The subject of Regionalism came up in two meetings that I attended this week, and I thought that if this were a subject in meetings that I’m attending, chances are CBJ readers are experiencing similar conversations in meetings all over the Corridor.

The non-profit organization that I work for, the Iowa Cultural Corridor Alliance (ICCA), is a group of 150 artists and arts and cultural organizations throughout the 11-county Corridor area. Formed in October of 2005, ICCA promotes one regional arts community through its Web site www.culturalcorridor.org.

I’m proud of the work we continue to do but often wonder about the reality of Regionalism in the Corridor -- is this community really ready? So, I developed this simple list of questions designed to make you consider how much of a Cultural Corridorian you really are (answers located at www.culturalcorridor.org):

For North Corridorians (Highway 30 and above):

-- There are four museums on the University of Iowa campus that always offer free

admission. What are their names?

Old Capitol Museum

University of Iowa Medical Museum

University of Iowa Museum of Art

University of Iowa Museum of Natural History

-- Name three professional equity theaters in the Corridor. And in what cities are

they located?

Iowa Theatre Artists Company, Amana

Old Creamery Theatre Company, Amana

Riverside Theatre, Iowa City

-- What are the five major festivals that take place in Downtown Iowa City under the

Summer of the Arts umbrella? Extra points, if you can come up with the

approximate dates of all five.

Friday Night Free Concert Series, Fridays throughout the summer

Iowa Arts Festival, June 4 to June 6

Iowa Jazz Festival, July 2 to July 4

Sand in the City, August 20 to August 22

Saturday Night Free Movie Series, Saturdays throughout the summer

-- Name three nonprofit ICCA-member community theater groups based in the

Iowa City/Coralville Area (there are seven).

ACE-xperiment

City Circle Acting Company of Coralville

Dreamwell Theatre

Englert Theatre School

Iowa City Community Theatre

Rage Theatrics

Young Footliters

Others:

Aggravated Assault

No Shame Theatre

Out of the Box

Red Door Ensemble

Working Group

For South Corridorians (Highway 30 and below):

-- Name four downtown Cedar Rapids-based museums (there are five).

African American Museum of Iowa

Carl and Mary Koehler History Center

Cedar Rapids Museum of Art

Iowa Masonic Library and Museums

National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library

Note: Brucemore National Trust Historic Site is technically not based downtown

(although it is very close to downtown). 5 Turner Alley is technically a historical

site although there are some artifacts on display.

-- There are five Cedar Rapids and Marion art galleries that are involved in the

annual Gallery Walk. Name three. Extra points if you can recite addresses.

Apple Creek Gallery, 5515 Council St. NE, Cedar Rapids

ARA Gallery, 4850 Armar Drive, Cedar Rapids

Campbell-Steele Gallery, 1064 7^th Ave., Marion

Corner House Gallery, 2753 First Ave. SE, Cedar Rapids

Wiederspan Gallery, 3413 Mount Vernon Road SE, Cedar Rapids

-- What are the family names of the three families that lived at Brucemore, Iowa’s

only National Trust Historic Site? Extra points if you can recite the approximate

years that each family lived in the house.

Sinclair Family, 1884 to 1906

Douglas Family, 1906 to 1937

Hall Family, 1937 to 1981

-- What are the approximate dates of the Cedar Rapids Freedom Festival?

June 13 to July 4, 2010

Legion Arts at CSPS, 1103 Third St. SE, Cedar Rapids, has a big month this month including alternative country acts Fred Eaglesmith with The Ginn Sisters , Wednesday, March 3, at 8 p.m., $18; Friday and Saturday, March 5 and 6, the Crossroad Project Hot House events will include an opening event talent show on Friday, March 5, at 8 p.m., at CSPS, followed by a 12-hour creative “hot house” that will culminate in a performance Saturday, March 6, beginning at 6 p.m., Free; the Irish Band Dervish performs Sunday, March 7, at 7 p.m., $25; and Gadji-Gadjo, Gypsy Klezmer music from Quebec, Sunday, March 14, at 7 p.m., $18. More information is available through (319) 364-1580.

Children’s Theatre of Cedar Rapids/Playtime Poppy will present “Sleeping Beauty” Thursday and Friday, March 4 and 5, at 4:30 and 7 p.m., and Saturday, March 6, at 2 and 4:30 p.m., at Linn-Mar High School, 3111 N. 10^th St., Marion. $3. More information is available through (319) 365-0328.

Campbell-Steele Gallery, 1064 7^th Ave., Marion, will present “Talk in the MUD,” an informal artist discussion and demonstration featuring artist Stan Fellows, whose work has appeared in “Harper's,” “Atlantic Monthly,” “The New York Times” and the “Wall Street Journal.” Take part in the discussion Thursday, March 4, from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at the gallery. Free. More information is available through (319) 373-9211.

Hancher is producing two high-profile events this month as part of its “Can’t Contain Us” season. See the cross-cultural party band Abraham Inc. Thursday, March 4, at 7:30 p.m. at the Iowa Memorial Union, on the University of Iowa campus, Iowa City, $10 to $35; and see the Broadway tour of “Avenue Q” Friday, March 26, through Sunday, March 28, at the U.S. Cellular Center, 370 First Ave. NE, Cedar Rapids. $35 through $57. Reservations and information are available through (800) HANCHER.

The University of Iowa Division of Performing Arts will present “Eurydice” by Sarah Ruhl Thursday, March 4, through Saturday, March 13. The play features plot twists, an original score and special visual effects. $7. Reservations and information are available through (800) HANCHER.

The Iowa City Gallery Walk will take place Friday, March 5, from 5 to 8 p.m., at 17 venues throughout downtown Iowa City. Free. More information is available through (319) 351-8686.

Riverside Theatre, 213 N. Gilbert St., Iowa City, will open “Killadelphia: City of Numbers” Friday, March 5, at 7:30 p.m., running through Sunday, March 14. The play, written by local playwright Sean Christopher Lewis, is based on interviews with inmates, victims, politicians, and presents a “harrowing look at crime and justice.” $12 to $26. Reservations and information are available through (319) 338-7672.

The 27^th Annual Maple Syrup Festival will take place Saturday, March 6, from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at Indian Creek Nature Center, 6665 Otis Road SE, Cedar Rapids. The event will include pancakes, sausage, real Nature Center maple syrup, live music, and syruping demonstrations. $6.50. Reservations and information are available through ( 319) 362-0664.

Jefferson High School , 1243 20^th St. SW, Cedar Rapids, will host the Westside Orchestra Festival on Tuesday, March 16, at 7 p.m. Here, Roosevelt, Wilson and Taft Middle School 8th Graders will join the Jefferson Orchestra for a concert. Free. More information is available through (319) 558-1992.

The U.S. Cellular Center, 370 First Ave. NE, Cedar Rapids, will once again be hosting Cirque du Soleil this next month. See “Allegria” Wednesday, March 10 through Sunday, March 14. $42.25 through $92.25. Reservations and information are available through (800) 745-3000.

Iowa City Community Theatre, 4265 Oak Crest Hill Road at the Johnson County Fairgrounds, Iowa City, will present an original play written and directed by Michael Sokoloff. Titled “Bend in the Road,” the play will open Friday, March 12, and will run Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m., through Sunday, March 21. $15. Reservations and information are available through (319) 338-0443.

Coe College , 1220 First Ave. NE, Cedar Rapids, will present Stephen Sondheim’s “Company” as its spring musical. The play will open Friday, March 19, and will run Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m., and Sundays at 2 p.m., through Saturday, March 27. $10. Reservations and information are available through (319) 399-8581.

International Celtic band Gaelic Storm will perform Friday, March 19, at 8 p.m. at the Englert, 221 E. Washington St., Iowa City. $25 to $35. Reservations and information are available through (319) 688-2653.

Orchestra Iowa’s Classical Series continues this month with “Reflections,” a program featuring Mozart’s “Requiem.” See the concert Saturday, March 20, at 8 p.m., at Sinclair Auditorium, on the Coe College campus, 1220 First Ave. NE, Cedar Rapids; and Sunday, March 21, at 2 p.m., at West High School, 2901 Melrose Ave., Iowa City. $14 to $39. Reservations and information are available through (800) 369-TUNE.

Red Cedar Chamber Music will perform a “Music for Marion” concert at the Lowe Environmental Center, 4500 10^th St., Marion, Thursday, March 25, at 7 p.m. The concert will feature Jan Boland (flute), Carey Bostian (cello) and John Dowdall (guitar). Free. More information is available through (319) 377-8028.

I’ll see you out and about

Joe Jennison is the Executive Director of the Iowa Cultural Corridor Alliance, a group of 150+ arts and culture organizations, whose mission is to strengthen the Eastern Iowa region by promoting the varied cultural activities of its member organizations and nurturing a sustainable cultural community. More information on these and other arts and culture events in the Corridor is located at www.culturalcorridor.org

By Joe Jennison

If you are a regular reader of this column, you may remember that I am kinda into arts and culture events.

But what you may NOT know is that there is one event that I look forward to more than any other. And THAT event comes up in January and everyone in the community is welcome to attend.

Of course, I'm talking about the Icky's!

The Iowa Cultural Corridor Alliance 4^{th Annual Meeting and Excellence in Innovation Awards (aka "The Icky’s!") will take place Sunday, Jan. 24, 2010, from 7 to 9 p.m., at Sinclair Auditorium, on the Coe College campus, 1220 First Ave. NE, Cedar Rapids. The event serves as an opportunity for all of us who appreciate arts and culture to celebrate and acknowledge the good work that is done every day by the 150 individual and organizational members of the Iowa Cultural Corridor Alliance.}

Hosted by Scott Schulte and Ric Swann from Z102.9’s Schulte and Swann, the event will be preceded by a videotaped Red Carpet entrance ceremony and reception from 5:30 to 6:45 p.m. As guests enter, they will walk across a Red Carpet and be greeted by faux paparazzi, Hollywood-style lights, and television cameras supplied by Public Access Television – Iowa City. Also included will be a complementary hors d’oeuvres buffet, art and history exhibit and cash bar.

The Awards portion of the program will include local celebrity presenters handing out awards in each of 12 categories, including Children’s Programming, Dance Programming, Educational Programming, Festival Programming, History Programming, Music Programming and Visual Arts Programming. There will also be awards presented to individuals and groups from the cultural community that have excelled in advocacy and collaboration. The individual trophies that will be handed out were designed and built by local sculptor Tom Newport.

The Board and Staff of the Iowa Cultural Corridor Alliance will also plan to unveil its new five-year strategic plan, a document that was put together this past year with the help of consultant Laura Zabel from Minnesota-based Springboard for the Arts.

Serving as presenters at the event will be several celebrities including Congressman Dave Loebsack, State Representative Tyler Olson and TV anchor Bruce Aune. In addition to the awards, the Jan. 24 ceremony also will offer live recreations of performances by cultural groups that have celebrated a milestone anniversary this year. Groups scheduled to perform include those representing Eulenspiegel Puppet Theatre, Harmony Hawks Barbershop Chorus, Iowa City Early Keyboard Society, Iowa City Public Library, Nolte Academy of Dance, Preucil School of Music, Public Access Television – Iowa City, Riverside Theatre, Starlighters II, University of Iowa Museum of Natural History and Ushers Ferry. This year’s house band will be Cedar Rapids-based group FunkStop.

The Icky’s are the area’s only cultural awards nominated and voted on solely by the 150 individual and organizational members of the Iowa Cultural Alliance. The ballot will go out to the membership in late December, the results of which will be compiled by Denny Redmond, an accountant from the firm of Latta, Harris, Hanon & Penningroth, LLP. The results of the members-only ballot will be unveiled live at the Icky’s ceremony on Sunday, Jan. 24.

The public is invited to attend and celebrate with the area’s cultural community. The event is sponsored by Alliant Energy. Media sponsor is the Gazette. Reception Sponsor in PTDN Diversity Network. Tickets for the event are $20 and are available now through the Orchestra Iowa box office at (800) 369-TUNE.

By Joe Jennison

I came across this editorial in the playbill of the Iowa Theatre Artists Company’s latest show. Written by Tom Johnson, I thought it was a message that everyone needs to hear.

“Let me start out by telling you something you are already painfully aware of: The economy is bad. Jobs are disappearing. Retirement funds are suddenly greatly reduced in size. People are losing their homes. Everyone we know is affected. Responsible people are doing everything they can to hold on: traveling less; hunkering down; cutting nonessentials; reducing spending. All of this is done in the belief that things will get better and that we will weather this very ugly storm.

“Unfortunately, the arts are often on the list of things to be cut. Live music, live comedy, live serious drama frequently fall by the wayside as nonessential. This could not be more tragic. Human beings are the only species known to create art for its own sake. It is created to stimulate, entertain, educate, and inspire. Art is by its very nature designed to elevate man’s soul. Frankly, we need art as much now as we have during any period in our history.

“We encourage you to be good shoppers; be selective; get the best value for your dollar. But, please don’t deprive yourself of the joy of live theatre. Now more than ever we can all benefit from a good story told well in the company of good people. See it, talk about it, share it with your friends. We need the story teller now more than ever.”

-- Tom Johnson, Iowa Theatre Artists Company

Coe College, 1220 First Ave. NE, offers two big Christmas concerts on Tuesday, Dec. 1. See the Christmas Convocation featuring the Coe College Chorale at 11 a.m.; and see the Christmas Vespers featuring the Coe College Chorale at 7:30 p.m. Both events are free and will take place at Sinclair Auditorium, on the Coe College campus. More information is available through (319) 399-8581.

The Amana Colonies Convention and Visitors Bureau hosts the Tannenbaum Forest, at the Festhalle Barn, Main Amana, through Sunday, Dec. 20. The event includes live Christmas trees, visits with Santa, and a beautifully hand carved Nativity. All proceeds benefit the Iowa Chapter of the Make-a-Wish Foundation. Free-will donation. More information is available through (319) 622-7622.

The tradition of Brucemore Holiday Tours, 2160 Linden Drive SE, Cedar Rapids, begins Friday, Nov. 27 and continues through Dec. 31. Holiday tours of the mansion begin on the hour, Tuesday through Saturday, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., and Sundays from noon to 3 p.m. $7, $3 for children. Wednesday and Thursday evenings in December, Brucemore offers “A Douglas Family Christmas” where visitors meet the Douglas family and their house staff circa 1911. See this tour Wednesdays and Thursdays from 5 to 8 p.m. through Dec. 17. $10, $3 for children. More information about these events is available through (319) 362-7375.

The “Holiday with the Hoovers” exhibit will take place throughout December at the Herbert Hoover Presidential Library Museum, 210 Parkside Drive, West Branch. The exhibit will include decorated Christmas trees based on the life and travels of Herbert and Lou Henry Hoover. The museum is open daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. $6, $3 for seniors, 16 and under, free. More information is available through (319) 643-5301.

Indian Creek Nature Center, 6665 Otis Road NE, Cedar Rapids presents “Nature’s Noel” Saturday, Dec. 5, from 9 a.m. to noon. Here, shoppers will find centerpieces, wreaths, and swags made with fresh greens; frozen soups and appetizers; vendors with various handmade wares; cookie dough and candy; and, live music. Free admission. More information is available through (319) 362-0664.

The Carl and Mary Koehler History Center, 615 First Ave. SE, Cedar Rapids , will present the Iowa Vanguard Jazz Collective Concert, Tuesday, Dec. 1, from 6:30 to 9 p.m. at the museum. $15. On Saturday, Dec. 5, from 5:30 p.m. to 8 p.m., the museum will offer the “Music of Lincoln's Time Concert” at the museum. $25. The museum’s Holiday Tea will take place Saturday, Dec. 12, from 2 to 3:30 p.m. $20, $10 for children. Reservations and information for these events are available through (319) 362-1501.

The University of Iowa Swing Dance Club will offer something called the “Mobster’s Ball” on Saturday, Dec. 5, from 7 p.m. to midnight at the Iowa Memorial Union 2^nd Floor Ballroom, on the University of Iowa campus, Iowa City. Guests are asked to “dress to the nines and come dance the night away.” Music by Django's Tigers. Beginner's lesson at 7 p.m., followed by live music. $10. More information is available through uiswing@yahoo.com

Legion Arts at CSPS, 1103 Third St. SE, Cedar Rapids, will offer two big concerts in early December. See “unassuming supergroup” WPA on Tuesday, Dec. 1, beginning at 7 p.m.; and critically acclaimed singer/songwriter Ellis Paul Thursday, Dec. 3, at 8 p.m. The concerts are $25 and $18, respectively. Reservations and information are available through (515) 277-3727.

The University of Iowa Division of Performing Arts has several concerts throughout December. See the Wisconsin Brass Quintet, featuring Iowa Brass Quintet Tuesday, Dec. 1, at 7:30 p.m. at Riverside Recital Hall; UI Choirs and Orchestra in the IMU Main Lounge, Wednesday, Dec. 2, beginning at 7:30 p.m.; an evening of dance as part of the Grad/Undergrad Concert Thursday, Dec. 3, at 8 p.m. in the Space/Place Theatre at UI’s North Hall; the UI Center for New Music and the Composer's Workshop concert at Riverside Recital Hall, Saturday, Dec. 5, at 7:30 p.m.; UI Philharmonia and All-University String Orchestra at Mabie Theatre on Sunday, Dec. 6, at 3 p.m.; UI Center for New Music Ensemble in the IMU Ballroom Sunday, Dec. 6, at 7:30 p.m.; UI University and Concert Bands at the IMU Ballroom Monday, Dec. 7, at 7:30 p.m.; Maia Quartet with Wendy Warner, cello at the Englert Theater Wednesday, Dec. 9, at 7:30 p.m.; a Collaborative Performance including multimedia, music, and movement Thursday, Dec. 10, beginning at 8 p.m. at the Space/Place Theatre in UI’s North Hall; Opera without Elephants Friday, Dec. 11, at 7:30 p.m., and Saturday, Dec. 12, at 1 p.m. at the Englert Theatre; the UI Percussion Concert Sunday, Dec. 13, at 3 p.m. at the Iowa Memorial Union Ballroom; and the Youth Ballet/Winter Concert Saturday, Dec. 19, at 8 p.m. in Space/Place Theatre in UI’s North Hall. Most events free. More information is available through (319) 335-3213.

Kirkwood Community College , 6301 Kirkwood Blvd. SW, Cedar Rapids, will offer several concerts throughout December. See the Fall Jazz Concert featuring guest artist, Bob Sheppard, Saxophone, with CR Jazz Big Band & Kirkwood Jazz Ensemble, Saturday, Dec. 5, at 7:30 pm., in Ballantyne Auditorium. See Chorale Concert featuring the Kirkwood Concert Chorale Friday, Dec. 11, beginning at 7:30 p.m. in Ballantyne Auditorium. See the Kirkwood Concert Band Saturday, Dec. 12, beginning at 7:30 p.m. in Ballantyne Auditorium. Most concerts are $8. More information is available through (319) 398-4956,

Mount Mercy College , 1330 Elmhurst Drive NE, Cedar Rapids, will present The Mount Mercy College Choir and Jazz Connection with a ceremony of traditional readings and carols of the season titled “Lessons and Carols.” See it Wednesday, Dec. 2, beginning at 7:30 p.m. Free. More information is available through (319) 363-8213.

The Old Creamery Theatre, 39 38^th Ave., Amana, will be offering “Honky Tonk Angels” this holiday season. This is an all-new show featuring holiday music and comedy. See it Wednesday through Sundays through Saturday, Dec. 19, at the theater. $26.50. Reservations and information are available through (800) 35-AMANA.

The Iowa Theatre Artists Company, 4709 220^th Trail, Amana, will offer a new musical titled “All Wrapped Up for Christmas.” See the musical play Thursdays through Sundays through Sunday, Dec. 13. $25. Reservations and information are available through (319) 622-3222.

Playtime Poppy/Children’s Theatre of Cedar Rapids is offering “A Year With Frog and Toad” Thursday through Saturday, Dec. 3 through 5, at Kennedy High School, 4545 Wenig Road, Cedar Rapids. See it Thursday or Friday at 4:30 or 7 p.m.; or Saturday at 2 or 4:30 p.m. $3. More information is available through (319) 365-0328.

Starlighters II Theatre, 136 E. Main St., Anamosa, will present the Irving Berlin classic holiday musical “White Christmas” Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m. from Dec. 4 through Dec. 13, with a special matinee Saturday, Dec. 12, at 2 p.m. $14. Reservations and information are available through (319) 462-4793.

The Englert Theatre, 221 E. Washington St., Iowa City, will present several big holiday events this December. See “The Nutcracker” Friday, Dec. 4, at 7 p.m.; Saturday, Dec. 5, at 2 and 7:30 p.m.; and Sunday, Dec. 6, at 2 p.m. $22, with discounts for seniors and children. See the Big Bad Voodoo Daddy Holiday Show Thursday, Dec. 10, at 8 p.m. $34 to $41. See The Blind Boys of Alabama Sunday, Dec. 13, at 7 p.m. $10 to $38. And, on Sunday, Dec. 20, see the Natalie Wood version of “The Miracle on 34^th Street” on the big screen, beginning at 7 p.m. $5. Reservations and information on any of these events is available through (319) 688-2653.

Hancher Auditorium is offering two December performances. Check out Natalie MacMaster Saturday, Dec. 5, at 7:30 p.m. at the Riverside Casino and Golf Resort, Highway 22, Riverside. $10 to $45. Or see the a capella group Straight No Chaser Tuesday, Dec. 8, at 7:30 p.m. at the Iowa Memorial Union Main Lounge, on the University of Iowa campus, Iowa City. $10 to $28. Reservations and information on either show is available through (800) HANCHER.

Orchestra Iowa has two high-profile concerts this December. See Orchestra Iowa’s “Celebration of Carols” either Saturday, Dec. 5, at 8 p.m. at Sinclair Auditorium, on the Coe College campus, Cedar Rapids; or Sunday, Dec. 6, at 2 p.m. at City High School, 1900 Morningside Drive, Iowa City. $10. Orchestra Iowa will also present “Follidays: Hurray for Holidays” Friday and Saturday, Dec. 18 and 19, at 8 p.m., or Sunday, Dec. 20, at 2 p.m. at Sinclair Auditorium, on the Coe College campus, Cedar Rapids. $14 to $39. Reservations for either show are available through (319) 366-8203.

Chorale Midwest will present its “Season of Songs” Friday, Dec. 11, at 7:30 p.m.; and Sunday, Dec. 13, at 3 p.m. at First Presbyterian Church, 310 Fifth St. SE, Cedar Rapids. $12. More information is available through (319) 651-1299.

Cruz Steele presents “Christmas in the MUD: An Evening of Holiday Music with Erin Bode and Her Band” Saturday, Dec. 19, at 8 p.m. at the Campbell-Steele Gallery, 1064 Seventh Ave., Marion. $75. Reservations and information are available through (319) 373-9211.

Joe Jennison is the Executive Director of the Iowa Cultural Corridor Alliance, a group of 100+ arts and culture organizations, whose mission is to build, strengthen and lead the local cultural industry and the communities it serves. More information on these and other arts and culture events in the Corridor is located at www.culturalcorridor.org

By Joe Jennison

Yes. They do exist.

I know this from working every day at The Eastern Iowa Airport.

As I sit at my desk, across from Baggage Claim, I get the opportunity to talk to dozens of them -- the business travelers, tourists and locals who are simply looking for something unique and interesting to do alone or with their guests while in town.

These are Cultural Tourists. I know from experience that big city amenities is NOT what they are after. They are looking for something that they can’t find in St. Louis or San Francisco or New York. After three years of working with Cultural Tourists, I can honestly say that not once have I been asked “Where is the Wal-Mart or Applebees or local cinema muliplex?” Not once.

Every time a tourist approaches my desk, they ask for information about something that does not occur in their city, or in their part of the country. “I have one afternoon in your community, what should I see or do?” or “I need to make reservations at a special restaurant in town tonight, what would you suggest?”

And, every time, I recommend a locally owned restaurant that I love and frequent, or I pull up www.culturalcorridor.org and recommend a museum, show or concert that I know will impress them. I feel it’s everyone’s job to know about our local restaurants, museums, theaters, and performing arts spaces, and that all of us should be able to rattle off the names and addresses of the local galleries, live music clubs and historical sites.

Obviously I can’t be everywhere, and all of us need to be prepared for the question: “I have one afternoon in your community, what should I see or do?” Are you ready to reach out to Cultural Tourists, if not read on…

I am very excited to see Tom Johnson’s new evening of theater. Titled “From The Homefront,” these two original one-act plays tell the story of two couples and the challenges they face on the home front during World War II. See them both as one evening of theater beginning Thursday, Oct. 22, at 1:30 p.m. at the Iowa Theatre Artists Company, 4709 220^th Trail, Amana. The plays will run together Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, through Nov. 15. $25. Reservations and information are available through (319) 622-3222.

Riverside Theatre, 213 N. Gilbert St., Iowa City, will be offering the classic stage adaptation of “The Diary of Anne Frank” this month. See it Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 p.m.; or Sundays at 2 p.m., through Sunday, Nov. 8. $12 to $26. Reservations and information are available through (319) 338-7672.

The Old Creamery Theatre Company, 39 38^th Ave., Amana, opens a farce this month titled “Shady Business.” The play brings together Las Vegas showgirls, a loan shark, the law and a love triangle. See it Wednesdays, Thursdays and Sundays at 3 p.m.; or Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 p.m., through Nov. 15. $26.50. Reservations and information are available through (800) 35-AMANA.

Ushers Ferry Historical Village, 5925 Seminole Valley Trail NE, Cedar Rapids, offers two big events this month. Check out Silent Movie Night Saturday, Nov. 7, beginning at 6:30 p.m . Also, check out Tellabration on Saturday, Nov. 21, from 7 to 9 p.m. This is a special evening of storytelling that is celebrated around the world. Both events are $8, $3 for children. More information is available through (319) 286-5763.

The Englert Theatre, 221 E. Washington St., Iowa City, is hosting comedian Paula Poundstone this month on Saturday, Nov. 14, at 8 p.m. Poundstone is known for her razor-sharp wit and spontaneity. $40. Reservations and information are available through (319) 688-2653.

The University of Iowa Museum of Natural History, MacBride Hall, on the University of Iowa campus, Iowa City, is presenting “Lewis and Clark: The Journey of the Corps of Discovery” in two parts this month. See Part 1, on Sunday, Nov. 1, from 2 to 4 p.m.; and Part 2, on Sunday, Nov. 8, from 2 to 4 p.m. Free. More information is available through (319) 335-0606.

Mount Mercy College , 1330 Elmhurst Drive NE, Cedar Rapids, is hosting the Iowa Immigration Heritage Multicultural Fair on Thursday, Nov. 12, from 3:30 to 8 p.m. Enjoy food and artifacts from around the globe, as well as entertainment and an interactive panel session with refugees living at home. Free. More information is available through (319) 363-8213.

Hancher Auditorium is hosting Herb Alpert and Lani Hall Friday, Nov. 13, at 7:30 p.m. at the Riverside Casino and Resort, Highway 22, Riverside. $10 to $47. Reservations and information are available through (800) HANCHER.

The University of Iowa Division of Performing Arts, E.C. Mabie Theatre, on the University of Iowa campus, Iowa City, is presenting “Reefer Madness, the Musical” Friday and Saturday, Nov. 13 and 14, at 8 p.m.; Sunday, Nov. 15, at 2 p.m.; and Wednesday through Saturday, Nov. 18 through 21, at 8 p.m. $20. Reservations and information are available through (800) HANCHER.

Coe College , 1220 First Ave. NE, Cedar Rapids, will present “She Would If She Could,” the second play of the college’s 2009/2010 season See it Fridays and Saturdays, at 8 p.m. Nov. 13 through 21. There will also be a performance Thursday, Nov. 19, at 8 p.m.; and Sunday, Nov. 15, at 2 p.m. $10. Reservations and information are available through (319) 399-8581.

Orchestra Iowa presents “Neocons” Thursday, Nov. 12, at 8 p.m. at Sinclair Auditorium, on the Coe College campus, 1220 First Ave. NE, Cedar Rapids; and at the Englert Theatre, 221 E. Washington St., Iowa City, on Sunday, Nov. 15, at 2 p.m. The program will include works by Respighi, Stravinsky and Beethoven. $14 to $39. Reservations and information are available through (800) 369-TUNE.

The Iowa City Early Keyboard Society will present organist Max Yount Sunday, Nov. 15, at 3 p.m. at Zion Lutheran Church, 310 N. Johnson St., Iowa City. Admission is always free. More information is available through (319) 887-0959.

The U.S. Cellular Center, 370 First Ave. NE, Cedar Rapids, has two big cultural events this month. See the Boston Brass Sunday, Nov. 15, at 7:30 p.m. $10. See Disney Playhouse Live! Friday, Nov. 20, at 7 p.m. $16.75 to $51.75. Reservations and information for both shows is available through (800) 745-3000.

The Cedar Rapids Concert Chorale will present a “Tour of Britain” Sunday, Nov. 22, at 7:30 p.m. at the First Lutheran Church, 1000 Third Ave. SE, Cedar Rapids. The concert will include John Rutter's "Gloria", as well as other works. $15. Reservations and information are available through (319) 365-8221.

I’ll see you out and about.

Joe Jennison is the Executive Director of the Iowa Cultural Corridor Alliance, a group of 100+ arts and culture organizations, whose mission is to build, strengthen and lead the local cultural industry and the communities it serves. More information on these and other arts and culture events in the Corridor is located at www.culturalcorridor.org

By Joe Jennison

I imagine I spend at least two hours a week listening to other people’s ideas.

Several times during the week, someone will call and tell me about an upcoming new event, festival, organization or other project. I think this is really fun for both of us. I get a sneak preview of what’s coming up in the Corridor, and they get a free sounding board for all kinds of cool and interesting upcoming projects.

However, sometimes these meetings don’t go so well.

Sometimes people will assume that the dream or idea that came from their heart just needs someone like me to see it through. These people would rather just hand me their idea and move on. In this case, I sit and listen to the idea, ask important questions about funding and need, and then suggest a possible partner or two that might be able to help them to see this through. These people will hear me out, look at me quizzically and usually say something like “well no, I was hoping you’d just do it.”

I pause, take a deep breath and offer this retort: “If this project came from your heart or your head, then you are obligated to see it through. Your dream is not my job. Your dream belongs to you. I am happy to help you get connected to the right people, and to sit with you once a month or so to offer support. And, of course, once the project is underway, I will always help you to promote any events connected to it, but… there is no one more qualified in this community to follow your heart than you. Thanks so much for contacting me, but you need to roll up your own sleeves and get it done.”

I believe this is what artists teach me every day: The power within each of us to create something today that didn’t exist yesterday. Roll up your own sleeves and get it done.

The century-old Festhalle Barn, downtown Amana, provides the perfect setting for nonstop entertainment, dance and German-style foods and beverages during the annual Oktoberfest celebration. The series of events will take place in and around Amana Friday and Saturday, Oct. 2 and 3, from 10 a.m. to 11 p.m.; and Sunday, Oct. 4, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. See the parade Saturday, Oct. 3, at 10 a.m. Most events free. $8, two-day pass $14, to get into the food, entertainment and beer garden. More information is available through (319) 622-7622.

In “Curious George Live,” George ends up on a mission to help Chef Pisghetti win a world- famous meatball competition. See the musical comedy adventure at the U.S. Cellular Center, 370 First Ave. NE, Cedar Rapids, Oct. 1 through 4. $13 to $30. Also this month at the U.S. Cellular Center will be Jason Aldean, Friday, Oct. 23, at 8 p.m. $25 to $35; and the 13^th Annual Indoor Marching Band Classic, Monday, Oct. 26, at 6:30 p.m. $9. Reservations and information are available through (800) 745-3000.

The 2009 Cedar Rapids/Marion Fall Art Gallery Tour will take place Friday, Oct. 2, from 5 to 8 p.m. at five area Art Galleries, as well as the Cedar Rapids Museum of Art. The five local galleries taking part are Apple Creek Gallery, 5515 Council St. NE, Cedar Rapids; ARA Gallery & Interiors, 4850 Armar Drive, Cedar Rapids; Campbell-Steele Gallery, 1064 7^th Ave., Marion; Cedar Rapids Museum of Art, 410 Third Ave. SE, Cedar Rapids; CornerHouse Gallery and Frame, 2753 First Ave. SE, Cedar Rapids; and Wiederspan Gallery, 3413 Mount Vernon Road, Cedar Rapids. The Fall Gallery Tour is a free, self-guided tour. More information is available through (319) 365-4348.

Hancher Auditorium has three big shows this month. Check out Dinner and Dance with the City Lights Orchestra Friday, Oct. 2, at 6:30 p.m. at the Riverside Casino and Golf Resort, Highway 22, Riverside. $68. See the Hot 8 Brass Band free concert Sunday, Oct. 11, at 2 p.m. on the UI Pentacrest, on the University of Iowa campus, Iowa City. Or, take in Rob Lake Magic Sunday, Oct. 18, at 2 p.m. at City High School, 1900 Morningside Drive, Iowa City. $10 to $25. Reservations and information for all of these events is available through (800) HANCHER.

The Old Creamery Theatre Company, 39 38^th Ave., Amana, opens a farce this month titled “Shady Business.” The play brings together Las Vegas showgirls, a loan shark, the law and a love triangle. See it Wednesdays, Thursdays and Sundays at 3 p.m.; or Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 p.m. beginning Friday, Oct. 16, and running through Nov. 15. $26.50. Reservations and information are available through (800) 35-AMANA.

Uptown Marion will be a chocolate lover's delight Friday, Oct. 2, during the Harvest Moon Chocolate Walk from 8 to 11 p.m. Participating merchants will also be accepting cash or canned good donations for the Churches of Marion Food Pantry that evening. This is a lot of fun (and a lot of chocolate) for a good cause. Free. More information is available through (319) 377-1472.

The Englert Theatre, 221 E. Washington St., Iowa City, is offering several high-profile concerts this month. Check out comedian Tim Bedore Friday, Oct. 2, at 8 p.m. $20; musician Leon Redbone Wednesday, Oct. 7, at 8 p.m. $32; the Avett Brothers Tuesday, Oct. 20, at 8 p.m. $26; folk musicians Robin and Linda Williams Thursday, Oct. 22, at 8 p.m. $20; and singer Keller Williams Friday, Oct. 23, at 8 p.m. $25. Reservations and information for all of these shows is available through (319) 688-2653.

Brucemore National Trust Historic Site, 2160 Linden Drive SE, Cedar Rapids, is once again offering the very popular “Nooks and Crannies Tour” from 9:30 to 11 a.m. every Saturday this month. On this tour, visitors have the opportunity to roam each floor, peek behind all doors, and satiate their curiosity for all things Brucemore. $15. Yes, make your reservation early through (319) 362-7375.

I am very excited to see Tom Johnson’s new evening of theater. Titled “From The Homefront,” these two original one-act plays tell the story of two couples and the challenges they face on the home front during World War II. See them both as one evening of theater beginning Thursday, Oct. 22, at 1:30 p.m. at the Iowa Theatre Artists Company, 4709 220^th Trail, Amana. The plays will run together Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, through Nov. 15. $25. Reservations and information are available through (319) 622-3222.

