The University of Iowa

Past Season Events

Free
Cokie Roberts
Lecture

Cokie Roberts

An Insider's View of Washington D.C.

Wednesday, September 12, 2018
Lecture

Cokie Roberts

An Insider's View of Washington D.C.

Wednesday, September 12, 2018
Renowned journalist Cokie Roberts, named a “Living Legend” by the Library of Congress, is one of the most esteemed broadcast journalists of our time. In her presentation, Roberts will offer her unique perspective on the goings-on in the nation’s capital.

More Info

Free
Steep Canyon Rangers
Music

Steep Canyon Rangers

Friday, September 14, 2018
Music

Steep Canyon Rangers

Friday, September 14, 2018
The sensational bluegrass band that helped Steve Martin and Martin Short open the new Hancher Auditorium returns for a free outdoor concert. The Steep Canyon Rangers will have you up and dancing as they help us welcome students back to campus—and the community to our front yard.

More Info

The Philadelphia Orchestra
Music

The Philadelphia Orchestra

Yannick Nézet-Séguin, music director and conductor

Lisa Batiashvili, violin

Tuesday, September 25, 2018
Music

The Philadelphia Orchestra

Yannick Nézet-Séguin, music director and conductor

Lisa Batiashvili, violin

Tuesday, September 25, 2018
One of the nation’s—and the world’s—preeminent orchestras, The Philadelphia Orchestra boasts a legacy of impeccable and innovative music making. The ensemble’s debut performance in the new Hancher Auditorium will no doubt be unforgettable.

More Info

Cirque Eloize, Hotel
Circus

Cirque Éloize

Hotel

Friday, October 5, 2018
Circus

Cirque Éloize

Hotel

Friday, October 5, 2018
Cirque Éloize, that most inventive of circus troupes, returns to Iowa City with a new work co-commissioned by Hancher. Hotel features the perfect blend of the company’s exceptional circus skills and distinctive sensibility.

More Info

Sold Out
Hancher Culinary Arts Experience
Hancher's Culinary Arts Experience

Saint Burch Tavern/Pullman Diner

Wednesday, October 10, 2018
Hancher's Culinary Arts Experience

Saint Burch Tavern/Pullman Diner

Wednesday, October 10, 2018
An amazing dining experience in the beautiful setting of the Stanley Café. Executive Chef Benjamin Smart directs the award-winning culinary teams at both Saint Burch Tavern—offering a new take on tavern and supper club fare—and Pullman Diner.

More Info

Emerson String Quartet
Music

Emerson String Quartet

Thursday, October 11, 2018
Music

Emerson String Quartet

Thursday, October 11, 2018
The incomparable Emerson String Quartet return to Hancher for the first time since 2008. In forty years of music-making, the quartet has set an unsurpassed standard whether performing classic or contemporary work.

More Info

Rufus Reid
Music

Rufus Reid

Quiet Pride: The Elizabeth Catlett Project

Saturday, October 13, 2018
Music

Rufus Reid

Quiet Pride: The Elizabeth Catlett Project

Saturday, October 13, 2018
Jazz bassist and composer Rufus Reid’s big band project celebrates the life, art, and accomplishments of Elizabeth Catlett, the acclaimed sculptor, printmaker, and social activist. In 1940, Catlett was the first African American to receive an MFA from the University of Iowa.

More Info

Club Hancher: Storm Large
Music

Storm Large

Thursday, October 18, 2018
Music

Storm Large

Thursday, October 18, 2018
Storm Large—a musical chameleon with rock bonafides—delivers her own unique take on the American songbook. Building a fan base from her appearance on the televised singing competition “Rock Star: Supernova,” Large has conquered a variety of artistic avenues.

More Info

Momix, Opus Cactus
Dance

Momix

Opus Cactus

Wednesday, October 24, 2018
Dance

Momix

Opus Cactus

Wednesday, October 24, 2018
The endlessly imaginative and energetically physical dance company Momix returns to Hancher to present Opus Cactus—a much-loved work grounded in the teeming life and landscape of the American southwest.

More Info

The Cashore Marionettes
Theater

The Cashore Marionettes

Simple Gifts

Saturday–Sunday, October 27–28, 2018
Theater

The Cashore Marionettes

Simple Gifts

Saturday–Sunday, October 27–28, 2018
Intricately carved and masterfully manipulated, the marionettes of Joseph Cashore bring to life crystalline moments of melancholy and joy. Cashore’s craft captivates children and adults alike. In the intimate space of Strauss Hall, small audiences will encounter big delights.

More Info

L.A. Theatre Works, Steel Magnolias
Theater

L.A. Theatre Works

Steel Magnolias

Friday, November 2, 2018
Theater

L.A. Theatre Works

Steel Magnolias

Friday, November 2, 2018
The nation’s leading producer of audio theater will present a radio theater-style performance of Robert Harling’s classic play Steel Magnolias. A diverse cast will take us inside Truvy’s beauty shop in a small Southern town where six women find their lives intertwined.

