Community Dinner and Show

Pyramid Family: you’re all invited to come to our Community Family Dinner!

We’re welcoming families with young kids to come eat a free meal and be entertained with a story with themes around giving back

Event Details:

Thursday, November 14 2024

Free Showing of: "The Last Stop On Market Street" by Cheryl L. West
Co-produced by Pyramid Theatre, Des Moines Playhouse, and City Voices

6:00 pm: Dinner Served

6:15 pm: Program start

7:00 pm: Performance of “The Last Stop on Market Street”

Location:

Corinthian Baptist Church
814 School Street, Des Moines, 50309

2024 Cloris Awards

Pyramid Theatre Company had some standout performances the past year resulting in nominations and award winners for this year’s Cloris Awards! Our two winners from this season are:

Alexis J. Davis - won "Best Performance in a Featured Role in a Play" as Cee Cee in "The Black Feminist Guide to the Human Body," by Lisa B. Thompson.

Toné Cheré - won "Best Performance in a Featured Role in a Play" as Dee in "The Black Feminist Guide to the Human Body," by Lisa B. Thompson.

And our Artistic Director was also a nominee this year: Napoleon Douglas, - “Beautiful: The Carole King Musical,” Des Moines Playhouse.

Get the full list of nominees and winners here:

Pyramid Theatre Season 9 Announcements

Hi Pyramid Family! We’re excited to share the events we have planned so far for Season 9 of Pyramid Theatre Company. Here is the schedule of events (check back for updates!)

June 8 - Emancipation Day at Living History Farms (Learn more here)

June 15 - Community Preview Performance at Iowa Juneteenth's Neighbor's Day for - “The Black Feminist Guide To The Human Body,” By Lisa B Thompson

June 22 - Opening Night - “The Black Feminist Guide To The Human Body,” By Lisa B Thompson (Show Information)

Nov 8 - Opening Night - “The Last Stop On Market Street,” by Cheryl L. West (Show Information)

Alexis Davis Receives Young Alumni Loyalty Award from Drake University

Congratulations to Pyramid Theatre Company's producer, Alexis Davis, on receiving the Young Alumni Loyalty Award from Drake University!

This award is given to Drake graduates who significantly contribute back to the university, and in their profession and communities.

Alexis has been an integral and vital part of Pyramid's success since the early founding days. If you've ever been involved in our past shows, you've seen Alexis running around taking care of everyone backstage, coordinating behind the scenes with co-producers, helping with auditions, and even joining the cast on-stage to share her amazing acting and singing skills!

Alexis, we appreciate all the hard work you've put into making Pyramid Theatre Company the organization that it is today. We love to see you thrive and are thrilled to see you receive this award that you very much deserve.

Create Black History at DMACC

Join us for A Celebration of Black History before Black History Month comes to an end!

Thursday, February 29th, 2024

DMACC Urban Campus
Urban Student Life Building - Building 7
1100 7th Street
Des Moines, Iowa 50314

Pyramid Theatre Company is excited to announce the launch of a new “Creating Black History at DMACC” event in Des Moines, with support from Des Moines Area Community College (DMACC), the DMACC Diversity Commission and the DMACC Urban Campus Student Activities Council.

This event kicks off at 11 a.m. on Thur., Feb. 29, at the DMACC Urban Campus in Des Moines, and will feature two performances of “The Meeting,” a one-act play that depicts an imagined conversation between Dr. Martin Luther King., Jr., and Malcolm X, as well as a variety of presentations, a docuseries screening, delicious food and live music.

The “Celebrating Black History at DMACC” event schedule is as follows:

• 11 a.m., Doors open at the DMACC Urban Campus, Bldg. 7 Student Life and STEM Center, 1144 7th Street, Des Moines (view map) 

• 11 a.m., First presentation of “The Meeting” by Jeff Stetson, produced by Pyramid Theatre Company and DMACC, followed by a talk back

• 6 p.m., Screening of The Heart Health Docuseries, presented by Heart 2 Heart, a docuseries featuring five Black Iowans who share their personal stories and heart health journeys, and clinicians also provide their input from a medical standpoint. This screening will be followed by a talk back

• 7 p.m., Second presentation of “The Meeting” by Jeff Stetson, produced by Pyramid Theatre Company and DMACC, followed by a talk back

• 7 p.m., Performance from Bridges 2 Harmony Gospel Choir from Theodore Roosevelt High School, directed by Alexander Gray.

