Dante Powell is on a roll. The Louisiana-born comic has clocked thousands of miles as both a truck driver and a comedian. Powell has called Des Moines his home for over a decade, headlining shows in the capital while hitting the road in major cities with Gary Gulman, Janelle James, Rory Scovel and other gods of indie comedy. The key to Powell’s success is the man himself: grounded, insightful and absolutely ready to start some shit.
Dante’s Comedy Revue is a monthly residency at The Ingersoll, Des Moines’ premium dinner theater, which reopened in January after extensive renovations. On any other night, the spot may be subdued, even downright posh — but when Powell takes the stage as host, backed by a house band and slick production value, it becomes an actual feast.
“He has such a playful way of getting the audience involved,” said Tim Overton, fellow Des Moines comedian and executive producer of the Revue. “So if he’s got the mic, it’s going to be fun.”
The two men have known each other since 2014, when they took the same improv classes at West Des Moines’ now-defunct Last Laugh Comedy Theater…