Dey House ‘literary grove’ sprouts history, community
Josie Fischels, Arts Editor
October 24, 2020
Beneath an overcast afternoon sky, University of Iowa Writers’ Workshop student Santiago Sanchez read Robert Frost’s poem, “The Wood-Pile,” to a masked crowd gathered outside the Dey House. Beside the writer, UI Arborist Andy Dahl and partner Alan Allgood planted a small birch sapling from th...
Grounded is a soft approach to a hard-hitting show
Madeline Liegois, Arts Reporter
October 21, 2020
Riverside Theatre’s online production of Grounded by George Brant soared past my expectations of the play. Iowan actor Katy Hahn’s stunning performance as The Pilot is matched by Brant’s impressive script of this one-woman show. Grounded follows The Pilot’s journey as she navigates mother...
A spooky endeavor: DI editors spend night at Villisca Ax Murder House
Madison Lotenschtein and Brooklyn Draisey
October 20, 2020
Listening to the whispers of disembodied voices was not something I planned on falling asleep to. The voices, reminiscent of parseltongue from the Harry Potter book series, caused me to open my eyes and examine the 19th century-esque living room where the rest of The Daily Iowan team slept. No o...
Student Spotlight: Graphic design major constructs National Park-themed showcase
Parker Jones, Arts Reporter
October 20, 2020
This week, stepping into University of Iowa senior Amber Dale’s exhibition in the Visual Arts Building will be like walking into a National Park gift shop. A central display filled with trinkets accompanied by a fake campfire and prop tent will add to the naturalistic setting, aided by graphic desig...
Brewing a new beat: new coffee shop helps local band find its start
Josie Fischels, Arts Editor
October 19, 2020
On a bustling evening outside the downtown Iowa City bars in late August, 20-year-old University of Iowa junior Ethan Traugh was doing one of the things he loved most: jamming on his guitar for passersby. As he packed up his things later that night, he was surprised to find a note among the tips ...
Riverside Theatre soars with new virtual production of ‘Grounded’
Madeline Liegois, Arts Reporter
October 15, 2020
The sky is not the only limit in Riverside Theatre’s upcoming one-woman show, Grounded by George Brant. The play tells the story of a fighter pilot — fittingly named “The Pilot” — who becomes pregnant and undergoes a massive life change as a mother and a new career as drone operator...
FilmScene and The Englert join the #DoNotAbandonUs campaign
Megan Conroy, Arts Reporter
October 14, 2020
The Englert stage and FilmScene theaters have been quiet since April when the venues closed their doors earlier this year. Both theaters joined the #DoNotAbandonUs campaign along with arts venues, employees, and supporters nationwide. The campaign echoes the importance of arts institutions, and h...
Riverside brings back ‘Walking the Wire’ monologue series in a virtual format
Jenna Post, Arts Reporter
October 13, 2020
Every weekday throughout October, Riverside Theater will feature a new monologue for its online Walking the Wire series. The series kicked off on Oct. 5 as a virtual monologue series. Each weekday during the series’ run a new monologue will be released on Riverside’s website. The call for submi...
‘Sackner Archive’ exhibit brings new meanings to poetry and visual art
Parker Jones, Arts Reporter
October 13, 2020
Entering the Sackner Archive exhibit, a plethora of literary and visual artistic works are seen encased in glass boxes and hung on every available wall, with colors popping off pages and words arranged in complex and eccentric patterns that draw one in for a unique artistic experience. The collection of ...
Live from Linn Street: Goosetown Cafe hosts outdoor shows
Megan Conroy, Arts Reporter
October 13, 2020
Golden sunlight streamed through auburn-clad trees near Goosetown Cafe as local bass player and vocalist Blake Shaw and guitarist Dan Padley prepared for their set on a peaceful weekday afternoon in Iowa City. The performance, held on Oct. 7, has been one of several hosted by th...
Iowa Dance Festival to celebrate collaboration, conclude with drive-in outdoor performance
Tatiana Plowman, Arts Reporter
October 12, 2020
The Iowa Dance Festival has celebrated the art of dance for the past 13 years, where both amateur and professional artists collaborate together. This year, the performance will take place entirely online. “Iowa City has such a tradition for the arts,” said Eloy Barragan, co-director and f...
Drive-in art presentation set at UI Stanley Museum of Art
Darren Chen, Arts Reporter
October 8, 2020
On Oct. 10, visitors will be able to drive up in their cars for the University of Iowa Stanley Museum of Art’s Drive-in: The Big Picture. The family-friendly event, part of the museum’s Dive in with the Stanley series, will be a discussion of the museum’s collection on the big screen with ...