine, a sacrament and a treasured gift. The play follows a family with multiple generations of salt farmers on the island of Kauai, mixing in ancient stories, hula, live music, original songs and plenty of audiences participation into a tasty potluck of performance, joyously served up with aloha. Created in partnership with the Bishop Museum and cultural elders and leaders, the performance is intended for a multi-generational audience, so audience members young and old can have this restorative experience together.
Featured photo source is Havana Pop via Shaw Entertainment Group.