FootlitersAct 2: Teen Theatre will perform a family-friendly version of “Footloose” this October, complete with the songs and story you remember. Check it out at the historic Englert Theatre, 221 E. Washington, downtown Iowa City. See it Friday, Oct. 16, at 7:30 p.m.; Saturday, Oct. 17, at 2 and 7:30 p.m.; or Sunday, Oct. 18, at 2 p.m. Tickets range from $10 to $15 through (319) 688-2653.

Starlighters II Theatre, 136 E. Main St., Anamosa, offers "Starlighters II Studio Showcase-2009," the second annual installment of its innovative theatrical anthology series this October. This is three one-acts, some with adult themes, written by established playwrights, “whose work is judged to be outstanding.” See the work and judge for yourself Friday and Saturday, Oct. 16 and 17, at 7:30 p.m.; or Sunday, Oct. 18, at 2 p.m. $11. Reservations and information are available through (319) 462-4793.

Theatre Cedar Rapids Lindale, 4444 First Ave. NE, Cedar Rapids, offers “Rock n’ Roll,” this October. Tom Stoppard’s play is about life in Czechoslovakia from the Prague Spring of 1968 to the Velvet Revolution in 1989. See it beginning Friday, Oct. 16, at 7:30 p.m.; and running Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 p.m.; and Sundays at 2:30 p.m., through Oct. 25. Tickets range $20 to $25. Reservations and information are available through (319) 366-8591.

This sounds so fun to me. Pretty senior Toffee has fallen in love with the class bad boy. However, family pressure forces her to end the romance, and he charges off on his motorcycle to the nuclear waste dump. He returns glowing and determined to reclaim Toffee's heart. “Zombie Prom” is the name of this October musical at the Iowa City Community Theatre, at the Johnson County Fairgrounds, 4265 Oak Crest Hill Road, Iowa City. See it Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 p.m. or Sundays at 2 p.m. from Oct. 16 through 31. $15. Reservations and information are available through (319) 338-0443.

The Eastern Iowa Arts Academy (EIAA) is offering its Local Artist Workshop series in Palo throughout October. The classes take place every Saturday, from 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. and are open to all residents of the Corridor from 6^th grade to adult. Over the course of a month, the workshops will focus on everything from watercolors to “Junk Art.” $20 per session. To register, and for locations, contact the EIAA at (319) 350-1805.

The Cedar Rapids Symphony Orchestra Iowa will perform Brahms' Symphony No. 2 as part of “Urban Perspectives,” the third installment of the Symphony’s 2009/2010 Masterworks series. See it either Saturday, Oct. 17, at 8 p.m., at Sinclair Auditorium, on the Coe College campus, 1220 First Ave. NE, Cedar Rapids; or Sunday, Oct. 18, at 2 p.m. at West High School, 2901 Melrose Ave., Iowa City. $14 to $39. Reservations and information are available through (800) 369-TUNE.

Riverside Theatre, 213 N. Gilbert St., Iowa City, will be offering the classic stage adaptation of “The Diary of Anne Frank” opening Oct. 22. See it Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 p.m.; or Sundays at 2 p.m., through Sunday, Nov. 8. $12 to $26. Reservations and information are available through (319) 338-7672.

Fireside Winery, 1755 P Ave., Marengo, is offering something called “Sunday Afternoons,” every Sunday in October, from 2 to 5 p.m. Enjoy great wine, live music and beautiful pastoral views on Fireside Winery's outdoor patio. Free. More information is available through (319) 362-4222.

Joe Jennison is the Executive Director of the Iowa Cultural Corridor Alliance, a group of 100+ arts and culture organizations whose mission is to build, strengthen and lead the local cultural industry and the communities it serves. More information is located at http://www.culturalcorridor.org <http://www.culturalcorridor.org/> Contact him direct at (800) 650-ARTS.

By Joe Jennison

I was involved in a show last week that I wanted to tell you about.

"Stars of Tomorrow" is a performance event through Brucemore’s Cabaret in the Courtyard series that gives an opportunity for five up-and-coming young singers to perform for a chance to win $2,000.

The show itself was an extremely rewarding experience: 18 show-stopping numbers performed each of three nights by an extremely talented group of young people, all of whom were graduates of Corridor-area high schools. I was very impressed with the performers and am confident that all five young artists will indeed go on to lead successful lives. I know this because no matter what happens to Chase Garrett, Jenny Harrison, Adam Hoffman, Meredith Taylor and Amy Willett in their arts careers, their experience and education in the arts will continue to fulfill and enrich their lives long after the memory of this event fades.

I see this in my work every day. A background in the performing arts gives our young people courage and confidence and helps to build teamwork skills; a background in the visual arts offers our young people creativity, independence and problem-solving skills. And all of us involved in the arts learn to think out of the box and to look beyond conventional wisdom for answers to difficult problems.

It is obvious to me that the arts serve as a critical component to a complete education, but also, the arts have been proven to increase student academic achievement. According to studies gathered by Americans for the Arts, the nation’s leading nonprofit organization for advancing the arts in the U.S., young people who consistently participate in comprehensive, sequential, and rigorous arts programs are:

-- 4 times more likely to be recognized for academic achievement

-- 3 times more likely to be elected to class office within their schools

-- 4 times more likely to participate in a math and science fair

-- 3 times more likely to win an award for school attendance

-- 4 times more likely to win an award for writing an essay or poem

For many of America's youth, public schools serve as the major provider of formalized arts instruction. Therefore, it is critical that the arts maintain their status as a core academic subject within a school district's educational mission and that they are adequately funded.

Find out how you more about the importance of a solid arts education here: www.americansforthearts.org

Riders in the Sky returns to the area Thursday, Sept. 3, at 7 p.m. at the Englert Theatre, 221 E. Washington St., Iowa City. $25. Reservations and information are available through (319) 688-2653.

Sample some of Iowa's best brews at the Festival of Iowa Beers, at Millstream Brewing Company, 835 48th Ave., Amana, on Sunday, Sept. 6, from 1 to 5 p.m. Iowa's craftbreweries and homebrew clubs plan to assemble for this tasting event. $14. More information is available through (319) 622-7622.

Herbert Hoover National Historic Site, 110 Parkside Drive, West Branch, offers Prairie Heritage Day Monday, Sept. 7, on the site, from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Also, on Monday, Sept. 7, from 1 to 5 p.m., the Herbert Hoover Presidential Library Museum and the Herbert Hoover National Historic Site will celebrate Laura Ingalls Wilder with programs at the museum. Both events are free, however $6 admission if you wish to see the museum exhibits. More information is available through (319) 643-5301.

The Joffrey Ballet and the UI Symphony Orchestra will offer a benefit performance for both Hancher and the UI School of Music on Friday, Sept. 11, at 8 p.m., at the Civic Center of Greater Des Moines, 221 Walnut St., Des Moines. Tickets range from $50 to $250. Also this month, check out the Imani Winds with Stefon Harris Friday, Sept. 25, at 7:30 p.m. at City High School, 1900 Morningside Drive, Iowa City. $10 to $28. Reservations and information for both events are available through (800) HANCHER.

The Cedar Rapids Symphony – Orchestra Iowa offers "Burana at Brucemore," an outdoor concert that will include a performance of Carmina Burana Sunday, Sept. 12, at 7 p.m., at Brucemore National Trust Historic Site, 2160 Linden Drive SE, Cedar Rapids. Also in September is "Napoleon Complex," a program that will include The Eroica or "heroic" Symphony of Beethoven. See "Napoleon Complex" either Saturday, Sept. 26, at 8 p.m. at Sinclair Auditorium, on the Coe College campus, Cedar Rapids; or Sunday, Sept. 27, at 2 p.m. at West High School, 2901 Melrose Ave., Iowa City. Reservations and information for both concerts is available through (319) 366-8203.

Got kids? Then, you need to take them to the Iowa Children’s Museum’s annual "Move It Dig It Do It" event, taking place Sunday, Sept. 13, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., at the Johnson County Fairgrounds, 4265 Oak Crest Hill Road, Iowa City. This is your kid’s chance to put on his or her construction hat and climb aboard a skid loader, bulldozer, combine or tractor. Big fun. $6 per person. Children 3 and under, free. More information is available through (319) 625-6255.

The Iowa Theatre Artists Company, 4709 220th Trail, Amana, offers "Foxfire" beginning Thursday, Sept. 17, at 1:30 p.m., and running Thursday, Friday and Saturday at 7:30 p.m.; and Sundays and Thursdays at 1:30 p.m. through Sunday, Oct. 18. The play is about a woman trying to save her Appalachian farm. $25. Reservations and information are available through (319) 622-3222.

The Old Creamery Theatre Company, 39 38th Ave., Amana, is offering "Don’t Hug Me," a "Minnesota love story with singin and stuff that will have you laughing till the spring thaw." See the musical beginning Thursday, Sept. 10, at 3 p.m. and playing Wednesdays, Thursdays and Sundays at 3 p.m.; and Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 p.m. through Oct. 11. $26.50. Reservations and information are available through (800) 35-AMANA.

Coralville’s "Park It At The Movies" event continues Sept. 18, at 8 p.m. with the outdoor showing of "Iron Man" in ST Morrison Park, 1506 8th St., Coralville. Free. More information is available through (319) 248-1750.Music in the MUD continues at the Campbell-Steele Gallery, 1064 7th Ave., Marion, Saturday, Sept. 19, from 6 to 10 p.m. with the John Schultz Trio. The gallery will also offer a wine and beer bar and art exhibits. $5 cover. More information is available through (319) 373-9211.

The Indian Creek Nature Center, 6665 Otis Road SE, Cedar Rapids, offers its annual Honey Fest Sunday, Sept. 20, from 1 to 4 p.m. The event will include bee crafts and games, honey tastings, music and demonstrations including a beekeeper who will don a "beard" of live bees. $2. More information is available through (319) 362-0664.

The U.S. Cellular Center, 370 First Ave. NE, Cedar Rapids, will host the new season of the Community Concert Series beginning in September with two touring productions. See Papa Duke (Master violinist Vasyl Popadiuk), a "genre-defying, roof-raising celebration" of Slavic and Gypsy music on Friday, Sept. 11, at 7:30 p.m.; and see The Barbary Coast Dixieland Band, Tuesday, Sept. 22, at 7:30 p.m. $10, $5 for students. Reservations and information are available through (319) 540-2301.

The Iowa City Community Theatre will produce "Camelot" this year at The Englert Theatre, 221 E. Washington St., Iowa City. Thursday, Friday and Saturday, Sept. 24 through 26, at 7:30 p.m.; or Sunday, Sept. 27, at 2 p.m. $15. Reservations and information are available through (319) 688-2653.

The Kalona Fall Fest will take place Friday, Sept. 25, from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.; and Saturday, Sept. 26, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Kalona Historical Village, 715 D. Ave., Kalona. This is a great event that will include live demonstrations, homemade food, hand crafted arts and crafts, kids activities, and live music. $5. More information is available through (319) 656-2519.

By Joe Jennison

Last month, I received a call from Deb Copeland of Copeland Creative Talent Agency, 804 17^{th St., Des Moines. Copeland was submitting actor resumes to the casting director of the independent film "Aaseamah’s Journey" and wondered if I’d be interested in auditioning for a smaller role.} 

Just one week later I was on a movie set getting into costume and makeup and learning about things such as "two shots" and "sides" and the importance of continuity. I received $268.00 for my one day of film work (with just one line of dialogue) and missed a total of one day from my full-time job.

The Screen Actors Guild rate for day players ranges from $268 to $780/day, based on a film’s budget. Extras on a film usually make minimum wage. There are also specialized crew positions that average about $300/day that can include painting and set building.

Copeland told me that "Aaseamah’s Journey" is just one of six films that she has represented talent on this year, and is expecting to have talent represented on 8 to 10 films by the end of this year. Prior to the incentives, Copeland Creative Talent’s film work in Iowa was rare, with the majority of her company’s work in commercials, training videos and print.

The Web site of the Iowa Film Office, touts these film incentives as "half-price filmmaking." According to the site: "Investors earn 25% of qualified spending as transferable Iowa income tax credits. Producers earn 25% of qualified spending as transferable Iowa income tax credits. For example, if a project has $1,000,000 of qualified spending, then the investor pool earns $250,000 in transferable Iowa income tax credit certificates plus the producer or production company earns $250,000 in transferable Iowa income tax credit certificates." For Iowa vendors, like myself now, these incentives mean state-tax-free income, with 100 percent income exclusion for vendors, as long as the vendor is Iowa-based or incorporated in Iowa.

Chris Warren, a Cedar Rapids-based Art Director, says that these incentives have been huge boon to her bottom line. "Since the passage of these incentives, I am making three times more than I have ever made in my life," she says. "I can’t believe I’m working this much in a down economy."

Is this an opportunity for more Iowans to maybe make a little extra part-time money in a tight economy? Copeland thinks so. "The chances of an actor in Iowa getting into a feature film far exceeds that of an actor in Los Angeles," Copeland says. "There may be 10 actors vying for the same role in Iowa, as opposed to hundreds going for a similar role in LA."

This weekend, the Englert Theatre, 221 E. Washington St. Iowa City, combines forces with Dreamwell Theatre and City Circle Acting Company of Coralville to present the 2nd Annual All-In-A-Day Play Festival, where six playwrights, six directors and a "host of actors" will attempt to create six new 10-minute plays in just 24 hours. See if they succeed Saturday, Aug. 1, at 8 p.m. at the Englert. $7 at the door. More information is available through (319) 541-0140.

Celebrate the birthday of Iowa's only president with music, crafts, food, and activities at the Herbert Hoover National Historic Site, 110 Parkside Dr., West Branch, Saturday, Aug. 1, during the annual Hooverfest celebration. Events begin at noon. Admission is free. More information is available through (319) 643-2541.

Local bluegrass group, The McPunk Brothers, will headline the upcoming Brew Grass Night Saturday, August 1, from 4 to 8 p.m. at the Mill Stream Brewery, 835 48th Ave., Amana. Free. More information is available through (319) 622-7622.

Two August Thursday night concert series return this year. See Marion’s Downtown Getdown Thursdays in August at Marion Square Park, 7th Avenue and 10th Street, Marion, every Thursday from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. More information is available through (319) 377-6316. Also returning this year is KCCK’s Jazz Under the Stars, every Thursday in August beginning at 7 p.m. in Noelridge Park, 4900 Council St. NW, Cedar Rapids. More information on Jazz Under the Stars is available through (319) 398-5446. Both of these August music series are free.

Brucemore National Trust Historic Site, 2160 Linden Drive SE, Cedar Rapids, once again will present its Cabaret in the Courtyard, Thursdays through Saturdays, August 6 through 15, at 7:30 p.m. The first week will feature Judy Butterfield, the second week will feature an "American Idol"-type talent show called "Stars of Tomorrow." Tickets range from $15 to $18. Reservations and information are available through (319) 362-7375.

The Hardacre Film & Cinema Festival will take place Friday and Saturday, Aug. 7 and 8, at the Hardacre Theatre, 112 E. Fifth St., Tipton. $7 to $15. More information is available through (319) 886-6350.

The Iowa Theatre Artists Company, 4709 220th Trail, Amana, will offer two musicals in August. See "The Bees Knees" August 7 through August 23. And "Smoke on the Mountain" August 27 through Sept. 13. $20 to $25. Reservations and information are available through (319) 622-3222.

The Starlighters II Theatre, 136 E. Main St., Anamosa, will present "The Music Man" August 7 through 16. $13 to $14. Reservations and information are available through (319) 462-4793.

The Old Creamery Theatre Company, 39 38th Ave., Amana, will present "I’m All Ears: Songs from Disney" August 7 through 30. $26.50. Reservations and information are available through (800) 35-ARTS.

Enjoy a day of music in the valley at the Ushers Ferry Folk Festival at Ushers Ferry Historical Village, 5925 Seminole Valley Trail NE, Cedar Rapids, Saturday Aug. 8, from 6 to 10 p.m. This year’s line up will include The Mayflies, Colin O'Brien, and Gayla Drake Paul. $10 to $12. Reservations and information are available through (319) 286-5763.

Model A Ford Day will take place Saturday, Aug. 22, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. throughout the village of Amana. This new festival will celebrate the 1928-1931 Model A Ford. Free. More information is available through (319) 622-7622.

Sand in the City, a benefit for Summer of the Arts, will take place Friday, Saturday and Sunday, August 28, 29 and 30 in downtown Iowa City. Up to 200 tons of sand will be dumped in downtown Iowa City for this event, which will include a sand sculpting competition, live music and games and activities. Free. More information is available through (319) 337-7944.

The Landlocked Film Festival will take place Thursday, August 27 through Sunday, August 30, during Sand in the City at four downtown Iowa City locations: The Englert Theatre, 221 E. Washington St.; Iowa City Public Library, 123 S. Linn St.; Sheraton Hotel, 210 S. Dubuque St.; and Hotel Vetro, 201 S. Linn St. The festival will screen 70 films from all over the world, and most of the screenings will be free. More information is available through (319) 331-0494.

By Joe Jennison

Robby Marvin, 25, went to an Access Iowa Exchange meeting at Cornerhouse Gallery, 2753 First Ave. SE, Cedar Rapids, on Thursday, Oct. 16, 2008, and listened to a speech given by Bob Untiedt, Executive Director of the Linn County Non Profit Resource Center. 

Marvin credits Untiedt for inspiring him at that meeting to "Do More." According to Marvin, it was because of Untiedt’s speech that night that he got to thinking about "what more could he do for the community?"  That "more" turned out to be The Robject (www.therobject.com), a year-long project in which Marvin plans to volunteer 365 hours and donate 31.2 percent of his earned income to 12 area nonprofits. Over the next year, through May of 2010, Marvin plans to give each of 12 nonprofit organizations a $1,000 matching grant and plans to volunteer 30 hours a month at each.

By Joe Jennison

Locals are oftentimes my best customers when it comes to informing people about arts and culture. Often, a local resident will stop by my desk at The Eastern Iowa Airport and we’ll chat about all of the options in the area.

However, there is a particularly type of local that can sometimes be -- a challenge.

Oftentimes, this person will stop at the desk, dig through the brochures and appear to be searching for something.

“Can I help you find some information about cultural events?” I ask.

“No,” they say. “I live here.”

I stop, breathe dip, and offer this retort: “Oh, you live here? Well, when was the last time you were at the African-American Museum of Iowa? How many Grant Wood paintings are currently on view at the Cedar Rapids Museum of Art? What’s the name of one play that’s currently available to local audiences? Where can I find an original oil painting of an Iowa landscape for sale? What festivals are taking place this weekend? Can you tell me where can I go tonight or this weekend to see Classical, Jazz, Rock, Blues or Choral music? And, oh yeah, what is the current exhibit at the Old Capitol?”

Usually the color drains from their face, their shoulders shrink a bit, and then, they politely ask me to tell them about what’s happening this weekend.

It’s my belief that both tourists and residents alike can use an occasional cultural tune-up. Stop into The Eastern Iowa Airport anytime to receive yours…

The Old Creamery Theatre Company, 39 38^th Ave., Amana, will present “The Odd Couple” beginning Thursday, May 28, and running through June 28. $26.50. Reservations and information are available through (800) 35 AMANA.

Red Cedar Chamber Music will present “Vienna By Starlight” Saturday, June 6, at 8 p.m. at First Presbyterian Church, 310 Fifth St. SE, Cedar Rapids. Look for several Red Cedar Chamber Rural Outreach Concerts throughout the area during the days and weeks leading up to this concert. $15 to $18. Reservations and information are available through (319) 377-8028.

The Iowa City Downtown Gallery Walk will take place at 18 locations throughout downtown Iowa City on Friday, June 5, from 5 to 8 p.m. Free. More information about the Gallery Walk is available through (319) 351-8686.

The Iowa Arts Fest will take place on the Ped Mall, in downtown Iowa City, Friday, Saturday and Sunday, June 5, 6 and 7. More than 135 artists will have art for sale. The free event also includes live music, children’s activities and more. The Free Friday Night Concert Series takes place every Friday night from now through August on the Ped Mall in downtown Iowa City. The free concert features local and regional bands. June dates for the Saturday Night Free Movie Series include Saturday, June 13, June 20 and June 27, on the lawn of the Pentacrest, on the University of Iowa campus, Iowa City. Movies are shown on the side of MacBride Hall. More information about Summer of the Arts events is available through (319) 337-7944.

Fireside Winery, 1755 P Ave., Marengo, offers the Sunsets at Fireside program every Friday night throughout summer. The weekly event includes “ live music and pastoral views while taking in the sunset from Fireside's outdoor patio.” Food is available for purchase and everyone is encouraged to bring a lawnchair. Free. More information is available through (319) 662-4222.

Cedar Rapids Downtown District (CRDD) offers the Downtown Farmer’s Markets, downtown Cedar Rapids, throughout the summer. June dates include Saturday, June 6, and Saturday, June 20, from 7:30 a.m. to noon. The event includes more than 150 vendors from the state of Iowa, live entertainment and cooking demonstrations. Free. Also, this month, the CRDD is offering RIVERenaissance, a series of flood anniversary events that will be held from June 11 to 14. Events include a Flood Documentary and Time Capsule Presentation, a Rebuild Reunion and FloodStock, a day-long outdoor concert on Saturday, June 13, beginning at noon in Green Square Park. More information on CRDD events is available through (319) 398-0449.

The 2x2xU exhibit is back in the New Bohemia area of Cedar Rapids, along Third Street Southeast. The opening of the exhibit will take place Friday, June 12, from 5 to 7 p.m. The exhibit includes 40-plus 2-by-2-foot panels artfully decorated by local artists. The exhibit will remain on display throughout the summer. Free. More information on the exhibit is available through (319) 364-1580.

City Circle Acting Company of Coralville will present “Hello Dolly!” at the Englert Theatre, 221 E. Washington St., Iowa City, Friday and Saturday, June 12 and 13, at 7:30 p.m.; and Sunday, June 14, at 2 p.m. $15 to $20. Reservations and information are available through (319) 688-2653.

The Riverside Theatre Shakespeare Festival will take place in Lower City Park, Iowa City, beginning June 12 and running through July 12. This year’s plays are “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” and “Richard III.” During the festival, the two plays will be performed in repertory, at 7 p.m. Tuesday and Sunday; and at 8 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday. $25 to $37. More information is available through (319) 338-7672.

The 37th Annual Grant Wood Art Festival will take place Sunday, June 14, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., rain or shine. The festival is showcased in downtown Anamosa, and is hosted by the Anamosa Area Chamber of Commerce. This event is a celebration of the legacy of Anamosa-native, and world-renowned artist, Grant Wood. $5. More information is available through (319) 462-4879.

Theatre Cedar Rapids Lindale, 4444 First Ave. SE, Cedar Rapids, is bringing back "Disney's High School Musical On Stage" Thursday trough Sunday, June 18 to 21. $15 to $25 through (319) 366-8591.

The Iowa City Community Band will have several performances throughout June. See them at The Iowa Arts Festival on Sunday, June 7, at 12:30 p.m.; at North Liberty City Hall during Fun Days on Friday, June 12, at 6:15 p.m.; as part of Coralville Thursday Night Concert Series in ST Morrison Park on Thursday, June 18, at 6:30 p.m.; and as part of the Free Saturday Night Movie Series on June 20, at 7:30 p.m. More information is available through (319) 351-2000.

The African American Museum of Iowa, 55 12^th Ave SE, Cedar Rapids, offers its annual Juneteenth 2009 Celebration Day Saturday, June 20, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Viola Gibson Park, 14th Ave SE, Cedar Rapids. Events include exhibits, music, performances and an assortment of informational vendors. Free transportation is provided between the park and the museum. The museum also hosts Taste of Freedom Dinner and Dance, Friday, June 19, beginning at 5:30 p.m. More information is available through (319) 862-2101.

Coralville Parks and Recreation offers its June installment of the Park It At The Movies event Friday, June 19, at 8:45 p.m.. at ST Morrison Park, Coralville. This is a free outdoor screening of the movie “Open Season.” More information is available through (319) 248-1750.

Ushers Ferry, 5925 Seminole Valley Road, Cedar Rapids, offers its Wild West Weekend, Saturday and Sunday, June 20 and 21, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Re-enactors will perform a variety of skits and gunfights, yes gunfights, throughout the day. $3 to $8. More information is available through (319) 286-5763.

Campbell-Steele Gallery, 1064 7^th Ave., Marion, offers “Music in the Mud” every Saturday night -- live music in a beautiful gallery setting. The bar opens at 5, with music from 6 to 9. Free. More information is available through (319) 373-9211.

Freedom Festival will take place from June 18 through July 4 throughout Cedar Rapids. Highlights include the Patriotic Pops Concert and Fireworks at Kirkwood Friday, June 19; the Classic Rock Concert and Fireworks at Kirkwood, Saturday, June 20, the Balloon Glow at Brucemore Thursday, June 25, Parade and FestaFun in downtown Cedar Rapids, Saturday, June 27, and the July 4 Freedom Festival Celebration of Freedom, at Kirkwood. More information is available through (319) 365-8313.

Joe Jennison is the Executive Director of the Iowa Cultural Corridor Alliance, a group of 100+ arts and culture organizations whose mission is to build, strengthen and lead the local cultural industry and the communities it serves. More information is located at http://www.culturalcorridor.org <http://www.culturalcorridor.org/> Contact him direct at (800) 650-ARTS.

Have you “Conquered the Corridor”?

By Joe Jennison

I have been doing this job for more than three years now.

That is three years of rotaries, school groups, legislators, book clubs, newspaper articles and blogs, radio and television spots. I talk to people at The Eastern Iowa Airport, at festivals, at intermissions and in front of the ICCA booth at concerts and fairs and pretty much anywhere else that I’m asked to show up. I’m now also on Twitter and Facebook and Youtube, and I’m sure I’ll show up on new technologies too as they become available.

And yet, still, I hear the whining again and again and again: “There’s never anything to do!”

Of course, you and I know better, but how can we reach those who are as-yet-uneducated as to the Corridor’s plethora of arts and culture choices?

“Conquer the Corridor” is a new program developed by Priority One, the Iowa Cultural Corridor Alliance, and the Cedar Rapids Downtown District. It is a fun and interactive 45-minute presentation administered by staff members of each organization. The program was originally developed through a partnership with Rockwell Collins as a way to connect employees to the Corridor area.

The goal of this program is to connect people to arts and culture, development, volunteer and networking opportunities in the Corridor. The “Conquer the Corridor” presentation is a free resource offered to any employer wanting to retain their new or incumbent employees by making them aware of opportunities outside the 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. work day. If you or your business or organization would like to learn more about this free resource, feel free to contact me direct at the number below.

Chalk the Walk is an annual two-day festival that takes place on Mount Vernon’s main street. The event presents the work of more than 250 artists utilizing a downtown city street as a canvas and more than a half-ton of chalk. This year’s event takes place Saturday and Sunday, May 2 and 3, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Free. More information is available through (319) 895-9513.

Maifest is the Amana Colonies' original spring celebration that offers the Taste of Amana Colonies food fair at the Festhalle Barn, Maipole dancing, German folk music, parade down Main Street and entertainment in the village of Amana. The event takes place Saturday and Sunday, May 2 and 3, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Most events free. More information is available through (319) 622-7622.

The 17^th Annual Marion Arts Festival will be held Saturday, May 16, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. in City Square Park, Marion. The event features 50 juried artists hailing from coast-to-coast, live music, food, and a range of hands-on art experiences and demonstrations. Free. More information is available through (319) 377-6316.

"A Legacy for Iowa: Pollock's 'Mural' and Masterworks from the UIMA" opened Sunday, April 19, at the Figge Museum, 225 W. Second St., Davenport, and runs through Sunday, Aug. 2. The exhibit features 22 of the most important works in the University of Iowa Museum of Art collection, including works by Jackson Pollock, Pablo Picasso and Henri Matisse. $7. More information is available through (319) 335-1727.

Songs from Lincoln’s Time is a musical performance by Cedar Rapids musicians Carlis Faurot and Glenn Lonsdale, who will play and sing music from the Civil War era. The event will include a special appearance by the President and Mary Todd Lincoln. See and hear history Saturday, May 2, from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at the Carl and Mary Koehler History Center, 615 First Ave. SE, Cedar Rapids. $25. More information is available through (319) 362-1501.

The Cedar Rapids Symphony – Orchestra Iowa will perform their final Masterworks Concert of the season Saturday, May 2, at 8 p.m., at Sinclair Auditorium, on the Coe College campus, 1220 First Ave. NE, Cedar Rapids; and again Sunday May 3, at 2 p.m. at West High Auditorium, 2901 Melrose Ave., Iowa City. Titled “Masterworks VII: Bohemian Rhapsody,” the evening will include works by Antonin Dvorak. $20 to $51. More information is available through (319) 366-8203.

Theatre Cedar Rapids presents the musical “Hair” at Theatre Cedar Rapids Lindale, 4444 First Ave. SE, Cedar Rapids, opening May 1 and playing through May 16. See it Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 p.m., Thursday, May 7 and 14, at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, May 3 and 10, at 2:30 p.m. $20 to $25. Reservations and information are available through (319) 366-8591.

Iowa Theatre Artists Company (ITAC) opens their new season with “The Lady with all the Answers,” about advice columnist Ann Landers. The piece opens April 16 and runs through May 10 at ITAC’s new space at 4709 220^th Trail, Amana. $25. Reservations and information are available through (319) 622-3222.

The University of Iowa Division of Performing Arts presents “Orpheus of the Underworld,” a spoof of the classic Greek legend. See it at the Englert Theatre, 221 E. Washington St., Iowa City, Friday and Saturday, May 1 and 2, at 8 p.m.; or Sunday, May 3, at 2 p.m. $10 to $20. Reservations and information are available through (319) 688-2653.

The Iowa City Community Theatre, 4265 Oak Crest Hill Road SE, Iowa City, will present “The Baker’s Wife” Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 p.m.; and Sundays at 2 p.m. from April 24 through May 3. $15. Reservations and information are available through (319) 338-0443.

The Old Creamery Theatre Company, 39 38^th Ave., Amana, will present “The Odd Couple” beginning Thursday, May 28, and running through June 28. This should be a lot of fun – I’ve been asked to play a smaller role, heehee. $26.50. Reservations and information are available through (800) 35 AMANA.

The Free Friday Night Concert Series returns to the Iowa City Ped Mall Friday, May 22, and will take place every Friday night from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. throughout the summer. Free. More information is available through (319) 337-7944.

The Iowa Renaissance Festival and Gathering o’ Celts will take place Saturday, Sunday and Monday, May 23, 24 and 25, from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. at Middle Amana Park, Middle Amana. $10. More information is available through (319) 622-7622.

Joe Jennison is the Executive Director of the Iowa Cultural Corridor Alliance, a group of 100+ arts and culture organizations whose mission is to build, strengthen and lead the local cultural industry and the communities it serves. More information is located at http://www.culturalcorridor.org <http://www.culturalcorridor.org/> Contact him direct at (800) 650-ARTS.

By Joe Jennison

It’s been more than nine months since the Floods of 2008.

That is about the time needed for artists to process their thoughts on the disaster and create art in response to it. Just as buildings and neighborhoods begin to rise from the once-devastated areas, art and artists too, are now venturing out of their broken neighborhoods to create and share their work.

I see it in my work every day. Visual and performing artists of every medium creating art both inspired by, and created despite, the Floods of 2008.

I think I first noticed this heightened creativity at Campbell-Steele Gallery, 1064 Seventh Ave., Marion. Every Saturday, the gallery hosts “Music in the MUD.” A few weeks ago, illustrator Stan Fellows worked one of these events, sketching the Summit jazz band as they played live in the very busy gallery space. It was one of those moments where I witnessed first-hand art inspiring art inspiring art.

Two days later, I wandered into CSPS, 1103 SE Third St., Cedar Rapids, in the heart of the Flood-devastated New Bohemia District. Several artists, including Mel Andringa, Sharon Neff, John Schwartzkopf and Leonardo Torcuato, have works on display alongside photos of their Flood-destroyed studios. Torcuato’s exhibit includes some paintings inspired by the Flood featuring bright colors mixed with mud taken from some of the flooded neighborhoods. Powerful stuff.

Of course, this is just the beginning. As we move into the summer, the anniversary and beyond, several arts groups are planning events to celebrate our ability to persevere. Take the time to celebrate this month with those artists and arts groups that regularly offer all of us hope, inspiration and comfort.

Recognized by both fans and critics as one the best hip-hop records of all time, GZA/Genius’ “Liquid Swords” is a gritty depiction of urban life. GZA will perform this classic album in its entirety during his appearance at the Englert Theatre, 221 E. Washington St., Iowa City, Wednesday, April 1, at 8 p.m. $22 to $25. Reservations and information are available through (319) 688-2653.

All members of the community are invited to join Edgar Wibble Puppet Theatre, Wednesday, April 1, at 6 p.m., to celebrate the second anniversary of the theater, 4444 First Ave. SE, Cedar Rapids (Lindale Mall, beneath Younkers). Free. More information is available through (319) 294-7082.

“Raising Medusa,” by local poet/playwright Barbara Lau, offers a fresh narrative on loss and rebirth as both children and parents struggle to redefine themselves. See the world premiere play April 2 through 19, at Riverside Theatre, 213 N. Gilbert St., Iowa City. $12 to $24. Reservations and information are available through (319) 338-7672.

The Cedar Rapids Spring Metro Gallery Tour will take place Friday, April 3, from 5 to 8 p.m. The self-guided tour includes stops at Apple Creek Gallery, ARA Gallery and Interiors, Campbell-Steele Gallery, Cedar Rapids Museum of Art, Cornerhouse Gallery and Frame and Wiederspan Gallery. Free. More information is available through (319) 373-9211.

The Cedar Rapids Independent Film Festival will take place Friday and Saturday, April 3 and 4, at the Collins Road Theatres, 1462 Twix Town Road, Marion. The festival will showcase the work of filmmakers from across the state and around the country, all with strong connections to Iowa. $8 to $10. Reservations and information are available through (319) 431-1320.

City Circle Acting Company of Coralville will offer its “Circle’s Edge Repertory Festival,” a series of four plays done over three weekends. Plays include “Rabbit Hole” by David Lindsay-Abaire, “Sarah Shattered” by John Cameron, “Picasso at the Lapin Agile” by Steve Martin, and “All the King’s Horses” by Steve Hunt. See the plays Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 p.m.; and Sundays at 2 p.m. from April 3 to April 19. $14 to $17. Reservations and information are available through (319) 248-1750.

Dreamwell Theatre will present Ibsen’s “An Enemy of the People” Friday and Saturday, March 27 and 28, and April 3 and 4, at 7:30 p.m. at the Unitarian Universalist Society, 10 S. Gilbert St., Iowa City. $10 to $12. Reservations and information are available through (319) 541-0140.

