Jo Ann Bell
“It’s a beautiful thing to support and experience Hancher in different ways!”
Jo Ann Bell is grateful for the amazing memories she has made at Hancher Auditorium. A lifelong Iowan, she has been a champion of sharing the Hancher experience with others for more than 10 years.
“Hancher is a gift to our community and to Iowa,” says Jo Ann, a retired pediatric nurse. “The culture and experience of live entertainment of this quality brings fulfillment to thousands of lives. It gives us so many opportunities to experience world-class shows without the need to travel.”
The Joffrey Ballet’s world premiere Nutcracker performance and gala celebration in 1987 remain one of Jo Ann’s favorite memories from the 50 years she has lived in the Iowa City area.
“The first Nutcracker was so bright and beautiful—it’s one of my favorites.”
About 10 years ago, Jo Ann and her husband, Jim, began making an annual donation to Hancher and inviting friends to accompany them to performances. Since Jim’s death in 2021, Jo Ann has supported a Broadway Series performance in his memory each year. She is pleased with how Hancher’s vision is evolving and progressing and has generously included Hancher in her estate plans.
“Going to Hancher is always a happy event!” says Jo Ann. “Jim and I experienced so many excellent musicals, ballets, and other performances—I want to share the joy.”
Jo Ann radiates her love of culture and entertainment by gifting Hancher tickets to others for birthdays and Christmas. In addition, she and seven of her friends are regulars who raise a glass together in the Stanley Café before the curtain goes up.
“Experiences make better gifts than stuff,” says Jo Ann. “Hancher tickets are a way to make memories. It’s a beautiful thing to support and experience Hancher in different ways!”
The Umlah Family
Laura, Brian, Alice, and Elliot
“Hancher’s access to world-class performances, as well as educational offerings and outreach for all ages, makes it vital to the community and state.”
Hancher has a way of shaping lives. For Laura and Brian Umlah and their children, its presence has sculpted their past, present, and future as a family. It all started when Laura was a child, performing her annual dance recitals at Hancher.
“I have fantastic memories of dancing on the Hancher stage and feeling the rush of adrenaline looking into the audience,” says Laura. “Those experiences and attending shows like Cats and Rent shaped my love for the performing arts.”
Flash forward to her college days, when she and Brian met while performing with the University of Iowa Symphony Orchestra. Laura and Brian will never forget playing Verdi’s Requiem with a chorus of hundreds standing behind them. Brian also remembers the thrill of playing the opening solo trumpet notes of Mahler’s Fifth Symphony on Hancher’s stage.
Now, they are passing the wonder of Hancher on to their children.
“We are excited to share our love for the performing arts with Alice and Elliot,” says Brian. “Alice is carrying on the family tradition of performing dance recitals at Hancher, and they both regularly attend shows with us.”
When the family attends performances today, the couple loves to see their kids laughing and dancing in their seats at shows like the comedic Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo and Hairspray.
“It’s exciting to see the next generation building a love for the performing arts,” says Laura.
“Hancher’s access to world-class performances, as well as educational offerings and outreach for all ages, makes it vital to our community and state,” says Laura. “The community’s support enables Hancher to continue enriching our community and area schools—from elementary through university—by giving students the opportunity to engage with and learn from world-renowned artists.”
by Ruth Paarmann
Growing up in Eastern Iowa, freelance writer Ruth Paarmann attended The Band Extravaganza as a teen and later played in Hancher with the Hawkeye Marching Band. Her favorite shows include Cats, Carmen, Wynton Marsalis, and Kristin Chenoweth, among others.