29-05-2025
Iowa's high school musical theater talent on display in Des Moines Thursday
DES MOINES, Iowa — Hundreds of central Iowa high school performers are completing final rehearsals ahead of Thursday night's Iowa High School Musical Theater Awards in downtown Des Moines.
Des Moines Performance Arts has been all a buzz this week as 650 students from around the state have gathered for rehearsals at the Civic Center. The showcase and awards happen Thursday night and feature ensemble performances of the best vocalists in central Iowa schools singing together, and then about half the schools will perform excerpts of their high school musicals on the Civic Center stage.
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A musical director and a choreographer, both based in New York City, are here to work with the kids to prepare for the showcase. The program started in 2013 and has seen huge growth.
'When we started, we had nine schools in central Iowa. We've grown to be statewide with over 100 schools, more schools asking to join us, and we've become one of the largest programs of its kind in the country. And schools just keep telling us how valuable the feedback is and all the learning opportunities and how much showcase provides inspiration,' said Karoline Myers, DMPA Director of Education.
The High School Theater Showcase is a ticketed event and is sold out. But you can watch the live stream on starting at 7:00 p.m. The showcase will also air on Iowa PBS in July.
Awards and scholarships will be given at the end of the night for categories like best actor, vocalist, and dancer. And two students will win a 10-day trip and Broadway workshop in New York City to take part in a national High School Theater Showcase on Broadway later this summer. Those two students will be guests on Hello Iowa at the end of June.
On Monday morning on Today in Iowa, we will feature some of the student performers and their directors in Scholastic Spotlight.
Iowa's high school musical theater talent on display in Des Moines Thursday
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