More Info

Club Hancher: Kinan Azmeh, part of Embracing Complexity
Music

Kinan Azmeh's CityBand

Saturday, November 3, 2018
Music

Kinan Azmeh's CityBand

Saturday, November 3, 2018
Syrian clarinetist Kinan Azmeh bridges cultures, musical styles, and ideas. The CityBand quartet includes guitar, bass, and percussion and explores jazz, classical music, and traditional music of Syria.

More Info

Soweto Gospel Choir
Music

Soweto Gospel Choir

Sunday, November 11, 2018
Music

Soweto Gospel Choir

Sunday, November 11, 2018
Adored around the globe, the Soweto Gospel Choir brings beautiful, joyous music to audiences everywhere. Sporting colorful costumes from their South African home, the members of the choir blend their voices to create one unimaginably stirring sound.

More Info

Sold Out
Hancher Culinary Arts Experience
Hancher's Culinary Arts Experience

Baroncini Ristorante

Wednesday, November 14, 2018
Hancher's Culinary Arts Experience

Baroncini Ristorante

Wednesday, November 14, 2018
An amazing dining experience in the beautiful setting of the Stanley Café. Baroncini Ristorante is an authentic Italian restaurant emphasizing classic techniques and fresh Iowa ingredients, and was recently nominated Best Italian Restaurant in Iowa by MSN.com.

More Info

Alsarah & the Nubatones
Music

Alsarah & the Nubatones

Saturday, November 17, 2018
Music

Alsarah & the Nubatones

Saturday, November 17, 2018
“Soul crosses all cultural and linguistic barriers,” says Alsarah, whose astounding vocals were central to The Nile Project, which Hancher presented in 2015. Now, she returns with her new band to perform music she calls East African retro-pop.

More Info

The Canadian Brass
Music

The Canadian Brass

Christmas Time Is Here

Friday, November 30, 2018
Music

The Canadian Brass

Christmas Time Is Here

Friday, November 30, 2018
The Canadian Brass, a favorite of Hancher Audiences since 1979, returns for the first time in more than two decades. Led by co-founding member Chuck Daellenbach on tuba, the quintet will bring the sparkle of the holidays to the stage.

More Info

Les Miserables
Broadway

Les Misérables

The Musical Phenomenon

Tuesday–Sunday, December 4–9, 2018
Broadway

Les Misérables

The Musical Phenomenon

Tuesday–Sunday, December 4–9, 2018
Cameron Mackintosh presents a breathtaking new production of the Tony Award-winning musical phenomenon, Les Misérables, direct from its acclaimed Broadway return. Newly staged and with dazzlingly reimagined scenery inspired by the paintings of Victor Hugo.

More Info

Kristin Chenoweth
Music

Kristin Chenoweth

A New Year's Eve Gala

Monday, December 31, 2018
Music

Kristin Chenoweth

A New Year's Eve Gala

Monday, December 31, 2018
A superstar of stage and screen, Kristin Chenoweth will help us ring in the new year with a concert for the ages. From Wicked to Glee, Chenoweth captivates audiences with her matchless voice. This is a New Year’s celebration you won’t want to miss as we pull out all the stops to welcome 2019.

More Info

Tre Voci
Music

Tre Voci

Thursday, January 24, 2019
Music

Tre Voci

Thursday, January 24, 2019
Violist Kim Kashkashian, flautist Marina Piccinini, and harpist Sivan Magen explore the full range of chamber music, including their own transcriptions, traditional repertoire, and newly commissioned works.

More Info

Club Hancher: Banda Magda
Music

Banda Magda

Saturday, February 2, 2019
Music

Banda Magda

Saturday, February 2, 2019
Some folks say music is a universal tongue, but just in case, Banda Magda sings in six languages. From samba to French chanson, from Greek folk tunes to Afro-Peruvian lando, Banda Magda offers you a whirlwind tour of music from every corner of the globe.

More Info

Jersey Boys
Broadway

Jersey Boys

Friday–Sunday, February 8–10, 2019
Broadway

Jersey Boys

Friday–Sunday, February 8–10, 2019
They were just four guys from Jersey, until they sang their very first note. Go behind the music and inside the story of Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons in the Tony Award®-winning true-life musical phenomenon, JERSEY BOYS.

More Info

Rahim AlHaj
Music

Rahim AlHaj and the Kontras Quartet with Christopher Polen (bass)

Letters From Iraq

Saturday, February 16, 2019
Music

Rahim AlHaj and the Kontras Quartet with Christopher Polen (bass)

Letters From Iraq

Saturday, February 16, 2019
Born in Baghdad, Rahim AlHaj is a master of the oud—a stringed instrument with a history unfurling back 5,000 years. AlHaj and the Kontras Quartet with Christopher Polen (bass) will play his composition created from the text of actual letters of Iraqis living in their war-torn country.

More Info

We Shall Overcome–A Celebration of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., featuring Damien Sneed
Music

We Shall Overcome—A Celebration of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

featuring Damien Sneed

Thursday, February 21, 2019
Music

We Shall Overcome—A Celebration of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

featuring Damien Sneed

Thursday, February 21, 2019
In We Shall Overcome, vocalist Damien Sneed weaves jazz, classical, Broadway, gospel, and spirituals together with the words of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s speeches to exemplify a living musical tradition that continues to inspire, uplift, and challenge us.

