9 things to do this weekend in Des Moines including 'The Lion King,' Iowa Cubs opener and more
No matter what the weather brings this week, March leaves like a lion when "The Lion King" heads to the Des Moines Civic Center. The week also brings Journey and Toto to Wells Fargo Arena, "Once Upon This Stage" to Hoyt Sherman, "Kinky Boots" to the Des Moines Playhouse, the season opener for the Iowa Cubs and Iowa favorite Hailey Whitters to Wooly's. You can always try a new happy hour or brunch and invite a group of friends. Here, a look at nine things to do in Des Moines this week.
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Get your lighters out for rock ballads
Tuesday night: Don't stop believin'. Journey and Toto take the stage at 7:30 p.m. to perform their hits at Wells Fargo Arena, 730 Third St., Des Moines. Journey, which formed in 1973 in San Francisco, sings big hits such as "Faithfully," “Wheel in the Sky,” “Any Way You Want It,” “Lovin’, Touchin’, Squeezin’” and "Don't Stop Believin'." Journey appeared in Des Moines to play a 2018 show with Def Leppard, also at the Wells Fargo Arena, and before that, the band had a 2016 stop at the venue alongside The Doobie Brothers. Toto, known for songs such as "Rosana" and "Africa," previously appeared in Des Moines this past March at Hoyt Sherman Place as part of its Dogz of Oz tour. Tickets start at $39.50 on hyveetix.com.
An ode to yesteryear
Wednesday night: Hoyt Sherman Place, 1501 Woodland Ave., Des Moines, celebrates 100 years with an ode to performers of the past played by Des Moines stars of now. "Once Upon This Stage" features seven artists — John Philip Sousa, Grant Wood, Meredith Willson, Agnes de Mille, Will Rogers, Vincent Price, and Edna St. Vincent Millay — who first appeared on the theater's historic stage and will be honored by local partners such as B.Well, Ballet Des Moines, and more performers. Tickets for the 7:30 p.m. show start at $26 online at hoytsherman.org/events.
The mane event
Thursday afternoon: One of the most beloved musicals in Broadway history takes the stage at the Des Moines Civic Center, 221 Walnut St., Des Moines, starting at 2 p.m. "The Lion King" tells the story of Simba, succession, and the Circle of Life with a mix of nostalgia, top-notch costuming, and next-level storytelling. The show takes the stage through April 16 with ticket prices varying depending on performance on dmpa.org.
Eat all the pizza
Thursday night: Can you feel it in the air? The perfect weather of spring is just about here. Head to Eatery A, 2932 Ingersoll Ave., Des Moines, for happy hour from 2 to 6 p.m. daily. Once the patio opens, grab a table and order half-priced wine, draft beers, and wood-oven baked pizzas with a hint of the Mediterranean in the flavors.
Cheer on the Iowa Cubs
Friday night: The Iowa Cubs kick off their 2023 season with a three-game stint against the Columbus Clippers at Principal Park, 1 Line Drive, Des Moines. At 7:08 p.m., the Cubs throw the first pitch and fireworks end this matchup. Minor League Baseball ranks the Iowa Cubs the 12th best team nationwide. Tickets range from $10 to $20.
More:10 Chicago Cubs prospects who could play for the Iowa Cubs in 2023
Don a pair of sexy boots
Friday night: Head over to the Des Moines Playhouse instead for “Kinky Boots.” Charlie Price’s family shoe factory is close to bankruptcy when he finds Lola, an outspoken drag queen, who inspires his shoe designs. Together they save the company and become an unlikely duo of friends, all to the backdrop of a Cyndi Lauper soundtrack. Shows start at 7:30 p.m. Wednesdays through Saturdays and at 2 p.m. on Sundays at 831 42nd St., Des Moines. Tickets range from $29 to $53 for this Tony Award winner for Best Musical.
Not looking for trouble
Friday night: Take a look at the challenges of Black artists working with a white theater during “Trouble in Mind.” This masterpiece by Alice Childress could have been the first play by a Black woman on Broadway, three years before “A Raisin in The Sun,” after premiering Off-Broadway in 1955; however, its first Broadway production was in 2021 because Childress refused extensive re-writes for the comfort of white Broadway producers. Check it out at the Stoner Theater, 221 Walnut St. in Des Moines, through April 9. The opening show on Friday takes place at 7:30. Tickets are $40.
Local country star comes home
Saturday night: Shueyville native and up-and-coming country starlet Hailey Whitters returns to Des Moines with her headlining "Raised" Tour at Historic East Village venue Wooly's, 504 E. Locust St., Des Moines. Whitters' recent release "Raised" topped Rolling Stone's list of best country/Americana albums of 2022, beating out artists like Zach Bryan, Miranda Lambert, and Ashley McBryde. Tickets for the 7 p.m. show start at $20 online.
Breakfast of champions
Sunday morning: Charming Club Car, 13435 University Ave., Suite 200, in Clive, serves loaded hash browns topped with two eggs and smothered in sausage gravy or breakfast rarebit with bacon, egg, and ham during brunch every Saturday and Sunday from 9 a.m. to noon. The restaurant, which opened in 1996, takes its name from its location near railroad tracks in Clive and with the Country Club housing development next door. Look for retro railroad memorabilia, original framed posters, model train cars, and signs, all in a casual atmosphere.
Susan Stapleton is the entertainment editor at The Des Moines Register. Follow her on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram, or drop her a line at sstapleton@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: What to do this weekend in Des Moines from 'Lion King' to Iowa Cubs
