Hancher announces 2023-24 season in Iowa City venues

Broadway tours, dance celebrations, a new festival, superstar musicians and more are in store as Hancher spreads its wings in the 2023-24 season.

Launching in late August and continuing into June, performances will take place in Hancher’s two performances areas — the Hadley Auditorium and Strauss Hall — as well as the Englert Theatre, Gabe’s and the Old Capitol Museum in downtown Iowa City.

First up is the University of Iowa’s free fall welcome concert at 6 p.m. Aug. 25 on the Hancher Green. The lineup features Iowa native Elizabeth Moen, headliner Brittany Howard of Alabama Shakes fame, and the soul-inflected electronic music of Dawn Richard. Gates open at 5 p.m.

At a glance

What: Hancher’s 2023-24 season

When: August to June

Tickets: New events and single tickets for Broadway performances and the Infinite Dream festival go on sale to the general public at 10 a.m. July 31 at the Hancher Box Office, open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays; and online at hancher.uiowa.edu. Broadway Series tickets still are available, as well.

Hancher Box Office: 141 E. Park Rd., Iowa City; (319) 335-1160 or 1-(800) HANCHER

In early September, Hancher will present three luminaries in quick succession. Singer/songwriter Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit will perform Sept. 8; jazz luminary Herbie Hancock on Sept. 9; and newly minted Pulitzer Prize-winner Rhiannon Giddens, founding member of the Carolina Chocolate Drops, will perform Sept. 13.

The season then rolls on through collaborations and events off-site, from New York-based experimental musician serpentwithfeet, performing the Hancher-commissioned work “Heart of Brick” at the Englert Theatre, to a season-long collaboration with Pulitzer Prize-winning composer Caroline Shaw, and a performance by UI Department of Dance students in collaboration with the Martha Graham Dance Company, which is celebrating its centennial season.

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In the dance realm, Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo is returning Feb. 21 with more merriment en pointe from “the world’s foremost all-male comic ballet company.” And London’s Royal Philharmonic Orchestra will fill Hancher Auditorium with sound on Jan. 24

“More than anything, our work centers the vision of building a first-choice, destination performing arts campus at the University of Iowa,” executive director Andre Perry said in announcing the season. “Specifically, we ask ourselves, ‘How do we shape a culture that nurtures creative exploration for the students, faculty and staff on our academic campus; for our surrounding communities, the state of Iowa, and Hawkeyes across the world; and for the ever-shifting field of performing artists?’ ”

And by presenting several artists in other venues on and off campus, the goal is to present artists in spaces that serve them — and the audience — well.

“Our team has thought carefully and creatively about ways to enhance the connection between artists and audiences,” Aaron Greenwald, Hancher’s programming and engagement director, said in a news release. “Intimacy and immediacy can be such powerful parts of an experience, and for each of the exceptional artists we are presenting, we worked to find the best ways to highlight them and their work.”

The regular season culminates with a major performance and Iowa debut of the contemporary opera “Fierce.” This is a co-production between the UI School of Music, Performing Arts Production Unit and Hancher Auditorium.

William Menefield, assistant professor of jazz studies at the University of Iowa, composed the music for “Fierce,” which debuted as a commission project of the Cincinnati Opera in July 2022. The Hancher co-production will feature UI students onstage, in the orchestra pit, and behind the scenes working production with the UI’s technical staff.

“This is what it’s all about: Collaboration across our performing arts campus, celebrating the work of our students and faculty, and welcoming our whole community to join in,” School of Music director Tammie Walker said.

Hancher’s 2023—2024 Season

University of Iowa’s Fall Welcome Concert: Brittany Howard, Dawn Richard, and Elizabeth Moen: Aug. 25, 6 p.m., Hancher Green; free

Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit, with special guest Wednesday: Sept. 8, 7:30 p.m., Hancher Auditorium

Herbie Hancock: Sept. 9, 7:30 p.m., Hancher Auditorium

Rhiannon Giddens with special guest Adia Victoria: Sept. 13, 7:30 p.m., Hancher Auditorium

Attacca Quartet and Caroline Shaw: Sept. 17, 7:30 p.m., Hancher Auditorium; onstage seating

Ayodele Casel: “Rooted”: Sept. 22, 7:30 p.m.; Sept. 23, 2 & 7:30 p.m., Hancher Auditorium; onstage seating

Fall 2023 Levitt Lecture: Alan Page: Sept. 26, 7:30 p.m., Hancher Auditorium

serpentwithfeet: “Heart of Brick”: Oct. 5, 7:30 p.m., Englert Theatre

Infinite Dream festival: The Sphinx Virtuosi: Oct. 11, 7:30 p.m., Englert Theatre

