Denis Johnson's Des Moines Extends Off-Broadway Premiere

Theatre for a New Audience — in association with Elizabeth Cuthrell, David Urrutia, and Evenstar Films — has announced an extension of Denis Johnson's Des Moines, having its off-Broadway premiere at the Polonsky Shakespeare Center. Performances will now run through January 8, 2023.

Directed by Arin Arbus, the cast of Des Moines features two-time Tony nominee Johanna Day (Sweat), Arliss Howard (Mank), Hari Nef (Daddy), Michael Shannon (Knives Out), and Heather Alicia Simms (Fairview). The creative team includes Riccardo Hernández (scenic designer), Qween Jean (costume designer), Scott Zielinski (lighting designer), Mikaal Sulaiman (sound designer), and Byron Easley (choreographer).

Des Moines had its world premiere in 2007 at San Francisco's Intersection for the Arts and was further developed by Johnson and completed in 2013. It is the late author's final play, and is described as follows: "In this mysterious work, chance events — including a plane crash, a rescued wedding ring, and a frightening diagnosis — bring five characters in its titular city together for a debauch of karaoke, liquor, and sex that becomes an unlikely communion. With its dark humor, Des Moines confronts death, mortality, and the stubborn pursuit of grace among those who barely believe in it."