Review: THE CHOIR OF MAN at Des Moines Performing Arts: Raise Your Glass To An Entertaining Evening of Music

Have you ever gone to a show and thought about how much room there was on a stage? Some shows I go to, it seems like there is hardly any room for the actors to get around, and I leave impressed by all that they were able to do. Now imagine the stage at Des Moines Performing Arts. How many people do you think would be able to fit on that stage. I don't have a number, but I got a good idea last night attending the Des Moines stop of "The Choir of Man" on Wednesday night.

"The Choir of Man" is a not to be missed mix of music, theatre, and dance, that is on its 2nd tour across the United States. The show takes us to a pub called the Jungle. While some pubs have football or darts teams, the Jungle is unique in that they have a choir. Through the night, the audience is treated to a mix of a few monologues with a plethora of popular songs that take us on a heartfelt journey to the places we frequent and reflect on what they mean to us.

As you come into the theatre, all you see is a set that looks resembles a bar. As you enter, the bar is closed with chairs on the tables. About 15 minutes before the show started the cast started coming onstage. At that point, they opened the bar, which was opened up to the audience. Local brewery Exile Brewery furnished the beer on stage. The line to get on stage for a drink filled quickly as did the stage.

The fun continued as the show began. As they talked about what the pub means to them, the cast effortlessly transitioned from monologue to song. Each song featured a different arrangement of voices and instruments. Some of my favorites that night were "Wake Me Up," and acapella versions of "Hello," and "Chandelier." The biggest surprises of the night were when one of the cast members started tapping, which turned into a full stage tap number, and then each cast member picked up different instruments. On song had every cast member playing an instrument.

Whether it is your first time seeing "The Choir of Man" or you are returning, it is an entertaining evening that you won't soon forget. While this may have only been in Des Moines for one night, if you are ever near this production, it is one you will want to take in. To find out where "The Choir of Man" is heading, visit their website at https://choirofman.com/

To find out what exciting things are coming to the stage at Des Moines Performing Arts, visit https://desmoinesperformingarts.org/

Review written by DC Felton
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