The Des Moines Playhouse has announced its $3.5 million Tomorrow Begins Today campaign to make improvements to its Kate Goldman Children’s Theatre.

Through the capital campaign, announced Monday, the Playhouse will expand educational and production spaces, upgrade technology, improve seating, replace the heating and cooling system, and upgrade classrooms and administrative spaces.

So far, the Playhouse has raised more than $1.4 million for the campaign. Construction is set to begin in April with completion scheduled for January 2024.

David Kilpatrick, the Playhouse’s executive director, said the updates will create more opportunities for the community to experience live theater.

“With this final upgrade to the last remaining section of the building, our campus will finally have a complete modern facility that can meet the needs of all who participate,” he said. “We are able to do this project because of the full support of the entire community, for which we are grateful. With the new facility, the Playhouse will be better prepared to serve the whole community and fulfill our mission to create extraordinary, shared experiences through live theater.”

The capital campaign to update the Kate Goldman Children’s Theatre comes after renovations to the John Viars Theatre and west lobby of the Playhouse in 2018 and is intended to be the final major construction project for the foreseeable future, a news release stated.

Emily Abbas, senior vice president and chief consumer banking and marketing officer at Bankers Trust and co-chair of the campaign, said the Playhouse has been an important part of her family’s life for three generations.

“We have so many memories of performing onstage and seeing great shows,” she said. “I am honored to pay it forward and ensure the community has a modern and beautiful facility for years to come.”