Over the course of more than 50 albums, Richard Stoltzman has proven that he has few peers on the clarinet. Stoltzman salutes the “King of Swing,” Benny Goodman, in a performance Friday, April 3, at 7:30 p.m. at The Englert Theatre, 221 E. Washington St., Iowa City. In his last appearance in Iowa City, Alpin Hong amazed school kids by playing piano and Tetris at the same time. Hong returns to perform Friday, April 24, at 7:30 p.m., at City High Opstad Auditorium, 1900 Morningside Drive, Iowa City. Both concerts are presented as part of Hancher Auditorium’s “Can’t Contain Us” season. Tickets for all Hancher shows are available through (800) HANCHER.

The Grant Wood Studio and Visitor Center, 810 Second Ave. SE, Cedar Rapids, will be open again on weekends beginning Saturday, April 4. Hours will be Saturday and Sunday from noon to 4 p.m. $3 to $5. More information is available at (319) 366-7503.

The Iowa Theatre Artists Company, 4709 220^th Trail, Amana, opens their new season in their new space with “The Lady With All The Answers,” a one-woman show about advice columnist Ann Landers. See it Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 p.m.; and Thursdays and Sundays at 1:30 p.m. April 16 through May 10. $10 to $25. Reservations and information are available through (319) 622-3222.

The “Rock & Worship Road Show” will offer a diverse line up including MercyMe, Jeremy Camp and Hawk Nelson, as well as new and burgeoning bands Tenth Avenue North and Addison Road. See the concert Saturday, April 18, at 6 p.m. at the U.S. Cellular Center, 370 First Ave. NE, Cedar Rapids. $10. More information is available through (319) 398-5211.

Creator of the popular V.I. Warshawski series of detective novels, Sara Paretsky will give a talk and sign books on Saturday, April 18, at 7 p.m. at TCR-Lindale, 4444 First Ave. SE, Cedar Rapids. This is part of the Out Loud! Author Series through the Metro Library Network. Free. More information is available through (319) 377-3412.

The Cedar Rapids Concert Chorale will offer a 50^th Anniversary Gala Concert featuring the premiere of Jerry Owen's "Canticle Chorale." See the concert Saturday, April 18, at 7:30 p.m. or Sunday, April 19, at 3 p.m., at First Lutheran Church, 1000 Third Ave. SE, Cedar Rapids. $15. Reservations and information are available through (319) 365-8221.

Molly Hammer and Marquetta Senters will reprise their roles as Patsy and Louise in “Always… Patsy Cline” April 23 through May 10, at the Old Creamery Theatre, 39 38^th Ave., Amana. $26.50. Reservations and information are available through (800) 35-AMANA.

Joe Jennison is the Executive Director of the Iowa Cultural Corridor Alliance, a group of 100+ arts and culture organizations whose mission is to build, strengthen and lead the local cultural industry and the communities it serves. More information is located at http://www.culturalcorridor.org <http://www.culturalcorridor.org/>  This article first appeared in the Corridor Business Journal Monday, March 23, 2009. Find out more about the Corridor Business Journal at www.corridorbiznews.com

             by Beth Miller

Cedar Rapids was just the sort of community I was looking for two years ago when I moved home to Iowa. The move has given me a new career, new friends, a big old house in an historic neighborhood and more snow and ice than I have seen in many years. I knew very little about the arts community in the area and am thrilled with the myriad of offerings, something going on every weekend and many arts-minded people with whom to interact.

At the History Center I enjoy being one of two full-time staff members who handles everything from events to education, promotion, exhibits, web content, and grant writing, along with all the day-by-day operations that go along with running a museum and research library. We also have a great crew of volunteers, talented, creative, willing to take on a number of tasks to help with programs and events. Mostly we are grateful to our current director, Jim White, a board member and volunteer who has guided us as we look for ways to carry out our mission to preserve, interpret, present and share the history of Linn County. Now Jim wants to retire, and the History Center has begun a search for a new director, someone who will look at where we are and how we can move forward in putting together programs and events like the current exhibit, Six Degrees of Lincoln: The Iowa Connections, which runs through May, and education programs and workshops for children and adults. The History Center offers a monthly memoir writing workshop, Share Your Stories, and several exciting education programs for children, including summer workshops: 100 Years of Fun, Chautauqua, Inventors and Inventions and What’s in Grandpa’s Attic. For more information about current History Center events and programs, or to learn more about the Director position opening, visit our website at www.historycenter.org.

To see the Lincoln exhibit, visit the History Center Tuesdays, Thursdays or Saturdays from 10:00-4:00. Admission is by donation. Or perhaps you’d like to have Abraham Lincoln present at your next meeting or conference. Tom Swenson, a Cedar Rapids actor and History Center educator, portrays Lincoln as well as Mark Twain and Thomas Edison for school, library and adult groups and can create a program that suits the needs of your organization. More information is available at the History Center website, www.historycenter.org or at www.windingroads.net. Or e-mail beth@historycenter.org.

Beth Miller
Project Coordinator
Carl & Mary Koehler History Center
615 First Ave. SE
Cedar Rapids, IA 52401
www.historycenter.org
319-362-1501

By Joe Jennison

I am writing to you this month from Des Moines as I attend the Iowa Not-For-Profit Alliance Conference.

Representatives from well over 200 non-profits from around the state are gathering together here this week to share best practices and learn to become better stewards of the nonprofit organizations that add to our state’s quality of life and economic bottom line.

In her opening remarks at the conference, Cyndi Pederson, Executive Director of the Iowa Department of Cultural Affairs, made these observations:

-- There are more than 28,000 nonprofits in Iowa

-- Nonprofits employ 9 percent of Iowa’s citizens, making nonprofits the 5^th largest employer in the state

-- Nonprofits contribute $8.3 billion annually to the state’s economy

-- Nonprofits receive help from Iowans in the form of 99 million volunteer hours each and every year

With numbers such as this, it is clear to me that those of us who work and volunteer in Iowa’s nonprofit community, are indeed following a path that pays back this state and its citizens both spiritually and economically.

Yes, Iowa’s nonprofits are both good for the soul, AND good for business.

Musick’s Feast presents “Plain and Simple: Organ Literature and Plainchant” Sunday, March 1, at 7 p.m. at First Presbyterian Church, 2701 Rochester Ave., Iowa City. This is a concert of o rgan music based on plainchant, a body of traditional songs used in the liturgies of the Roman Catholic Church. The concert will be presented by members of the University of Iowa Chapter of the American Guild of Organists. $15. Reservations and information are available through (319) 430-4165.

Cornell College offers Music Mondays, in King Chapel, on the Cornell College campus, 600 First St. SW, Mount Vernon, twice this month. Check out Martin Bruns, baritone, and Jan Philip Schulze, piano, at 7:30 p.m., on Monday, March 2; or Aviv String Quartet, at 7:30 p.m., on Monday, March 23. Both concerts are $10. More information is available through (319) 895-4231.

Duncan Sheik won two Tonys for "Spring Awakening" in 2007. Making his Cedar Rapids debut, Sheik will perform his captivating original material as well as songs from the Broadway smash. See him perform Tuesday, March 3, at 8 p.m. at CSPS, 1103 Third St. SE, Cedar Rapids. $28 to $32. Reservations and information are available through (319) 364-1580.

This month Iowa Public Radio’s "Know the Score" takes you behind the curtain of the Bach Festival taking place in Iowa City. It's a week-long celebration of the great composer Johann Sebastian Bach, featuring concerts, lectures and master classes by world-class performers and scholars. Be part of “Know the Score’s” live radio broadcast, Friday, March 6, from 5 to 7 p.m. at the Old Capitol Senate Chamber, on the University of Iowa campus, Iowa City. Free. More information is available through (319) 335-5730.

The popular musical “Forever Plaid” is restaged at Starlighters II, 136 E. Main St., Anamosa. The music in this show is a compilation of some of the greatest hits of the 50s and early 60s, sung in four-part harmony. See the show Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 p.m., or Sundays at 2 p.m., from March 6 through March 15. $14. Reservations and information are available through (319) 462-4793.
Young Footliters in Iowa City is going to put together a production of “Into the Woods, Junior.” This musical performance will be held at the historic Englert Theatre, 221 E. Washington St., Iowa City, Friday, March 6, at 7:30 p.m., Saturday, March 7, at 2 and 7:30 p.m., and Sunday, March 8, at 2 p.m. $10 to $15. Reservations and information are available through (319) 688-2653.

Kirkwood Community College , 6301 Kirkwood Blvd. SW, Cedar Rapids, will present several concerts in March. The Vocal Jazz Festival Concert featuring Jazz Transit and RSVP under the direction of Ray Salucka, will be presented Friday, March 6, at 8 p.m.; and the KCC Jazz Combos Concert featuring guest artist Al Naylor Group and Kirkwood Jazz Combos directed by Dr. Tim Feldkamp, will take place Thursday, March 12, at 7:30 p.m. Both concerts are $8. More information is available through (319) 398-4956.

The Beggarmen , an acoustic Celtic-music quartet, will perform a variety of traditional tunes at the Englert Theatre, 221 E. Washington St., Iowa City, Sunday, March 8, at 8 p.m. Known for fine instrumental work on fiddle, guitar, tin whistles, mandolin, uilleann pipes and bodhran (the Irish frame drum), The Beggarmen also lend their voices to the mix for a varied, entertaining show. Free. More information is available through (319) 688-2653.

Juan de Marcos and the Afro-Cuban All Stars bring the “diversity and vitality of Cuban music” to the Corridor Tuesday, March 10, at 7:30 p.m. at West High School Auditorium, 2901 W. Melrose, Iowa City; The Musicians from Marlboro return to the area Wednesday, March 11, at 7:30 p.m. for a performance at the Brown Deer Golf Club, 1900 Country Club Drive, Coralville; and The Academy of Ancient Music, among the world’s leading period-instrument orchestras, will perform Wednesday, March 25, at 7:30 p.m., at West High School Auditorium, 2901 W. Melrose, Iowa City. All three concerts are presented as part of Hancher Auditorium’s “Can’t Contain Us” season. Tickets for all shows are available through (800) HANCHER.

The Cedar Rapids Symphony welcomes guest conductor Apo Hsu to conduct “Masterworks VI: Spring at Last.” Currently working in Taiwan, Ms. Hsu has forged a career as one of the most exciting young conductors on the scene today, garnering international attention for being one of the few prominent female conductors in the field. See the concert Saturday, March 21, at 8 p.m., at Coe College’s Sinclair Auditorium, 1220 First Ave. NE, Cedar Rapids; or Sunday, March 22, at 2 p.m. at West High School, 2901 Melrose, Iowa City. Reservations and information are available through (319) 366-8203.

Joe Jennison is the Executive Director of the Iowa Cultural Corridor Alliance, a group of 100+ arts and culture organizations whose mission is to build, strengthen and lead the local cultural industry and the communities it serves. More information is located at http://www.culturalcorridor.org <http://www.culturalcorridor.org/> This article first appeared in the Corridor Business Journal on Monday, Feb. 23. More information about the Corridor Business Journal is available at www.corridorbiznews.com

CEDAR RAPIDS—The Iowa Cultural Corridor Alliance (ICCA) announced the recipients of its annual Iowa Cultural Corridor Innovation Excellence Awards (aka The Ickys!)  Monday, January 26, at the Englert Theatre in Iowa City.

The 2009 Icky Award recipients are…

Children’s Programming: “Mary GrandPré: Harry Potter and Beyond”—Cedar Rapids Museum of Art

Dance Programming: “The Nutcracker”—The Englert Theatre and Nolte Academy of Dance

Festival Programming: “Cedar Rapids Independent Film Festival”—Cedar Rapids Independent Filmmakers

History Programming: “1968: Twelve Volatile Months that Changed the World”—National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library

Music Programming: “New Bohemia Music and Art Festival”—New Bohemia Group

Theatre Programming: “Moving Home”—Classics at Brucemore, Legion Arts, Liars Theatre, SPT Theatre, Theatre Cedar Rapids, and Urban Theater Project of Iowa

Touring Events Programming: “Cirque du Soleil Saltimbanco”—U.S. Cellular Center

Visual Arts Programming: “The Year of the River: Flood Photography from The Gazette”—Cedar Rapids Museum of Art and The Gazette

Educational Programming: “Arts in a Post-Disaster Community: Lessons from New Orleans”—CSPS/Legion Arts, Access Iowa, and the Iowa Cultural Corridor Alliance

Collaborative Award—between ICCA members: “Moving Home”—Classics at Brucemore, Legion Arts, Liars Theatre, SPT Theatre, Theatre Cedar Rapids, and Urban Theater Project of Iowa

Reaching Out Collaborative Award—between ICCA members and non-ICCA members: “Culture’s Alive at Lindale”—Lindale Mall, Cedar Rapids Community School District Foundation, Cedar Rapids Area Convention and Visitors Bureau, Iowa Cultural Corridor Alliance, National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library, Science Station, and Theatre Cedar Rapids

Advocacy Awards were also presented to Bob Goodfellow and Audrey Linge-Ovel. These two awards—the Larry Eckholt Award for the South Corridor and the North Corridor Advocate Award—are meant to honor a community member/leader who exemplifies passion, commitment, and advocacy to the cultural vitality of the Corridor.

Presenting sponsor of the Ickys was Corridorbuzz.com with major sponsorship from Alliant Energy and supporting sponsorship by PTDN Diversity Network.

For more information about the Icky Awards and ICCA visit www.culturalcorridor.org.

ICCA was formed in October of 2005 with the merging of the Johnson County Cultural Alliance (JCCA) and the Cedar Rapids Area Culture Alliance (CRACA). The group's mission is to build, strengthen and lead the Corridor's arts and culture organizations and the communities they serve. ICCA maintains www.culturalcorridor.org, the area's one-stop shop for news and information about upcoming cultural events in the Cedar Rapids/Iowa City Corridor.

The two awards -- the Larry Eckholt Award for the South Corridor and the North Corridor Advocate Award -- are meant to honor a community member/leader who exemplifies passion, commitment, and advocacy to the cultural vitality of the Corridor.

The awards were nominated by the 149 organizational members of ICCA and voted on by the ICCA Board of Directors. These two awards are the only awards given to individuals and will be presented during the ICCA Innovative Excellence Awards (aka The Ickys!) on Monday, Jan. 26, 2009, at 6:30 p.m. at the Englert Theatre, 221 E. Washington St., Iowa City.

Bob Goodfellow is the recipient of the Larry Eckholt Award. He is recognized as a tireless advocate for Johnson County cultural organizations and individual events that celebrate the arts, culture, history, and education. He is a business person whose generosity to local groups often includes in-kind support and assistance in producing graphics and promotional materials through his company Goodfellow Printing Co.

Audrey Linge-Ovel will be awarded the North Corridor Advocate Award posthumously. From her years working with the Cedar Rapids Playtime Poppy Program to her gifting of the Iowa Theatre Building and the Grant Wood Studio, Linge-Ovel spent her lifetime giving back to the greater Cedar Rapids community and the cultural Corridor. Before her death last year, Linge-Ovel worked with her children and husband, Jerry Ovel, to create the Linge Family Foundation to continue her legacy of charitable giving.

"These two people exemplify service and dedication to the Corridor's cultural community," said Joe Jennison, Executive Director of ICCA. "And we are thrilled to be able to acknowledge their contributions as part of the annual Icky ceremony. We hope the entire community will come out to celebrate with us."

There are 11 other awards nominated and voted on solely by the membership of the Iowa Cultural Corridor Alliance. Those recognitions will be announced live during the Jan. 26 event.

The evening will begin with a dual reception from 5 to 6 p.m. at both the Iowa Artisans Gallery (207 E. Washington St.) and the Chait Galleries Downtown (218 E. Washington St.).

Area celebrity presenters, including Mayor Kay Halloran and Mayor Regenia Bailey, will present the awards. There also will be 12 live performances representing some of the cultural community's many successes during Calendar Year 2008.

Tickets to the Ickys are $20 and are available now through the Englert box office at (319) 688-2653.

About ICCA

ICCA was formed in October of 2005 with the merging of the Johnson County Cultural Alliance (JCCA) and the Cedar Rapids Area Culture Alliance (CRACA). The group's mission is to build, strengthen and lead the Corridor's arts and culture organizations and the communities they serve. ICCA maintains www.culturalcorridor.org the area's one-stop shop for news and information about upcoming cultural events in the Cedar Rapids/Iowa City Corridor.

The event will take place Monday, Jan. 26, 2009, at 6:30 p.m. at the Englert Theatre (221 E. Washington St., Iowa City). The evening will begin with a dual reception from 5 to 6 p.m. at both the Iowa Artisans Gallery (207 E. Washington St.) and the Chait Galleries Downtown (218 E. Washington St.). Tickets to the event are $20 and are on sale now through the Englert box office at (319) 688-2653.

Remember, these awards are not meant to be a “Best Of,” but rather an opportunity to recognize innovation and excellence in cultural programming.

Below is the official ballot. Remember, these awards are voted on only by members of the Iowa Cultural Corridor Alliance, making the Ickys the Corridor’s only Cultural Awards nominated and voted on by the peer organizations of the Iowa Cultural Corridor Alliance.

I hope you’ll plan to join us on Jan. 26 at the Englert.

1. Children’s Programming (check one)

□ “Be the Dinosaur: Life in the Cretaceous” (Science Station*)

□ “DinoMania: The Maze is Back!” (The Iowa Children’s Museum*)

□ “Mary GrandPre’: Harry Potter and Beyond” (Cedar Rapids Museum of Art*)

□ “Move It! Dig It! Do It!” (The Iowa Children’s Museum*)

□ “Puss in Boots” (Brucemore Outdoor Children’s Theatre*)

□ “Timeless Tales by: Hans Christian Andersen” (Children’s Theatre of Cedar Rapids/Playtime

Poppy*)

2. Dance Programming (check one)

□ “Afro Cuban Drum and Dance Ensemble” (University of Iowa Division of Performing

Arts*)

□ “Dance Gala: Special Edition” ( University of Iowa Division of Performing Arts* )

□ “Global Dance Fest” (Legion Arts* and The Cedar Rapids Tango Club)

□ “Hawkeye Swing Dance Festival” (University of Iowa Swing Dance Club*)

□ “Iowa Dance Fest” (ACE Arts Culture Experiment*)

□ “The Nutcracker” (The Englert Theatre* and Nolte Academy of Dance*)

3. Festival Programming (check one)

□ “16^th Annual Marion Arts Festival” (Marion Arts Festival*)

□ “2008 Toyota-Scion of Iowa City Jazz Festival” (Summer of the Arts*)

□ “Cedar Rapids Independent Film Festival” (Cedar Rapids Independent Filmmakers*)

□ “Chalk the Walk” (City of Mount Vernon*, Mount Vernon Area Arts Council* and the

James Gang*)

□ “Freedom Festival” (Cedar Rapids Freedom Festival*)

□ “Iowa Arts Festival” (Summer of the Arts*)

4. History Programming (check one)

□ “ 1968: Twelve Volatile Months that Changed the World” (National Czech & Slovak

Museum & Library*)

□ “Beyond the Grave” (Johnson County Historical Society*)

□ “Circus Through the Centuries” (Carl and Mary Koehler History Center*)

□ “A Douglas Family Christmas at Brucemore” (Brucemore National Trust Historic Site*)

□ “Trains Across Iowa!” (Johnson County Historical Society*)

5. Music Programming (check one)

□ “ 2008 Friday Night Concert Series ” (Summer of the Arts*)

□ “Floodstock” (Marion Chamber of Commerce*, Cedar Rapids Area Convention and Visitors

Bureau*, Cedar Rapids Downtown District*, Clear Channel Radio, Farmer’s State Bank,

In Sync Sales and Marketing, Heritage Microfilm and Z102.9)

□ “Handel’s Israel in Egypt” (Chamber Singers of Iowa City* )

□ “Klezmer to Classical – Music by Jewish Composers” (Red Cedar Chamber Music*)

□ “Masterworks I: Ode to Joy – Beethoven at Brucemore” ( Orchestra Iowa aka The Cedar

Rapids Symphony Orchestra* and the Cedar Rapids Concert Chorale*)

□ “New Bohemia Music and Art Festival” (New Bohemia Group*)

6. Theater Programming (check one)

□ “Divapalooza 2” (SPT Theatre* and Theatre Cedar Rapids*)

□ “The Foreigner” (Mount Mercy College*)

□ “The King and I” (Iowa City Community Theatre*)

□ “Moving Home” (Classics at Brucemore*, Legion Arts*, Liars Theatre*, SPT Theatre*,

Theatre Cedar Rapids*, and Urban Theater Project of Iowa*)

□ “Nuncrackers” (Old Creamery Theatre Company*)

□ “The Rocky Horror Show” (Theatre Cedar Rapids*)

□ “School House Rock – Live!” (City Circle Acting Company of Coralville*, Englert Theatre*

and The Iowa Children’s Museum*)

□ “Smoke on the Mountain* (Iowa Theatre Artists Company*)

7. Touring Events Programming (check one)

□ “1964: The Tribute” (Englert Theatre*)

□ “Alejandro Escovedo” (Englert Theatre*)

□ “Broadway at the Paramount presents Rent” (Paramount Theatre*)

□ “Broadway at the Paramount presents Stomp” (Paramount Theatre*)

□ “Cirque du Soleil Saltimbanco” (U.S. Cellular Center*)

□ “Dar Williams” (Englert Theatre*)

□ “Kathy Griffin” (Hancher Auditorium*)

□ “Randy Newman” (Englert Theatre*)

□ “William Yang in Shadows” (CSPS/Legion Arts*)

8. Visual Arts Programming (check one)

□ “16^th Annual Marion Arts Festival” (Marion Arts Fest*)

□ “2x2xU” (New Bohemia Group*)

□ “Grounds for Art” (Cedar Rapids Downtown District* and the Cedar Rapids Convention and

Visitors Bureau*)

□ “Mary GrandPre’: Harry Potter and Beyond” (Cedar Rapids Museum of Art*)

□ “Voom Portraits Robert Wilson” (CSPS at Legion Arts* and The University of Iowa

Museum of Art*)

□ “The Year of the River: Flood Photography from The Gazette” (Cedar Rapids Museum of

Art* and The Gazette*)

□ “Yoko Ono and the Window Wall” (Cornell College*)

9. Educational Programming (check one)

□ “American Artists Abroad Now: Contemporary Artists and Travel” (Cedar Rapids Museum

of Art*)

□ “Arts in a Post-Disaster Community: Lessons from New Orleans” (CSPS at Legion Arts,*

Access Iowa* and the Iowa Cultural Corridor Alliance*)

□ “Be the Dinosaur: Life in the Cretaceous” (Science Station*)

□ “Family Puppet Making Workshop” (Eulenspiegel Puppet Theatre Co.*)

□ “Growing Up in Iowa” (The Iowa Children’s Museum*)

□ “Playground of Science” (Coe College*)

□ “The School House Rock – Live! Project” (City Circle Acting Company of Coralville*,

Englert Theatre* and The Iowa Children’s Museum*)

10. Collaborative Award (between ICCA members)

□ “Big River Benefit for the African American Historical Museum and Cultural Center of

Iowa” (Kirkwood Community College* and the African American Historical Museum

and Cultural Center of Iowa*)

□ “Chalk the Walk” (City of Mount Vernon*, Mount Vernon Area Arts Council* and the

James Gang*)

□ “Grease” (Young Footliters* and The Englert*)

□ “Masterworks I: Ode to Joy – Beethoven at Brucemore” ( Orchestra Iowa aka The Cedar

Rapids Symphony Orchestra* and the Cedar Rapids Concert Chorale* )

□ “Moving Home” (Classics at Brucemore*, Legion Arts*, Liars Theatre*, SPT Theatre*,

Theatre Cedar Rapids*, and Urban Theater Project of Iowa*)

□ “Out Loud! The Metro Library Network Author Series” (Cedar Rapids Public Library*,

Hiawatha Public Library* and Marion Public Library*)

□ “The School House Rock – Live! Project” (City Circle Acting Company of Coralville*,

Englert Theatre* and The Iowa Children’s Museum*)

□ “The Year of the River: Flood Photography from The Gazette” (Cedar Rapids Museum of

Art* and The Gazette*)

11. Reaching Out Collaborative Award (between ICCA members and non-ICCA members)

□ “15^th Annual Bluesmore” (Brucemore National Trust Historic Site* and the Linn County

Blues Society)

□ “Culture’s Alive at Lindale” (Lindale Mall, Cedar Rapids Community School District

Foundation, Cedar Rapids Area Convention and Visitors Bureau*, Iowa Cultural

Corridor Alliance*, National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library*, Science Station* and

Theatre Cedar Rapids*)

□ “Daniel Heyman Artist Lecture” (Old Capitol Museum*, University of Iowa School of Art

and Art History*, University of Iowa Museum of Art*, University of Iowa Center for

Human Rights and the University of Iowa College of Law)

□ “Eastern Iowa Observatory and Learning Center Grand Opening* (Wickiup Hill Outdoor

Learning Center* and Cedar Amateur Astronomers)

□“Floodstock” (Marion Chamber of Commerce*, Cedar Rapids Area Convention and

Visitors Bureau*, Cedar Rapids Downtown District*, Clear Channel Radio, Farmer’s

State Bank, In Sync Sales and Marketing, Heritage Microfilm and Z102.9)

□ “Sandbag Handbag Project for Flood Relief" (Iowa Artisans Gallery*, City of Iowa City,

The Soap Opera, Home Ec, Iowa Valley Habitat for Humanity, The Johnson County

Crisis Center)

□ “Wild West Day Benefit for Ushers Ferry” (Ushers Ferry Historic Village*, Linn County

Conservation Board, Red Cedar Regulators, Willis Territorial Rough Riders and the Hole

in the Sock Gang)

* Denotes membership in the Iowa Cultural Corridor Alliance.

NOTE: Sometimes a large number of ties in certain categories necessitated larger numbers of nominees in those particular categories. That’s why some categories have five nominees while others have as many as nine nominees.

Tickets on sale for the Third Annual “Ickys”

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa – Nov. 26, 2008 – Tickets for the third annual Iowa Cultural Corridor Innovative Excellence Awards (aka The Ickys), are now on sale. The cultural program is the signature event for the Iowa Cultural Corridor Alliance (ICCA), a group of 148 arts and culture organizations in the 11-county area around the Cedar Rapids/Iowa City Corridor. The 2009 Icky Awards, covering Calendar Year 2008, will be presented on Monday, Jan. 26, at 6:30 p.m. at The Englert Theatre, 221 E. Washington St., Iowa City.

The Ickys are the area’s only Cultural Awards nominated and voted on solely by the 148 peer groups of the Iowa Cultural Corridor Alliance. The program will be hosted by Scott Schulte and Ric Swann of the very popular morning show on Z102.9 – “ Schulte and Swann .” During the evening, awards will be presented to local cultural organizations in the categories of children’s programming, theater programming, dance programming, educational programming, visual arts programming, festival programming, music programming, historical exhibits programming and touring events programming. Special honors will also be awarded for cultural advocacy and collaboration.

“This has been a challenging year for the area’s cultural community,” said Joe Jennison, Executive Director of ICCA. “This year it’s more important than ever to come together, show support and celebrate the Cultural Corridor -- the cultural heart of Iowa and a major contributor to the state’s great quality of life.”

In addition to the awards, the Jan. 26 ceremony will also feature live recreations of 2008 performances by cultural groups, included will be performances representing the African American Historical Museum and Cultural Center of Iowa, Anamosa Pumpkinfest, Cedar Rapids Concert Chorale, James Gang, Old Creamery Theatre Company, Paramount Theatre, Paul Engle Center for Neighborhood Arts, Rage Theatrics, SPT Theatre, Theatre Cedar Rapids and Wickiup Hill. Also included will be celebrity presenters including former Governor Thomas Vilsack and Cedar Rapids and Iowa City Mayors Kay Halloran and Regenia Bailey.

Producing Sponsor for the event is Corridorbuzz.com. Other sponsors of the event include Alliant Energy and PTDN Diversity Network.

This event will also double as ICCA’s annual meeting. Tickets are $20 and are available to the general public through the Englert Theatre box office at (319) 688-2653.

ICCA was formed in October of 2005 with the merging of the Johnson County Cultural Alliance (JCCA) and the Cedar Rapids Area Culture Alliance (CRACA). The group’s mission is to build, strengthen and lead the Corridor’s arts and culture organizations and the communities they serve. ICCA maintains www.culturalcorridor.org, the area’s one-stop shop for news and information about upcoming cultural events in the Cedar Rapids/Iowa City Corridor.

By Carol Johnk

Have you ever – as an adult – had a childhood dream come true? Well, I have in a wonderful way.

As a child, I dreamed (as many little girls did) of being a ballerina. I had the music box with the perfect ballerina, en pointe, rotating to some, now-forgotten tune. I read book after book about the incomparable Margot Fonteyn and the beautiful and tragic Isadora Duncan. But, alas, I grew up in the middle of South Dakota in a small town with no dance studios. One year a teacher drove the 100 miles from another town to teach, but that didn’t last long and I never was able to even come close to fulfilling my dream.

But now, many years (I won’t say how many!) I’m dancing in “The Nutcracker.” I am not, of course, wearing the tutu with the sequins and the tiara and I certainly don’t have the long, slender, powerful legs ending in the beautiful, perfect, satin toe shoes. I am now one of the “party parents.” Meaning that I, along with several of my adult friends, get to play at being the parents in the opening party scene. This is where Clara receives the Nutcracker as a gift and sets the scene for the entire ballet. So, instead of having toe shoes myself, I watch as Clara receives her first pair as a Christmas gift from her parents. I watch as a group of dedicated and talented young dancers from the Nolte Academy of Dance twirl and leap and dance their way through my childhood dream.

I watch from the wings as these young dancers work on perfecting each of their roles – and most of them have several. I close my eyes and listen to the sound of toe shoes on the floor as the dancers defy gravity and leap and then are brought back to earth again. I listen to the hauntingly beautiful music by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky. I watch – and envy – the young girls as they stretch in preparation for the rigors of the dance. They are so flexible and strong. I must admit that I even envy their cute little dance shorts with matching leg warmers and the ability to pull hair into tight little buns and the discipline that it has taken for them to reach this point. I envy their grace and their dedication and their joy in the dance.

And, as I dance – the party parents do get to dance, too, a sedate, courtly dance – I can pretend for a little while.

I am also lucky enough to be playing the role of “Mother Ginger.” This is truly my favorite part of the show. I’m on stage with some pretty terrific young dancers – the polichinelles. They know their cues and they know when we aren’t hitting our mark on stage. When they are off-stage, they giggle and whisper and act like normal grade-school children. But, when it is their turn to be on stage, they take it very seriously and are not shy about telling me if I don’t quite do something correctly. I don’t even know all of their names, but when we are on stage I’m so proud of them . It is hard for me to describe the sense of joy that I get when I share the stage with these kids.

I’m grateful for the chance to participate in this glorious holiday classic. I am lucky enough to be able to dress up in fabulous period clothing and pretend for a little while. To lose myself in the fantasy. To live, in a small way, my childhood dream. And who knows? Maybe someday I’ll own a pair of toe shoes!!

Carol Johnk is Executive Director of Arts a la Carte, a non-profit movement arts organization based in Coralville. AAC fosters all forms of the movement arts by offering venues for teaching, creating, and sharing movement works.

The Nutcracker runs Dec. 5 - & at the Englert Theatre, 221 E. Washington St., Iowa City. Tickets are $14-$22 and are avialable at the Englert Box Office and online at http://www.englert.org/event_details.php?id=249

By Joe Jennison

In my position as Executive Director of the Iowa Cultural Corridor Alliance (ICCA), I am regularly given the opportunity to sit on committees, quite often to plan community projects and events on both sides of the Corridor. I don’t always enjoy committee work, but every time I work with the representatives from this one particular committee, I walk away feeling fulfilled, engaged and very proud of the work.

The Corridor Networking and Welcome Receptions were designed to pave the way for communities, employers, cultural organizations and citizens to unite and network for a diverse, welcoming Corridor. These Welcome Receptions have been organized by PTDN Diversity Network since April of 2001, and this past year these quarterly events have grown because of the collaborations between PTDN and Access Iowa, Diversity Focus, Eastern Iowa Human Resource Association, and ICCA.

As I write this, I am only 12 hours past the success of this committee’s third venture, where approximately 100 people met for a brief program, food, wine and networking on the stage of the historic Englert Theatre. Nearly one quarter of the attendees to this event were new to the community.

Any one of these organizations would certainly be capable of pulling off a decent reception, but when all of us work together, something very special happens – each organization grows beyond its mission and its database, and new audiences become aware of the work and services of all these great nonprofits.

I look forward to our next quarterly Welcome Reception scheduled for April, and of course the fulfilling committee work, which will begin one month earlier.

The Herbert Hoover Presidential Library and Museum, 210 Parkside Drive, West Branch, is offering a new holiday exhibit titled “A Very Elvis Christmas” that features 20 Christmas trees showcasing the life and career of Elvis Presley. The exhibit will run through Jan. 4, and is open every day, accept major holidays, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. $3 to $6. More information is available through (319) 643-5301.

Brucemore National Trust Historic Site, 2160 Linden Drive SE, Cedar Rapids, is offering a special holiday program this year in addition to its Holiday Mansion Tours. At “A Douglas Family Christmas” v isitors will get the opportunity to meet the Douglas family and their house staff, circa 1911. This tour will be offered Wednesdays and Thursdays, from 5 to 8 p.m. through Dec. 18. $10. Reservations and information are available through (319) 362-7375.

The Amana Colonies Convention and Visitors Bureau, at the Festhalle Barn, in Main Amana, is once again offering its “Tannenbaum Forest.” Here, “ a forest of decorated, live Christmas trees inspires holiday wishes.” See the forest Mondays through Thursdays, from 1 to 3 p.m.; Fridays and Saturdays, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; and Sundays from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., through Dec 21. Free-will donation accepted to benefit the Make-a-Wish Foundation. More information is available through (800) 579-2294.

Mount Mercy College, 1330 Elmhurst Drive NE, Cedar Rapids, will offer its “Lessons and Carols Christmas Concert” on Wednesday, Dec. 3, at 7:30 p.m. in Stello Performance Hall of Warde Hall on the Mount Mercy campus. Under the direction of Dr. Daniel E. Kleinknecht, the concert will feature traditional Christmas music as well as seasonal favorites. Free. More information is available through (319) 363-8213.

The Marion Chamber of Commerce sponsors “Christmas in the Park” every year at Marion City Park, in downtown Marion. Santa is delivered on a fire truck with hot chocolate, roaming singers, a live Grinch and the lighting of the city tree. Santa arrives at 5:30 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 4, and will be available through 8 p.m., tree lighting at 6 p.m. Free. More information is available through (319) 377-6316.

It's like two shows in one when the U.S. Cellular Center, 370 First Ave. NE, Cedar Rapids, hosts “The Oak Ridge Boys Christmas Show.” First, the group will sing hits such as "Elvira" and "Bobbie Sue." Then, the stage is transformed and the Oak Ridge Boys offer a set of Christmas songs. See the show Thursday, Dec. 4, at 7:30 p.m. $38.50. Reservations and information are available through (319) 363-1888.

