Skip to content Skip to sidebar Skip to footer

Pyramid Theatre: Preparing for season three of storytelling

Pyramid Theatre

With so much technology used to keep the seven co-founders of Pyramid Theatre in touch during the winter, they can’t wait to see each other each summer because the phones go off.

And the stage lights go on.

Pyramid Theatre was founded as a nonprofit organization in August of 2015 and offers two shows each summer—a new play and a classic work from black playwrights. The organization has seven founders—sprinkled throughout the country—who work with local and aspiring artists as well as bringing in professionals each summer.

2018 will be the third summer of Pyramid Theatre.

“People have this conception of theatre that it’s a very stuffy situation where you go in and don’t interact with the show, that you just watch,” artistic director Tiffany Johnson says. “We’re changing the social norm of the theatre environment to where we are actually encouraging the audience to interact with the play, be vocal. And that brings a new enthusiasm for being part of the audience. You are part of the story.”

Johnson—one of three founders based in Des Moines—says Pyramid Theatre tries to make theatre relevant for younger people, to keep the industry going.

“We are doing a great job of starting that in our own culture, the black culture,” Johnson says. “Grassroots marketing and initiatives are very important, where you are visible in the community as opposed to trying to market to the community. Try to integrate with it.”

Johnson said the productions this summer will be challenging and more technical work.

“It’s kind of a jump for us but we do have aspirations as a company of being a regional theatre company at the very minimal,” Johnson says. “God willing a national company.”

The startup

Pyramid Theatre
Pyramid Theatre Co-Founder Ken-Matt Martin. Courtesy of Pyramid Theatre

Johnson worked with Ken-Matt Martin—now the Executive Director of Pyramid Theatre—on a project in 2013 that formed a connection that hasn’t separated.

Johnson and Martin would work together on Fences in 2014—which Martin produced and directed—with the Des Moines Social Club and again on A Soldiers Play.

“We received great feedback,” Johnson said. “Everybody loves seeing the diversity in art here, so we decided this is a thing and something we should try to do on a more regular basis to offer people in this city more options.”

Martin is one of four co-founders who doesn’t live in Des Moines full-time. He’s currently finishing his graduate degree at Brown University.

“I’d put the Des Moines theatre community up against any and the reason being is there’s a true hunger in Des Moines for new and different stories,” Martin says. “Des Moines has a smart audience. They listen harder.”

Season Three

Pyramid Theatre announced its third season earlier this month. Prowess will open at 7:30 p.m. on June 8 and Intimate Apparel will open at 7:30 p.m. on August 17 at the Stoner Theatre in the Des Moines Performing Arts building.

Prowess is about a group of friends who decide they want to become superheroes and is filled with fight choreography.

Martin said he’s directing that play in Providence—where the Brown University campus is located—then moving the entire show to Des Moines in June. He said they could possibly be taking it to California after.

“It’s cool because you get to bring unique things to Des Moines,” Martin says.

In August, Johnson will direct, Intimate Apparel with an all-local cast.

“We’re doing new plays as well as older plays, working with great local artists and local talent but also bringing in really high-grade, well-trained professionals to work as well,” Martin says.

Johnson said each of the co-founders will discuss various scripts, the impact they will have on the community and the audience.

“This season is really focused on women and the strengths they have,” Johnson said. “We thought it would be nice to compliment what’s happening in our world with some art that fits into it.”

Pyramid Theatre: Preparing for season three of storytelling | Clay & Milk
A central Iowa ag-tech accelerator has secured more backers and finally has a name. The Greater Des Moines Partnership first announced the accelerator last year, naming four initial investors. On Monday, the Partnership said the program will be called the "Iowa AgriTech Accelerator" and named three new investors. The new investors include Grinnell Mutual, Kent Corp. and Sukup Manufacturing, all Iowa companies. They join investors Deere & Co., Peoples Co., Farmers Mutual Hail Insurance Co. and DuPont Pioneer. Each investor has agreed to put up $100,000 for the first year of the accelerator. Startups entering the program will receive $40,000 in seed funding in exchange for 6 percent equity. Tej Dhawan, an angel investor and local startup mentor, is serving as interim director until the AgriTech Accelerator names a permanent leader. Dhawan held a similar role with the GIA before Brian Hemesath was named as managing director. As interim director, Dhawan said his main job includes hiring the accelerator's executive director, establishing a business structure and initial recruiting for the first cohort. The accelerator will place few filters, such as location and product, on the applicant pool, Dhawan said. "When you’re seeking innovation, innovation can come from every corner of the world so why restrict ourselves," he said. One area the the AgriTech Accelerator won't recruit from is biotech. For its first cohort, the AgriTech Accelerator will work out of the GIA's space in Des Moines' East Village, Dhawan said. A future, permanent home is still to be decided. The accelerator's program will host startups from mid-July through mid-October, ending with an event connected to the annual World Food Prize. The GIA, which the AgriTech Accelerator is based on, also ends with presentations at an industry event. The accelerator has also started lining up a mentor pool. The Iowa Corn Growers Association, Iowa Soybean Association and the Iowa Pork Producers Association have agreed to provide mentors, as has Iowa State University. While the AgriTech Accelerator is loosely based off of the GIA, it will differ in its business structure, Dhawan said. The GIA runs through a for-profit model for both operations and its investment fund. The AgriTech Accelerator will have a nonprofit model for its operations and a for-profit setup for its fund. Dhawan said the nonprofit model is being used so the accelerator can better work with other nonprofit partners, such as trade associations. "These are all organizations that are nonprofits and can be amazing stakeholders without ever having to be investors in the accelerator," he said. "It becomes easier to work with trade associations in their nonprofit role when we are also a nonprofit." When it's up and running, the AgriTech Accelerator would be one of a handful of ag-focused startup development programs in Iowa. Others include the Ag Startup Engine out of Iowa State University and the Rural Ventures Alliance from Iowa MicroLoan. Matthew Patane is the managing editor and co-founder of Clay & Milk. Send him an email at mpatane@clayandmilk.com.
This Pop-up Is Included in the Theme
Best Choice for Creatives
Purchase Now