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.”
Alejandro Comellas and Liuska Pesce
“Hancher reminds us of all the beautiful things about humanity. It moves us, teaches us, connects us with ourselves and others, and makes us feel alive.”
Hancher has a special place in the hearts of Alejandro Comellas and Liuska Pesce and their son, Michael. Arriving in Iowa City after the 2008 flood, they eagerly anticipated the day Hancher would reopen.
It was well worth the wait.
The couple and their son and parents attended Hancher’s grand opening ceremony and were dazzled by Hancher’s beauty, but even more moved by the way it unites people.
“In a world filled with so many things that try to separate us, Hancher brings us together and reaches us all, independent of race, religion, language, background, or age,” says Alejandro.
“Since our first time there, Hancher Auditorium has been a celebration in our lives,” says Liuska. “Hancher reminds us of all the beautiful things about humanity. It moves us, teaches us, connects us with ourselves and others, and makes us feel alive.”
Alejandro, Liuska, and Michael have created many beautiful memories together at music and dance performances as well as author presentations. Their most memorable events include Yo-Yo Ma, The Sound of Music, Trombone Shorty, Iowa Dance Gala performances, the Martha Graham Dance Company, and a talk by historian Doris Kearns Goodwin, who signed a book for Michael.
“Hancher makes the arts available to everyone,” says Liuska. “It has connected international arts companies with students in our community from elementary to graduate school. We have witnessed how it has given youth the ability to express themselves. We appreciate its collaborations with other venues to increase the impact of the arts at every level.”
Creativity and community meet at Hancher, whether at a solo stage performance or a free concert on the Hancher Green from the Preservation Hall Jazz Band.
“Hancher has always been pivotal in bringing people together,” says Alejandro. “We love sharing it with family, friends, and our community.”
Elizabeth Schlegel
“I want everyone to experience the remarkable magic Hancher provides!”
Elizabeth Schlegel wants everyone to feel the enchantment of Hancher. She grew up attending shows with her mom and grandmother, worked for Hancher as a student and full-time employee, and is a proud patron today.
“Hancher has been with me through every step of my life,” says Elizabeth. “I can’t imagine my life without the incredibly enriching experiences Hancher has provided me.”
Elizabeth has always loved getting lost in performances, and she encourages others to do the same. Shows by world-renowned artists have been a balm for her soul.
“Is your work or personal life particularly crazy at the moment? Go to a performance,” says Elizabeth. “Want to connect with artists from around the world and get an in-depth look at how they approach their art? Attend an outreach event. Want to ensure students have access to low-cost tickets? Support Hancher with a gift.”
Elizabeth served as assistant box office manager from 2015 to 2021 and finds it impossible to name a favorite performance. However, her heart swells thinking of all the student employees she had the pleasure of working with over the years.
“Supporting box office student employees during their schooling and after was incredible,” says Elizabeth. “I’m beyond grateful that I could be a tiny part of their stories in the same way the Hancher team was part of my college experience.”
Even now, anytime Elizabeth sees someone she knows at a performance, she can’t keep herself from getting excited.
“It makes my night!” she says. “I always try to touch base with them afterward.”
Elizabeth continues supporting Hancher because she wants future generations to have access to this captivating community asset.
“I want everyone to experience the remarkable magic Hancher provides,” she says. “The lifelong connections I’ve made through Hancher are priceless.”
The Wests
“Hancher has always been a place to dream and find inspiration.”
Amanda and Ryan West view Hancher Auditorium as a jewel of the state of Iowa. Ryan was raised on Hancher events, and Amanda became a fan during college. Throughout their lives—and now, through their children’s eyes—they continue to feel the wonder and awe of Hancher every time they step through the door.
“Hancher has always been a place to dream and find inspiration,” says Ryan. “We can see artists we didn’t know about and may never have seen, and we can share something truly magical that creates new ways to see the world.”
Growing up in a musical family, Ryan experienced the venue at a young age. He celebrated the holidays at Cocoa and Carols and was blown away by Les Misérables. For high school graduation, he walked across the Hancher stage.
Amanda also celebrated her graduation—from the University of Iowa—at Hancher. That spring, she produced a Hancher event that included an audience-wide drum circle and keynote address by Richard Florida, author of The Rise of the Creative Class. The production led to a job offer from the author.
“It was a pivotal, foundational moment in my life,” says Amanda.
Over the years, Amanda and Ryan have reveled in the ebullience of everything from ballet to jazz to performance artists, and from seeing their children on stage during music and dance recitals. The residency of Machine Dazzle had a delightful effect on their daughter, Eva, who was 18 months old when she saw Dazzle’s vibrant costume designs in the Hancher lobby.
“Seeing Eva and River interact with visiting emerging artists is such a joy and inspiration,” says Ryan.
Amanda and Ryan have witnessed Hancher evolve and appreciate how it continues to stimulate local and global artistic connections.
David McCartney and his husband, James Petersen, have enjoyed Hancher’s diverse programming ever since they moved to Iowa City more than 20 years ago.
“Hancher is practically part of our bloodstream,” says David.
“It has consistently entertained, informed, and challenged us in ways that have encouraged our minds and spirits to grow,” says James. “Hancher plays a critical role in our community as a venue of exploration and possibility, and its events speak to all aspects of the human experience.”
University of Iowa President Emeritus Willard “Sandy” Boyd dubbed Hancher “the university’s largest classroom”—and David and James place a similarly high priority on advocating its incredible value to all. They realize that Hancher’s high-caliber arts and educational programs provide incomparable opportunities for local students to gain knowledge and understanding, whether they are in the audience or on stage.
“Hancher distinguishes Iowa as a place where the creative arts are welcomed and nurtured,” says David.
For David and James, being in the Hancher audience always feels special, but one moment was truly transcendent. During Patti LaBelle’s show in 2022, the singer kicked off her shoes, stepped off the stage, and serenaded the audience while strolling up the aisle.
“Little did we know that she was going to stop by our seats and sing directly to us,” says James. “She recognized those of us in the audience who use wheelchairs. We even got a hug, and later, flowers brought to us!”
“We were overwhelmed with joy,” says David. “It was an evening to remember!”
That rush of excitement and gratitude for excellence in the arts keeps David and James coming back for more. And Hancher will continue to be there, with fascinating, thought-provoking shows and lectures for them and everyone in the surrounding region.
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.