There are several choices for theater this holiday season. Starlighters II Theatre, 136 E. Main St., Anamosa, is offering “Godspell.” See it Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 p.m., or Sundays at 2 p.m. from Dec. 5 through Dec. 14. $14. Reservations and information are available through (319) 462-4793. Riverside Theatre, 213 N. Gilbert St., Iowa City, is once again offering its very popular one-man show, “Small Miracles” on Saturday, Dec. 13, at 7:30 p.m., or Sunday, Dec. 14, at 2 p.m. $12 to $20. Reservations and information for this one are available through (319) 338-7672. City Circle Acting Company of Coralville, at the Englert Theatre, 221 E. Washington St., Iowa City, is offering “Santaland Diaries” this holiday season. See this very funny David Sedaris play Wednesday, Friday and Saturday, Dec. 17, 19 and 20, at 7:30 p.m., or Saturday, Dec. 20, at 2 p.m. $15 to $18. Reservations and information are available through (319) 688-2653.

Svate'ho Mlkula'se (Saint Nicholas Day) will be celebrated Saturday, Dec. 6, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., at the new National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library at Lindale Mall, 4444 First Ave. NE, Cedar Rapids. Included will be performances, sing-a-longs, craftmaking and appearances by Sv. Milkulas, Andel, a Cert (St. Nicholas, the Angel, and the Devil). Free. More information is available through (319) 362-8500.

The Fire and Ice Holiday Festival will take place Saturday, Dec. 6, beginning at 6 p.m. in downtown Cedar Rapids. The Holiday Delight Parade begins at 6 p.m., with fireworks to follow. Free. More information is available through (319) 398-0449.

Orchestra Iowa (also known as The Cedar Rapids Symphony Orchestra) has two high-profile events this holiday season. See the annual “Handel’s Messiah Singalong” Sunday, Dec. 7, at 7:30 p.m. at Immaculate Conception Church, 857 Third Ave. SE, Cedar Rapids; and see “Holiday Pops: Home for the Holidays” Saturday and Sunday, Dec. 13 and 14, at both 2:30 and 7:30 p.m. at Sinclair Auditorium, on the Coe College campus, 1220 First Ave. NE, Cedar Rapids; or Tuesday, Dec. 16, at 7:30 p.m. at West High School, 2901 Melrose Ave., Iowa City. Tickets range from $20 to $51. Reservations and information is available through (800) 369-TUNE.

Don’t miss “Lynne Rothrock’s Christmas Cabaret.” The diva will present her annual Christmas Cabaret at Campbell Steele Gallery, 1064 Seventh Ave., Marion, on Friday and Saturday, Dec. 19 and 20, at 8 p.m. $25. Reservations and information are available through (319) 373-9211.

Iowa's own Eastern Iowa Brass Band will present their annual Christmas concert on Saturday, Dec. 20, at 7:30 p.m. in the Mount Vernon District Auditorium, 525 Palisades Road, Mount Vernon. $10 adult, $4 student. Tickets are available at the door. More information is available through (319) 270-7662.

Fulfilling committee work. Another reason that I’m so glad I live here.

Joe Jennison is the Executive Director of the Iowa Cultural Corridor Alliance, a group of 100+ arts and culture organizations, whose mission is to build, strengthen and lead the local cultural industry and the communities it serves. More information on these and other arts and culture events in Eastern Iowa is located at www.culturalcorridor.org

This column first appeared in the Corridor Business Journal on Monday, November 24, 2008. Find out more about the Corridor Business Journal at www.corridorbiznews.com

By Joe Jennison

If you’ve flown into The Eastern Iowa Airport recently, you may have seen me or my staff talking with a tourist, or perhaps one of us waved at you as you rushed by the Corridor Concierge Desk on your way to Baggage Claim.

“Welcome to the Corridor!” I sometimes shout out. “We’re glad you’re here!”

I love this part of my job.

Oftentimes, when I greet a business traveler or a new resident with a welcome such as is described above, I am struck by the stranger’s absolute shock and awe at the mere fact that someone in an airport actually reached out to say hello.

Apparently this doesn’t happen in Chicago O’Hare or Washington Dulles.

Many visitors are even further surprised when they realize that this hearty welcome is backed by substantial answers to their questions:

“I have two hours in your town, what should I do?”

“Is there a museum here that caters specifically to children?”

“Where can I hear some bluegrass music?”

Or, “What’s a good place for dinner?”

Of course, the answers to all of these questions and more are available daily at The Eastern Iowa Airport, but even the individual staff members at the airport’s Welcome Center are not able to reach out to every new resident or visitor.

That’s where you come in. Do you know someone new to the community?

Why not make their day with a hearty greeting a la The Eastern Iowa Airport Corridor Concierge Desk?

“Welcome to the Corridor! We’re glad you’re here!”

November begins with the UI’s annual Dance Gala. “Dance Gala: Special Edition” showcases the best talent of 40-60 UI faculty and students. Due to the historic flooding, this year’s event will take place at Space Place Theatre, 101 North Hall, on the University of Iowa campus, Iowa City. See the show Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m. from Oct. 30 through Nov. 8. $20, with discounts for seniors, students and youth through (319) 335-3041 or 1-800-346-4401.

Rockwell Collins engineer Rod Blocksome will present “The Search for Amelia Earhart's Airplane,” a discussion about the eight-year quest into the story of Amelia Earhart by the research teams from Nauticos Corp and Rockwell Collins. Two survey trips were taken, in 2002 and 2006, to Howland Island in the South Pacific in search of Earhart's aircraft. See what they found on Thursday, Nov. 6, at 7 p.m. at the Marion Public Library, 1095 Sixth Ave., Marion. Free. More information is available through (319) 377-3412.

An all-star gathering of musicians performing in the Celtic and Irish traditions will fill The Englert Theatre, 221 E. Washington, Iowa City, with melancholy and joyous sounds on Thursday and Friday, Nov. 6 and 7, at 7:30 p.m. “An Irish Homecoming” includes champion dancers and former dance ensemble members of Riverdance and The Chieftains, the renowned Celtic band Cherish The Ladies, vocalists O’Connell and Reader, and the fiddle and guitar duo of Carroll and Doyle. This is going to be really cool. $15 to $42 through (800) HANCHER.

Set in the early 1900's, “Sarah Plain and Tall” brings to life the charming story of a Kansas farmer with two children, who places an ad in the newspapers seeking a wife. He receives a letter from a Sarah Wheaton of Maine who says she will visit the family for a month to see how things work out: "I will come by train. I will wear a yellow bonnet. I am plain and tall." The play is produced by the Iowa City Community Theatre and will take place Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m. from Nov. 7 through 16. $15 through (319) 338-0443.

The annual Harmony Hawks Gospel Concert is hosted by the Cedar Rapids Harmony Hawks Barbershop Chorus, and provides two hours of non-denominational gospel music selected and performed by local artists. A free will offering will be accepted to benefit the local Salvation Army. See the concert, Saturday, Nov. 8, at 3 and 7 p.m. at the New Covenant Bible Church, 1800 46^th St. NE, Cedar Rapids. Free. More information is available through (319) 573-3443.

Laugh along with classic slapstick comedy of the Silent Era on Saturday, Nov. 8, from 6:30 to 8 p.m., when the moving pictures come to Ushers Ferry, 5925 Seminole Valley Trail NE, Cedar Rapids. “Silent Movie Night at Ushers Ferry” includes several silent-era films, free popcorn and pop. $8, with discounts for children. More information is available through (319) 286-5763.

Paula West will appear in concert at the Campbell Steele Gallery, 1064 7^th Ave., Marion, on Friday and Saturday, Nov. 14 and 15, at 8 p.m., as part of the 'Cruz Steele Presents Brand New Favorites' concert series. The San Francisco-based, New York regular will bring her r ich, velvety contralto, excellent pitch and “insinuating sense of swing” to the gallery for two performances. $25 through (319) 373-9211.

AKAR, 257 E. Iowa Ave., Iowa City, closes out the year with a retrospective in honor of University of Iowa ceramics professor Bunny McBride. Featuring a combined 150 works of ceramic art by 30 potters who either influenced, or were students of McBride. Titled “30 (Potters) x5 (Pots),” will open on Friday, Nov. 14, at 10 a.m. Gallery hours are Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Sunday from noon to 4 p.m. Free. More information is available through (319) 351-1227.

“Megan Gogerty Loves You Very Much” is a semi-autobiographical tale from Iowa playwright Megan Gogerty, who offers an evening of timely political commentary, where she follows the nation’s progress from the 2004 election through this November. See the world premiere play Nov. 21 through 30 at the Riverside Theatre, 213 N. Gilbert St., Iowa City. $20 to $24 through (319) 338-7672.

The Little Sisters of Hoboken return with another musical. “Nuncrackers” takes place in real time in the basement of the convent as the Sisters tape their first TV special. Rum-filled fruitcakes, wayward batons, and stolen Christmas presents all add to the kookiness of the convent. This one sounds like a real hoot. See it at the Old Creamery Theatre Company, 39 38^th Ave., Amana, Wednesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays at 3 p.m.; and Fridays and Saturday at 7:30 p.m. from Nov. 21 to Dec. 20. $16.50 to $25.50 through (800) 35-AMANA.

Making others feel welcome. Another reason that I’m so glad I live here.

Joe Jennison is the Executive Director of the Iowa Cultural Corridor Alliance, a group of 100+ arts and culture organizations, whose mission is to build, strengthen and lead the local cultural industry and the communities it serves. More information on these and other arts and culture events in Eastern Iowa is located at www.culturalcorridor.org

This column first appeared in the Corridor Business Journal on Monday, October 27, 2008. Find out more about the Corridor Business Journal at www.corridorbiznews.com

A quick Google search later, I had my answer.

Barack Obama has a two-page position on the arts and culture posted on his website. On John McCain’s website: absolutely nothing on the arts and culture. Obama talks of the need to reinvest in arts education, and that while math and science skills are important for our children to compete in the new global context, we should also encourage the ability to think creatively — which can come from a meaningful arts education. Obama supports the creation of an “Artists Corps” of young artists trained to work in low-income schools and their communities. He supports increased funding for the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA).

Through his proposed health-care plan, he aims to make health care coverage affordable for artists. He also supports the Artist-Museum Partnership Act, which would amend the Internal Revenue Code to allow artists to deduct the fair market value of their work, rather than just the costs of the materials, when they make charitable contributions.

As for McCain, my search led me to blogger CultureGrrl, a.k.a. Lee Rosenbaum, a veteran cultural journalist. She claims to have “scoured the web” trying to find McCain’s “cultural stance.” “On this,” she says, “the celebrated POW appears to be MIA.” Rosenbaum even searched the Republican Party platform using the keywords “arts” — which brought up the word “counterparts” — and “culture” — which brought up “military culture,” “culture of radical terror,” “shared culture and values,” “entrenched culture of official Washington,” “entrepreneurial culture,” and “agriculture.” And none of those are the kind of culture she was searching for.

And just a few important points about McCain’s arts-related voting record: in 1999, he voted against tabling the Smith/Ashcroft Amendment — the one that, if passed, would have completely eliminated funding for the NEA. In 2000, McCain supported cutting $7.3 million from the proposed budget for the NEA.

And that, I think, is enough said.

Cathy Wilkie is Editor of Art Scene, a monthly statewide magazine devoted to the arts and culture in Iowa. See www.artsceneiowa.com to view issues online.

By Joe Jennison

Advocates for the arts have a chance to vote smart on Nov. 4, when candidates for all 435 seats in the U.S. House of Representatives and one-third of the Senate will be up for re-election. This election season provides a watershed moment for all of us who support the arts to send Congress a clear message that the arts matter.

This year the arts have offered this state and its residents comfort and hope and inspiration in the face of overwhelming obstacles. But the arts also play an important role in the recruitment and retention of professional workers, bring money to the state in the form of cultural tourism dollars and build this state’s quality of life. It is arts and culture programming in your city or town that makes Iowa a great place to live, work and visit.

If you’re reading this message, you already believe in the arts, otherwise you would be reading another publication or Web site. You also already know that the arts fuel creativity and innovation, play an important role in the education of Iowa’s children, enrich our lives and strengthen our communities.

Despite the good news that is arts and culture, our Congress regularly underfunds the arts. The Americans for the Arts Action Fund PAC has produced a Congressional Arts Report Card as a guide to help you and I make arts-informed decisions this November. The guide contains carefully evaluated legislative benchmarks that form a detailed arts record, including a numerical score and letter grade, for each Member of the House. The entire report is available at www.artsactionfund.org/stay_informed/special_reports/

The votes that the Americans for the Arts Action Fund PAC deemed important include, among other things, amendments offered to eliminate or reduce funding for the NEA, arts education and the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. According to the PAC, the Senate took no up-or-down votes on funding for arts education or the NEA from 2006 to 2008, and the Senate hasn’t held a vote directly related to the arts since 2000. The U.S. Senate does have a Senate Cultural Caucus chaired by Senators Edward Kennedy (D-MA), Michael Enzi (R-WY) and Norm Coleman (R-MN). The Cultural Caucus has 34 members with no Senators from Iowa, however, it should be mentioned that Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA) is leading efforts to restore annual support for arts education.

What follows are report cards from the 2008 Congressional Report Card put together by the Americans for the Arts Action Fund PAC. Cut this out and send it to your Congressman and let him know that Iowa’s cultural community is indeed paying attention. Now, more than ever, our government needs to step up its support for arts and culture.

Congressman Score Grade

Leonard Boswell 90 A

Bruce Braley 40 C

Steven King 0 F

Tom Latham 40 C

David Loebsack 88 A

Joe Jennison is the Executive Director of the Iowa Cultural Corridor Alliance (ICCA), a group of 100+ arts and culture organizations in the 11-county area around Cedar Rapids/Iowa City. He is also a board member with the Iowa Cultural Coalition (ICC), a statewide arts advocacy organization based in Des Moines. More information on ICCA is available at www.culturalcorridor.org. More information on the ICC is available at www.iowaculturalcoalition.org. Contact him direct with story ideas or to comment on the column at joe@culturalcorridor.org.

This column originally appeared in the October issue of ArtScene, a Midwest publication dedicated to arts and culture. Find out more about ArtScene through www.artsceneiowa.com

By Joe Jennison

I got a call from Fort Dodge artist Regina Smith a few days after the waters receded. She knew that I live and work in Cedar Rapids, and simply wanted to find out what she could do to help.

At the time, several organizational members of the Iowa Cultural Corridor Alliance (ICCA) were submitting requests via www.culturalcorridor.org, and one organizational member was asking for some random office supplies as everything at this particular organization was lost in the Flood. I submitted a small list of requested items to Regina via email, fully expecting Regina to send one standard shipping box filled with items off to us.

One week later, a Decker Truck filled with thousands of items earmarked for the organizational members of ICCA arrived in Cedar Rapids from Regina and her friends and neighbors in Fort Dodge.

Of course, this is just one example of Iowa’s arts and culture community reaching out to ease the suffering of its cultural colleagues. The Grant Wood Memorial Chapel, for instance, now houses both Theatre Cedar Rapids and the Cedar Rapids Symphony. The Iowa Masonic Library and Museums is currently hosting the staff and offices of the African American Historical Museum. This past month, I saw Theatre Cedar Rapids “Gypsy” performed at McKinley Junior High, and later this month I will enjoy the Cedar Rapids Symphony’s opening concert on the lawn of Brucemore.

Needless to say, I have a great respect for the people of Fort Dodge, and because of the actions of this one dedicated artist, the suffering of many arts groups in the Cedar Rapids area have been eased.

I met Regina through my association with the Iowa Cultural Coalition (ICC), Iowa’s only statewide arts advocacy group. And in fact, I have met dozens of arts professionals across the state through this organization, and through this organization, many are working together to make Iowa a better place for all of us who work and volunteer in the arts.

I am inspired and empowered every day by the relationships I have developed through the ICC, and know that without a strong foundation built one relationship at a time across the state, this difficult time in our state’s cultural history would be so much harder to navigate.

Find out how you can get involved with other like-minded cultural colleagues though www.iowaculturalcoalition.org. Iowa’s cultural community needs to work closely together to see to it that all of its artists and organizations come back healthy and whole.

God Bless Iowa’s cultural community.

Joe Jennison is the Executive Director of the Iowa Cultural Corridor Alliance (ICCA), a group of 100+ arts and culture organizations in the 11-county area around Cedar Rapids/Iowa City. He is also a board member with the Iowa Cultural Coalition (ICC), a statewide arts advocacy organization based in Des Moines. More information on ICCA is available at www.culturalcorridor.org. More information on the ICC is available at www.iowaculturalcoalition.org. Contact him direct with story ideas about collaboration or to comment on the column at joe@culturalcorridor.org.

This column originally appeared in the September 2008 issue of ArtScene, a Midwest publication dedicated to arts and culture. Find out more about ArtScene through www.artsceneiowa.com

By Joe Jennison

I had my breakdown last Thursday.

It was Sept. 11, at about 7:15 p.m., and I was standing in the lobby of the Cedar Rapids Museum of Art. I had just come from the extremely moving exhibit “The Year of the River: Flood Photography from the Gazette” and I finally seemed to reach that point when I could no longer hold it in. You know, that point when three months of being brave and resilient and positive gave way to anguish and distress and anger – and relief.

The exhibit contains 83 images from Gazette photographers covering the historic Floods of 2008, and includes photos from both sides of the Cultural Corridor. Here, we again see the rivers rise, the sandbagging efforts begin and the waters then quickly overtake our cities and our buildings and our beloved nonprofit organizations. Through this exhibit, we also see the aftermath, the devastation and the hard work of rebuilding by so many that still goes on today.

But this time, unlike the first time I experienced the Floods of 2008, I stood and watched the familiar dread and fear and loss and pain overtake my community from inside an art museum, a place of peace and order and calm. And this time I could step out and away from the exhibit and leave the tragedy whenever I chose.

This time, I felt a sense of control.

At first I resisted even attending this exhibit. I felt as if I wasn’t ready yet to relive the tragedy. But afterward, I was so glad I went and experienced it and had my much-needed breakdown. In the context of an art museum that regularly showcases pieces of art from all periods of history, I allowed myself the opportunity to move forward.

That is the power of art.

The century-old Festhalle Barn, 622 46^th Ave., Amana, provides the perfect setting for Oktoberfest, a nonstop Amana-wide party that includes entertainment, dance and German-style foods and beverages. Autumn-themed events include a parade, street-side vendors, entertainment and craft demonstrations at local shops. See it Friday and Saturday, Oct. 3 and 4, from 10 a.m. to 11 p.m.; and Sunday, Oct. 5, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Home Brew Competition Saturday. Most events free. More information is available through (319) 622-7622.

Pieta Brown will appear in concert at the Campbell Steele Gallery, 1064 Seventh Ave., Marion, Saturday, Oct. 4, at 8 p.m. as part of the “Cruz Steele Presents Brand New Favorites.”' This will be the first concert in a series of four concerts at the gallery this fall and winter that also will include headliners Erin Bode, Paula West and Prudence Johnson. $25 per concert. More information is available through (319) 373-9211.

The Cedar Rapids Environmental Film Festival offers feature length and short movies on environmental topics for the Cedar Rapid public during the month of October. The festival uses the power of films to educate, inspire and motivate its audiences to act on environmental issues. See the films at several locations throughout the month including Indian Creek Nature and the Cedar Rapids Museum of Art. All movies, locations and times are listed at www.prairiewoods.org. More information is available through Prairiewoods at (319) 395-6700.

The Cedar Rapids Museum of Art, 410 Third Ave. SE, Cedar Rapids, will be one of several galleries participating in the self-guided Metro Gallery Tour on Friday, Oct. 3, from 4:30 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. Each gallery on the tour will showcase the latest artwork by regional and national artists. Free. More information is available through (319) 366-7503.

The Anamosa Area Chamber of Commerce will host the 20th Annual Pumpkinfest again this year on Saturday, Oct. 4, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Pumpkin growers from all over the Midwest and as far away as Colorado and Michigan compete for $6,750 in prizes. $2 badge to enter. More information is available at (319) 462-4879.

Music Mondays , opens its 11th season with a performance by guitarist Stephen Marchionda in King Chapel, the centerpiece of the historic Cornell College campus, on Monday, Oct. 6, beginning at 7:30 p.m. $10 ($5 for students) at the door. More information is available through (319) 895-4231.

From her recurring role on “ Seinfeld” and starring role on “ Suddenly Susan” to her HBO specials and Emmy-nominated Bravo series “ My Life on the D-List ,” Kathy Griffin has cemented her position as one of the sharpest-tongued comics around. See her show Saturday, Oct. 4, at 7:30 p.m. $32 to $50 through (800) HANCHER.

Featuring scenes and songs that poke fun at both political parties and a variety of pundits – “Second City: Deface the Nation” proves that there’s no shortage of comedy coming out of Washington DC in this or any year. See the show Thursday through Sunday, Oct. 9 through 12, at 8 p.m. $12 through $24 through (319) 688-2653.

The Emmy Award-winning 1970s Saturday morning cartoon series “School House Rock” is brought to the stage in a collaboration between the Englert, City Circle Acting Company of Coralville and the Iowa Children’s Museum. See the live stage show Friday, Oct. 17, at 7:30 p.m., Saturday, Oct. 18, at 2 and 7:30 p.m., or Sunday, Oct. 19, at 2 p.m. $10 to $20 through (319) 688-2653.

Check out Judy Collins at the Marriott Hotel and Conference Center, 300 E. 9^th St., Coralville. Collin’s songlist includes classics such as "Both Sides Now," "Send in the Clowns," and "Chelsea Morning," among many, many others. See her show Friday, Oct. 17, at 7:30 p.m. $55 through (800) HANCHER.

Ushers Ferry Parlour Theatre presents “Morbid Curiosities: An Evening of Gothic Horror” Saturday, Oct. 18, from 7 to 9 p.m. at the Brucemore mansion, 2160 Linden Drive SE, Cedar Rapids. Step out of the light and comfort of the 21st century and into the deep darkness of the 19th century gothic horror with master storyteller Darrin Crow. $12 through (319) 286-5763.

Art that heals. Another reason that I’m so glad I live here.

Joe Jennison is the Executive Director of the Iowa Cultural Corridor Alliance, a group of 100+ arts and culture organizations, whose mission is to build, strengthen and lead the local cultural industry and the communities it serves. More information on these and other arts and culture events in Eastern Iowa is located at www.culturalcorridor.org

This column first appeared in the Corridor Business Journal on Monday, September 22, 2008. Find out more about the Corridor Business Journal at www.corridorbiznews.com

By Joe Jennison

According to a recent study completed by the Linn County Nonprofit Resource Center, preliminary estimates indicate that Linn County nonprofit organizations received $35,750,552 in flood-related damages. This doesn’t begin to account for the financial loss many of the Flood-affected and non-affected nonprofit organizations are feeling as a result of a projected loss of funding, box office receipts and diminished audiences.

As we continue discussions about the rebuilding of the Corridor, let’s remember also to preserve our Quality of Life. The trails we enjoy, the museums, performing spaces and the historical sites that we gather in, and the Corridor-area festivals, art, music and dance programs have all helped to establish this area as THE PLACE to go for arts and culture in Iowa. Most of these programs are produced by organizations that count on support dollars to keep going even in the best of times. Without these organizations, the Corridor cannot compete for skilled workers, new residents and visitor dollars.

In a community dealing with flood damages in the hundreds of millions of dollars, it is understandable that certain services, industries or organizations would be considered non-essential by some. But if we want to continue to welcome new workers to our area and visitors from other parts of the country and world, then we need to continue to offer a Quality of Life that helps to attract and retain new residents.

If we don’t also rebuild a strong nonprofit community, we will not rebuild a place that others will want to live and visit.

Remember, Quality of Life is not free.

The Abend Gallery Tour, throughout the seven villages of the Amana Colonies, offers everyone a chance to explore the working studios of several Amana artisans and crafters as they open their galleries, workshops and studios for this self-guided, evening tour. The tour takes place Friday, Sept. 5, from 4 to 8 p.m. at several locations throughout the colonies. Find a complete map posted at www.timeandtides.com/gallerytour.htm. More information is available through (319) 622-7622.

Balloon Glow is a signature summer event that usually takes place every June during the Cedar Rapids Freedom Festival. Because of the summer flooding, the event has been postponed and will take place Friday, Sept. 5, from 7 to 10 p.m. on the grounds of Brucemore National Trust Historic Site, 2160 Linden Drive SE, Cedar Rapids. A Freedom Festival event, admission is free to all Freedom Festival button-wearers. More information is available through (319) 362-7375.

“Spontaneous Dance: The Raku Sculpture and Pottery of Barbara Harnack & Michael Lancaster,” is the featured exhibit at Iowa Artisans Gallery, 207 E. Washington, Iowa City, from August 29 to Sept. 28, 2008. This nationally known artist couple was recently featured in the June 2008 edition of Ceramics Monthly magazine. Barbara Harnack and Michael Lancaster began working together in ceramics in 1978. Regular hours are Monday through Friday 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.; Saturday 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.; and Sunday noon to 4 p.m. More information is available through (319) 351-8686.

“The King and I” is the Iowa City Community Theatre’s take on the Rodgers and Hammerstein classic. It is 1862 in Siam when an English widow, Anna Leonowens, and her young son arrive at the Royal Palace in Bangkok, having been summoned by the King to serve as tutor to his many children and wives. The King is largely considered to be a barbarian by those in the West, and he seeks Anna's assistance in changing his image, if not his ways. See the musical Friday, Sept. 12, at 7:30 p.m., Saturday, Sept. 13, at 2 and 7:30 p. m.; or Sunday, Sept. 14, at 2 p.m. at the Englert Theatre, 221 E. Washington St., Iowa City. $15, with discounts for students and seniors through (319) 688-2653.

World Lunch is a monthly summer festival that takes place the second Saturday of the month. This has been a wonderful way to experience the food and culture of other countries and Saturday, Sept. 13, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in Marion Square Park, Marion, marks the last such event of the year. Expect multi-cultural food vendors, international music and dance, cooking and art demonstrations. Free. More information is available through (319) 377-6316.

The Cedar Rapids Symphony welcomes Katherine Goeldner, Karla Goettel, Nathan Granner and Jeff Fields, all with their own unique ties to the state of Iowa. Back from her triumphant performances in Europe and the Met in New York, Goeldner returns to perform Mahler's enchanting song cycle “Songs of a Wayfarer.” The evening is capped with Beethoven's Ninth Symphony – “The Ode to Joy.” See the concert on the lawn of Brucemore, 2160 Linden Drive SE, Cedar Rapids, Saturday, Sept. 20, at 7:30 p.m. Ticket information is available through (319) 365-8221.

The 10^th Annual Honey Fest will take place Sunday, Sept. 21, from 1 to 4 p.m. at the Indian Creek Nature Center, 6665 Otis Road SE, Cedar Rapids. Discover the fascinating world of bees and honey through crafts, games, music, food, and more at this annual festival. $2. More information is available through (319) 362-0664.

The Kalona Fall Festival will take place this year on Friday and Saturday, Sept. 26 and 27, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Kalona Historical Village, 715 D. Ave., Kalona. The festival always includes live demonstrations, homemade food, hand crafted arts and crafts, kids activities, and live music. $5, $2 for children. More information is available through (319) 656-2519.

Railroad Earth will be performing Wednesday, Sept. 17, at 8 p.m.; and The Robert Cray Band will be performing Wednesday, Sept. 24, at the Englert Theatre, 221 E. Washington St., Iowa City. Tickets to Railroad Earth are $23; tickets to Robert Cray Band are $50 through (319) 688-2653.

The 9^th Annual Kirkwood Blues Concert featuring guest artist McMurrin and Johnson Band, CR Jazz Big Band, KCC Jazz Ensemble and Combos will take place Saturday, Sept. 27, at 7:30 p.m. at Ballantyne Auditorium, on the Kirkwood Community College campus, 6301 Kirkwood Blvd. SE, Cedar Rapids. $8 through (319) 398-4956.

A great Quality of Life -- another reason why I’m so glad I live here.

Joe Jennison is the Executive Director of the Iowa Cultural Corridor Alliance, a group of 100+ arts and culture organizations including Access Iowa, whose mission is to build, strengthen and lead the local cultural industry and the communities it serves. More information on these and other arts and culture events in Eastern Iowa is located at www.culturalcorridor.org

This column first appeared in the Corridor Business Journal on Monday, August 25, 2008. Find out more about the Corridor Business Journal at www.corridorbiznews.com

By Joe Jennison

Just two weeks after the Floods, I was invited to be part of a meeting coordinated through the Linn County Nonprofit Resource Center. At this meeting, there were representatives from 41 Linn County nonprofit organizations, some of whom were meeting together for the first time.

This was the first in a series of meetings meant to assess needs, inform legislators, record testimonies and raise awareness across the Corridor for the area’s many nonprofit organizations affected by the Floods. This was followed by an advocacy meeting attended by nearly 100 nonprofit staff and volunteers, and, just two weeks later, by a less-attended-but-equally-compelling meeting led by former Gov. Tom Vilsack. At this meeting, Mr. Vilsack outlined a common agenda for nonprofits, a roadmap to create a functioning statewide association or council of nonprofit organizations.

According to Mr. Vilsack:

-- Nonprofits employ nine percent of all of Iowa’s workforce – making it the fifth largest employee group in Iowa

-- Nonprofits contribute $8.3 billion annually into the Iowa economy

-- Nonprofits receive help from Iowans each year in the form of 99 million volunteer hours

Through this proposed association, Mr. Vilsack is hoping to set up a health insurance pool, to educate and train nonprofit workers and to create a funding mechanism for capital and technology needs across the sector.

As we continue to calculate the financial bad news that is the Floods of 2008, let’s not forget to also calculate the good news: dozens of nonprofit organizations working together across sectors, many for the first time, to create a single, powerful message. I am thrilled to be a part of a statewide initiative that brings groups together. And I know from experience that when nonprofits work together, good news continues to follow.

Sometimes it takes a Flood.

The Hardacre Film & Cinema Festival, 520 Cedar St., Tipton, brings a diverse selection of cutting-edge independent motion pictures to Eastern Iowa audiences every August. The 2007 festival offered 30 films (8 features, 22 shorts) from around the world for this two-day festival that focuses on cinema as art, and the filmmakers as artists. See it Friday, August 1, or Saturday, August 2, from 6 to 11:45 p.m. $7, or $15 for a all-festival pass. More information is available through (563) 886-6350.

Hooverfest is the Herbert Hoover National Historic Site’s, 110 Parkside Drive, West Branch, annual festival celebrating the birthday of Iowa's only president with music, crafts, food, and activities at the Herbert Hoover National Historic Site and in downtown West Branch, the hometown of our nation’s 31st president. Events begin at 10 a.m. on Saturday, August 2. Admission is free to all events. More information is available through (319) 643-2541.

Bluesmore’s 15^th Anniversary is scheduled to take place Saturday, August 2, from 4 to 9:30 p.m. on the front lawn of Brucemore, 2160 Linden Drive SE, Cedar Rapids. The annual blues concert features local and national blues artists and numerous food vendors. The year’s festival includes national blues artists Matt Woods and the Thunderbolts, Nick Moss and the Flip Tops and Bernard Allison. Remember, there is no coolers or outside food. No on-site parking. $13 to $15 through (319) 362-7375.

Downtown Getdown takes place every Thursday night in August from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. in Marion’s City Square Park. The annual music festival includes live music for all ages and catered food. Start picnicking at 6 p.m. and enjoy music from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. Schedule includes Dogs On Skis (August 7); The Trux (August 14); Cedar Island Band (August 21) Swing Crew (August 28). Free. More information is available through (319) 377-6316.

Music in the Park takes place Thursdays this summer from 6:30 to 8 p.m. in Coralville’s ST Morrison Park. This month see Holiday Road (August 7) and Kevin BF Burt and the Instigators (August 14). Free. More information is available through (319) 248-1750.

Jazz Under the Stars will also take place every Thursday night in August at Noelridge Park in Cedar Rapids. The 2008 Jazz Under the Stars line-up includes Kevin BF Burt and the Instigators (August 7); The Gabe Medd Group (August 14); Chris Merz and the X-Tet (August 21); and The Diplomats of Solid Sound (August 28). Concerts begin at 7 p.m. Free. More information is available through (319) 398-5446.

Cabaret in the Courtyard is a Brucemore, 2160 Linden Drive SE, Cedar Rapids, cabaret series that brings national performers with a local connection to perform live in the courtyard of the Visitor’s Center. This year, see “Honky Tonk Highway” by Rob Nassif Thursday, Friday and Saturday, August 7, 8 and 9, at 8 p.m.; and Jane Pini live Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, August 14, 15 and 16, at 8 p.m. $15 to $20 through (319) 362-7375.

Nonprofits working together -- another reason why I’m so glad I live here.

Joe Jennison is the Executive Director of the Iowa Cultural Corridor Alliance, a group of 100+ arts and culture organizations including Access Iowa, whose mission is to build, strengthen and lead the local cultural industry and the communities it serves. More information on these and other arts and culture events in Eastern Iowa is located at www.culturalcorridor.org

This column first appeared in the Corridor Business Journal on Monday, July 28, 2008. Find out more about the Corridor Business Journal at www.corridorbiznews.com

By Julie Mitchell Events Coordinator of the African American Museum of Iowa

With all the fun and festivals brightening up the summer on the Corridor this year, you’ll want to put aside some time for the 140-year-old celebration of Juneteenth.

On June 19^th 1865, slaves in Galveston, Texas, were the first to learn two months after the end of the Civil War that they were free. We cordially invite you to celebrate this glorious event in African American history by joining hands with people of all races, nationalities, and religions on June 20^th and 21^st, for the appreciation, and recognition, of the oldest holiday commemorating the end of slavery in the United States.

With a program that offers something for everyone, the African American Historical Museum and Cultural Center of Iowa invites you to share the “Jubilee” of our Juneteenth Celebration beginning with “A Taste of Freedom Dinner” which acknowledges the American Spirit our African American Military Veterans of Iowa have displayed from the Civil War through the present conflict in Iraq.

The dinner will be held on June 20, at 5 p.m. featuring our keynote speaker Dr. James Bowman a World War II Tuskegee Airman from Des Moines, Iowa. A social gathering will follow the dinner. On June 21^st Jubilee Day we will have an exciting line up of events scheduled all day from the Kuumba Main stage, the happening place for music, dance, and drama; with local and visiting talent performing throughout the day. You’ll want to tour Nia Exhibition Hall which hosts the various indoor exhibits and demonstrations including Iowa Roots. Global Impact: The Life & Legacy of George Washington Carver. Stop and shop the Jubilee Market Place as various merchandise vendors offer their specialty gifts and treasures for sale. And of course come hungry and try the Taste of Soul Food Court with various taste treats sure to please the palate!

For more information please check out the website at www.blackiowa.org or e-mail Ed Young at the African American Museum of Iowa at edyoung@blackiowa.org (319) 862-2101 ex 16.