There is no cost to attend “Celebrating Black History at DMACC,” but free-will donations at the event will be welcomed as a fundraiser for Iowa Juneteenth and a Back2School Drive for non-traditional college students.

Cloris Awards Winners

We are honored for the awards we received this season at the 2023 cloris awards in des moines!

The Winners Are:

Best Play - “The Piano Lesson,” Des Moines Playhouse and Pyramid Theatre Co.

Best Performances in a Lead Role in a Play - Aaron Smith as Wining Boy, “The Piano Lesson,” Des Moines Playhouse and Pyramid Theatre Co.

Best Performances in a Lead Role in a Play - Daron Richardson as Doaker, “The Piano Lesson,” Des Moines Playhouse and Pyramid Theatre Co.

Best Performances in a Featured Role in a Play - Clifton Antoine as Avery, “The Piano Lesson,” Des Moines Playhouse and Pyramid Theatre Co.

Best Performance by an Ensemble in a Play - “The Piano Lesson,” Des Moines Playhouse and Pyramid Theatre Co.

Best Direction - Ken-Matt Martin, “The Piano Lesson,” Des Moines Playhouse and Pyramid Theatre Co.

Best Scenic Design - Sydney Lynne, “The Piano Lesson,” Des Moines Playhouse and Pyramid Theatre Co.

Best Costume and Makeup Design - Angela Lampe, “The Piano Lesson,” Des Moines Playhouse and Pyramid Theatre Co.

Best Lighting Design - John Pomeroy, “In the Upper Room,” Pyramid Theatre Co., John Pomeroy, “The Piano Lesson,” Des Moines Playhouse and Pyramid Theatre Co.

Best Sound Design - G Clausen, “The Piano Lesson,” Des Moines Playhouse and Pyramid Theatre Co., G. Thomas Furgerson, “In the Upper Room,” Pyramid Theatre Co.

Jeanne Hopson Rising Stars - Larryah Travis as Maretha, “The Piano Lesson,” Des Moines Playhouse and Pyramid Theatre Co.

Special Recognitions - Pyramid Theatre Co. and playwright Beaufield Berry

2023 Regional Awards Broadway World

Nominations are open for the 2023 Regional Awards! These awards are held every year and this year it’s even bigger on a global scale.

Visit the website, take a look at the categories provided, and add your nominations.

After the nomination period ends, BroadwayWorld's editors will proof the list for eligibility and errors, then voting will begin in early November and run through December 31. Winners will be announced in January!

For a list of our eligible shows, cast and crew names, and the roles they played, visit our PAST PRODUCTIONS

2023 Cloris Awards Nominees

The Cloris Awards are almost here! The 2023 Cloris Awards Ceremony at 7 p.m. Aug. 27 at Hoyt Sherman Place will celebrate 39 productions from nine Central Iowa companies. Everyone is welcome to attend! Learn more here: 2023 Cloris Awards info.

Our nominees from Pyramid Theatre Company include:

Best Play - “The Piano Lesson,” Des Moines Playhouse and Pyramid Theatre Company

Best Performance in a Lead Role in a Play - Daron Richardson as Doaker, “The Piano Lesson,” Des Moines Playhouse and Pyramid Theatre Company, Aaron Smith as Wining Boy, “The Piano Lesson,” Des Moines Playhouse & Pyramid Theatre Company

Best Performance in a Featured Role in a Play - Clifton Antoine as Avery, “The Piano Lesson,” Des Moines Playhouse & Pyramid Theatre Company

Jeanne Hopson Rising Stars - Larryah Travis as Maretha, “The Piano Lesson,” Des Moines Playhouse and Pyramid Theatre Company

Best Performance by an Ensemble in a Play - “The Piano Lesson,” Des Moines Playhouse and Pyramid Theatre Company

Best Direction - Ken-Matt Martin, “The Piano Lesson,” Des Moines Playhouse and Pyramid Theatre Company

Best Scenic Design - Sydney Lynne, “The Piano Lesson,” Des Moines Playhouse and Pyramid Theatre Company

Best Costume & Makeup Design - Angela Lampe, “The Piano Lesson,” Des Moines Playhouse and Pyramid Theatre Company

