When “Triple Espresso” first opened in October 2002 at the Temple for the Performing Arts, 1011 Locust St., Des Moines, no one knew how successful the “highly caffeinated comedy” would become. Now, after 68 weeks, the show has become the longest-running production in Iowa.

Dennis Babcock, the show’s executive producer, says he knew the show was special when he saw it for the first time seven years ago in Minneapolis.

After more than a year of performances in Des Moines, the show will close its doors on Sunday.

Babcock, who graduated from Iowa State in 1970, says “Triple Espresso” is a dream come true for him.

“Never in my wildest dreams did I imagine how big this show would become,” Babcock says. “It just goes to show that if you put on a solid production, word-of-mouth and good reviews will bring people into the theater. Fans of this production have been extremely loyal.”

Babcock says loyalty hasn’t been a common trait in all the cities the show has played.

“We opened in the West End of London last year at a terrible time,” Babcock says. “It was right about the same time as the war in Iraq started. On top of that, there were strikes on the London Underground happening, too. Needless to say, the play closed after a very disappointing nine-week run.”

Other European countries have been far kinder to the show, Babcock says. Norwegians and the Irish have really taken to the story, he says.

Babcock says the success both in Europe and Des Moines has attracted attention from other cities both domestically and abroad.

“We’ll be opening soon in Reykjavik, Iceland. As far as here in the States goes, we have productions of ‘Triple Espresso’ opening soon in Tulsa, Oklahoma and Denver,” Babcock says.

Another person responsible for the show’s unprecedented run in Des Moines is Jeff Chelesvig, the president and chief executive officer of the Civic Center of Greater Des Moines. Chelesvig says he knew the show was special from the very beginning.

“It has been particularly exciting to see this show blossom into what it has become. It has really been exciting to see how the people of Des Moines have sort of adopted the cast members and made the show a household name,” says Chelesvig, who is also an ISU alumnus.

“When the cast goes out to a restaurant, people go out of their way to make them feel at home.”

Chelesvig says replacing the show in the Civic Center’s regular lineup will be a daunting task.

“‘Triple Espresso’ has become such a phenomena that we are going to be hard-pressed to find anything like it again,” Chelesvig says. “When we do, though, I have no doubt the people of Des Moines will make that show’s cast feel at home, too.”