Julie K. Mitchell is the Events Coordinator at the African American Museum of Iowa. You may reach her at events@blackiowa.org. Or call (319) 862-2101 ex. 24. “A Taste of Freedom Dinner” is $10.00 per person and is sponsored by St. Luke’s Hospital. Click on the Juneteenth Celebration heading on the website www.blackiowa.org for more information on the scheduling for the Jubilee Day on June 21^st. Our sponsors include St. Luke’s Hospital, . Jubilee Day is free to the public. All events will take place at the African American Museum of Iowa at 55 12^th Ave. SE, Cedar Rapids, Iowa 52401

By Joe Jennison

Yes, we do have tourists in the Corridor.

And I know that because I talk to them every day from the Corridor Concierge Desk at The Eastern Iowa Airport. Just last week, while off duty and out of uniform, I was approached by small group of tourists who were driving down Second Avenue near the Cedar Rapids Museum of Art. The driver rolled down her window and asked me this:

“Do you know anything about art?”

I kid you not.

Seems this group had heard about some Grant Wood history in a town near Cedar Rapids, and were wondering how to get there. I was floored. Here she and her group was in front of The Cedar Rapids Museum of Art, and she was asking me for directions to another town in another area for some Grant Wood history.

“I’m happy to give you directions there,” I said. “But, did you realize that you are literally steps away from the largest collection of Grant Wood art and craftwork in the world? Did you realize that you are just four city blocks from 5 Turner Alley, Grant Wood’s home and studio from 1924 to 1935? And did you know that Grant Wood’s largest single piece of artwork, Veterans Memorial Window, is just down the street at Cedar Rapids City Hall? You are basically at Grant Wood Ground Zero, lady, and if you park your car right now, you are within walking distance of 10 really great Corridor-area museums, several of which have Grant Wood history and/or paintings on display.”

She took a deep breath and said only this: “Boy, did I luck out running into you!”

The entire Corridor is about to welcome thousands of people for summer festival season. And, with gas prices where they are, I imagine that this summer there will be record numbers of tourists coming here from within Iowa looking for cultural attractions, festivals, galleries, live music, restaurants and shopping centers… If you and your family aren’t aware of all that the Corridor has to offer, you need to take a few minutes TODAY to hone your tourism skills.

I hear often from business travelers and tourists how glad they are that The Eastern Iowa Airport offers a Corridor Concierge service. And, more than anything else, I hear from these people that they don’t want to trust a book or a guide when they travel. It’s my experience that cultural tourists want to eat, shop, play where the locals do. Remember that as you are traveling around the Corridor this summer -- that the next group of tourists may very well stop you, and not me, on Second Avenue and ask for help. Practice now by giving directions to your family and friends and learn what about the Corridor is special. And if you don’t know – God forbid – stop into The Eastern Iowa Airport Corridor Concierge Desk or log onto culturalcorridor.org and find out!

What if this woman had stopped you?

Cedar Rapids Downtown Farmers’ Market

Downtown Cedar Rapids is always a great time, but on Farmer’s Market day, it is really special. Check this out June 7, June 21, July 5, August 2, August 16, Sept. 6 and Oct. 4, from 7:30 a.m. to noon. This year, the market will be extending onto Mays Island and will include more than 150 vendors. Free. More information is available through (319) 398-0449.

Music in the Park in Coralville

Spend Thursday night this summer in S.T. Morrison Park, 1506 8th Street, Coralville for Music in the Park. The Coralville Parks and Recreation Department hosts this event that takes place beginning at 6:30 p.m. every Thursday evening. Show up, bring your own lawnchair and picnic, or buy dinner at the park from local food vendors. Free. More information is available through (319) 248 -1750. Here is the June schedule:

June 5 – Morning After

June 12 – Iowa City Community Band

June 19 – The Gilded Bats

June 26 – American Pie

World Premiere Red Cedar Chamber Concert in Marion

This concert by flutist Jan Boland and guitarist John Dowdall of the Red Cedar Chamber will take place Saturday, June 7, at Marion City Hall, 1225 6^th Ave., Marion. This concert will include the premiere of "Fireflies: A Folk Set for Flute and Guitar," a new work by Red Cedar's composer-in-residence Andrew Earle Simpson. Each of the six movements is inspired by a different aspect of American folk music. Free. More information through (319) 377-8028.

Riverside Theatre Shakespeare Festival

If you are a Shakespeare fan or even if you’re just Shakespeare curious, you’ll want to check out Iowa’s only summer outdoor Shakespeare festival. Taking place at the Riverside Theatre Festival Stage, Lower City Park, Iowa City, this year’s festival will include two plays done in repertory. See either “The Comedy of Errors” or “The Winter’s Tale” at any one of several performances from June 13 to July 13. Plays will take place beginning at 7 p.m. on Tuesdays and Sundays, and at 8 p.m. Wednesdays through Saturdays. Tickets range from $25 to $37 through (319) 338-7672.

Grand Celebration of Brass Bands at Ushers Ferry

Made up of amateur musicians, the Eastern Iowa Brass Band is dedicated to the performance of brass band literature in the style and tradition of the British brass bands which date back to the early nineteenth century and still flourish today. The Grand Celebration of Brass Bands is billed as “the only Brass Band Festival” west of the Mississippi. See if for yourself, Saturday, June 14, from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. at Ushers Ferry Historic Village, 5925 Seminole Valley Tr. NE, Cedar Rapids. $8 through (319) 286-5763.

“Aida” and “The Gondoliers” from the Cedar Rapids Opera Theatre

June is the month to experience The Cedar Rapids Opera Theatre. The group plans to produce “Aida” at Theatre Cedar Rapids, 102 Third St. SE, Cedar Rapids, complete with performance of a Fire Poi dance. I’m told it’s quite a dazzling site with all the dancing and tossing about of fire . See it for yourself Friday, June 20, at 8 p.m. or Sunday, June 22, at 2 p.m. Tickets range from $25 to $50 through (319) 366-8591. Also, this month, the Cedar Rapids Opera Theatre will present Gilbert and Sullivan’s “The Gondoliers” Friday, Saturday and Sunday, June 27 through 29 at 8 p.m. outdoors on the Brucemore Lawn, 2160 Linden Drive SE, Cedar Rapids. Tickets to that show are $18 through (319) 362-7375.

Fairy Tale Festival and Wild West Weekend

Two other festivals this month taking place at Ushers Ferry Historic Village, 5925 Seminole Valley Trail NE, Cedar Rapids, include the Fairy Tale Festival on Sunday, June 22, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.; and the Wild West Weekend taking place Saturday and Sunday, June 28 and 29, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission to each festival ranges in price from $3 to $8 through (319) 286-5763.

Nature Rocks at Indian Creek Nature Center

“Nature Rocks," a collaboration between the SPT Theatre Company and the Indian Creek Nature Center, takes place on Sunday, June 22, from 7 to 10 p.m. at the Indian Creek Nature Center, 6665 Otis Road SE, Cedar Rapids. The evening will feature musical performances by SPT performing artists Doug Elliott, Jane Pini, Janelle Lauer, and Gerard Estella. Also performing will be musicians Greg Kanz, Dave Ollinger, Ron DeWitte, and folksinger Dave Moore. Tickets are $25 through (319) 362-0664.

BBQ Roundup in downtown Cedar Rapids

The 21st Annual Cedar Rapids BBQ Roundup will take place this year at the Park and Ride/Lot 44 at the corner of 8th Ave SE and 2nd St SE in downtown Cedar Rapids. This event includes a BBQ competition between eight national vendors. Be part of the event Thursday through Sunday, June 26 through 29, beginning at 11 a.m. each day. $3, free for children. More information is available through (319) 398-5211.

Sharing our cultural attractions with tourists – another reason why I’m so glad I live here.

Joe Jennison is the Executive Director of the Iowa Cultural Corridor Alliance, a group of 100+ arts and culture organizations including Access Iowa, whose mission is to build, strengthen and lead the local cultural industry and the communities it serves. More information on these and other arts and culture events in Eastern Iowa is located at www.culturalcorridor.org

This column first appeared in the Corridor Business Journal on Monday, May 27, 2008. Find out more about the Corridor Business Journal at www.corridorbiznews.com

By Joe Jennison

I recently returned from a trip to Washington DC as part of National Arts Advocacy Day. The three-day event, sponsored by Americans for the Arts, included 500 arts activists. And, as one of 50 state arts advocacy captains from around the country, I was asked to attend a day-long advocacy conference.

At lunch time on the conference’s first day, the 50 captains were asked to parade into a large banquet room, each carrying a sign identifying their state. One by one, we were asked to walk across a stage holding our sign. When each individual captain walked across the stage, a cheer would go up from around the room, signaling to the captain where his or her delegations were seated in the lunch room. Imagine my embarrassment when Iowa was asked to walk across the stage (me) and no one, not one person, cheered. Every other state had an entire delegation at this conference – New York had a delegation of 83 -- but on this particular day, there was just one person from Iowa, me.

Not to say that I didn’t get a lot out of the experience. I met arts activists from all over the country and on Monday night, I attended a networking party and lecture at the Kennedy Center. Before the main lecture, several of us explored this beautiful facility. The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts overlooks the Potomac River and is billed as “America’s living memorial to President Kennedy.” Now in its 36^th season, the Kennedy Center boasts seven performance spaces and a gorgeous wrap-around balcony with stunning views of the Washington DC area.

In the center of the main lobby is an eight-foot high bronze bust of President Kennedy, created by sculptor Robert Berks. Picture me, one of hundreds of arts activists from around the country standing together in this beautiful performance arts space. As I looked up into this gorgeous piece of artwork, I noticed a John F. Kennedy quote just to the right of the sculpture that seemed to say it all: “The life of the arts, far from being an interruption, a distraction, in the life of a nation, is very close to the center of a nation’s purpose – and is a test of the quality of a nation’s civilization.”

Yes, we may be light years behind New York or California, but if we all continue to work together, I still believe that Iowa can become THE place to go in the Midwest for arts and culture. And if you and your favorite arts organization are not a member of the Iowa Cultural Coalition, Iowa’s statewide arts advocacy organization, I would recommend that you consider joining today.

If not us, who?

Joe Jennison is the Executive Director of the Iowa Cultural Corridor Alliance (ICCA), a group of 100+ arts and culture organizations in the 11-county area around Cedar Rapids/Iowa City. He is also a board member with the Iowa Cultural Coalition (ICC), a statewide arts advocacy organization based in Des Moines. More information on ICCA is available at www.culturalcorridor.org. More information on the ICC is available at www.iowaculturalcoalition.org. Contact him direct with story ideas about collaboration or to comment on the column at joe@culturalcorridor.org.

This article first appeared in the March edition of ArtScene, Iowa's only publication dedicated to the arts and culture. Find out more about ArtScene at www.artsceneiowa.com

By Craig Wilson

Lately, we have been inundated with a barrage of reports of the souring economy, the escalating price of gas, budget cuts, waning foreign and domestic relations, the upcoming elections, the price of eggs or milk or bread or a cup of coffee …blah, blah, blah.

Enough already. Have you noticed that the daffodils and crocus have finally garnered the courage to emerge from the hard winter that we all endured, amidst record snowfalls, ice storms, fallen branches and flooded basements? Have you noticed that the neighborhood children are also emerging with ball gloves, soccer balls, and giggles?

It’s nearly impossible to describe this time of year without sounding like a cheap greeting card filled with cliché’s—but it’s all true. The birds are chirping, the trees are budding, and neighbors are seeing each other for the first time in nearly five months. We made it. Just like those flowers that lay dormant though much of year, it is our turn to emerge.

I was hired as the Parks and Recreation Director nearly three years ago for the City of Mount Vernon. My duties include oversight of many sports programs. Like so many towns throughout Iowa, for many people a town’s identity is based upon athletic programs. So often, we see banners or signs, welcoming guests to our towns, while boasting of six conference football titles, three district volleyball tiles, two state cross country victories, and a partridge in a pear tree.

But if one looks a bit closer, we see that our communities are rallying behind events that also give us an identity. It may be an Italian heritage festival, or Maifest, or a celebration of corn or morels, but they all exude an identity for the community. One of the conditions of my employment with Mount Vernon was to expand and develop enrichments in our community. I’m not so sure those that interviewed me, nor I for that matter, had any idea what lay ahead.

Mount Vernon is fortunate to have a thriving arts community. There are countless artists, painters, sculptors, photographers, storytellers, strong community theaters, and numerous musicians. Truthfully, not unlike many communities in Iowa, but with the support of the city council I was allowed to reinvent a way to capitalize on these wonderful assets.

Chalk the Walk has been the venue to cull many of the talents of my neighbors, not only from Mount Vernon but much of the Corridor. Nearly 50 artists of all abilities use asphalt as the canvas, and over a half-ton of chalk as the medium, to transform Uptown Mount Vernon into a color-splashed, temporary gallery. In addition, we have over two hundred artists, and those that do not consider themselves to be artists, joining in to create a giant two thousand square foot recreation of a famous artwork. Anyone can join in and help in the spectacle.

The goal has always been to build community and enrich our lives. It’s not unusual to see a professional artist rubbing elbows, literally, with a child, working for a common goal—to create art. Sure, Mount Vernon has signs welcoming visitors to town while listing athletic accolades, but as with all our communities, we have other attributes, the talented people that make each town unique and special.

I am inviting you to be part of our community for Chalk the Walk, May 3^rd and 4^th. Its spring! It’s time to take a break from all the dismal news that surrounds us and listen to a little music, a storyteller or two, and don’t be afraid to get a little chalk on your hands along with all the other artists.

Craig Wilson is the director of the Mount Vernon Parks and Recreation Department.

By Joe Jennison

CHAT is a four-letter acronym that stands for Culture History and Art Teams, and this statewide program, put together by Cyndi Pederson, Director of the Iowa Department of Cultural Affairs (DCA), is dedicated to bringing the state’s cultural community together by way of informal, regular, regional discussions.

The mission of the CHAT Program is “to provide an opportunity for informal conversation and networking regarding the quality of life issues facing our communities and state, and to develop a statewide plan to organize cultural, historical and arts groups with the purpose of raising awareness of the impact these organizations make.” To that end, Pederson is planning to make the rounds to 12 state regions to discuss the new program with large gatherings of members of the state’s cultural community.

I have said often on these pages that together we can do so much more than any one of us can ever do alone. And now, with this project, all of us in the statewide cultural community are given the opportunity to reach across counties and regions and borders, and to metaphorically join hands through discussion. Ultimately these discussions should make Iowa more user-friendly to the professional and volunteer artists, musicians, theater people, historians, curators and arts administrators that live and work in this state.

Some of the items for discussion at the first CHAT meetings will be to define what exactly is a cultural activity in Iowa, and to compile data directly from those of us on the arts and culture frontlines. The DCA plans to use this data to create programs, workshops, services and training based on the needs of the state’s cultural community.

I have been asked to represent Region 8 as the Temporary Team Captain for this program and am working now to put together one of the state’s first CHAT meetings. Cultural creatives who live and/or work in Cedar, Iowa, Johnson, Muscatine, Keokuk, Linn and Washington counties are invited to join us for this historic meeting at the Cedar Rapids Museum of Art, 410 Third Ave. SE, Cedar Rapids, on Thursday, May 15, beginning at 5:30 p.m. This CHAT meeting will include wine and appetizers and, an open discussion about the possibilities of Iowa’s cultural future with the Director of the Iowa Department of Cultural Affairs.

Pederson is hoping to recruit 12 Regional Team Captains such as myself for this program. Responsibilities will include setting up town hall meetings, identifying cultural ambassadors from each county, and beginning discussions now about CHAT throughout their region.

If Pederson can get support in all 12 regions and all 99 counties, this project has the ability to revolutionize the way all of us in the state’s cultural community communicate. I hope that this program succeeds in creating a solid infrastructure of cultural workers and volunteers committed to working together to create change. I am happy to support this project and encourage every cultural creative and organization in the state to get involved at your county or regional level. And if you and your group are available Thursday, May 15, please plan to join us at the Cedar Rapids Museum of Art.

Together we can do so much more than any one of us can do alone.

Regional captains and county ambassadors are still needed. If interested in being a part of this exciting new program, please contact Deirdre Giesler at deirdre.giesler@iowa.gov.

Joe Jennison is the Executive Director of the Iowa Cultural Corridor Alliance (ICCA), a group of 100+ arts and culture organizations in the 11-county area around Cedar Rapids/Iowa City. He is also a board member with the Iowa Cultural Coalition (ICC), a statewide arts advocacy organization based in Des Moines. More information on ICCA is available at www.culturalcorridor.org. More information on the ICC is available at www.iowaculturalcoalition.org. Contact him direct with story ideas about collaboration or to comment on the column at joe@culturalcorridor.org.

This article first appeared in the March edition of ArtScene, Iowa's only publication dedicated to arts and culture. Find out more about ArtScene at www.artsceneiowa.com

By Joe Jennison

By now, you should all be aware that Iowa slipped from 44th to 45th in per capita state funding for the arts between fiscal year 2006 and fiscal year 2007. Missouri is ranked 33^rd, Illinois is ranked 18^th and Minnesota is ranked 9^th.

I have said before on these pages that I could no more live in a state without a strong arts and culture community than I could live in a state without clean water. And, yes, I do understand that it will probably be many years before Iowa rises above the bottom 40 states in per capita state funding for the arts.

But I refuse to give up hope.

My organization, the Iowa Cultural Corridor Alliance, was supposed to bring a contingent of 20+ arts and culture advocates to Cultural Advocacy Day in Des Moines on Feb. 18. Due to the weather, the contingent shrunk to only four – but I feel we were still able to make a difference and a dent in this state’s legislative attitude toward arts and culture. And, regardless of Iowa’s arts and culture funding issues, those of us in attendance at this year’s Cultural Advocacy Day stood united in our resolve to soldier on despite the challenges.

“Our budget priorities need to be healthcare and education,” said one Corridor-area legislator from my area even before we sat down to discuss the legislative packet I had prepared.

“I certainly understand,” I responded. “But what happens when our children reach the age of 18 and are healthy and educated but living in a state with insufficient funding for the arts? Do you actually think that our young people are going to want to live here? Or, will they choose instead to live in a state like Missouri, Illinois or Minnesota – three of our neighboring states with much more per capita funding for the arts?”

If weather stopped you from joining us on Feb. 18, why not write, call or email your state Senator or Representative and let them know now how you feel about ranking 45^th out of 50 states. Remind them that arts and culture organizations are what define the state’s quality of life, that for-profit businesses and economic development groups use our brochures and calendars and images to lure new businesses to the area, that the state’s non-profit arts and culture organizations are responsible for the recruitment and retention of skilled employees and that these same arts and culture organizations bring in billions to this state annually in tourism dollars.

And if that doesn’t work, why not ask them why their colleagues in Minnesota have managed to leave them in the legislative dust when it comes to state funding for arts and culture?

Yes, 9^th in the nation does look a lot better than 45^th, but I still believe that by joining hands, working together and focusing on common goals, we can make Iowa THE place to go in the Midwest for arts and culture.

I refuse to believe that Minnesota is better than us at anything.

Joe Jennison is the Executive Director of the Iowa Cultural Corridor Alliance (ICCA), a group of 100+ arts and culture organizations in the 11-county area around Cedar Rapids/Iowa City. He is also a board member with the Iowa Cultural Coalition (ICC), a statewide arts advocacy organization based in Des Moines. More information on ICCA is available at www.culturalcorridor.org. More information on the ICC is available at www.iowaculturalcoalition.org. Contact him direct with story ideas about collaboration or to comment on the column at joe@culturalcorridor.org.

This article first appeared in the March edition of ArtScene, Iowa's only publication dedicated to the arts and culture. Find out more about ArtScene at www.artsceneiowa.com

By Joe Jennison

The Iowa Cultural Corridor Alliance, the nonprofit organization I work for, was recently asked to partner with PTDN Diversity Network, Access Iowa and Diversity Focus to host a reception for writer Rebecca Ryan.

If you are a regular reader of this column, you know that partnering is something that I LOVE to do, and THIS event, scheduled to take place Monday, March 24, at 5:30 p.m. at the Hotel Vetro, 201 S. Linn St., Iowa City, is one event that I am honored to partner with, attend and promote.

Ryan’s new book, “Live First, Work Second” draws on Ryan’s experience attracting and retaining young talent and bridging the generational differences to make the workplace more effective. The forward to Ryan’s book is written by Richard Florida whose books “The Rise of the Creative Class” and “The Flight of the Creative Class” are the basis of much discussion in the Corridor and elsewhere about the building of a creative economy. Behind Florida’s foreword, Ryan mentions that some readers will “use this book to slap an old-school employer upside the head” and I’m certain many of you reading this today will want to be sure to bring some unenlightened executives to hear what Ryan has to say. According to the book’s forward, Ryan and her team have interviewed more than 24,000 young people about their work and life priorities.

The book includes practical information about attracting and retaining knowledge workers to communities like ours and includes everything from a list of “12 Ways to be Cool” to a detailed account of “What the Next Generation Wants.” And through it all, the message is reiterated again and again that the next generation of knowledge workers first picks a place to live, and then finds a job.

I so enjoyed reading Ryan’s new book and am excited to hear her speak. If you know of an old-school employer who needs a “slap upside the head,” I would encourage you to invite them to take part in this free program. Below are some of those events and organizations that continue to make the Cultural Corridor an interesting place to live and work, and one reason that we are able to retain and attract a diverse workforce.

And remember, if you are unable to make the reception in March, I would invite you to check out one of these really cool “After 5” events.

“The Piano Lesson” at E.C. Mabie Theatre

Local blues musician Kevin “BF” Burt plays the lead in this production of August Wilson’s 1990 Pulitzer Prize-winning play, and will be composing some original music for the production. “The Piano Lesson” is part of Wilson’s ten-play cycle that chronicles the African-American experience. The play will run March 6 through 15, at the E.C. Mabie Theatre, on the University of Iowa campus, Iowa City, on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m.; and Sundays at 2 p.m. Tickets are available through (800) HANCHER.

“Dirty Rotten Scoundrels” at Hancher

Set on the glamorous Riviera, “Dirty Rotten Scoundrels” is a musical comedy that follows two con artists as they take on the lifestyles of the rich and famous. See the play Friday, March 7, beginning at 7:30 p.m., or Saturday, March 8, beginning at 2 or 7:30 p.m., at Hancher Auditorium, on the University of Iowa campus, Iowa City. Tickets range from $42 to $57. Reservations and information are available though (800) HANCHER.

Follies 2008: “Tony, Oscar & Emmy” at the Paramount

Known for its over-the-top production numbers and lavish sets and costumes, The Follies is a must see for anyone who is looking for a big, fun and funny, Vegas-style music and comedy revue. This year, the producers of the annual fund-raiser for the Cedar Rapids Symphony are planning an award-show theme. This should be great fun. See the show Saturday, March 8 or 15, at 2 and 7:30 p.m., or Sunday, March 9 or 16, at 2 p.m. $16-$30. Reservations and information through (319) 363-1888.

Robert Wilson’s Voom Portraits at UIMA and CSPS

By now you’ve heard of or perhaps toured through Wilson’s “Voom Portraits” exhibit at the University of Iowa Museum of Art, on the University of Iowa campus, Iowa City; and Legion Arts at CSPS, 1103 Third St. SE, Iowa City. This month, go behind the scenes with Cedar Rapids resident and producing director of Legion Arts Mel Andringa, as he offers his own tour and take on the portraits in “Travels with Bob," a tour and lecture in which Andringa shares his stories about working with Wilson in the 1970s. Get the tour Thursday, March 13, beginning at 7:30 p.m. at the University of Iowa Museum of Art, on the University of Iowa campus, Iowa City. Free. More information is available through (319) 335-1727. The exhibit runs through March 30.

“The Threepenny Opera” at Coe

With book and lyrics by Bertolt Brecht and music by Kurt Weill, this German musical from the 1930s gets a rare Cedar Rapids staging by Coe professor Dennis Barnett. Based on John Gay’s Beggar’s Opera of the 18th century, this is the story of Mack the Knife, and the criminal collaboration that suppresses truth at all levels of society. The play will be performed in Dows Theatre. on the Coe College campus, 1220 First Ave. NE, Cedar Rapids. See the show Friday and Saturday, March 21 and 22 at 8 p.m.; and the following week Thursday through Saturday, March 27 through 29 at 8 p.m., with a special showing Sunday, March 30, at 2 p.m. $10 through (319) 399-8600.

The Cowboy Junkies at The Englert

This Can adian band has been performing their unique blend of country and alternative rock since 1985. Their newest album, “At The End of Paths Taken,” is a classic Cowboy Junkies album -- a group of smart, richly textured songs that value subtlety over broad, generic strokes. See the concert Sunday, March 23, beginning at 8 p.m. at the Englert Theatre, 221 E. Washington St., Iowa City. $36 through (319) 688-2653.

Masterworks VI: Manifest Destiny: Brahms’ German Requiem

This Cedar Rapids Symphony program, which showcases the Cedar Rapids Concert Chorale, includes Brahms’ German Requiem, an ecumenical work of hope and faith, which paints an image of the afterlife that is both uplifting and comforting. Complementing this work is Haydn’s stormy Symphony No. 44, popularly known as his “Trauer” or “mourning” symphony. This should be a powerful evening of music. See the concert Saturday, March 29, at 8 p.m., at the Paramount Theatre, 123 Third Ave., Cedar Rapids. Tickets range from $20 to $51 through (319) 366-8203.

The opportunity to slap an old-school employer upside the head. Another reason why I’m so glad I live here.

Joe Jennison is the Executive Director of the Iowa Cultural Corridor Alliance, a group of 120+ arts and culture organizations whose mission is to build, strengthen and lead the local cultural industry and the communities it serves. More information is located at http://www.culturalcorridor.org <http://www.culturalcorridor.org/>

This article originally appeared in the Corridor Business Journal on Monday, Feb. 25. Find out more about the Corridor Business Journal at www.corridorbiznews.com

       By Mel Andringa

With Robert Wilson visiting Iowa in a few weeks to give a performance (Jan. 31) in advance of the opening of his VOOM PORTRAITS exhibition at the University of Iowa Museum of Art and CSPS (Feb. 2-March 30), this is the perfect chance to take a look back -- and discover how the UI played a really important role in Wilson's early career. This entry comes courtesy of Mel Andringa, producing director of CSPS/Legion Arts in Cedar Rapids, who worked with Wilson in the 1970s:

“When I was a graduate student at the University of Iowa in 1970, there was an interdisciplinary program called the Center for New Performing Arts. At least five departments were involved, including Music, Dance, Art, Theater, Film and the Writers Workshop, and each department lent a faculty member to the project. As an art student, I signed up for CNPA’s “Intermedia” workshops with students from the other departments. A big part of the program was residencies by visiting artists, and I had a work-study job assisting them with their projects. I think I got assigned to help Robert Wilson because I was the only art student with some theater experience, and even though Wilson was primarily a theater artist, he had been invited by Hans Breder, an assistant professor in the School of Art.

“We met at the old Mill Restaurant on Burlington (a couple of blocks east of its current incarnation.) Bob was a tall guy in a black leather jacket, jeans and a white shirt. He had short black hair and wore tinted glasses. He didn’t make small talk, but spoke softly with his head tilted slightly to the left, and described his project in precise if fantastic detail. There would be a deaf black boy, who would witnesses the murder of his siblings by his mother, and enter a forest landscape and sit on a bench and fish from a pile of dirt. The bench would levitate and strange scenes would happen beneath him including a banquet presided over by a frog in a tuxedo drinking martinis. There would be many characters, like a pope and a goat-woman, and the whole silent opera would conclude with the earth breaking up and swallowing up everyone, who would be replaced by giant apes holding apples while one of them plays a harp.

“As he talked he drew a diagram of the action on a piece of cardstock with a red magic marker (it’s the only souvenir I have of his visit.) I didn’t know what to make of it. I was totally unequipped to imagine how we would get the resources to realize his vision. We were supposed to do this in the ballroom at the student union, and I remember thinking maybe we could do something with projections or flat architectural drawings of trees on plastic drop cloths. But flying benches and palm trees that grow, and a house that get tall and burns and sinks into the ground? How could it happen?

“But Bob had jobs for me the next day and I began doing whatever he asked. The first item of business was to build interest in the big project through an event at the Museum of Art. It was to be called ‘Handbill’ and we were going to use the entire building as a set for it.

“Bob assured me we would have plenty of help when the ‘Byrds’ (associates of his from New York) began arriving. So we started recruiting local performers for workshops. Members of a Grotowski-based experimental theater group were some of our first takers, although in the end they became disgruntled with the task-like actions they were asked to perform. Bob went to the Dance department to recruit people but wound up offending the director by singing the praises of Isadora Duncan. He started picking up people on the street and in restaurants, art faculty, wives and kids.

“And the Byrds did migrate to us, strangely ordinary people with peculiar gifts and a singular focus to make Bob’s work materialize.

“Rehearsals at the River City Free Trade Zone (a defunct hippy emporium that was a predecessor to the Hall Mall) consisted of long sessions of open dancing to Dylan and Melanie. We watched an hour-long film of nude and clothed people moving in slow motion on dunes covered with beach grass, and learned to do their simple seven part movements. Nobody knew what they would be doing in the eventual production. Cast and crew, everyone danced. In rehearsals, everyone seemed like a walk-on and nobody was being asked to display their skills, just themselves. This disturbed people who were defined by their skills.

“The event at the museum was a ‘happening’. Abstract, constructivist, post-modern and avant-garde, you name it. A flutist played endless looping melodies. The floor of the basement gallery was covered with straw and a man in a hat and a raccoon coat leaned into a wire stretched across the room, to the accompaniment of Alley Cats, a novelty pop song. Upstairs groups of people in wheat colored clothes grazed the galleries like sheep on their hands and knees. Others made haystacks and danced. A 70-year old woman did stretching movements on a cherry picker in the sculpture court. Dead fish dusted in yellow powder with red strings in their mouths were displayed on the Elliot Silver Collection. And on a white sheet on the lawn outside, well out of earshot, an angry actress performed Medea.

“All in all it was a success de scandal, and shortly thereafter resources started opening up for the big production. The theater reluctantly offered its main stage and costumer, and on and on, piece by piece the production began to materialize.

“As the liaison between Bill Hibbard the director of the CNPA and Wilson, I was pushed and pulled in two directions but my loyalties were won over by the vision. I clearly remember crossing that line, when on more than one occasion I signed requisitions without explicit approval from Bill for things that Bob said were essential to the production. In the end, everyone agreed Deafman Glance was a magical event that changed several lives forever. And one month later, skipping graduation ceremonies, I ran away to the Big Apple to catch up with the circus.”

by Joe Jennison

We celebrated the 2007 Icky Awards last night – 14 awards were handed out in 13 categories for innovation and excellence in cultural programming.

And the Icky goes to:

Educational Programming: “Got on Boards” – Access Iowa, Mount Mercy College SIFE, United Way of East Central Iowa Young Leaders Society, United Way of Johnson County, The James Gang, Leadership for Five Seasons and the Linn County Nonprofit Resource Center

Visual Arts Programming: “Hidden Treasures: Original Children’s Book Illustrations from the Cedar Rapids Public Library” – Cedar Rapids Public Library and the Cedar Rapids Museum of Art

History Programming: “A Community of Writers: Creative Writing at the University of Iowa” – Old Capitol

Children’s Programming: “Indonesia: Land of Diversity featuring The Many Colors of Islam” – The Iowa Children’s Museum

Dance Programming: “The Joffrey Ballet Dancing River to River” – Hancher Auditorium

Theater Programming: “Angels in America Parts 1 and 2” – Theatre Cedar Rapids

Music Programming: “Ushers Ferry Folk Festival” – Ushers Ferry Historic Village

Festival Programming: A TIE! “Chalk the Walk Madonnari Festival/Unstaged” – Mount Vernon Parks and Recreation Department, Mount Vernon Area Arts Council and The James Gang; and “Iowa Arts Festival” – Summer of the Arts

Touring Events Programming: “The Joffrey Ballet Dancing River to River” – Hancher Auditorium

Collaborative Award (Between ICCA Members): “Hidden Treasure: Original Children’s Book Illustrations from the Cedar Rapids Public Library” – Cedar Rapids Public Library and the Cedar Rapids Museum of Art

Reaching Out Collaborative Award (Between ICCA Members and Non-ICCA Members) “Corridor Concierge Desk at the Eastern Iowa Airport” – Amana Colonies Convention and Visitors Bureau, Blue Strawberry Coffee Company, Cedar Rapids Convention and Visitors Bureau, City of Cedar Rapids, Eastern Iowa Airport, Iowa City/Coralville Convention and Visitors Bureau and the Iowa Cultural Corridor Alliance

Larry Eckholt Award: June Braverman

North Corridor Advocate Award: Chuck Peters

Attached is a portion of my speech from last night….

Hello partner! Welcome to the 2^nd Annual Icky Awards.

My name is Joe Jennison and I am the Executive Director of the Iowa Cultural Corridor Alliance, a group of 131 arts and culture organizations in the Cedar Rapids/Iowa City area, and I am so glad you’re here.

Tonight we honor innovation and excellence in cultural programming and what a year the Corridor’s cultural community has had. We watched the Joffrey dance across the state, we welcomed a $500,000 renovation at 5 Turner Alley and the release of a Hollywood movie made in our own backyard. This past year, we were fascinated by Wiederspan boxes, the cats of the Chait Galleries downtown and intrigued by a historical exhibit devoted to Iowa’s writers. This community rallied to save four pieces of historic art, and we saw two – count them two – productions of The Full Monty. The AIDs Quilt was displayed on this very stage and our beloved Iowa Arts Festival celebrated 25 years and our beloved Marion Arts Festival celebrated 15 years. We participated in a Vietnamese Tet Festival at the Paul Engle Center for Neighborhood Arts and an interactive Gospel performance at the African American Historical Museum and Cultural Center of Iowa. We saw a one-of-a-kind music festival in New Bohemia and watched Iowa City’s Young Footliters turn 25 with a rousing tribute to show tunes. I had a wonderful time this year helping to carry a giant puppet through the Houby Days parade, laughing all the way through the University of Iowa Division of Performing Arts summer comic operas, twisting and shouting with the Cedar Rapids Symphony and salsa dancing across the Eastern Iowa Airport. Gosh I love this job.

Tonight, gathered with us are politicians and business and community leaders, family and friends and dozens of us who work and volunteer and appreciate living and working in the state’s primary destination for arts and culture. And all of us gathered here are the winners tonight because we are proof that arts and culture matter in the Cedar Rapids/Iowa City area. Thank you so very much for coming.

By Joe Jennison

I just sent out the press release (below) to area journalists and I wanted to be sure to share it with you as well.

The Iowa Cultural Corridor Alliance Innovative Excellence Awards (aka The Ickys) is our signature event. A combination Annual Meeting and Awards Show that calls attention to all of the great things that the Corridor’s cultural community accomplished in calendar year 2007.