Best Sound Design - G Clausen, “The Piano Lesson,” Des Moines Playhouse and Pyramid Theatre Company, G. Thomas Furgerson, “In the Upper Room,” Pyramid Theatre Company

Read the full list of nominees here:

Pyramid Theatre Company announces presentation of In the Upper Room

3 years of collaboration with Beaufield Berry and Stoner Theatre 

DES MOINES, Iowa – This summer, Pyramid Theatre Company is presenting In the Upper Room, an upbeat story centered around family by Beaufield Berry. Tiffany Johnson, Pyramid’s current Artistic Director, will be directing the show. This show marks Pyramid’s 3rd project working with Ms. Berry as they strive to continue developing a stronger Black arts presence in the Des Moines community. 

In the Upper Room will run from June 9 through the 18th, at Stoner Theatre in the Des Moines Civic Center. 

Set in the 1970’s, this play showcases a tight-knit Black family in a fun, upbeat and groovy style. Not everything is as it seems on the surface though, as this story dives into family secrets, colorism, and the magic of the stories we grow up hearing. In the Upper Room debuted in a world premiere production at the Denver Center for Performing Arts in March of 2022. The story of the multigenerational Black family in the play explores the power of stories passed down through generations, and the dynamics of the different relationships that each of the family members have with each other. 

“It’s really been exciting to give a playwright the same commitment we give to collaborating within the arts in our community.” said Tiffany Johnson. “In the Upper Room has been an incredible play to work on, and the cast has done amazing work. We hope to see you in the theatre at the show.”

Please visit Pyramid’s website for more information about the cast, crew and show: https://pyramidtheatre.org/in-the-upper-room. 

Visit Des Moines Performing Arts website to purchase tickets: https://my.desmoinesperformingarts.org/7893. 

Little Village Magazine Reviews "The Piano Lesson"

Little Village Magazine published a great overview of our co-production with The Playhouse: August Wilson’s “The Piano Lesson.” An excerpt from the article reads:

The play is steeped in spectral uncertainty, a ghost story as much as a family drama. The implications of the past hover over all of it, even aside from the actual haunting involved. As with all of Wilson’s work, it captures the truth of a slice of Black history that many are unfamiliar with, especially those not descended from enslaved people.

You can read the full article on their website here at the link/button below!

Six on Broadway Recognizes Pyramid Managing Director Alexis Davis as Queen of the Week

Congratulations to our Managing Director, Alexis Davis, on her recognition from SIX as queen of the week!

SIX is a musical that showcases the wives of Henry VIII, remixing five hundred years of historical heartbreak into a celebration of 21st century girl power! SIX has won 23 awards in the 2021/2022 Broadway season, including the Tony Award® for Best Original Score (Music and Lyrics) and the Outer Critics Circle Award for Best Musical. For the past year they have been accepting nominations for new Queens of the Week to highlight people who are making a difference in the world.

In their Facebook post they wrote:

Today we are crowning Alexis J. Davis as our #QueenoftheWeek!

Alexis has served as the President of the Black Alumni Association at Drake University Alumni for three years, supporting the interests of DU’s Black Student Organizations, and assisting in the preservation of Black history on the Drake campus in Des Moines, Iowa, just minutes from where #SIXUSTour is performing this week!

Alexis is also a Founding Member and the Managing Director of Pyramid Theatre Company, which was just featured in EBONY’s article, “18 Black Theatre Companies You Can Support Right Now.” You can support Queen Alexis and Pyramid Theatre at PyramidTheatre.org/Support, or by attending their upcoming productions in Des Moines!

Throughout Black History Month and beyond, the #SIXUSTour Queendom will continue to spotlight amazing Black artists, activists, and innovators and the work they do to support the Black community. To see previous Queens of the Week, and to learn more about their work, visit https://sixonbroadway.com/queenoftheweek

View the full post here!

Broadway World Des Moines Reviews "The Piano Lesson"

Broadway World Des Moines’ DC Felton writes their review after attending “The Piano Lesson” by August Wilson, Pyramid Theatre Company’s co-production with The Playhouse. An excerpt from the article goes as follows:

Drake University Alumni and Pyramid Theatre Company Co-Founder Ken-Matt Martin beautifully directs this production. He has done a fantastic job of finding the humor, emotion, and thrills that come with doing this production. The set, which I was in awe of just walking into the theatre, was designed by Chicago-based scenic designer Sydney Lynne. The set, along with the amazing lighting of John Pomeroy, costumes by Angela Lampe, and the sound of G. Clausen, come together to make one of the most chilling and cinematic finales I've seen on stage…

DM CityView Features The Piano Lesson

John Busbee from DM Cityview writes about our co-production with The Playhouse: August Wilson’s The Piano Lesson. Read the full article at the link below!