Infinite Dream festival: Love In Exile featuring Arooj Aftab, Vijay Iyer, and Shahzad Ismaily, and Makaya McCraven: In These Times: Oct. 12, 7:30 p.m., Hancher Auditorium

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Infinite Dream festival: John Irving in conversation with Lan Samantha Chang: Oct. 13, 7:30 p.m., Hancher Auditorium

Infinite Dream festival: Model/Actriz with special guest TBD: Oct. 13, 9:30 p.m., Gabe’s

Infinite Dream festival: Kurt Vile and The Violators with special guest Lonnie Holley and Mourning [A] BLKstar: Oct. 14, 7:30 p.m., Hancher Auditorium

Infinite Dream festival: N O W I S W H E N W E A R E (the stars) by Andrew Schneider: Oct. 18 to 21, showtimes on Hancher’s website, Hancher Auditorium; onstage seating

Samara Joy: Oct. 25, 7:30 p.m., Hancher Auditorium

Disney / Pixar’s “COCO” live to film, with Orquesta Folclorica Nacional de Mexico performing the score live: Oct. 27, 7:30 p.m., Hancher Auditorium

Mic Check Poetry Fest showcase: Danez Smith and Denice Frohman: Nov. 3, 7 and 9 p.m., Hancher’s Strauss Hall; cabaret

FEaST festival: Sun Ra Arkestra and Theon Cross: Nov. 4, 7:30 p.m., Englert Theatre

Takacs Quartet: Nov. 9, 7:30 p.m., Englert Theatre

Dance Gala: Nov. 10 and 11, 7:30 p.m., Hancher Auditorium

Midori and Festival Strings Lucerne: Nov. 14, 7:30 p.m., Hancher Auditorium

Roomful of Teeth and Gabriel Kahane: Nov. 16, 7:30 p.m., Hancher Auditorium; onstage seating

Mavis Staples and The War And Treaty: Dec. 2, 7:30 p.m., Hancher Auditorium

JACK Quartet plays John Zorn: Dec. 6, 7:30 p.m., Old Capitol Museum, Senate Chamber

The King’s Singers: “When You Wish Upon a Star”: Dec. 9, 7:30 p.m., Hancher Auditorium

Broadway Series: “To Kill A Mockingbird”: Jan. 19, 7:30 p.m.; Jan. 20, 2 and 7:30 p.m.; Jan. 21, 1 and 6:30 p.m., Hancher Auditorium

London’s Royal Philharmonic Orchestra: Jan. 24, 7:30 p.m., Hancher Auditorium

Club Hancher: Jeff Parker and The New Breed: Jan. 27, 7 and 9 p.m., Hancher’s Strauss Hall; cabaret

Elias String Quartet: Feb. 15, 7:30 p.m., Strauss Hall; in the round

Reggie Wilson/Fist and Heel Performance Group, “POWER”: Feb. 16, 7:30 p.m.; Feb. 17, 2 and 7:30 p.m., Hancher Auditorium; onstage seating

Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo: Feb. 21, 7:30 p.m., Hancher Auditorium

Broadway Series: “Hairspray”: Feb. 23, 7:30 p.m.; Feb. 24, 2 and 7:30 p.m.; Feb. 25, 2 p.m., Hancher Auditorium

Club Hancher: Haley Heynderickx and The Westerlies: March 7, 7 and 9 p.m., Hancher’s Strauss Hall; cabaret

Spring 2024 Levitt Lecture: Judy Woodruff: March 19, 7:30 p.m., Hancher Auditorium

Club Hancher: Y La Bamba: March 22, 7 and 9 p.m., Hancher’s Strauss Hall; cabaret

So Percussion and Caroline Shaw: March 25 and 26, 7:30 p.m., Hancher Auditorium; onstage seating

Martha Graham Dance Company: “GRAHAM100”: March 29, 7:30 p.m., Hancher Auditorium

Oumou Sangare: April 12, 7:30 p.m., Englert Theatre

Club Hancher: La Dame Blanche: April 19, 7 and 9 p.m., Hancher’s Strauss Hall; cabaret

“Fierce”: April 26 and 27, 7:30 p.m., Hancher Auditorium

Broadway Series: “Chicago”: May 3, 7:30 p.m.; May 4, 2 & 7:30 p.m.; May 5, 2 p.m., Hancher Auditorium

Broadway Series: “Come from Away”: June 4 to 6, 7:30 p.m., Hancher Auditorium

More: Additional performances may be added to the season, as well.