More Info

Russian National Orchestra
Music

Russian National Orchestra

Saturday, February 23, 2019
Music

Russian National Orchestra

Saturday, February 23, 2019
Founded in 1990 by pianist and conductor Mikhail Pletnev, the Russian National Orchestra quickly established itself as one of the foremost ensembles to be found anywhere. The orchestra is the first from Russia to win a Grammy.

More Info

Danú (Photo: Holst Photography)
Music

Danú

Saturday, March 2, 2019
Music

Danú

Saturday, March 2, 2019
Danú returns just in time to get you ready for the most Irish of holidays. The band offers virtuosic performances of traditional music from the Emerald Isle, capturing a sound cherished far beyond the borders of the musicians’ native land.

More Info

Lawrence Brownlee and Eric Owens
Music

Lawrence Brownlee and Eric Owens

Craig Terry, Piano

Friday, March 8, 2019
Music

Lawrence Brownlee and Eric Owens

Craig Terry, Piano

Friday, March 8, 2019
Two of opera’s most acclaimed voices share one harmonious musical friendship. Tenor Lawrence Brownlee and bass-baritone Eric Owens come together for a recital of arias and spirituals that will highlight their individual talents and combined brilliance.

More Info

Theatre Lovett, They Called Her Vivaldi
Theater

Theatre Lovett

They Called Her Vivaldi

Sunday, March 10, 2019
Theater

Theatre Lovett

They Called Her Vivaldi

Sunday, March 10, 2019
In this enchanting play performed by Ireland’s Theatre Lovett, a sensitive musical prodigy leaves her quiet sanctuary for the noise of the big city as she tries to recover her magical, musical hat. The young people in your life will love the music, characters, and encouragement to follow their dreams.

More Info

Havana Cuba All-Stars, Asere! A Fiesta Cubana
Music

Havana Cuba All-Stars

Asere! A Fiesta Cubana

Thursday, March 14, 2019
Music

Havana Cuba All-Stars

Asere! A Fiesta Cubana

Thursday, March 14, 2019
Asere means “friendship”—and once you’ve been to this party, you’ll consider these spectacular musicians and dancers friends for life. Weaving the tapestry of Cuban music and dance with contemporary thread, the Havana Cuba All-Stars bring energy, joy, and, yes, a spirit of friendship to the stage.

More Info

Kaia Kater (Photo: Raez Argulla)
Music

Kaia Kater

Saturday, March 30, 2019
Music

Kaia Kater

Saturday, March 30, 2019
Of African-Caribbean descent and born in Québec, Kaia Kater has immersed herself in Canadian folk music as well as the music of Appalachia. With superb banjo skills, a jazz inflected voice, and a gift for song craft, she respects tradition while pushing forward.

More Info

Brentano String Quartet
Music

Brentano String Quartet

Sunday, March 31, 2019
Music

Brentano String Quartet

Sunday, March 31, 2019
Named for Antonie Brentano—believed by many to be Beethoven’s “Immortal Beloved”—the Brentano String Quartet is beloved by audiences whether they are performing immortal repertoire or contemporary compositions.

More Info

American Ballet Theatre, Whipped Cream
Dance

American Ballet Theatre

Whipped Cream

Saturday, April 6, 2019
Dance

American Ballet Theatre

Whipped Cream

Saturday, April 6, 2019
A young boy overindulges at a Viennese pastry shop and falls into a delirious dream, filled with sugary heroes who come to his rescue. A dollop of delightful whimsy for the entire family, featuring costumes and sets from the mind of pop surrealist visionary Mark Ryden.

More Info

Batsheva Dance Company, Venezuela
Dance

Batsheva Dance Company

Venezuela

Friday, April 12, 2019
Dance

Batsheva Dance Company

Venezuela

Friday, April 12, 2019
Under the artistic direction of choreographer Ohad Naharin, Israel’s Batsheva Dance Company has built a global reputation for excellence. The company stands apart from other modern dance companies, offering a singular and arresting approach to choreography and individual movement.

More Info

Free
Doris Kearns Goodwin (Photo: Annie Leibovitz)
Lecture

Doris Kearns Goodwin

Leadership in Turbulent Times

Wednesday, April 17, 2019
Lecture

Doris Kearns Goodwin

Leadership in Turbulent Times

Wednesday, April 17, 2019
Doris Kearns Goodwin is a world-renowned presidential historian, public speaker, and Pulitzer Prize-winning, New York Times #1 best-selling author. Her seventh book, Leadership in Turbulent Times, was published in September 2018 to critical acclaim and became an instant New York Times bestseller.

More Info

Sold Out
Hancher Culinary Arts Experience
Hancher's Culinary Arts Experience

Trumpet Blossom Cafe

Wednesday, April 24, 2019
Hancher's Culinary Arts Experience

Trumpet Blossom Cafe

Wednesday, April 24, 2019
An amazing dining experience in the beautiful setting of the Stanley Café. Trumpet Blossom creates plant-based comfort food that reflects the season, respects the land, and is truly sustainable using organic ingredients and making dishes from scratch.

More Info