Iowa Press

Three decades of bringing Broadway to central IA but the curtain is about to close on Jeff Chelesvig. He joins Radio IA's @okayhenderson, the Gazette's @ErinDMurphy & DSM Mags @MichaelMorain as our guest. Watch today at Noon on @iowapbs or online anytime iowapbs.org/shows/iowapres…

Three decades of bringing Broadway to central IA but the curtain is about to close on Jeff Chelesvig. He joins Radio IA's @okayhenderson, the Gazette's @ErinDMurphy & DSM Mags @MichaelMorain as our guest. Watch online anytime iowapbs.org/shows/iowapres…

Three decades of bringing Broadway to central IA but the curtain is about to close on Jeff Chelesvig. He joins Radio IA's @okayhenderson, the Gazette's @ErinDMurphy & DSM Mags @MichaelMorain as our guest. Watch tonight at 7:30 on @iowapbs or online anytime iowapbs.org/shows/iowapres…

The World Food Prize leader is familiar with agriculture in IA & around the world. Gov Tom Vilsack is our guest. Joining Radio IA's @okayhenderson are the Gazette's @ErinDMurphy & DMReg's @brianneDMR Watch today at Noon on @Iowa PBS or online anytime at iowapbs.org/shows/iowapres…

The World Food Prize leader is familiar with agriculture in IA & around the world. Gov Tom Vilsack is our guest. Joining Radio IA's @okayhenderson are the Gazette's @ErinDMurphy & DMReg's @brianneDMR Watch tonight online anytime at iowapbs.org/shows/iowapres…

The World Food Prize leader is familiar with agriculture in IA & around the world. Gov Tom Vilsack is our guest. Joining Radio IA's @okayhenderson are the Gazette's @ErinDMurphy & DMReg's @brianneDMR Watch tonight at 7:30p on @Iowa PBS or online anytime at iowapbs.org/shows/iowapres…

Thanks for following along and expand on his topics onair and online. We also have news at the end of the broadcast you should see about the next few weeks.

What's next? Chelesvig: More time in Utah. I'm a lifetime Tony voter so I can still see shows in New York. I'm looking forward to just seeing a show and not worried on anything in the venue.

Chelesvig on many favorites will have to be watched in the broadcast on favorites shows, earworms and jukebox musicals.

Chelesvig: We have two sites now in downtown that are existing to see if they will work. I also want us to expand program. Temple Theater has three series now, one on local life question.

Wish list Chelesvig: Sights on education space, but not much rehearsal space. We've been open to have an ed space downtown to help do what we do and more. Presented on the Armory to city, but was going to be $20m to renovate.

Chelesvig: This is about quality of life. I love the parks and trails as the arts give us a chance to look at the world in a different way. All our offerings make DSM a unique place to live and visit.

Budgets for arts Chelesvig: We raise money to help. Corporate and government funding is smaller, vast majority from individuals.

Chelesvig: Now workshops on design and technical side. The HSMT awards put 500 performers on stage, but also feature technical. Raises the bar for musicals and is a melting pot at schools and students deserve to be honored.

HS Musical Theater awards impact Chelesvig: Could do a competition like the Tony Awards, but we send adjudicators to schools to see shows and provide objective feedback. Helps directors. We started small with 9 schools and now in year 12 have 105 statewide.

Shows and community conversations Chelesvig: Our team tries to find ways to get audience to participate. We will do one show with Q and A with the company. This will bring a few hundred to participate. People like the dialog. We are working on ways to enlarge it.

Chelesvig: When Book of Mormon came we turned out to be a test market for producers. We did communicate to ticket goers about content.

Chelesvig: Some have strong language. I tend to gravitate to edgier shows as our audience wants to be challenged and not just be safe. They want to see the best and be challenged.

Show issues? Chelesvig: Rent in early 2000's era. We were early in season ticket program and sent a letter about how that show was about sensitive topic. Only one person reached back and opened the thoughts we could do more forward shows.

Chelesvig: Applause program is for school children, there's a challenge in schools getting drivers to bring students down.