Hancher’s final season on the road launches in shadow of future

IOWA CITY - Heavy metal soaring into the sky makes a perfect backdrop for heavy metal pouring over the masses.

Pittsburgh's Squonk Opera brought its air-powered sight and sound explosion to more than 1,000 people gathered Saturday on the grounds adjacent to the new Hancher Auditorium, which sports 4,400 tons of structural steel and, eventually, 14,000 stainless steel panels covering its exterior.

While the $176 million performing arts center is drawing closer to its September 2016 opening, Hancher as an arts presenter has one more season on the road. Placing the season celebration on the road next to the construction site was a natural.

'I talked to a lot of people who say they drive by here every day, and they can't wait. They love the progress, but they wanted to be closer than ever, and they came today because they're so excited about what's to come in another year. That's what this was all about,” Chuck Swanson, Hancher's executive director, said as he looked out over Squonk Opera's stage, with its 40-foot-tall Lady Pneumatic looming over the festivities.

At the south end of Park Road, which lies between the new Hancher and the University of Iowa's Levitt building, kids were tossing bean bags, creating chalk drawings, having their faces painted or squealing over balloon animals.

Suyun Ma of Iowa City and her 5-year-old daughter, Emma, used every piece of chalk in the palette to draw a psychedelic bunny on the street. Ma came to Iowa City seven years ago, after the flood had forced Hancher to find new venues. She is thrilled to see the new building taking shape.

'It's very beautiful,” she said. 'I'm looking forward to bringing my daughter to the world-class shows Hancher will bring to the community.”

On the north end of the road, area artists were drawing elaborate visions of the performers they'd like to see on the new stage, including Jim Gaffigan, Taylor Swift, The Flaming Lips and Kanye West.

Swanson marveled at the artists' patience and focus as they embraced this aspect of the day's 'drawing closer” theme.

Philip Harris of Mount Vernon, a veteran of that nearby city's spring Chalk the Walk festival, is dreaming of Cirque du Soleil. 'It may be a stretch, but we'll see,” he said. 'Fingers crossed.”

Mike Stenerson of Iowa City, who has left his mark on the downtown Iowa City benches art project, drew Stevie Wonder. ”

South East Junior High art teacher Rachael Arnone of Iowa City, drew Yo-Yo Ma. She really had no choice, because her husband, a University of Iowa cello professor, said she had to draw the celebrated cellist. Her school also is one of seven Iowa junior highs chosen to help create a permanent work of art for the new Hancher interior.

All ages turned out for the event on a splendid afternoon, on the cusp of a new school year. One family came all the way from Galesburg, Ill., with a dual purpose in mind.

Knox College theater professor Craig Choma went to grad school with Squonk Opera's Dr. Pneumatica, Steve O'Hearn, who did a mini STEAM workshop with the kids following the second of three colorful and imaginative performances where giant inflatables swayed to the wildly crashing musical sounds. At one point, O'Hearn's orange vest inflated with a cluster of spikes, making him look like a giant sea creature. Later, he wowed the crowd with a cacophony of heavy metal bagpipery.

That didn't surprise Choma, who studied scenic design alongside O'Hearn at Carnegie-Mellon University.

'He came from an interesting place of industrial design. Even then, he was concocting these weird things,” said Choma, who brought his wife, Knox College dance professor Jennifer Smith and their daughters Amber, 11, and Autumn, 8, to see his college chum in action.

It's a familiar two-hour drive for the couple, who have attended Hancher shows over the years. 'To have something of this quality as close to where we are - Galesburg, in the middle of cornfields - we'll go to Iowa City,” Choma said. 'This is not a problem for us.”

It's all about connections - geographically, artistically and communally.

'That's what the arts do,” Swanson said. 'They bring people together in common experiences. And common experiences are so wonderful for people like the families here today, tonight, next week, whatever - they've got something great to talk about,” he said.

'Swanson deemed the celebration a 'win-win” for everyone involved, standing on the precipice of something even bigger, and piquing plenty of curiosity.

'It's exciting that Hancher is moving closer to completion,” said F. John Herbert, executive director of Legion Arts in Cedar Rapids, which presents art and artists from around the world at CSPS. He called Hancher 'a vital part of the Eastern Iowa cultural scene.”

'It's great to see an event like this that engages the community in innovative ways,” he said.

Looking at the building, added: 'I can't wait to go inside.”