This year, we have a record number of partners to help us celebrate. We hope you’ll plan to join us…

Our main sponsor for the event is the Corridor Business Journal’s new arts and entertainment Web site www.corridorbuzz.com . We are also receiving financial support for the event from Alliant Energy. Daniel Arthur’s Restaurant has agreed to cater the reception and wines have been provided by Patagonia Wine & Imports. The Professional & Technical Diversity Network is partnering with us to present the reception; and gift bags for everyone in attendance will be provided by the Cedar Rapids Convention & Visitors Bureau. Inside these bags will be items donated from several area businesses including Quaker Oats and Raining Rose and Procter & Gamble and the Eastern Iowa Airport, as well as donations of gift certificates from several restaurants and local food producers facilitated through Edible Iowa River Valley. There are media partnerships with the Gazette and the Iowa City Press Citizen and Art Scene and KZIA and KCRG and many others through live or printed interviews or stories.

If you and your company are not yet on this list and would like to be involved in some way, let us know. And please plan to join us Jan. 22 in celebration of the Corridor’s arts and culture community. Remember, together we can do so much more than any of us can ever do alone.

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CONTACT: Joe Jennison, 319-533-5257 or 800-650-ARTS

ICCA announces 2007 Innovative Excellence Award Nominations

Tickets on sale now for area's only Corridor-wide Cultural Awards Show

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa - Dec. 20, 2007 -- The Iowa Cultural Corridor Alliance (ICCA), a group of 128 arts and culture organizations located in the 11-county area around the Cedar Rapids/Iowa City Corridor, today announced nominations for its upcoming Cultural Corridor Innovative Excellence Awards (aka The Ickys). The event is the Corridor's only cultural awards voted on solely by the peer groups of ICCA.

The ballot contains award nominations in 11 categories and will be voted on by each of the 128-member organizations of ICCA. The results will be announced live during the Icky Awards, on Tuesday, January 22. The formal-but-fun, red-carpet event will be held at Theatre Cedar Rapids, 102 Third St. SE, Cedar Rapids, beginning at 6:30 p.m. Area celebrity presenters, including Lieutenant Governor Patty Judge, will present the awards. There will also be 13 live performances representing some of the cultural community's many successes during Calendar Year 2007.

"This event brings together both ends of the Corridor and all of the various cultural organizations - both amateur and professional - to look back and celebrate the good news of Corridor-area arts and culture," said Joe Jennison, Executive Director of ICCA. "We hope the entire community will come out to celebrate with us."

Tickets to the event are $20 and are available through Theatre Cedar Rapids at (319) 366-8591. The official ballot containing the following nominations will be distributed to the 128 member organizations of ICCA this week.

Nominations are:

Children's Programming (Young Footliters "Everything Goes"; Brucemore's Original Outdoor Children's Theatre "The Incredible Adventures of Captain Spoon: The Forgetful Pirate"; The Iowa Children's Museum "Indonesia: Land of Diversity featuring The Many Colors of Islam"; Eulenspiegel Puppet Theatre Co. "Stories and Cuentos"; Old Creamery Theatre Company "Theatre for Young Audiences - Terrific Tales.")

Dance Programming (Legion Arts at CSPS and the Cedar Rapids Tango Club "Global Dance Festival; A.C.E./Habeas Corpus "Iowa Dance Fest"; Hancher Auditorium "The Joffrey Ballet Dancing River to River"; National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library "National Bohemian, Moravian, and Slovak Folk Dance Festival"; The Englert Theatre and Nolte Academy of Dance "The Nutcracker"; Travelers Dance and The Englert Theatre "Travelers Dance.")

Festival Programming (Mount Vernon Parks and Recreation Department, Mount Vernon Area Arts Council and the James Gang "Chalk the Walk Madonnari Festival/Unstaged"; Cedar Rapids Downtown District "Downtown Farmer's Market"; Cedar Rapids Freedom Festival "Freedom Festival"; Summer of the Arts "Iowa Arts Festival"; New Bohemia "New Bohemia Music Festival.")

History Programming (University of Iowa Museum of Natural History "Biosphere Discovery Hub Grand Opening"; Old Capitol "A Community of Writers: Creative Writing at the University of Iowa"; African American Historical Museum and Cultural Center of Iowa "Doorways: A History of African Americans in Iowa"; African American Historical Museum and Cultural Center of Iowa "Iowa Roots, Global Impact: The Life and Legacy of George Washington Carver"; Johnson County Historical Historical Society Museum "Revisit the Past: River Junction Cemetery Walk and Soup Supper.")

Music Programming (The Quire "Everything Possible: A Benefit Concert"; Red Cedar Chamber Music "One European White Guy"; The Mill and Trevor Hopkins and Matthew Grimm "Strau-La-Palooza! A Bon Voyage to Eric Straumanis"; Ushers Ferry Historic Village "Ushers Ferry Folk Festival"; African American Historical Museum and Cultural Center of Iowa "Juneteenth Concerts.")

Theater Programming (Theatre Cedar Rapids "Angels in America Parts 1 and 2"; Riverside Theatre "Collected Stories"; City Circle Acting Company of Coralville "The Full Monty"; Iowa City Community Theatre "The Shadow Box"; Mount Vernon/Lisbon Community Theatre "Slices of Life"; Theatre Cedar Rapids "West Side Story.")

Touring Events Programming (Legion Arts at CSPS "Bread and Puppet Theater"; Diversity Focus, Legion Arts and the Iowa Arts Council "Cultural Express"; Hancher Auditorium "The Joffrey Ballet Dancing River to River"; Englert Theatre "Sierra Leone Refugee All Stars"; Englert Theatre "Andrew Bird.")

Visual Arts Programming (Cedar Rapids Public Library and the Cedar Rapids Museum of Art "Hidden Treasure: Original Children's Book Illustrations from the Cedar Rapids Public Library"; University of Iowa Museum of Art "I Am: Prints by Elizabeth Catlett"; Cedar Rapids Museum of Art "Stan Wiederspan: Box Chapel"; James Gang "World AIDS Day: Artists' Response to HIV/AIDS"; Chait Galleries Downtown and Friends of the Animal Shelter Foundation "Through the Cat's Eye: A Celebration of Cats through Art.")

Educational Programming (Iowa Children's Museum "Wild About Animals"; Access Iowa, Mount Mercy College SIFE, United Way of East Central Iowa Young Leaders Society, United Way of Johnson County, The James Gang, Leadership for Five Seasons and the Linn County Nonprofit Resource Center "Got on Boards"; Herbert Hoover Presidential Library Museum "American Mysteries, Riddles and Controversies"; Englert Theatre "US and the World"; Iowa Children's Museum "Art Adventure"; African American Historical Museum and Cultural Center of Iowa "Learning Safari.")

Collaborative Award (between ICCA members) (Cedar Rapids Public Library and the Cedar Rapids Museum of Art "Hidden Treasure: Original Children's Book Illustrations from the Cedar Rapids Public Library"; Cedar Rapids Public Library, Science Station and Theatre Cedar Rapids "The Seuss is Loose!"; Englert Theatre and the Iowa City Press Citizen "Rockytown"; Ushers Ferry and the Eastern Iowa Brass Band "Grand Celebration of Brass Bands"; Access Iowa, Diversity Focus, Iowa Cultural Corridor Alliance and the Professional & Technical Diversity Network "The Arts Have Landed at the Eastern Iowa Airport.")

Reaching Out Collaborative Award (between ICCA members and non-ICCA members) National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library and the Czech Village Association "Houby Days and the National Bohemian, Moravian, and Slovak Folk Dance Festival"; Mount Vernon Parks and Recreation Department, Mount Vernon Area Arts Council and the and the James Gang "Chalk the Walk Madonnari Festival/Unstaged"; The Englert Theatre and Nolte Academy of Dance "The Nutcracker"; SPT Theatre and Indian Creek Nature Center "Nature Rocks"; Chait Galleries Downtown and Friends of the Animal Shelter Foundation "Through the Cat's Eye: A Celebration of Cats through Art"; Amana Colonies Convention and Visitors Bureau, Blue Strawberry Coffee Company, Cedar Rapids Convention and Visitors Bureau, City of Cedar Rapids, Eastern Iowa Airport, Iowa City/Coralville Convention and Visitors Bureau and the Iowa Cultural Corridor Alliance "Corridor Concierge Desk at the Eastern Iowa Airport.")

About ICCA

ICCA was formed in October of 2005 with the merging of the Johnson County Cultural Alliance (JCCA) and the Cedar Rapids Area Culture Alliance (CRACA). The group's mission is to build, strengthen and lead the Corridor's arts and culture organizations and the communities they serve. ICCA maintains www.culturalcorridor.org < https://mail.cr.k12.ia.us/exchweb/bin/redir.asp?URL=http://www.culturalcorridor.org > , the area's one-stop shop for news and information about upcoming cultural events in the Cedar Rapids/Iowa City Corridor.

By Tim Hankewich, Music Director of the Cedar Rapids Symphony Orchestra

'Tis the season, and everyone is gearing up for a busy month filled with friends, family, and of course a concert or three.

I'm always amazed and impressed with the cultural activity in the area, which is especially prolific this time of year. The symphony, of course is no exception and is currently feverishly placing its final touches on an annual holiday classic.

Every artistic organization faces similar challenges in presenting holiday fare. Audience tastes and traditions vary so much, that it is difficult to find that perfect balance that has a little something for everyone -- a balance between sacred, secular, pops, and classics as well as honoring the traditions of other faiths. Done well, it's the foundation of a great program. If done haphazardly, the concert could last three or more hours with no one liking the outcome.

So what is my approach?

First, it’s taking full advantage of the local talent at our disposal. Whether it's the Cedar Rapids Concert Chorale, soloists Janelle Lauer, Roy Justis, Emmy Palmersheim and Bentlee Birchansky, our children’s chorus from Cedar Rapids and Iowa City or our wonderfully talented Suzuki violinists from the area, it's presenting a face to the audience that is unique to our community.

Second, is finding the right balance between sacred and secular. Traditional Christmas carols have been under siege it seems lately, and it's important to feature these time-honored melodies. They are particularly moving when they are regaled in orchestral finery. Yet, it’s important not to ignore the popular traditions and juxtaposing the two styles is quite a puzzle.

People would be surprised to learn that finding good holiday arrangements for orchestra is extremely difficult. Orchestras such as the Boston Pops and others create their own, and don't share their work with others -- what's a poor music director to do?

In the past eight years, I've taken a page out of Mel Torme's book (He wrote "A Christmas Song" in the middle of summer as a way of distracting him from the heat). Every summer I too write Christmas arrangements, many of which will be featured in our program -- "Everybody's Waitin' for the Man with the Bag," "Most Wonderful Time of the Year," and others. I'm proud that no other orchestra in the world will be able to perform these particular creations of mine. The result will be something that's unique to this area, performed and created by artists from the Corridor, and sure to leave a smile on everyone's face.

For more information check out "Tim Talk" (my blog) at www.crsymphony.org. Until then, Happy Holidays, Merry Christmas and enjoy the season!

Timothy Hankewich is the Music Director of the Cedar Rapids Symphony Orchestra. Visit his weekly blog at www.crsymphony.org See the Cedar Rapids Symphony’s “Holiday Pops Extravaganza” Saturday and Sunday, Dec. 15 and 16, at 2:30 and 7:30 p.m. at the Paramount Theatre, 123 Third Ave. SE, Cedar Rapids; or on Tuesday, Dec. 18, at 7:30 p.m. at Hancher Auditorium, on the University of Iowa campus, Iowa City. Tickets range from $20 to $51 through (319) 335-1160 or (800) HANCHER (for the Iowa City performance).

What I’m thankful for this holiday season…

            By Joe Jennison

 You may have read about a large group of philanthropists headed by Chuck Peters of the Gazette Companies who announced creation of a fund at the Greater Cedar Rapids Community Foundation to save four historic paintings.

 Within two short weeks of its creation, this fund made its goal of $500,000, ensuring that these paintings by artists Marvin Cone, Norman Rockwell and Grant Wood will stay in our area to be enjoyed by future generations. As the Executive Director of the Iowa Cultural Corridor Alliance, an organization whose mission is to build, strengthen and lead the arts and culture organizations of the area and the communities they serve, I am thrilled that these paintings will have a permanent home in the Corridor. And I am thankful to leaders such as Mr. Peters who understand the importance of culture.

 A study done last year by Americans for the Arts indicated that the arts and culture organizations of this community generate $63.08 million each and every year in direct economic impact to our communities. Yet many of our local arts organizations struggle daily just to keep the lights on. My thought today is that if Mr. Peters and his group can raise $500,000 for the arts in two short weeks then if we all keep the spirit of this fund open through the end of the year, we might just be able ensure that all of our cultural attractions can keep the lights on through 2008.  

All of these organizations regularly challenge and inspire us and teach us things about the past and future of this diverse world we live in. The arts bring us joy and beauty and remind us of how we are all connected. But the arts also help to attract and retain skilled employees and regularly bring tourist money to the community. A gift to our cultural attractions is an investment in the entire Corridor community. Thank you, Mr. Peters, for reminding all of us of the importance of all of our cultural assets this holiday season.

Take your out-of-town guests and experience Holiday Tours at Brucemore,  

            “Christmas Carol” is a classic retelling of the story of the miserly Ebenezer Scrooge and the ghosts that haunt him, presented as part of the mainstage season at the Old Creamery Theatre Company, See the show Nov. 24 to Dec. 22 at 7:30 p.m. on Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays or at 3 p.m. on Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays. $16.50 to $26.50 through (800) 35-AMANA.

             The Cedar Rapids Symphony Orchestra and the Cedar Rapids Concert Chorale invite you to a “Handel’s Messiah Singalong.”  See the show and singalong with the Concert Chorale 8 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 1, at the New Covenant Bible Church, 1800 46^th St. NE, Cedar Rapids. $20 through (800) 369-TUNE.

            The 24th Annual Holiday DeLight Parade, produced by the Cedar Rapids Downtown District, will take center stage downtown at 6 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 7. Following the Holiday DeLight Parade, it’s the 3rd Annual Fire & Ice Fireworks display produced by Cedar Rapids Freedom Festival at 7:30 p.m. on May’s Island. 

            Cabaret singer Lynne Rothrock headlines “Christmas at Liars,” a musical Christmas show at the Campbell Steele Gallery, 1064 Seventh Ave., Marion

            A community that cares about culture. Another reason why I’m glad I live here.

 Joe Jennison is the Executive Director of the Iowa Cultural Corridor Alliance, a group of 100+ arts and culture organizations whose mission is to build, strengthen and lead the local cultural industry and the communities it serves. More information is located at http://www.culturalcorridor.org <http://www.culturalcorridor.org/>

This article originally appeared in the Corridor Business Journal on Monday, Nov. 26.  Find out more about the Corridor Business Journal at www.corridorbiznews.com

By Jennifer Fawcett, guest artist at Riverside Theatre

Ten years ago, I was in my early 20’s, just out of college and wanting desperately to do something more than just go to auditions and wait for my agent to call (typical daily life of an actor). goat show came out of an exercise in an acting class in which each person had to tell a story about their life. I had waited until everybody else in the class went, hoping that we’d run out of time before my turn came. My life was so boring – I hadn’t had any interesting adventures like these other people. When it came to be my turn I went up, not knowing what would come out of my mouth. What I said was, “I grew up on a goat farm…” And that was the beginning of a very long story.

Although I started writing the show about my own experiences, I soon learned that there was another story that had been going on around me that I, as a child, had been only vaguely aware of. The experience of becoming farmers and forming a goat’s milk company with their closest friends, and then having to leave all of that behind, has left an indelible mark on my parents. They are now in their 60’s, still married and still very invested in that marriage, but there are some scars and what is most important to me, not just as their daughter but as a person who also wants to have a long and satisfying relationship, is seeing how love can survive through those difficulties.

Ten years have passed since I first wrote and performed goat show and I am now the age that my parents were when their adventure in farming began. I am still pursuing my dream of being a theatre artist, a dream that has brought me to Iowa City from Toronto, Canada. While here I have met people that I want to form a company with, including the director of this show, Sean Lewis. Granted this is a theatre company, not a goat’s milk company, but in the large picture that seems like a small difference. The words I say on stage have developed another resonance; not only am I saying the imagined words my mother said to my father, I am saying the words I have said to Sean. To start a company in any business is a risk. It not only demands time and money (and lots of both) but a belief that all of this work is going to be worth something. This belief, this trust, is what will most likely to be battered by the realities of economics, trends, etc, but it is also this more than anything else that will get us through.

To a child, adults seem capable of anything; that they could doubt their decisions or make mistakes seems impossible. At the end of the show I talk about feeling “not grown up yet.” And that’s true – I still don’t, if feeling grown up is feeling sure. But I don’t know if I ever will feel grown up in that sense. Maybe being grown up isn’t about being sure; maybe it’s about believing in risks, in which case it’s closer to childhood than I thought. There’s a very satisfying circuitry behind goat show: to follow my dreams, I wrote a show about my parents following their dreams. Now I’m doing the show as part of a new company, as the next step of following my dreams. And maybe someday I’ll have a child who will be inspired by my story and will decide its worth the risk to follow their dreams.

-Jennifer Fawcett

By Joe Jennison

I wanted to tell you today about my new friend Paul.

Paul’s from England and was in town briefly last month for what he endearingly called “a lovely holiday in the states.”

Paul is a musician and was interested in experiencing our local music scene, and so I chose to take him to Daniel Arthur’s, 821 Third Ave. SE, Cedar Rapids, Thursday night to listen to local blues legend Kevin “BF” Burt. Mr. Burt offered up a powerful, professional set, everything from “Stone Crazy” to “Sitting on the Dock of the Bay” to an impromptu cover of Roscoe Gordon’s “No More Doggin.” In between sets, Paul and I got to talking about, of all things, cultural tourism. And, it turns out, Paul lives just a few miles from Shakespeare’s birthplace in Stratford-Upon-Avon.

Paul told me that although he has lived in that area his entire life, the only time he had ever been to Shakespeare’s birthplace was this past summer when he was entertaining someone from the states. I thought about that as I sat and listened to the blues in Daniel Arthur’s basement, and thought about what would happen to all of our local musicians, historians, curators, dancers, actors, artists, performers, docents and all of those Corridor residents who work and volunteer in the arts if the only time anyone would visit is when they have someone in town from somewhere else.

I firmly believe that all of us need to support our local cultural community each and every week, if we hope to have these cultural assets available when our out-of-town friends visit. If not, all of the Corridor’s wonderful and talented creative people will find another community to call home.

Here’s some suggestions of what’s coming up this month in the Corridor. Yes, share these ideas with your guests from out of town, or… drop in yourself, see a live show or event and then look really smart when your next out-of-town guest arrives from England or Cincinnati or Dubuque.

The Old Creamery Theatre Company, 39 38^th Ave., Amana, is in the middle of a very successful production of Michael Frayn’s backstage farce, “Noises Off.” The play will run through Nov. 18, and tracks the entire run of the fictional play “Nothing On,” a second-rate theater company’s touring production as it moves from final dress rehearsal to closing night. See the play 7:30 p.m. on Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays, or 3 p.m. on Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays. $16.50 to $25.50 through (800) 35-AMANA.

The University of Iowa Dance Gala 2007 will take place at 8 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, Nov. 2 and Nov. 3. The evening will include six works performed by students at Hancher Auditorium, on the University of Iowa campus, Iowa City. $25 to $30 through (800) HANCHER.

Christkindlmarkt will run Friday through Sunday, Nov. 9 through 11 at the Riverside Roundhouse (former Farmer’s Market), 1350 A St. SW, Cedar Rapids. The event offers a $3 Early Shoppers’ Night from 5 to 8 p.m. Friday, Nov. 9, and the free Holiday Market Days from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Saturday and Sunday, Nov. 10 and 11. The sale will include a glass-blowing demonstration and hand-made items from around the world. More information through (319) 365-9644.

Harmony Hawks Gospel Concert offers two hours of gospel music selected and performed by local artists. See it at either 3 p.m. or 7 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 10. Free, with a goodwill offering taken on behalf of the Boys and Girls Clubs of Cedar Rapids and the Harmony Foundation. More information through (319) 573-3443.

Since 1998, Random Acts Puppet Theater from Texas has traveled across the United States delighting audiences with shows of creativity and wit. Their latest play, “The Wisdom Merchant,” is a collection of folktales from around the world. See the show at 2 and 4:30 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 18 at the Strand Theatre, 111 E. Third St., West Liberty. $5 through (319) 627-2487.

The four members of Chicago's Fall Out Boy have gotten a lot of attention for their most recent album, “Infinity on High,” spearheaded by the hit single "This Ain't a Scene, It's an Arms Race." See the concert and hear the big hit 7 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 21. $30 through (319) 363-1888.

“The Goat Show” is described as a “one-woman show with seven characters and a herd of goats.” See the play at 7:30 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays and 2 p.m. on Sundays from Friday, Nov. 23 through Sunday, Dec. 2, at Riverside Theatre, 213 N. Gilbert St., Iowa City. Tickets range from $12 to $15 through (319) 338-7672.

The opportunity to show off what’s great about the Corridor to tourists -- another reason why I’m so glad I live here.

Joe Jennison is the Executive Director of the Iowa Cultural Corridor Alliance, a group of 100+ arts and culture organizations whose mission is to build, strengthen and lead the local cultural industry and the communities it serves. More information on these and other arts and culture events in Eastern Iowa is located at http://www.culturalcorridor.org <http://www.culturalcorridor.org/>

This article originally appeared in the Corridor Business Journal on Monday, Oct. 22.  Find out more about the Corridor Business Journal at www.corridorbiznews.com

By Joe Jennison

Last month I attended a meeting hosted by the Iowa Arts Council.

At the meeting, several of us who work and volunteer in Iowa’s arts and culture industry were asked to reconsider the Arts Council’s mission and vision statements. I made a bit of a stink when it came time to talk about the Arts Council’s one-sentence mission. And the entire scene came down to just a choice between two words: “central” or “essential”?

In my opinion, the arts are as essential as breathing. As Executive Director of the Iowa Cultural Corridor Alliance, I could no more give up art than I could give up food or water or shelter. And, I know that I could not live in a state that does not have ample access to arts and culture.

When I shared these thoughts with the group gathered in Des Moines, my colleague from the other side of the state politely disagreed and said to me that the arts were not essential to his life. When I heard his comment, I looked this gentlemen right in the eye and told him to find another job. If we, who work and volunteer in the arts and culture industry, do not see the arts as essential to Iowa’s quality of life, then how in the heck are we supposed to convince the rest of the state of our own worth?

I believe that Iowa is poised to become a national example of how to integrate arts and culture into the state’s economic, education and tourism goals. And, I believe, if we are going to grow as a state and compete for educated workers and cultural tourists, then the state’s arts leaders need to be at the table alongside the state’s business, political, religious, education and health leaders EVERY TIME quality of life issues are discussed. And, sitting around that table, representing the state’s arts and culture organizations should be leaders who understand that the arts are as essential to the success of Iowa as are good roads, good jobs and good healthcare.

We can not do this if we do not believe it ourselves.

As everyone in the arts and culture industry knows, October is National Arts and Humanities Month, a month that is meant to be a coast-to-coast collective celebration of arts and culture in the United States. National Arts and Humanities Month grew out of National Arts Week, which began in 1985 through the National Endowment for the Arts. It became a month-long celebration in 1993.

I always struggle this time of year, because I feel that the idea of taking one day or month of the year to celebrate something that I consider as important as breathing -- is ludicrous. Yes, you will see me out and about this month celebrating arts and humanities month, but remember, if you want to celebrate arts and culture in Iowa, you can do so EVERY DAY by seeing a play, attending a local art gallery, or by simply participating in an open mic night.

I would not be doing this job if I did not believe in it. And yes, I believe that arts and culture are an essential part of Iowa’s quality of life.

Happy Arts and Humanities month everyone.

Joe Jennison is the Executive Director of the Iowa Cultural Corridor Alliance (ICCA), a group of 100+ arts and culture organizations in the 11-county area around Cedar Rapids/Iowa City. He is also a board member with the Iowa Cultural Coalition (ICC), a statewide arts advocacy organization based in Des Moines. More information on ICCA is available at www.culturalcorridor.org. More information on the ICC is available at www.iowaculturalcoalition.org. Contact him direct with story ideas about collaboration or to comment on the column at joe@culturalcorridor.org.

This article first appeared in the October edition of ArtScene, Iowa's only publication dedicated to the arts and culture. Find out more about ArtScene at www.artsceneiowa.com

By Joe Jennison

According to the Linn County Nonprofit Resource Center (LCNRC), there are 550 nonprofit organizations in Linn County. Not all of these organizations have paid staff and many exist on budgets of less than $2,000/month. Small nonprofits are often run by one paid staff member, or, in many instances, an all-volunteer staff.

And all of us are happily struggling to make a difference in this community.

This last year, I discovered a champion, advocate and support system for the area’s nonprofits, a relatively new organization called the Linn County Nonprofit Resource Center. Through this organization, I have become involved and challenged through specialized training, peer group discussions and, through involvement on the LCNRC board, have been given access to some fine nonprofit mentors such as Peggy Whitworth at Brucemore, Alfred Ramirez from Diversity Focus and Lois Buntz from the United Way.

In my opinion, the best thing any of us can do to continue to build and strengthen all of the area’s nonprofits is simply to encourage regular collaboration and discussion through groups such as this. It is my experience that when all of us, both non-profits and for-profits, come together, sit around one table and listen to one another, things start to happen: We all start to understand our similarities, find ways to work together and begin to value the diversity that makes our community stronger.

I encourage everyone from the nonprofit and for-profit communities on both sides of the Corridor to take some time and come together around one table at the upcoming Linn County Nonprofit Resource Center’s Informational Meeting, which will take place Tuesday, Oct. 16, from 3 to 5 p.m. at Beems Auditorium in the Cedar Rapids Public Library, 500 First St. SE , Cedar Rapids . The meeting will engage senior staff and interested nonprofit board members throughout the area and will discuss four different series of trainings for nonprofits scheduled to take place throughout 2008.

Yes, I will be part of this meeting. And, throughout the month of October I will continue to support the nonprofit community at some of these outstanding arts and culture events. Please join me. I believe that we can all do so much more together than any of us can ever do alone.

Monday, Oct. 1, at 7:30 p.m., Queen Latifah will perform at Hancher Auditorium, on the University of Iowa campus, Iowa City. Star of the movie versions of “ Chicago ” and “ Hairspray ,” Queen Latifah is expected to perform music from her new album “Trav’lin Light.” $32 to $50 through (800) HANCHER.

A fundraiser for the National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library, 30 16^th Ave. SW, Cedar Rapids, starts the busy Friday, Oct. 5, evening off at 6 p.m. at the museum BrewNost is an annual beer sipping and sampling event featuring 32 premium beers as well as appetizers from several Corridor-area chefs. Also, some great local jazz, pop and blues music will be performed by local legends Craig Erickson, Dennis McPartland and Dennis Redmond. $50. More information is available through (319) 362-8500.

Also on Friday, Oct. 5, beginning at 7 p.m. at the U.S. Cellular Center, 370 First Ave. NE, Cedar Rapids, is Newsboys with Kutless and Newworldson. Newsboys is a red hot rock Christian rock band with five gold albums. You can’t tell from looking at them but this group has been performing for two decades and should be quite a draw. $24.75 through $39.75 through (319) 363-1888.

At 8 p.m. Friday, Oct. 5, beginning at 8 p.m., Suzanne Vega will play the Englert Theatre, 221 Washington St., Iowa City. Vega had a No. 3 hit with “Luka” in 1987 and is often given responsibility for ushering in the female, acoustic, folk-pop singer-songwriter movement that would include performers such as Tracy Chapman, Shawn Colvin, and the Indigo Girls. $25 through (319) 688-2653.

Also on Friday, Oct. 5, at Clapp Recital Hall, on the University of Iowa campus, Iowa City, is an 8 p.m. concert by opera star Katharine Goeldner. Award-winning Goeldner has performed at the Met and Carnegie Hall and is a regular performer with the New York City Opera. Free. More information is available through (319) 335-3213.

On Saturday, Oct. 6, at 7:30 p.m., and Sunday, Oct. 7, at 2:30 p.m., the Cedar Rapids Symphony performs “Jeans N’ Classics: Madmen Across the Water: The Music of Elton John ” at the Paramount Theatre, 123 Third Ave. SE, Cedar Rapids. Here, Jeans N’ Classics’ rock band, pianist and vocalists perform the music of Elton John backed by the Cedar Rapids Symphony Orchestra. Tickets range from $20 to $51 through (319) 366-8203.

The opportunity to come together to make our community stronger -- another reason why I’m so glad I live here.

Joe Jennison is the Executive Director of the Iowa Cultural Corridor Alliance, a group of 100+ arts and culture organizations whose mission is to build, strengthen and lead the local cultural industry and the communities it serves. He also sits on the board of the Linn County Nonprofit Resource Center. More information on these and other arts and culture events in Eastern Iowa is located at http://www.culturalcorridor.org <http://www.culturalcorridor.org/>

This editorial originally appeared in the Corridor Business Journal. Learn more about the CBJ through http://www.corridorbiznews.com/

2,000+ Corridorians experience the historic CRANDIC

By Joe Jennison

A plane passes over us and lands at the Eastern Iowa Airport.

A little boy in a baseball cap waves excitedly at us from his backyard.

Minutes later, we watch a duck dive into the Coralville Lake and a red fox scamper across an Iowa prairie. And all throughout the train ride along the historic CRANDIC Railway, local residents stop their cars and grab their cameras. This is history in the making, and we are the first passengers to experience it since May 30, 1953.

Read on…

Saturday, I was one of 2,000+ Corridorians who experienced a familiarization tour of the historic CRANDIC Railway. The three-hour trip from Cedar Rapids to Iowa City and back again was led by the Iowa City/Coralville Convention and Visitors Bureau, and is the first time these particular tracks have been used since 1953.

The scenery along this route is gorgeous and includes miles of prairies and lakes and wooded areas, farmland, pastures, and both rural and urban settings. We follow a creek for a while in Cedar Rapids, stop traffic in Swisher and whiz by the developments of North Liberty.

We are told as we ride that the signal systems, track conditions, equipment, bridge work, crossings and switches all need to be upgraded in order to once again make the CRANDIC a viable transportation option for Corridor residents. According to a 12-month study that concluded Dec. 7, 2006, it is estimated that it would cost $70 million to upgrade the track, build depots, improve signal systems and procure equipment to provide a competitive transportation option between Cedar Rapids and Iowa City. By comparison, it would cost $400 million to add just one additional traffic lane to the I-380 between Cedar Rapids and Iowa City.

The potential option of a light rail system along these tracks seems to interest those gathered in the car that I rode in on Saturday. Three of us in the car discuss the San Francisco CalTrain and others remember back to the CRANDIC’s heyday.

The round trip ride from Cedar Rapids to Iowa City and back again seems to fly by as new friends are made and old friends share a new memory. This is indeed part of the charm of rail travel -- the opportunity to meander through and experience the scenery of the Corridor while talking and laughing and enjoying the view.

The CRANDIC is a wonderful way to travel.

Joe Jennison is the Executive Director of the Iowa Cultural Corridor Alliance, a group of 100+ arts and culture organizations, whose mission is to build, strengthen and lead the local cultural industry and the communities it serves. More information on these and other arts and culture events in Eastern Iowa is located at www.culturalcorridor.org

Need more Joe? Joe is a guest on KZIA 102.9 FM every Monday morning. For a sound bite of his most recent visit, log onto KZIA’s Schulte and Swann page at http://www.kzia.com/w3port/Default.aspx?tabid=99

By Joe Jennison

A Steel Drum Band recreates the sounds of Calypso and Reggae and Socca using only sticks and drums and percussion instruments. When the group finishes, two dancers leap up on a stage in front of a cheering crowd and begin to improvise some stylish dance moves utilizing a mix of country, tango and swing . And later, all in attendance get a thorough lesson in salsa dancing – a lesson that culminates in a large group salsa dance across the lobby and in front of an unused ticket counter at the Eastern Iowa Airport.

Yes, you read that right -- salsa dancing AT THE EASTERN IOWA AIRPORT.

Read on…

Monday evening, four groups that specialize in cultural diversity collaborated in a networking meeting and party meant to draw attention to the new Corridor Concierge space at the Eastern Iowa airport. Approximately 150 people showed up at the invitation of Access Iowa, Diversity Focus, the Iowa Cultural Corridor Alliance and the Professional Technical Diversity Network for a Cross-Corridor Collaborative Cultural meeting.

The meeting was the first time that the four groups met together, and from the look of joy on the faces of those gathered, I am certain that it will not be the last. The evening was a huge example of what’s going right in the Corridor with the list of collaborators a virtual who’s who of Corridor-area movers and shakers.

The evening’s welcome speech was given by Josh Schamberger of the Iowa City/Coralville Convention and Visitors Bureau. Others included in the multi-collaborative meeting included Quinn Pettifer from Access Iowa, Alfred Ramirez from Diversity Focus, Frank Rubrero from Professional Technical Diversity Network, Tim Boyle from the Cedar Rapids Area Convention and Visitors, Kristie Wetjen from the Amana Colonies Convention and Visitors Bureau and Darcy Bemus from the Iowa Cultural Corridor Alliance.

Also on hand were Joan Hackbarth from Tanager Place, Mike Monahan from Blue Strawberry Coffee Company and Pam Hinman from the Eastern Iowa Airport, all of whom added something to the collaborative meeting. Val Underwood, a ticket agent with Delta Airlines, baked a beautiful cake for the occasion and Chris Okiishi of City Circle Acting Company donated the evening’s stage and PA system. Robert Untiedt from the Linn County Nonprofit Resource Center provided technical assistance, artist Michele Maring Miller created a large watercolor especially for the evening and volunteers including Steve Carpenter from Kirkwood and Linda Schreiber from the Iowa City Area Development Group all helped to make the evening a success -- truly a cross-collaborative venture.

A live performance by the Pandelirium Steel Drum Band offered a blend of music from traditional Calypso and Socca to Reggae and arrangements of popular songs. The group is made up of current and former members of the PanAmerican Steel Drum Band from the University of Iowa and has performed at numerous venues in Iowa including the Iowa City Jazz Festival. After the Steel Drum Band finished, Kameron Spears and Carol Johnk performed an impromptu dance duet across the stage when a performer from Arts a la Carte was running late due to weather issues.

My favorite moment of the night occurred when Gloria Zmolek of Baile Latino offered a salsa dance demonstration followed by an interactive salsa class. Baile Latino, a loosely formed member-led organization whose purpose is to create community in the Cedar Rapids Metro area through the love and sharing of Latin dances and music, has been meeting weekly for the past four years on Saturday afternoons at CSPS to learn and practice Latin dance. Zmolek, dressed in bright red, proved to be the perfect teacher and was able to get much of the crowd up and onto their feet, salsa-dancing across the airport’s lobby. Truly a memory I will never forget.

ICCA’s new booth is meant to be a Welcome Center for tourists and business travelers from all over the world. If the welcome all of these wonderful diverse groups and individuals received Monday night at the airport is any indication, the new Corridor Concierge booth at the Eastern Iowa Airport will be a huge community asset – indeed, a shining example of what’s going right in the Corridor.

