Hancher announces 2019-20 season lineup, including 3 broadway shows
Hancher Auditorium is seen on Thursday Jan. 25, 2018.
May 8, 2019
Hancher Auditorium on Wednesday announced its lineup of acts for the 2019-20 season, garnering a wide variety of artists showcasing their talent to Iowa City.
The lineup consists of musical acts such as Diana Ross, who will be visiting in celebration of her 75th birthday. Ross famously released songs such that have routinely hit the U.S. Billboard Hot 100, such as “Where Did Our Love Go” and “Stop! In The Name of Love.”
Audra McDonald will give a musical theatre flare to the stage later in September. For more instrumental music, the Grammy-winning group Los Angeles Guitar Quartet will showcase their strings together, featuring their latest music. Described as “the most in-demand string quartet today,” according to Hancher’s website, the Danish String Quartet will provide some classical delicacies later in May.
Dance shows will include Sankai Juku, the internationally-traveling bukoh troupe native to Japan. In celebration of Dance Gala, Urban Bush Women will tackle several issues in Hair & Other Stories related to individuality this September. The RUBBERBANDance Group will be returning in February, with the 2008 flood initially causing their first performance in Iowa City. They will be showing Vic’s Mix, which celebrates Victor Quijada’s 15 years of creating dance.
The auditorium will welcome three broadway shows this season, first beginning with the award-winning musical RENT in October in part of it’s 20th anniversary tour. Brining the classical American novel to life, The Color Purple will tell it’s heartbreaking tale of a young woman living in the American South in January. Their last musical of the season, BEAUTIFUL – The Carole King Musical, tells the true story of King and her journey to musical stardom.
Other acts such as comedian Negin Farsad will take a more humorous approach to the crowd, known for her feminist style of tackling controversial issues.
Hancher will also host free events during the fall. This will include a concert from singer Storm Large, making a second appearance outside of the building in Septepmber. Following shortly, Van Jones, founder and president of the Dream Corps, will give a lecture titled “Protest & Politics in the Age of Twitter.” His previous endeavors included writing three New York Times nonfiction bestsellers and acting as green jobs adviser to the Obama White House.
The auditorium has previously invited a large number of significant artists since its reopening in 2016 after sustaining damages from Iowa City’s 2008 flood. Transitioning into the building’s third year, Hancher is keeping this tradition strong and alive.
For more information, visit Hancher’s website.
