Chelsea Haaland
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Freaky Friday
- By gentleguide
- On Fri 11 oct 2019
The grass is always greener… or is it? That’s what a mother and daughter learn in Disney’s Freaky Friday, the next production coming up at the Des Moines Playhouse starting (appropriately) next Friday, October 18. This magical musical about being forced to live someone else’s life is even switching places with its location, moving from the Kate Goldman Children’s Theatre to the Mainstage at the Playhouse (due to the upcoming Century Celebration utilizing the Goldman space).Mother Katherine and daughter Ellie are played by Chelsea Haaland and Anastasia Deace (at least, to start!) In Freaky Friday, the characters spend a crazy day and night when they magically exchange bodies and lives, with Mom now in Ellie’s body having to deal with high school problems and social terrors, and daughter now in grown-up Katherine’s body trying to work through everything from parenting to planning a wedding. Directed by Megan Helmers, Freaky Friday is a classic “switching places” show, with fun tunes and production numbers gleefully added to the mix.
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The Bells of Notre Dame
- By gentleguide
- On Fri 13 apr 2018
The above title is a song from the stage musical version of The Hunchback of Notre Dame. You may be familiar with the original Victor Hugo novel, or perhaps with the Disney animated adaptation from 1996. The recently created stage musical is a combination of the two, darker than what Disney did with the property, but with many of the songs from that version and new music written just for the theatre. The new Hunchback is an amazing show… and even more amazing is the opportunity for area youth to perform it for the first time in Iowa.