Joe Jennison is the Executive Director of the Iowa Cultural Corridor Alliance, a group of 100+ arts and culture organizations -- including Access Iowa, Diversity Focus and the Professional Technical Diversity Network -- whose mission is to build, strengthen and lead the local cultural industry and the communities it serves. In partnership with Blue Strawberry Coffee, City of Cedar Rapids, the Eastern Iowa Airport and the Amana Colonies, Iowa City/Coralville and Cedar Rapids Area Convention and Visitors Bureau, Jennison manages the Corridor Concierge Booth at the Eastern Iowa Airport. More information on these and other arts and culture events in Eastern Iowa is located at www.culturalcorridor.org

Need more Joe? Joe is a guest on KZIA 102.9 FM every Monday morning. For a sound bite of his most recent visit, log onto KZIA’s Schulte and Swann page at http://www.kzia.com/w3port/Default.aspx?tabid=99

By Joe Jennison

A Canadian frontiersman steps into the topsy-turvy world of an 1875 Gilbert and Sullivan operetta. Set in a courtroom as papers fly and a jury dances and sings about the stage, the frontiersman hesitates, looks around and then simply kicks up his heels and dances along.

Although this sounds like a perfect plot device for a Gilbert and Sullivan operetta, this creative and surprising comic twist was not written by the comic duo, but rather by a 2007 guest director at the UI Division of Performing Arts.

Read on.

Friday night I went to a production of Rossini’s “The Marriage Contract” followed by a production of Gilbert and Sullivan’s “Trial By Jury” at Clapp Recital Hall, on the University of Iowa campus, Iowa City. The two operettas were directed by Gary Briggle, a Minneapolis-based actor and director, who is spending the summer in Iowa City directing the UI’s summer light opera. Last year’s production of “The Pirates of Penzance” was a huge hit, and this year’s double bill of two comic one-act operas offers another great evening at the theater.

Although the Rossini opera takes place in Venice in 1810 and the Gilbert and Sullivan piece takes place in London in 1875, both have similar themes and both concern marriage contracts. But the real unifying element in these two one-act operas is the fact that they are both laugh-out loud funny and are both directed by Briggle.

“The Marriage Contract,” I learn, was one of Rossini’s first comissioned operas and the UI production is thought to be the first English translation of the piece. The second operetta of the evening, the early Gilbert and Sullivan collaboration, “Trial By Jury,” opens with a courtroom usher barreling onto the stage and pressing the audience with “All Rise!” When the Clapp Recital Hall audience does not comply, the Usher simply pushes harder, expecting us all to join the crazy world of Gilbert and Sullivan. Briggle takes this notion one step further and asks not only the audience to join in the fun, but also the cast of the Rossini piece as well.

My favorite moment was when the characters from the first opera suddenly find themselves stepping in to Gilbert and Sullivan’s topsy-turvy world. There is a moment of confusion as if they just happened to walk through the wrong door, and in typical Gilbert and Sullivan fashion, all eventually simply let go and join in the fun.

The opera will play again Friday, July 20, and Saturday, July 21, at 8 p.m. at Clapp Recital Hall, on the University of Iowa campus, Iowa City. Tickets range from $10 to $20 and are available through (800) HANCHER.

Saturday I went to Amana to see “Swingtime Canteen” at the Old Creamery Theatre Company, 39 38^th Ave., Amana. The play is about a seven-piece all-girl band (plus one) who travel to London, circa 1944. The play we are watching is actually meant to be a USO show for the Eighth U.S. Air Force and contains 34 popular 40s-era songs performed live by the fictional swing band. The play runs through Aug. 26. See the show Wednesday, Friday and Saturday at 7:30 p.m. and Thursday, Saturday and Sunday at 3 p.m. Tickets range from $16.50 to $25.50 and are available through (800) 35-AMANA.

While in Amana, I stopped into Catiri’s Art Oasis, 4516 220^th Trail, Amana. Catiri’s latest exhibit features the work of Madeline Roemig Bendorf. Bendorf is an Iowa pastel artist who offers a beautiful display of Iowa landscapes along with some interesting new work inspired by a recent trip to France. The exhibit will run through July 31 and the gallery is open from 9:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. every day. Free. More information is available through (319) 622-3969.

Sunday I grabbed a picnic basket and a cold bottle of wine and made my way to Brucemore, 2160 Linden Drive SE, Cedar Rapids, for a production of Shakespeare’s “Macbeth.” It was a beautiful night for Shakespeare under the stars, and the play made for a great way to spend a summer evening. “Macbeth” runs through July 22. The gates open up at 7 p.m. and the show begins at 8 p.m. See it Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Tickets range from $13 to $18 and are available through (319) 362-7375.

Joe Jennison is the Executive Director of the Iowa Cultural Corridor Alliance, a group of 100+ arts and culture organizations, whose mission is to build, strengthen and lead the local cultural industry and the communities it serves. More information on these and other arts and culture events in Eastern Iowa is located at www.culturalcorridor.org

Need more Joe? Joe is a guest on KZIA 102.9 FM every Monday morning. For a sound bite of his most recent visit, log onto KZIA’s Schulte and Swann page at http://www.kzia.com/w3port/Default.aspx?tabid=99

Regional arts and culture groups generate $63.08 million annually

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa – June 6, 2007 -- The Corridor’s many nonprofit arts and culture organizations generate an estimated $63.08 million annually in regional economic activity. This according to results of a new study conducted by Americans for the Arts and administered by the Iowa Cultural Corridor Alliance (ICCA).

The study was based on interviews completed in the Corridor throughout 2006, and confirmed that the annual $63.08 million in economic activity -- $31.78 million by nonprofit arts and culture organizations and an additional $31.3 million in event-related spending by their audiences -- supports 1,986 full-time equivalent jobs, generates $33.9 million in household income to local residents, and delivers $6.21 million in local and state government revenue.

The Results

• $31,777,183 spent annually in the Corridor by nonprofit cultural organizations

• $31,303,523 spent annually in the Corridor by local and out-of-town arts patrons

• $33,899,000 in resident household income

• $2,744,000 in local government tax revenue

• $3,440,000 in state government tax revenue

• 1,986 full-time equivalent jobs

The Iowa Cultural Corridor is one of 156 regions that participated in the Americans for the Arts study. The regional study, titled “Arts & Economic Prosperity III: The Economic Impact of Arts and Culture Organizations and their Audiences in the Iowa Cultural Corridor,” is part of the most comprehensive study of its kind ever conducted. This is Americans for the Arts’ third such national study and the first time that an Iowa region has been involved. The national study documents the economic impact of the nonprofit arts and culture industry in 116 cities and counties, representing all 50 states and the District of Columbia.

“The results of this study send a strong signal to our legislators, donors and patrons,” said Darcy Bemus, President of the Board of ICCA. “By supporting the many arts and culture organizations of the Corridor, we are also investing in the Iowa Cultural Corridor’s economic well-being. Now, more than ever, the arts mean business.”

The Iowa study included interviews with 63 local nonprofit arts and culture organizations and 565 local and visiting arts and culture patrons. A complete copy of the Iowa study is available at www.culturalcorridor.org A complete copy of the national study is available at www.americansforthearts.org/economicimpact

The following community leaders will be available for comment after the press conference:

Regenia Bailey, Iowa City Mayor Pro Tem

Tim Boyle, Cedar Rapids Area Convention & Visitors Bureau

Lee Clancey, Cedar Rapids Chamber of Commerce

Mayor Kay Halloran, City of Cedar Rapids

Linda Langston, Linn County Supervisor

State Representative Tyler Olson, House District 38

Nancy Quellhorst, Iowa City Chamber of Commerce

Josh Schamberger, Iowa City/Coralville Convention & Visitors Bureau

Mary Sundet-Jones, Division Administrator, Iowa Arts Council

Mayor Ross Wilburn, City of Iowa City

About ICCA

ICCA was formed in October of 2005 with the merging of the Johnson County Cultural Alliance (JCCA) and the Cedar Rapids Area Culture Alliance (CRACA). The group’s mission is to build, strengthen and lead the Corridor’s arts and culture organizations and the communities they serve. ICCA maintains www.culturalcorridor.org, the area’s one-stop shop for news and information about upcoming cultural events in the Cedar Rapids/Iowa City Corridor.

About Americans for the Arts

Americans for the Arts is the leading nonprofit organization for advancing the arts in America. With offices in Washington, DC, and New York City, it has a record of more than 45 years of service. Americans for the Arts is dedicated to representing and serving local communities and creating opportunities for every American to participate in and appreciate all forms of the arts. Additional information is available at www.AmericansForTheArts.org .

Hanging out with a giant sloth, 1,000 rare birds and Marquette and Jolliet

By Joe Jennison

I stood on a 500-foot-high cliff overlooking the Mississippi River on Saturday. From my vantage point on the bluff, I could see the approaching canoes of French fur-trader Louis Jolliet and his colleague Jacques Marquette.

With me, at this historic moment were two 17^th-century Native Americans and, of course, my 21^st-century colleagues Shirl, Mary, Sharon, Joyce, Pam, Karen and DeLayna.

Read on…

Walk into the University of Iowa Museum of Natural History, on the University of Iowa campus, Iowa City, and here, just a few steps from the museum’s entrance is the first of several dioramas – a recreation of the morning of June 17, 1673 -- the moment that Marquette and Jolliet first paddled via canoe into Iowa.

The scene is a gorgeous recreation with trees and birds and a colorful sunrise that offers a spectacular view from the bluffs overlooking the Mississippi River. In this recreation, two Ioway natives watch cautiously from the cliff as the approaching canoes bearing French fur-trader Louis Jolliet and Jesuit priest Jacques Marquette make their way into Iowa.

The facility has many colorful diorama’s all depicting different eras of the state’s history from a life-sized model of a Giant Sloth during Iowa’s Ice Age to a 19^th-century scene depicting life in a Meskwaki village. The exhibits in Mammal Hall include rare specimens of a Giant Panda and the 47-foot long skeleton of an Atlantic Right Whale, as well as walruses collected by Robert Peary on his North Pole discovery trip.

The museum’s Hageboeck Hall of Birds includes 1,000 rare specimens and through the historic Laysan Island cyclorama allows viewers a unique 360-degree view of a 1911 Pacific Island teeming with bird life.

Established in 1858, the University of Iowa Museum of Natural History is billed as “the oldest University museum West of the Mississippi River” and boasts more than 1 million specimens. Hours to the museum are Tuesday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 3 pm.; Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; and Sunday from 1 to 5 p.m. Admission is always free. More information is available through (319) 335-0480.

The UI Museum of Natural History was one of seven museums that I took in on Saturday, and one of my favorite stops during this day-long, whirlwind tour. Other highlights included tours of 5 Turner Alley, the African-American Historical Museum and Cultural Center of Iowa, Brucemore National Trust Historic Site, the National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library, Old Capitol and the University of Iowa Museum of Art. All were well worth the time, and each offered our small group plenty of information and inspiration.

If you have an afternoon free this spring, check out any one of these or several other well-done Corridor-area museums. You might be surprised to learn how much you don’t know about the world and community we live in…

Joe Jennison is the Executive Director of the Iowa Cultural Corridor Alliance, a group of 100+ arts and culture organizations, whose mission is to build, strengthen and lead the local cultural industry and the communities it serves. More information on these and other arts and culture events in Eastern Iowa is located at www.culturalcorridor.org

Need more Joe? Joe is a guest on KZIA 102.9 FM every Monday morning. For a sound bite of his most recent visit, log onto KZIA’s Schulte and Swann page at http://www.kzia.com/w3port/Default.aspx?tabid=99

Mount Vernon/Lisbon Community Theater “new play festival” proves why we call this the Cultural Corridor

By Joe Jennison

A licensed massage therapist performs in an original theater piece alongside a tile installer, a father of two and a local 8^th grader. The play they perform was written and directed by a local coffee house barista. At intermission pies baked by a stay-at-home mom are served with fresh coffee as the audience talks about art and theater as they listen to music being sung by a high school language arts teacher.

And all of this seems to reinforce to me why I choose to live here: This is a community that cares about culture.

Read on…

Saturday I drove to the Lisbon Public Library, 101 E. Main St., Lisbon, to take in “Slices of Life,” a sold-out performance of a selection of 10 new plays by eight local writers. The project was put together by the Mount Vernon/Lisbon Community Theatre and featured the talents of about 30 local performers, producers, playwrights and others.

Writer Amy White’s “Get Organized” was a very funny send-up of seminars with the absolutely most unorganized and scattered speaker you could possibly imagine leading the audience in a discussion on how to “get organized.” In the play, the speaker not only arrives late, but is ill prepared, and rather than a lecture on organization, her audience is treated to a story about her former husband’s infidelity.

Mike Moran offered up a very powerful piece about a lover’s quarrel in the park that resulted in potato salad being thrown in the face of a young woman by her fireman boyfriend. The piece was told from the perspective of two birds that watched the entire scene unfold from a nearby tree. Moran’s monologue, titled “The Nekky-Bird Song,” offered a detailed description of the painful interaction and concluded with a musical number. Well done.

I think it’s fair to say that not all of the attempts by the local playwrights represented were home runs, but all of these scenes reminded me of the very reason that I chose to live in the Cultural Corridor: this is a community where all of us can have the chance to flex our creative muscles alongside like-minded people who care about art.

This is a project that is repeated again and again in our area. I saw a similar event last week in West Liberty and the weekend before that in Coralville. Groups like New Bohemia and Harvester regularly offer visual art shows, groups like the James Gang and Legion Arts offer community performances. And groups like the Mount Vernon Area Arts Council and Summer of the Arts and Habeas Corpus regularly offer all of us a chance to be a part of a community festival. There are groups devoted to life drawings and independent film and dance and puppet shows and composing music. Whatever your interest, here in the Corridor, you will find not only a place to see live examples of art and theater and music, but you also will be regularly asked to pick up a brush or a microphone or a pen and join in.

This is why we call this area the Cultural Corridor. I can’t wait till next weekend.

The Mount Vernon/Lisbon Community Theatre’s next show is Stephen Sondheim’s “Assassins” performing July 26 to 28. Auditions for the piece are June 3 and 4. More information is available through the Lisbon Public Library at ( 319) 455-2800.

Joe Jennison is the Executive Director of the Iowa Cultural Corridor Alliance, a group of 100+ arts and culture organizations, whose mission is to build, strengthen and lead the local cultural industry and the communities it serves. More information on these and other arts and culture events in Eastern Iowa is located at www.culturalcorridor.org

Need more Joe? Joe is a guest on KZIA 102.9 FM every Monday morning. For a sound bite of his most recent visit, log onto KZIA’s Schulte and Swann page at http://www.kzia.com/w3port/Default.aspx?tabid=99

“Puppets and Pastries Dessert Theatre” a great night of adult puppet theater

By Joe Jennison

Eulenspiegel Puppet Theatre is a huge hit with children.

No doubt you and your family have enjoyed the puppet group at a school assembly or at its regular performance space, the New Strand Theatre, 111 E. Third St., West Liberty. The group performs about six shows annually at the New Strand and also regularly tours around the country and around the world offering puppet shows for children.

This week, the successful children’s theater chose to reach out to a different audience and tell a fascinating true story about the Holocaust using, of all things, shadow- and stick-puppets.

Read on…

Saturday night, I was a member of a small audience gathered together for “Puppets and Pastries Dessert Theatre,” a fascinating theatrical experience designed for adults. Writer (and puppeteer Monica Leo) began the piece by lighting candles on top of a tall altar on a small stage in West Liberty. After lighting the candles, she reached around and behind the altar and pulled up a wrap-around screen with a translucent front. This simple set up allowed Leo’s shadow puppets to be backlit by the candlelight that playfully danced behind the screen, and added to the sense of memory and magic.

The true story centered on Leo’s Christian father who was taken from his home by the Nazis in the middle of the night. As Leo tells the story, a quick-thinking housekeeper handed him an overcoat just as he was leaving home, a gesture that quite possibly saved his life. When he arrived at Buchenwald concentration camp, he realized that his bed was nothing more than a hard, wooden “shelf” that he shared with dozens of others, none of whom were given sheets or pillows or blankets to keep warm. But Leo’s father was lucky because he had an overcoat.

And, it seems, an imaginary friend.

Leo’s father survived Buchenwald, and later, the family moved to Pennsylvania and eventually Texas. Throughout it all Monica Leo remembers her father’s story of an imaginary friend who lived in his father’s pocket that helped him get through the darkest moments in Buchenwald. Leo went as far as to pick up and put on her father’s old suit jacket and actually touched the pocket where her father had said that his imaginary friend lived. Later, as the story unfolded, and Leo’s mother was on her deathbed, the storyteller herself leaned down into the small set below to kiss the puppet playing her mother. This proved to be a masterful piece of storytelling -- the storyteller herself interacting with her own puppet actors.

The evening of memories and theater was actually three separate plays for adults: “My Father’s Imaginary Friend,” “German Eggheads in Texas” and “Mutti’s Muscles.” The trilogy was followed by music and singing and the reading of a scene from a new play by Susan Short Gilbert. All of these elements plus desserts and coffee and wine created a wonderful adult night out.

Eulenspiegel’s next show is Wednesday, March 14, at 10 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. at the Strand Theatre. THAT puppet show, titled “Tails from Africa,” is meant for children and utilizes 12 puppets and marionettes and soft-sculpted scenery on a large table top stage. $5 through (319) 627-2487.

Joe Jennison is the Executive Director of the Iowa Cultural Corridor Alliance, a group of 100+ arts and culture organizations, whose mission is to build, strengthen and lead the local cultural industry and the communities it serves. More information on these and other arts and culture events in Eastern Iowa is located at www.culturalcorridor.org

Need more Joe? Joe is a guest on KZIA 102.9 FM every Monday morning. For a sound bite of his most recent visit, log onto KZIA’s Schulte and Swann page at http://www.kzia.com/w3port/Default.aspx?tabid=99

AIDS quilt helps to bring home the message of TCR’s “Angels”

By Joe Jennison

One panel seems to be thrown together quickly, using little more than a white bedsheet and a black Sharpie. Another is much more elaborate, stitched together with several patches containing information about the subject’s all-too-short life in the arts.

And all of these panels bring home the fact that each of the 25 million people worldwide who have died of AIDS since 1981 are real human beings with families and joyful memories and, sadly and unfortunately, very short lives.

Read on…

The AIDS Memorial Quilt contains 83,440 names. Each name is part of a panel that is often built by friends and family members to memorialize the life of a person lost to AIDS. The panels are stitched together in eight-piece segments known as a block. For a limited time, three of the Quilt’s blocks are on temporary exhibit at Theatre Cedar Rapids, 102 Third St. SE, Cedar Rapids, as a way to call attention to TCR’s latest play, Tony Kushner’s “Angels in America.”

The blocks are hanging across the stage as you enter the theater and prove to be the perfect way to herald the coming of Kushner’s epic Tony Award-winning drama. And, as all three of the blocks chosen for the exhibit are from Iowans who have died of AIDS, this also serves as a reminder to all of us who live here that AIDS is not an East Coast or West Coast issue.

Set in New York City in the mid-1980s, the play is actually two three-hour plays: “Millennium Approaches” and “Perestroika.” The plays feature three stories that intersect throughout the course of the two plays, and include several well-drawn characters. Throughout the two pieces, ghosts and angels and ancestors slip in and out of the theatrical landscape, as the characters struggle with politics and homophobia and AIDS to create a powerful emotional journey for both actors and audience.

The play’s main character is Louis Ironson, a word processor whose partner Prior Walter is seriously ill. When the disease becomes too much for Louis to bear, he moves out, leaving his lover alone to deal with the prospect of death. Louis meets and begins to date a man named Joe, a lawyer who is married to a Valium addict named Harper. Harper’s journey is full of hallucinations, several of which are dramatized on stage, and include trips to Antarctica and beyond. Roy Cohn, a mentor to Joe, is a Reagan-era Republican also with HIV, who refuses to acknowledge that he is dying and attempts to continue on with his busy work.

All of these stories create a marvelous acting challenge for the volunteers at Theatre Cedar Rapids. Several actors take the opportunity and run with it, creating an evening of emotional theater. Particularly strong are Jim Kern as Roy Cohn, Bryant Duffy as Louis and Matthew James as Prior Walter.

“Part 1 – Millennium Approaches” runs Thursday, Friday and Saturday, March 8 through March 10, at 7:30 p.m; and Sunday, March 11, at 2:30 p.m. “Part Two – Perestroika” begins Friday, March 23, at 7:30 p.m. and runs through April 1 on Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays at 7:30 p.m. and Sundays at 2:30 p.m. Tickets range from $15 to $20, and are available through (319) 366-8591.

The AIDS Memorial Quilt is available for viewing Monday through Friday from noon to 4 p.m. and 10 a.m. to noon on Saturday.

Joe Jennison is the Executive Director of the Iowa Cultural Corridor Alliance, a group of 100+ arts and culture organizations, whose mission is to build, strengthen and lead the local cultural industry and the communities it serves. More information on these and other arts and culture events in Eastern Iowa is located at www.culturalcorridor.org

Need more Joe? Joe is a guest on KZIA 102.9 FM every Monday morning. For a sound bite of his most recent visit, log onto KZIA’s Schulte and Swann page at http://www.kzia.com/w3port/Default.aspx?tabid=99

Free culture: How to see three shows at three venues for $0.00

By Joe Jennison

Arts and culture doesn’t have to be expensive.

Sunday afternoon, I literally left my wallet at home and, with a full tank of gas, I set out to find free art and culture. And, in one afternoon, I saw three shows and spent a total of – get this -- $0.00.

Read on…

My first stop was at the University of Iowa Museum of Art, on the University of Iowa campus, Iowa City. The museum’s latest exhibit is titled “Picturing Eden,” a traveling exhibit featuring 133 photographs by 37 contemporary artists. Mounted by the George Eastman House International Museum of Photography and Film, the exhibit explores the ways in which photographers around the world have re-imagined and re-interpreted the idea of paradise through their own distinct lens.

The centerpiece of the exhibit – and the first thing you see when you enter the space – is six striking photos by Dutch artist Ruud van Empel. In a process he calls “digital painting,” van Empel digitally cuts and pastes various images into the photographs creating a colorful and mesmerizing Eden. In this Eden, the viewer is confronted by four children standing in beautiful green, lush forests. The subjects seem to stare directly at the viewer with haunting eyes as if searching for answers.

Other photographers include Matthias Hoch who photographs greenery in cages and small islands of Eden between miles of cloverleaf freeways; and J. John Priola whose black-and-white photographs of simple, single windows taken from the street seem to suggest that Eden is now only inside behind locked doors. The exhibit will be on view at the museum through May 13. While there, do not miss Paul Pfeiffer’s “Morning After the Deluge,” a video loop that mixes sunrises and sunsets over Cape Cod Bay; and “Dark Matters: Max Klinger’s Print Cycle “On Death” and Other Ruminations.” Regular hours are Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday from noon to 5 p.m.; Thursday and Friday from noon to 9 p.m. Free. More information is available at (319) 335-1727.

Next I wandered up to Old Capitol, on the University of Iowa campus, Iowa City, and took the self-guided tour of the facility. What I learned is that Old Capitol served as third capitol of the Territory of Iowa, from 1842 until 1846; as first capitol of the State of Iowa, from 1846 to 1857; and as the first permanent home of The University of Iowa, beginning in 1857. The facility reopened in May 2006 after being closed for four years due to a devastating fire. The new building is gorgeous with bright pastel colors in every room, an expanded gift shop and eight restored rooms that are interpreted to the period that the building served as the State Capitol. In the basement of the building is the Iowa Youth Diaries Project, which showcases exceptional collections of young Iowans' diaries from the 1850s to the early 1900s. Old Capitol is open Tuesdays Wednesdays and Fridays from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.; Thursdays and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; and Sundays from 1 to 5 p.m. Free. More information is available at (319) 335-0548.

After my self-guided tour through Old Capitol, I hiked over to the Bijou Theater, in the Iowa Memorial Union, on the University of Iowa campus, Iowa City. Here, I saw a free screening of “Dixie Chicks: Shut Up and Sing,” as part of the Bijou’s recent renovation and upgrade. The new Bijou sports a new sound system, new comfy seats, new screen and new acoustical paneling. The free screenings are part of a week-long series of special events to celebrate the theater’s upgrade and its 35^th anniversary. This Friday, Feb. 23, former Iowa poet laureate Marvin Bell will be giving a keynote speech at the theater. The event will include the dedication of the new space, refreshments donated by One Twenty Six and The New Pioneer Co-op and live music. Also on Friday will be a free advance screening of “Color Me Kubrick,” starring John Malkovich as a con artist who passed himself off as film director Stanley Kubrick in the London area during the late 1990s. All free, but advance tickets are required. Regular prices range from $5 to $7. More information is available through the theater at (319) 335-3258.

Joe Jennison is the Executive Director of the Iowa Cultural Corridor Alliance, a group of 100+ arts and culture organizations, whose mission is to build, strengthen and lead the local cultural industry and the communities it serves. More information on these and other arts and culture events in Eastern Iowa is located at www.culturalcorridor.org

Need more Joe? Joe is a guest on KZIA 102.9 FM every Monday morning. For a sound bite of his most recent visit, log onto KZIA’s Schulte and Swann page at http://www.kzia.com/w3port/Default.aspx?tabid=99

Exploring Mercy Iowa City’s three-floor Queen Anne Victorian

by Joe Jennison

The mistress of the house is busy making a dress in an upstairs sewing room.

The teenagers that live there left in a hurry during a high-stakes Monopoly game.

And in the kitchen, freshly picked fruit sits on a counter and a fresh-baked pie cools near the window sill.

But the family and pet dog who live and love in this three-bedroom Queen Anne Victorian is permanently out, and their lives are an open book to all who wander by. The next time you’re in Mercy Iowa City, you too can drop into this house and snoop through the lives and belongings of the family that lives there, that is, if you are small enough to fit through the six-inch door frame.

Friday, I was given a tour of the artwork on display throughout several floors of Mercy Iowa City, 500 East Market St. You too are welcome to stop in any day and see a fine permanent art collection that includes watercolors, oils, textiles, sculpture, photographs and more. On display in the hospital’s first-floor atrium is a temporary exhibit titled “ Obedient Servant or Expressive Voice: Exploring Calligraphy's Spectrum,” a collection of a wide variety of calligraphy art.

But upstairs on the second floor at the base of the Skywalk that connects the hospital to the parking ramp is a fascinating sculpture, a piece of art created by Ann Wieland of Iowa City over a period of about five years, and completed in 2005. Wieland’s sculpture, a Queen Anne Victorian dollhouse was donated to Mercy for a silent auction to benefit the Mercy Hospital Foundation. The dollhouse was purchased and donated back to the hospital for display. It is now on permanent exhibit in the 2^nd Floor hallway surrounded by a Plexiglas case and usually one or two curious onlookers.

The piece is a fascinating three-dimensional miniature that affords visitors a 360-degree look into the lives of a turn-of-the-last-century family. The house is a gorgeous purple with green roof, three bedrooms, two fireplaces and a bathroom complete with claw-foot tub.

The kitchen has a complete spice rack with several glass jars lined up and filled with a wide array of spices. Blooming flower boxes sit below several of the home’s windows and a bird bath awaits feathered friends in the yard. The kitchen supports a wood-burning stove and even the pet is considered here, with dishes of food and water set out for the family dog.

Wieland’s Victorian dollhouse offers the viewer plenty of detail to pass the time and is on display during normal visiting hours, noon to 8 p.m. daily. More information about this piece or the other pieces in the hospital’s permanent collection is available through (319) 339-3676.

Friday evening I attended Theatre Cedar Rapids, 102 Third St. SE, to see an old-fashioned farce. The play, titled “Cash on Delivery,” is a screwball comedy with mistaken identities, slamming doors and one crazy mix-up after another. Act Two’s zaniness builds to the point where one character is mistaken for dead and is on the way to the Crematorium while another is mistaken for a woman and still another is groped and pinched and goosed much to the comic delight of the audience. The evening provided big laughs and lots of fun. Theatre Cedar Rapids’ next production will be “Angels in America, Parts 1 and II,” playing in two separate productions between March 2 and April 1. Tickets range from $15 to $20 and are available through (319) 366-8591.

Saturday I stopped into the Campbell-Steele Gallery, 1064 7^th Ave., Marion. The gallery has a large collection of Eastern European prints on display including “Girl with Pear,” an original etching by Fedor. This inaugural exhibition offers a collection of intaglio works, which offer stylized, attenuated, and distorted characters that compel the viewer to look for deeper significance in the artwork. Other works on display include hand-made jewelry, vases, glass ornaments, hand-painted scarves and more. The gallery is open noon to 6 pm. Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday; and noon to 7 p.m. Thursday. More information is available through (319) 373-9211.

Joe Jennison is the Executive Director of the Iowa Cultural Corridor Alliance, a group of 100+ arts and culture organizations, whose mission is to build, strengthen and lead the local cultural industry and the communities it serves. More information on these and other arts and culture events in Eastern Iowa is located at www.culturalcorridor.org

Need more Joe? Joe is a guest on KZIA 102.9 FM every Monday morning. For a sound bite of his most recent visit, log onto KZIA’s Schulte and Swann page at http://www.kzia.com/w3port/Default.aspx?tabid=99

Relive your childhood at the Cedar Rapids Museum of Art

by Joe Jennison

When was the last time you picked up “Danny and the Dinosaur,” “The Story of Babar” or “Beverly Cleary’s Henry and Beezus”?

This weekend, I was reunited with old friends such as Henry Huggins, Curious George, Babar and others through a new exhibit that features a large selection of the Cedar Rapids Public Library’s collection of original children’s book illustrations by artists such as Charles Schulz, H.A. Rey, Louis S. Darling and others.

Read on…

Cedar Rapids Public Library (CRPL) children’s librarian Evelyn Zerzanek worked as a librarian in Cedar Rapids from 1924 to 1972. Beginning in the 1950s, Zerzanek began to correspond with several children’s book authors and illustrators from around the world, asking them to donate a piece of original artwork to the library for the children of Cedar Rapids.

Over the course of 15 years, this collection grew to more than 800 pieces. Now, the Cedar Rapids Museum of Art (410 Third Ave. SE, Cedar Rapids) is partnering with the CRPL through May 13 to present a major exhibition of these original pieces of art in the museum to heighten awareness of this important local collection.

Personal favorites in the collection include original illustrations from Hank Ketcham, Laurent de Brunhoff, Syd Hoff, Louis S. Darling and Charles Schulz. Along with the original artwork are portions of an estimated 14-volume collection of correspondence between Zerzanek and the famous authors and illustrators who make up the collection. The collection includes a letter of apology from Theodor Geisel (aka Dr. Seuss) who seemed genuinely sorry to have missed the requested deadline due to a post office error.

The collection is owned by and (normally) housed in the Cedar Rapids Public Library. The CRMA exhibit will run through May 13. Regular hours are Tuesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Thursdays from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., and Sundays noon to 4 p.m. $7, with discounts for seniors and students. Children, free. More information is available at (319) 366-7503.

Friday, I took in the latest performance by the Iowa City Community Theatre, on the Johnson County Fairgrounds, Iowa City. “Brooklyn Boy” is the Midwest premiere of a new play from Donald Margulies. The play concerns a novelist who is about to sell his semi-autobiographical book to Hollywood. Over the course of six quick scenes, the audience gets to know the main character through the eyes of the both friends and strangers that he encounters on a trip from Brooklyn to the West Coast and back. The play will run Friday and Saturday, Feb. 9 and 10, at 8 p.m.; and Sunday, Feb. 11, at 2:30 p.m. Tickets are $15, with discounts for seniors and students, through (319) 338-0443.

Joe Jennison is the Executive Director of the Iowa Cultural Corridor Alliance, a group of 100+ arts and culture organizations, whose mission is to build, strengthen and lead the local cultural industry and the communities it serves. More information on these and other arts and culture events in Eastern Iowa is located at www.culturalcorridor.org

Need more Joe? Joe is a guest on KZIA 102.9 FM every Monday morning. For a sound bite of his most recent visit, log onto KZIA’s Schulte and Swann page at http://www.kzia.com/w3port/Default.aspx?tabid=99

Bravo to all of you on tonight's event. I thought it went great.

YES! And fantastic coverage in today's GAZETTE! The ICKY's are a hit! :)

Joe, please extend my congratulations to everyone who planned the ICKY event. It was really quite entertaining, and the framework of the Englert really showed off the talents of everyone involved quite well. Good job everyone!

Good morning ~ congrats to everyone involved in last night’s presentation of the ICKY’s! What an incredible production to be enjoyed by everyone. It was so polished and professional, a true class act!!

The awards ceremony last night was just terrific and exactly what you hoped it would be – a celebration of excellence and innovation in the corridor. Congratulations on making your vision work for the benefit of all. It was no small task to pull all of that together, and I applaud your efforts to be inclusive and to keep the program moving along. It was a very special night and you deserve a tremendous amount of the credit for making it happen. Thank you.

Final score Joe 100; nay sayers 0! Last night was terrific. You were right on target with your idea to do a big event. Considering a Monday night that was cold and windy, you must be delighted at the number of people who turned out. The whole show ran smoothly and was well paced. Now you need to sit down, take a deep breath, and enjoy the success you have created! Congratulations, we were proud to be part of the evening.

Good job Joe. I am really proud of you. Take the day off, work from home, no airport.

BRAVO! BRAVO! Sam and I had a great time last evening. You and the ICKYS planning force are to be commended on a great annual meeting and awards show. It is hard to believable this very full year passed so quickly. I hope the next year is as rewarding and fruitful for ICCA as the last year has been. To quote a fun loving person I know...GO US!

CONGRATULATIONS on last night!! I thought it was a HUGE success. Great turnout, very smooth, good performances… I was very impressed. Great work.

Thanks again for all of your efforts in putting together last night’s event. It was a great testament to the cultural scene of the Corridor!

I just wanted to drop you a note to let you know that I was really impressed with last night’s ICKY awards. It was a smooth, entertaining event that really served as a great way to celebrate and promote arts and culture in the Corridor. I came away from it wanting to spend more time exploring the work of the many groups highlighted. It was also a testament to all of your hard work over the past year. When the ICCA director’s position was announced way back when, I briefly considered throwing my hat in the ring because it seemed like a fun challenge. I quickly reconsidered, and it became clear rather soon after your start that I wouldn’t have been able to hold a candle to you – particularly in the energy and enthusiasm department – and as a booster of arts and culture I’m really glad you’re in that spot. Congrats!

----

Dear Joe and The Icky Awards committee members and The Englert Theatre-

On behalf of the Iowa Arts Festival and Summer of the Arts I want to thank you for a wonderful night last night at the Icky Awards! It was incredible to see the array of local talent on The Englert stage and to see the enormous amount of energy behind our wonderful cultural community! Thank you for organizing one of the most entertaining and meaningful nights I have had the pleasure of attending in Iowa City. The energy was contagious!

