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The independent newspaper of the University of Iowa community since 1868

The Daily Iowan

The independent newspaper of the University of Iowa community since 1868

The Daily Iowan

The independent newspaper of the University of Iowa community since 1868

The Daily Iowan

The University of Iowa Department of Theatre building is seen on Tuesday, May 4, 2021.

Undergraduate playwrights participate in annual New Play Festival

Laurel Preston, Arts Reporter May 4, 2025

The University of Iowa’s New Play Festival has been around since the debut of the Playwright Workshop in 1971, and it has only grown since. The festival traditionally features four staged works from...

Hancher Auditorium is seen in Iowa City on Wednesday, July 10, 2024.

Hancher’s 2026 Broadway series lineup is here

Stella Shipman, Managing Editor April 30, 2025

Hancher Auditorium has announced its next Broadway series for 2026, having debuted its first series in 2023.  “Kinky Boots”: Inspired by true events, this award-winning musical tells the story...

Vocalist Shara Nova sings during ‘Penelope, a Song Cycle’ performance at the James theater on Saturday, April 26, 2025. The music began at 7:30 p.m. and was a part of MusicIC, a festival celebrating music and literature in the Iowa City area.

Review | Critically acclaimed duo Sarah Kirkland Snider and Shara Nova stun at The James Theater

Laurel Preston, Arts Reporter April 27, 2025

Enraptured audiences sat with awe-struck faces as they watched the ethereal Shara Nova, a Grammy-nominated singer, cast her siren song in The James theater on April 26. The song cycle, “Penelope,”...

Actors perform in the final rehearsal of a performance of “An Enemy of the People” at E.C. Mabie Theatre in Iowa City on Thursday, April 17, 2025. The play about a secret in the local baths that could destroy the entire economy, being preformed from April 18-26. The play is by Henrik Ibsen and directed by Johanna Kasimow.

Review | ‘Enemy of the People’ is a timeless, theatrical masterpiece

Riley Dunn, Digital Editor April 20, 2025

Several times throughout the opening showing of “An Enemy of the People,” I struggled to make up my mind about which characters were in the hypothetical “right.” The show, first written...

People gather outside of the Englert Theatre in Iowa City on Wednesday, April 17, 2024.

The truth about ticketing in the theatre industry

Isabelle Lubguban, Arts Reporter March 25, 2025

Tickets are the keys to the doors of the arts, whether it be to see a blockbuster movie or a highly anticipated theater production. However, these keys can eventually run out. When this happens, the...

Oracle, played by Azura Tyabji, delivers a monologue during a performance of The Penelopiad on March 5, 2025. The Penelopiad is running from March 6-9 at the James Theater.

Review | ‘The Penelopiad’ brings the story of a long-suffering Queen to life

Riley Dunn, Digital Editor March 11, 2025

“The Odyssey” is a story that has been told many times, rewritten throughout history to remark on the brave and treacherous exploits of the Greek hero Odysseus. The hero’s wife, Penelope, is...

Contributed by Hancher Auditorium.

Review | ‘Mean Girls’ is a fetch addition to Hancher’s Broadway series

Lily Kopp, Arts Reporter March 10, 2025

We all know “Mean Girls” as the iconic 2004 film starring Lindsay Lohan and Rachel McAdams, but the lesser-known musical rendition is just as captivating. The songs, choreography, and costumes...

Cast members perform during the Department of Theatre Art’s final rehearsal for their production of ‘Side Show’ at the Theatre Building in Iowa City on Thursday, March 6, 2025.

‘Side Show’ reminds UI Theatre of the power of community

Hannah Childers, Arts Reporter March 10, 2025

Performers shout, “Come look at the freaks!” to the audience from the stage of “Side Show,” a Broadway musical inspired by the true story of conjoined twins Daisy and Violet Hilton adapted...

Customers enter The James Theater in Iowa City on Monday, Oct. 23, 2023.

Review | An age-old story takes on a new twist at The James

Laurel Preston, Arts Reporter February 23, 2025

Bewitching tendrils of pink and purple flowers swirled and curled around the dark background of The James Theater’s black box stage. Vivid green vines filled in spaces that were lacking beautiful...

Actors perform during the final dress rehearsal of Dreamwell Theatre’s production of ‘Design for living’ at the Artifactory in Iowa City on Thursday, Feb. 13, 2025. The play will premier on Friday the 14th, with other shows on the 15th, 21st, and 22nd at 7:30 p.m.

Review | ‘Design for Living’ falls short of its promise to entertain

Laurel Preston, Arts Reporter February 18, 2025

“Design for Living,” which opened Feb. 14, is a raunchy comedy filled with queer love and a risqué throuple presented by Dreamwell Theater at the ArtiFactory. The script’s subject matter...

Alex Anderson, Victoria Shellady, and other cast members perform during the City Circle Theater Company’s final dress rehearsal for their production of ‘Andrew Lippa’s WILD PARTY : In Concert’ at the Coralville Center for the Performing Arts in Coralville on Feb. 6, 2025.

Photos: Andrew Lippa’s WILD PARTY: In Concert – The City Circle Theater Company final rehearsal

Ethan McLaughlin, Photojournalist February 12, 2025

The City Circle Theater Company held the final dress rehearsal for their production of ‘Andrew Lippa’s WILD PARTY: In Concert’ at the Coralville Center for the Performing Arts in Coralville on Feb....

Lead actors are seen performing in a double exposure during the City Circle Theater Company’s final dress rehearsal for their production of ‘Andrew Lippa’s WILD PARTY : In Concert’ at the Coralville Center for the Performing Arts in Coralville on Feb. 6, 2025.

‘Wild Party’ sets a wild tone for Valentine’s Day

Isabelle Lubguban, Arts Reporter February 11, 2025

Shades of deep blues and calm greens on the stage were illuminated as the lights slowly began to dim. Music filled the room beyond the thin sheens of curtains, and I felt my excitement crescendo as I...