The Des Moines Register Highlights The Piano Lesson, decade of Pyramid Theatre

The Des Moines Register’s Isaac Hamlet sits down with Pyramid Theatre Company Founder Ken-Matt Martin: the director of Pyramid Theatre’s co-production with The Playhouse, August Wilson’s “The Piano Lesson.” Read this dynamic interview at the link below!

Hello Iowa Promotes The Piano Lesson

Hello Iowa, WHO 13, interviewed The Playhouse Artistic Director Katy Merriman and Clifton Antoine, who plays Avery in The Piano Lesson by August Wilson, as they discuss the co-production of the show between Pyramid Theatre Company and The Playhouse. Watch the full interview at the link below:

Stage to Screen Series - Partnership with Varsity Cinema

Our Partnership: Stage to Screen Series

We are proud to partner with Varsity Cinema on our Stage to Screen Series: featuring 3 classic films based on classic plays, all previously performed by Pyramid Theatre Company.

The Stage to Screen Series launches on Monday, February 6th. The show lineup includes:

“A Raisin in the Sun”
Feb 6th at 7pm
Wed., Feb. 8 at 4pm
Sat., Feb. 11 at 9pm

“A Soldier’s Story”- Opens Feb 13th

“Fences” - Opens Feb 20th

Varsity Cinema is located at 1207 25TH ST. DES MOINES, IA 50311. Shows will be held in the main auditorium.
You can read more about this series on their website HERE.

The Varsity Cinema Podcast Episode

Our Artistic Director, Tiffany Johnson, and our Managing Director, Alexis Davis, were recently interviewed on an episode of Varsity Cinema’s Podcast, where they discuss this partnership and series. Check it out here!

We Are Iowa Local 5 Interviews Emmett Phillips

This week the Local 5 published an interview with Emmett Phillips, who plays Boy Willie in our co-production with The Playhouse, August Wilson’s The Piano Lesson.

Click here to watch the full interview:

Urban Impact LIve Show with Tiffany Johnson and Alexis Davis

Pyramid Theatre Company’s Artistic Director, Tiffany Johnson and Managing Director, Alexis Davis, went live on The Urban Impact Show: a local media company that highlights some of Iowa’s best move makers.

On the show Tiffany and Alexis discuss our upcoming co-production with The Playhouse: August Wilson’s The Piano Lesson, the story behind Pyramid Theatre Company, and the impact Pyramid has had on the community.

Click on the link below to listen live on Facebook!

Winners Announced For The 2022 Broadway World Des Moines Awards

Thank you to everyone who voted in the 2022 BroadwayWorld Des Moines Awards! Here are the results now that the voting has concluded:

WINNER

Best New Play Or Musical
BEAUFIELD BERRY'S BUFFALO WOMEN - Des Moines Community Theatre & Pyramid Theatre Company

Runner-up

Best Music Direction & Orchestra Performance
Courageous Fire - BEAUFIELD BERRY'S BUFFALO WOMEN

Runners-up

Best Direction Of A Play
Katy Merriman & Tiffany Johnson - BEAUFIELD BERRY'S BUFFALO WOMEN - Des Moines Community Playhouse

You can read the full article and see all the winners and runners-up on the BroadwayWorld website here:

dsm Magazine Features Pyramid, The Playhouse

We’re excited to share that dsm Magazine recently featured our upcoming co-production with The Playhouse in an article titled, “‘The Piano Lesson’ Explores Family Legacy.” In this article, writer Christine Riccelli gives a detailed overview of the story that unfolds over the course of August Wilson’s Pulitzer Prize-winning play.

Our co-founder, Ken-Matt Martin, will be coming back to Des Moines to direct this production. In the article he is quoted as saying,

‘ “What will resonate with the audience is that this is a beautiful story about family and legacy,” says director Ken-Matt Martin, a co-founder of Pyramid.’

Thank you to dsm Magazine for the wonderful feature. You can read the full article following the link below.