The Ingersoll pushed back its opening date from November to Dec. 31, according to executive director Renee Crowell. The theater originally planned to open on Nov. 28 with “Show Business: An Ingersoll Variety!” featuring a 10-piece show band led by Jason Danielson.
Construction delays are preventing the renovated dinner theater on Ingersoll Avenue in Des Moines from meeting that deadline.
Crowell extended the timeframe the venue needs to open, she said in a news release. “As we’ve neared completion, supply chain delays have extended our construction timeline. But this extra time allows us to ensure every detail — from the chef’s kitchen and new stage to the mezzanine and finishing flourishes — reflects our commitment to an extraordinary guest experience.”
What is the history behind The Ingersoll?
The venue closed more than a decade ago and is going through a $4.7 million renovation. Inside, 200 people can watch everything from musical performances to comedy shows downstairs; another 25 can sit in the balcony when the venue opens. Every show comes with a meal, whether it’s brunch or dinner.
Connor Delaney, the CEO of White Oak Realty, bought the historic building at 3711 Ingersoll Ave. in Des Moines from longtime owners Lee Family Properties for $550,000 in 2022. He replaced the roof and mitigated water damage from rain and snow.
The move to reopen the theater came last February, when Delaney tapped VenuWorks to manage the theater. Steve Peters, the founder and CEO of the Ames-based company, also manages more than 50 theaters and performing arts centers nationwide, including Iowa State University’s Stephens Auditorium and Chanhassen Dinner Theatre, the largest dinner theater in the country, based outside Minneapolis.
Originally, the theater served as a cinema, built in 1939 by Des Moines businessman and theater operator A.H. Blank. It appeared in “The Life and Times of the Thunderbolt Kid,” the 1950s and ’60s childhood memoir of Des Moines native Bill Bryson, now 73, author of the best-seller ”A Walk in the Woods.”
The Art Deco venue operated as a dinner theater for 26 years until 1978, when short-term tenants followed before the theater closed in 2014.
What shows will The Ingersoll open with?
The Ingersoll will offer two shows on New Year’s Eve, featuring Napoleon Douglas & His Jazz Orchestra in the afternoon and The Grand Marquis with a tribute to Kansas City blues to Memphis soul and New Orleans energy in the evening, capped with a Champagne toast.
Those who purchased tickets for shows in November and December can reschedule or exchange tickets, or request a refund.
For a full list of upcoming shows, times, and tickets, visit theingersoll.com.
The Ingersoll hires a chef
The Ingersoll also brought on Chase Johanson as executive chef, who plans to focus on menus with “seasonal ingredients, inventive flavor profiles, and a balance of refinement and accessibility.” Johanson previously worked as the executive chef at Americana, a cornerstone of downtown Des Moines’ dining scene that closed on Sept. 7.
Where to find The Ingersoll
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Susan Stapleton is the entertainment editor and dining reporter at The Des Moines Register. Follow her on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram, or drop her a line at [email protected].
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