The Iowa Arts Festival was very honored to have been nominated and it was so exciting to win the award for innovation and excellence in festival programming. To be chosen for this honor by our peers in the cultural community, those that know good programming inside and out, was especially meaningful. We plan to brag about the honor as much as possible as we celebrate the 20th year of IAF.

I was hoping that as a winner, The Iowa Arts Festival might be able to get a hot link picture or notification of the award to place on the IAF website. We would like to let everyone know about the award and about the Iowa Cultural Corridor Alliance.

Thank you again and please pass on our thanks from all of us here at SotA and IAF. Incredible job!

Sincerely,

Katie Roche

Executive Director

Summer of the Arts

My sincere congratulations and appreciation for the incredible show last night. I am so proud of where YOU have taken this organization in just one year. You have truly accomplished some amazing things. In just another month or so I will begin to prepare our orgs FY08 budget. I will not only be locking in our continued ICCA financial support, I will do everything I can to increase that support. Congrats, Joe! Fantastic speech, Rob! Great job, all!

I just want to congratulate you and your committee for a wonderful show last night!! Great turn out, great entertainment, great networking, I could go on and on. You should be proud of the event you created!

Can you stand ONE MORE congratulatory email about last night's event??!! I'm sure your inbox was full to overflowing this morning. Way to go!! It was a lovely evening, and Les and I were very glad to be there.

My congrats to us all as well, and my regrets to Nora for my lack of party attendance. (Got home to a pile of work I really had to get done for today...) I had a ball being involved with this production and am so pleased at how well it came off, especially at the numbers of attendees! WOW! Great event. Thanks for the inspiration, Joe. And wasn't it nice that everything we planned, from the reception through the red carpet through the performances came off so smoothly? That's what you get when talent meets planning! To paraphrase Joe--YEAH US!

Let me just add that I am hearing from several people who NOW wish they’d attended….so we’ve already got buzz for next year! Go team! J

The Icky's were anything BUT Icky!! They were terrific! We all had a wonderful time and are pleased the group is off to such a great start. Congratulations many times over!

I loved the show. Yes Maureen and I attended and thought everything was magnificent.

First, please pass along these congratulatory remarks along to the many others who also helped create such an electrifying evening of recognition and entertainment. The ICKY Awards were a glorious demonstration of the cultural successes achieved this past year in your Corridor, and I was grateful to have had the opportunity to witness such a milestone event. It was great fun for me to interact with so many people I know, and you have provided further inspiration to get such collaborative synergy happening here in the "Golden Circle" part of Iowa (not sure if this is a tag from the Des Moines Register, or the Greater Des Moines Partnership). Anyway, if things progress here as they have in your region, I will undoubtedly call on you for advice and suggestions. Again, my hearty congratulations to an event that must surely have an after-glow that even now is keeping this chilling winter-bite at bay!

The Icky awards were fun and it's rewarding to find the arts making a positive effect on our communities. That is, after all, why we do this. As Joe Jennison would say "Good for us"

We really enjoyed ourselves the other night, great show.

By the way, congrats on a great event on Monday! It was fabulous!!!

I am still feeling the "afterglow" of the magnificent and totally awesome entertainment at the Ickys awards event! Do you think you will have one again next year? I will be there. To have so much talent from our area, all in the same room, in such a enchanting setting made me feel like singing "Hooray for Hollywood" all the way home. (My conservative, roofing subcontractor, Boy Scout leader husband, doesn't quite know what to do with me). I had just gone to "Into the Woods" the day before and thought nothing could be as entertaining as that. I was wrong. Monday was certainly the "frosting" on my extended weekend of Arts and Culture. Thanks for all you do to promote these events.

Congratulations on a great event. My husband and I really enjoyed ourselves!

I even got to tell (Miss Icky) that I checked my labels to see who "gown" I was wearing. It was" White Stag, a leap ahead". I had so much fun with the fantasy of it all.

Congratulations on a successful 1^st Annual Event. (Did somebody recommend to you that next we need the “Governor’s Ball” to follow the event? Like they do at the Oscar’s we need an opportunity to visit over wine and what-not to congratulate the winners and make connections. Just my $.02).

On behalf of The World International Cultural Center and Diversity Focus, we wish to congratulate Joe Jennison, the ICCA Board of Directors for producing a memorable evening that we look forward to being a part of for years to come! Thank you ICCA for your accomplishments in 2006 and we wait in great expectation for what you have in store for the Arts and Culture Communities of the Corridor in 2007. We wish to echo the sentiments of Joe Jennison by saying, Go Us!

Taking time to reward arts and culture – or, Go us!

By Joe Jennison

The Iowa Cultural Corridor Alliance (ICCA), a group of 100+ arts and culture organizations located in the 11-county area around the Cedar Rapids/Iowa City Corridor, today announced the winners of the Cultural Corridor Innovative Excellence Awards (aka “The Ickys”), the Corridor’s only cultural awards voted on solely by the peer groups of ICCA. The following is an excerpt from the speech I gave at the event held last night at the Englert Theatre in downtown Iowa City.

“Hello everyone and welcome to ICCA’s Annual Meeting and the Iowa Cultural Corridor Alliance Innovation and Excellence Awards – the Ickys. My name is Joe Jennison and I am the Executive Director of ICCA. As most of you know, tonight is a celebration of ICCA’s first exciting year, yes, but it also meant to be a look back at the great year we’ve all experienced in Corridor arts and culture. And what a year it has been.

Over the last year we’ve celebrated 20 milestone anniversaries in our area including the Bijou Theatre (35), Brucemore National Trust Historic Site (25), Cedar Rapids Symphony School (20), Chorale Midwest (10), City Circle Acting Company of Coralville (10), Cornerhouse Gallery (30), Iowa City Community Theatre (50), Iowa City/Johnson County Senior Center (25), Kalona Fall Festival (35), Legion Arts at CSPS (15), Liars Theatre (15), Mud River Music Festival (5), Old Brick (150), Old Creamery Theatre Company (35), Playtime Poppy (55), Red Cedar Chamber (10), Riverside Theatre (25), Science Station (20), University of Iowa School of Music (100) and others.

This year, we’ve experienced a one-of-a-kind street painting festival in Mount Vernon, watched a huge collaborative production of Seussical the Musical and danced on the Hancher Stage with Los Hombres Calientes. We’ve met the Big Boy at the UIMA, watched a local exhibit go to the Smithsonian, reopened our beloved Old Capitol, and met performance artists from around the country and around the world through the National Performance Network. We survived a tornado, said goodbye to friends and colleagues such as Mick Denniston and welcomed new friends such as Alfred Ramirez of Diversity Focus. We collectively held our breath for both the History Center and the Science Station -- both of which are now operating in the black. The latter’s new beginning was announced just this month with gifts from organizations such as Rockwell, Aegon, US Bank and the city of Cedar Rapids and the citizens of the Corridor. This story proves that here in the Corridor we are all winners because we are living in a community that cares about culture. Tonight is a night we celebrate the accomplishments of all of our organizations, with the understanding that by calling attention to a few, we raise the level of awareness of us all. I have two simple words for you people: Go us!”

A total of 12 awards were handed out in a black-tie optional event Monday night at the Englert Theatre in downtown Iowa City. On hand were representatives from the Corridor’s music, theater, dance, visual and performing arts and history communities.

The 2006 Iowa Cultural Corridor Innovative Excellence Awards:

a. Children’s Programming: “Seussical – the Musical” (City Circle Acting Company, The Iowa Children’s Museum and The Englert Theatre)

b. Dance Programming: “Breathless: UI Dance Gala 2006” (University of Iowa Division of Performing Arts and the University of Iowa Dance Company)

c. Festival Programming: “Iowa Arts Festival (Summer of the Arts)

d. History Programming: “Old Capitol Reopening” (Old Capitol)

e. Music Programming: “Jazz Under the Stars” (KCCK)

f. Theater Programming: “Riverside Theatre Shakespeare Festival” (Riverside Theatre)

g. Touring Events Programming: “National Performance Network Showcase” (CSPS/Legion Arts)

h. Visual Arts Programming: “Grant Wood at 5 Turner Alley” (Cedar Rapids Museum of Art)

i. Collaborative Award (between ICCA members): “Seussical – the Musical” (City Circle Acting Company, The Iowa Children’s Museum and The Englert Theatre)

j. Reaching Out Collaborative Award (between ICCA members and non-ICCA members): “Mardi Gras Party for Katrina Evacuees” (African American Historical Museum and Cultural Center of Iowa, Local Foods Connection and MidAmerica Housing Project)

k. South Corridor “Larry Eckholt” Award for arts advocacy: Dottie Ray

l. North Corridor “Cultural Advocate” Award for arts advocacy: Peggy Whitworth

In addition to the awards, the Jan. 29 ceremony also offered live recreations of 2006 performances by cultural groups that have celebrated a milestone anniversary this year. Performing groups included those representing Brucemore National Trust Historic Site (25 years), Cedar Rapids Symphony School (20 years), City Circle Acting Company of Coralville (10 years), Iowa City Community Theatre (50 years), Iowa City/Johnson County Senior Center (25 years), Kalona Fall Festival (35 years), Mud River Music Festival (5 years), Riverside Theatre (25 years) and the University of Iowa Department of Music (100 years).

Joe Jennison is the Executive Director of the Iowa Cultural Corridor Alliance, a group of 100+ arts and culture organizations, whose mission is to build, strengthen and lead the local cultural industry and the communities it serves. More information on these and other arts and culture events in Eastern Iowa is located at www.culturalcorridor.org

Need more Joe? Joe is a guest on KZIA 102.9 FM every Monday morning. For a sound bite of his most recent visit, log onto KZIA’s Schulte and Swann page at http://www.kzia.com/w3port/Default.aspx?tabid=99

“The Ickys” – A chance to look back at 2007 in Corridor Arts and Culture

by Joe Jennison

It’s an Annual Meeting and Awards Show that gives all of us the opportunity to look back and honor excellence and innovation in Corridor arts and culture – a meeting event that includes awards in 10 categories, nine live performances from 2006 Corridor events, an appetizer and wine reception honoring area visual artists and a chance to celebrate all of the area’s great arts and culture organizations.

And here’s the best part -- you are welcome to join us!

Read on.

It IS that time of year when news organizations around the world begin to compile their year-end lists. Here in the Corridor, the Iowa Cultural Corridor Alliance (ICCA) has begun the same look back in the form of the Iowa Cultural Corridor 2006 Innovative Excellence Awards (AKA “The Ickys”).

What follows is a press release and list of nominations based on a compilation of Nomination Forms completed by the 110 organizational members of ICCA. This will be the first-ever Cultural Corridor Awards nominated and voted on solely by the peer groups of ICCA. This will culminate in a live, red-carpet event Monday, Jan. 29, at 6:30 p.m. at the Englert Theatre, 221 E. Washington St., Iowa City.

And, yes, you are invited to be a part of it all.

The event will also include a pre-show appetizer and wine reception from 5 to 6 p.m. that same night at the Iowa Artisans Gallery, 207 E. Washington St., and the Chait Galleries Downtown, 218 E. Washington St.

Tickets to the event are $20 through the Englert box office at (319) 688-2653.

Please join us.

ICCA announces 2006 Innovative Excellence Award Nominations

tickets on sale now for area’s first and only Corridor-wide Cultural Awards Show

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa – Dec. 26, 2006 -- The Iowa Cultural Corridor Alliance (ICCA), a group of 110 arts and culture organizations located in the 11-county area around the Cedar Rapids/Iowa City Corridor, today announced nominations for its upcoming Cultural Corridor Innovative Excellence Awards, the Corridor’s only cultural awards voted on solely by the peer groups of ICCA.

The ballot contains award nominations in each of 10 categories and will be distributed to each of the 110-member organizations of ICCA this week. The ballots are due back to ICCA on Jan. 15. The results will be unveiled live at the Innovative Excellence Awards at the Englert Theatre, 221 E. Washington St., Iowa City, on Jan. 29, beginning at 6:30 p.m., in a formal but fun ceremony. The award trophies for the event were designed and built by local sculptor Tom Newport, and are representative of the collaborative work of ICCA.

“The award itself is a series of metal spokes that support each other in the balancing of a colorful glass ball,” says Joe Jennison, executive director of ICCA. “Supporting each other is exactly what we do every day between our member groups and why the Cultural Corridor continues to have the reputation as the cultural heart of Iowa and a major contributor to the state’s great quality of life.”

A ballot containing the following nominations will be distributed to the 110 member organizations of ICCA this week:

1. Children’s Programming

a. “Aladdin” (Young Footliters)

b. “Disney’s Jungle Book Kids” (Theatre Cedar Rapids)

c. “A Midsummer Night’s Dream: A NEW Adaptation for Children & Adults” (The Englert Theatre and The School for the Performing Arts)

d. “Seussical – the Musical” (City Circle Acting Company, The Iowa Children’s Museum and The Englert Theatre)

e. “West Liberty Children’s Festival” (Eulenspiegel Puppet Theatre Co. and the West Liberty Chamber of Commerce)

f. “Wild About Animals Exhibit” (The Iowa Children’s Museum)

2. Dance Programming

a. “Beauty and the Beast” (The Englert Theatre and Nolte Academy of Dance)

b. “Breathless: UI Dance Gala 2006” (University of Iowa Division of Performing Arts and the University of Iowa Dance Company)

c. “Fifth Annual Bohemian, Moravian, and Slovak Folk Dance Festival” (National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library)

d. “The Nutcracker” (The Englert Theatre and Nolte Academy of Dance)

e. “Tango & Tapas” (Habeas Corpus and The Chait Galleries Downtown)

f. “Senior Center Drill Team” ( Iowa City/Johnson County Senior Center)

3. Festival Programming

a. “Chalk the Walk Madonnari Festival” (Mount Vernon Area Arts Council and the Mount Vernon Parks and Recreation Department)

b. “Farmer’s Market” (Cedar Rapids Downtown District)

c. “Freedom Festival” (Cedar Rapids Freedom Festival)

d. “Iowa Arts Festival (Summer of the Arts)

e. “Iowa City Jazz Festival” (Summer of the Arts)

f. “Kalona Fall Festival” (Kalona Historical Village)

g. “Lincoln Highway Arts Festival” (Mount Vernon Area Arts Council)

4. History Programming

a. “All Aboard! Linn County and its Railroads” (Carl and Mary Koehler History Center)

b. “Johnson County Historical Society Museum Grand Opening” (Johnson County Historical Society)

c. “Old Capitol Reopening” (Old Capitol)

d. “A Scrapbook of Memories: African Americans in Linn County” (African American Historical Museum and Cultural Center of Iowa)

e. “ The Sixties: The Times They Are A-Changin” (Herbert Hoover Presidential Library and Museum)

f. “Ushers Ferry Civil War Reenactment” (Ushers Ferry Historical Village)

5. Music Programming

a. “Ben Schmidt CD Release Party” (Englert Theatre)

b. “Cabaret in the Courtyard” (Brucemore)

c. “Holiday Pops” ( Cedar Rapids Symphony Orchestra, the Cedar Rapids Concert Chorale, Children’s Discovery Chorus/Crescendo Children’s Choir, Cedar Rapids Symphony School and the Preucil School Suzuki Violins)

d. “Jazz Under the Stars” (KCCK)

e. “Strictly Iowa” (Red Cedar Chamber Music)

f. “Talk of Iowa Live from the Java House” (WSUI/KSUI)

g. “Verdi’s Requiem” (University of Iowa Division of Performing Arts featuring The University of Iowa Symphony Orchestra and Choirs and the Chamber Singers of Iowa City)

6. Theater Programming

a. “Death of a Salesman” (Riverside Theatre)

b. “Disney’s Jungle Book Kids” (Theatre Cedar Rapids)

c. “Madame Butterfly” (Cedar Rapids Opera Theatre)

d. “Pirates of Penzance” (University of Iowa Division of Performing Arts and the UI Opera)

e. “Riverside Theatre Shakespeare Festival” (Riverside Theatre)

f. “Seussical – the Musical” (City Circle Acting Company, The Iowa Children’s Museum and The Englert Theatre)

7. Touring Events Programming

a. “Burlesque-a-Pades, World Famous Pontani Sisters” (Englert Theatre)

b. “Calexico” (Englert Theatre)

c. “The Exonerated” (Hancher Auditorium)

d. “Los Hombres Calientes” (Hancher Auditorium)

e. “National Performance Network Showcase” (CSPS/Legion Arts)

f. “Riders Radio Theatre . . . On the Road” (Old Creamery Theatre Company)

8. Visual Arts Programming

a. “Crafting Tradition: Oaxacan Woodcarvings” (University of Iowa Museum of Art)

b. “Grant Wood at 5 Turner Alley” (Cedar Rapids Museum of Art)

c. “The Iowa Biennial Exhibition of Contemporary Prints 2006” (UI Hospitals and Clinics Project Art)

d. “Tango Triptychs” (Habeas Corpus and UI Hospitals and Clinics Project Art)

e. “Through the Cat’s Eye: a Celebration of Cats through Art” (Chait Galleries Downtown and The Friends of the Animal Center Foundation)

f. “Works by Warhol from the Cochran Collection” (National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library)

9. Collaborative Award (between ICCA members)

a. “Cedar Rapids Cultural District Designation” (African American Historical Museum and Cultural Center of Iowa, Cedar Rapids Downtown District, Cedar Rapids Convention and Visitors Bureau, Cedar Rapids Public Library, CSPS/Legion Arts, Iowa Masonic Library and Museums, National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library, New Bohemia, Paramount Theatre, Science Station, Theatre Cedar Rapids and the U.S. Cellular Center)

b. “Holiday Pops” ( Cedar Rapids Symphony Orchestra, the Cedar Rapids Concert Chorale, Children’s Discovery Chorus/Crescendo Children’s Choir, Cedar Rapids Symphony School and the Preucil School Suzuki Violins)

c. “Lincoln Highway Arts Festival” (Mount Vernon Area Arts Council and the Mount Vernon/Lisbon Marketing and Tourism Board)

d. “National Performance Network Showcase” (CSPS/Legion Arts and Theatre Cedar Rapids)

e. “Queer Ballroom” (Habeas Corpus and Arts a la Carte)

f. “Seussical – the Musical” (City Circle Acting Company, The Iowa Children’s Museum and The Englert Theatre)

10. Reaching Out Collaborative Award (between ICCA members and non-ICCA members)

a. “Chalk the Walk Madonnari Festival” (Mount Vernon Area Arts Council and the Mount Vernon Parks and Recreation Department)

b. “Final Season Filming” (Cedar Rapids Convention and Visitors Bureau and The Final Season, Inc.)

c. “Kinnick” (Riverside Theatre and the University of Iowa Athletics Department)

d. “Mirrors: Reflections through the Eyes of a Child” (Urban Theatre Project of Iowa and Tanager Place Expressive Arts)

e. “Iowa Art Project at the Coralville Marriott Hotel and Conference Center” (City of Coralville, Iowa City/Coralville Convention and Visitors Bureau and Coralville Marriott Hotel and Conference Center facilitated by Mary Lea Kruse of Artists Concepts Gallery)

f. “Uncommon Kings Project” (Brucemore and SPT Theatre)

g. “Mardi Gras Party for Katrina Evacuees” (African American Historical Museum and Cultural Center of Iowa, Local Foods Connection and MidAmerica Housing Project)

The celebration begins at 6:30 p.m. at the Englert, with an appetizer and wine reception from 5 to 6 p.m. at both the Iowa Artisans Gallery, 207 E. Washington St., and the Chait Galleries Downtown, 218 E. Washington St.

In addition to the awards, the Jan. 29 ceremony will also offer live recreations of 2006 performances by cultural groups that have celebrated a milestone anniversary this year. Groups scheduled to perform include those representing Brucemore National Trust Historic Site (25 years), Cedar Rapids Symphony School (20 years), City Circle Acting Company of Coralville (10 years), Iowa City Community Theatre (50 years), Iowa City/Johnson County Senior Center (25 years), Kalona Fall Festival (35 years), Mud River Music Festival (5 years), Riverside Theatre (25 years) and the University of Iowa School of Music (100 years). Tickets for the event, which will also double as ICCA’s annual meeting, are $20 and are available through (319) 688-2653.

ICCA was formed in October of 2005 with the merging of the Johnson County Cultural Alliance (JCCA) and the Cedar Rapids Area Culture Alliance (CRACA). The group’s mission is to build, strengthen and lead the Corridor’s arts and culture organizations and the communities they serve. ICCA maintains www.culturalcorridor.org, the area’s one-stop shop for news and information about upcoming cultural events in the Cedar Rapids/Iowa City Corridor.

Joe Jennison is the Executive Director of the Iowa Cultural Corridor Alliance, a group of 100+ arts and culture organizations, whose mission is to build, strengthen and lead the local cultural industry and the communities it serves. More information on these and other arts and culture events in Eastern Iowa is located at www.culturalcorridor.org

Need more Joe? Joe is a guest on KZIA 102.9 FM every Monday morning. For a sound bite of his most recent visit, log onto KZIA’s Schulte and Swann page at http://www.kzia.com/w3port/Default.aspx?tabid=99

One-man shows show off local acting talent

by Joe Jennison

One “one-man show” is responsible for creating 36 characters in an hour and 15 minutes. The other one-man show tells a story so incredibly sincere and genuine that you would think that the painful tale it retells was actually lived by the actor interpreting it.

And both are absolutely 100 percent fascinating and compelling.

Saturday night I took in “Fully Committed,” the one-man show starring local actor Tim Budd and being produced by City Circle Acting Company of Coralville, at the Oakdale Auditorium, at the University of Iowa Oakdale campus, Oakdale. The play is part of City Circle’s “off-kilter holiday series.” The series in year’s past has included productions of “The Santaland Diaries” and “Mr. Cratchet’s Wild Christmas Binge,” both offering some much-needed counter-programming to the Corridor’s December mainstream holiday music and theater offerings.

Budd’s main character here is Sam Peliczowski, an out-of-work actor working as a restaurant reservation clerk as he waits for his big break. It is Christmas-time and he desperately is hoping to get home to visit his father. As every person that he interacts with is on the other end of one of two phones or an intercom that connects directly to the restaurant’s kitchen, Budd is able to portray each and every person in this fast-moving play simply by changing his voice, mannerisms and, sometimes, by simply picking up a simple prop or costume piece.

At first, this theatrical convention throws the viewer – a rapid-fire set of phone calls and intercom conversations where Budd is creating both sides of the conversation – but within a minute, the audience adjusts to this atypical stage play and begins to look forward to the instantaneous transitions between characters.

The play takes place in the basement office of the trendy New York City restaurant where the overworked Sam is left alone on a very busy day to answer dozens of calls from potential diners. This particular restaurant is so incredibly busy and popular that it is booked more than two months in advance and still has a waitlist to get in. Sam takes call after call from society women and Midwestern secretaries, put-upon assistants and others, putting a string of calls on hold, then slowly taking them individually as the callers wait. One by one, the callers are politely told by Sam that the restaurant is “fully committed” through February. Some callers hang up and never call back, others call again and again and again, causing Sam much anxiety and the audience much fun and laughter.

Favorite characterizations included Naomi Campbell’s assistant Bryce who cheerily holds between several calls and demands crazy requests from his employer, including lower wattage bulbs be hung on the sconce next to her table; and the restaurant’s Chef who in reality is a jerk complaining that Sam answer every call by the second ring while at the same time insisting that Sam leave his post to clean the women’s restroom in the upstairs dining room.

I much enjoyed the humor and crazy pathos of this piece and Budd’s characterizations made for a fascinating and fun evening at the theater. I can’t wait to see what City Circle chooses to produce next December as part of their off-kilter series. City Circle’s next play will be Feb. 23 through 25, when the theater produces its Third Annual New Play Festival. More information on that series is available through (319) 541-2980.

Sunday night I stopped into Stage Left Theatre, at Candleworks in New Bohemia, 1029 Third St. SE , Cedar Rapids , to see their production of “The Tricky Part” by Martin Moran. I feel it important to disclose to you that I sit on the Board of this small theater and that I have known the actor in the piece, David Morton, for more than 15 years.

This one-man show is a complex story simply told by Morton to his audience. In this piece, Morton plays just one character who begins by showing a photograph of himself at age 12 and then slowly, over the course of an hour and a half, reveals some painful memories about a childhood of sexual abuse at the hands of a camp counselor. The story is difficult to hear but it is also told with humor and power and poignancy.

Because of the unresolved nature of the piece and the subject, Stage Left organizers chose to have local psychiatric professionals on hand to lead a “Talk-Back” each and every night of the play. These thought-provoking sessions proved the ability of art to spur discussion and healing and to promote change. Several people in the audiences at the various Stage Left performances I attended were obviously moved by the piece and, maybe more importantly, by the opportunity to discuss it afterwards. Stage Left will be producing “Night Mother” in February. More information is available through (319) 329-6612.

Joe Jennison is the Executive Director of the Iowa Cultural Corridor Alliance, a group of 100+ arts and culture organizations, whose mission is to build, strengthen and lead the local cultural industry and the communities it serves. More information on these and other arts and culture events in Eastern Iowa is located at www.culturalcorridor.org

Need more Joe? Joe is a guest on KZIA 102.9 FM every Monday morning. For a sound bite of his most recent visit, log onto KZIA’s Schulte and Swann page at http://www.kzia.com/w3port/Default.aspx?tabid=99

Verdi’s “Requiem”: An 86-piece symphony orchestra, five local choral groups, four professional soloists and one completely satisfied audience

by Joe Jennison

At the end of the concert, I turned to the woman sitting next to me and said:

“We certainly got our money’s worth tonight!”

With an 86-piece symphony orchestra, five local choral groups, four professional soloists and one master conductor, yes, last Wednesday’s production of Verdi’s “Messa da Requiem” was a spectacular piece of both artistry and logistics. When I returned home after the concert, I counted up the program’s listings of on-stage performers – 307 total.

Now, that was a show! Read on…

Last Wednesday, I ventured out during Iowa’s first winter storm to take in the University of Iowa Symphony Orchestra and Choirs and the Chamber Singers of Iowa City’s production of Verdi’s “Requiem” at Hancher Auditorium, on the University of Iowa campus, Iowa City. The groups involved included the UI Symphony Orchestra, University Choir, Kantorei, Women’s Chorale, Chamber Singers of Iowa City and Camerata.

Directed by Timothy Stalter, director of choral activities and conductor of Kantorei and the University of Iowa Choir, the piece was a phenomenal example of both artistry and logistics. I can in no way pretend to understand the Herculean effort that must have been undertaken to get 307 men and women together on one stage at one time for both rehearsals and production of this powerful 1870s choral masterpiece. The act of entering the stage and filing up and onto the risers alone took approximately 10 minutes.

If you’re not familiar, Verdi’s “Requiem” is one of the most frequently performed works of the choral repertoire. It is basically a funeral mass sung with a full symphony and chorus. The piece also contains four solo pieces for mezzo-soprano, soprano, tenor and bass. For the Hancher performance, professional soloists Michele Crider, Katherine Goeldner, William Gabbard and Kim Julian were brought in to sing with the University and community groups mentioned above.

Crider’s performance in particular was especially moving. Dressed in a long black dress with silver beading, she completed the seven dramatic movements without even consulting the sheet music in front of her. Her performance from the lip of the Hancher stage appeared effortless, particularly at the finale where she was backed by full chorus. The text, sung in Italian, includes verbiage that translates to “Day of wrath, that day of calamity and wretchedness, day both great and too bitter, when Thou shalt come to judge the world through fire.” Although I do not speak Italian, the emotion and power of the soloists and chorus adequately conveyed Verdi’s context of reawakening the spirit through music sent shivers down my spine.

Money’s worth, indeed.

If you and your family are interested in choral music, now is the time to experience the best the Corridor has to offer. This Friday, Dec. 8, at 7:30 p.m., and Sunday, Dec. 10, at 3 p.m. at First Lutheran Church, 1000 Third Ave. SE, Cedar Rapids, Chorale Midwest will present its Christmas concert. Titled “Chorale Midwest Christmas Lights,” the choral performance will include 14 pieces sang by the 70-person choir. $12 through (319) 651-1299.

Also, Saturday, Dec. 9, at 7 p.m. at Zion Lutheran Church, 310 N. Johnson St., Iowa City, The Quire, Eastern Iowa’s Gay Lesbian Bisexual Transgender Chorus, will present the full orchestral version of Randall Thompson’s “Frostiana” accompanied by a 15-piece orchestra. Free. More information is available through (319) 321-2349.

Also the very popular “Holiday Pops: Sounds of the Season” concert is coming soon. Featuring the Cedar Rapids Symphony Orchestra, the Cedar Rapids Concert Chorale, Children’s Discovery Chorus/Crescendo Children’s Choir, Cedar Rapids Symphony School Suzuki Violins and the Preucil School Suzuki Violins, the performances will take place Saturday and Sunday, Dec. 16 and 17, at 2:30 and 7:30 p.m. at the Paramount Theatre, 123 Third Ave. SE, Cedar Rapids; and Tuesday, Dec. 19, at 7:30 p.m. at Hancher Auditorium. Tickets for the Cedar Rapids show are available through (800) 369-TUNE. Tickets for the Iowa City show are available through (800) HANCHER.

Joe Jennison is the Executive Director of the Iowa Cultural Corridor Alliance, a group of 100+ arts and culture organizations, whose mission is to build, strengthen and lead the local cultural industry and the communities it serves. More information on these and other arts and culture events in Eastern Iowa is located at www.culturalcorridor.org

Need more Joe? Joe is a guest on KZIA 102.9 FM every Monday morning. For a sound bite of his most recent visit, log onto KZIA’s Schulte and Swann page at http://www.kzia.com/w3port/Default.aspx?tabid=99

What do a lock of George Washington’s hair, an original copy of “The Book of Mormon” and a hand-stitched Civil War-era flag have in common?

by Joe Jennison

Last week, I saw a lock of George Washington’s hair.

I also looked at an original copy of “The Book of Mormon” and admired the detail work of a hand-sewn Civil War-era flag.

All that and I didn’t have to fly to the Smithsonian or even drive to the State Historical Museum in Des Moines…

Instead, I simply dropped into the Iowa Masonic Library and Museums, 813 First Ave. SE, Cedar Rapids, and asked for and received a personal tour of the facility. The beautiful three-story, white marble building was recently recognized as a “Century Museum” at the annual meeting of the Iowa Museum Association in Davenport and boasts one of the world’s most complete collections of Masonic and general interest books.

The building includes two museums, three special collections and the archives. In total, the building holds thousands of historical artifacts and well over 100,000 volumes. The library was established in 1845, the museums a bit later, in 1886, making these museums, two of the oldest museums in the state.

To celebrate the recent recognition by the Iowa Museum Association, a special exhibit titled “Treasures from the Vaults” will be available to visitors from Dec. 1 to Dec. 22. In the exhibit will be a selection of artifacts and materials from the vaults that are rarely publicly shown. Included will be a hand-written letter from George Washington dated 1770, the lock of George Washington’s hair, an original 1767 pamphlet detailing Benjamin Franklin’s testimony before the British House of Commons for repeal of the Stamp Act, a letter written by Abraham Lincoln in 1857 when he was a lawyer in the Rock Island Bridge Case, several military artifacts including items captured from the Germans and Japanese during World War II, and World War I artifacts including a Lewis .30 caliber machine gun.

In addition to this special exhibit, the regular museums (a Masonic museum and a general history museum) will be open for visitation. On permanent exhibit in the Masonic museum are numerous artifacts reflecting the history of Freemasonry, including Grant Wood’s painting “The First Three Degrees of Freemasonry” and a Civil War flag made in Marengo and carried by Company B of the 28^th Iowa infantry. On permanent exhibit in the general history museum are artifacts reflecting the history of various cultures; including Egyptian, Sumerian, Chinese, Japanese and Native American artifacts.

The museums are open Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Please note that the entire building is closed from noon to 1 p.m. daily. Tours are free, however larger groups should call in advance. More information is available through (319) 365-1438.

Joe Jennison is the Executive Director of the Iowa Cultural Corridor Alliance, a group of 100+ arts and culture organizations, whose mission is to build, strengthen and lead the local cultural industry and the communities it serves. More information on these and other arts and culture events in Eastern Iowa is located at www.culturalcorridor.org

Need more Joe? Joe is a guest on KZIA 102.9 FM every Monday morning. For a sound bite of his most recent visit, log onto KZIA’s Schulte and Swann page at http://www.kzia.com/w3port/Default.aspx?tabid=99

Carl and Mary Koehler History Center: A fascinating look back at railroad history

by Joe Jennison

I sat for well over an hour Saturday afternoon staring into the faces of several mid-20^th Century Corridorians as they waited on and boarded the historic CRANDIC railway. These images (circa 1950) showed men in suits with skinny black ties, women dressed in colorful prints and designer hats, and every one of them obviously very proud of their Electric Interurban Railway.

An Electric Interurban Railway? In the Corridor?

Yes, read on...

“All Aboard: Linn County and its Railroads,” a new exhibit curated and built by the volunteers of the Carl and Mary Koehler History Center, 615 First Ave. SE, Cedar Rapids, tells the story of the more than 200 trains that passed through Cedar Rapids every day in the early part of the 20^th Century. In addition to the steam railroads running primarily east and west, electric railroads, such as the Waterloo, Cedar Falls and Northern, and the Cedar Rapids and Iowa City Railway (the CRANDIC) transported hundreds of thousands of travelers through the area.

The exhibit includes a mock engineer’s seat, a coal shoot, authentic whistles and lights, and even a display featuring a look at the hobo culture that undoubtedly hitched a ride to and from or through the Corridor.

Of all of it, I was most fascinated to learn about the CRANDIC, which at its height in 1945 carried more than 500,000 people between Cedar Rapids and Iowa City. I learned that passenger service began on Aug. 13, 1904, and ended in 1953. A video that plays on a loop at the exhibit shows not only the passengers and crew as they boarded, but also a film made of the journey between the two cities from the unique perspective of the train’s front window as it snaked through the countryside. At one point, a conductor calls back to us through time reading off the 60 stops that were part of the two-hour trip between cities. And for a moment, I could imagine exactly what that trip might have been like…

“All Aboard: Linn County and its Railroads” will run through summer of 2007. The exhibit is open Tuesdays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., and Thursdays and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. $2. More information is available through (319) 362-1501.

Wednesday I made it to Hancher Auditorium, on the University of Iowa campus, Iowa City, for “Classical Savion.” Savion Glover, the tap dancing star of “Bring in Da Noise, Bring in Da Funk,” has created a new show utilizing a full orchestra. In the piece, Glover tapped accompaniment to Vivaldi, Dvorak, Bach, Bartok, Shostakovich and Mendelssohn. Coming up Friday, Dec. 1, at 7:30 p.m. at Hancher Auditorium is jazz master Paquito D’Rivera. Tickets range from $15 to $35 through (800) HANCHER.

Friday I watched my niece and her young colleagues perform a lovely production of “The Little Prince” as part of the Young Footliters at the Iowa City Community Theatre, on the Johnson County Fairgrounds, Iowa City. The play, directed by Tali Ariav, was based on the book by Antoine de Saint-Exupery. The Young Footliters next production is Friday, Saturday, Sunday, Dec. 1, 2 and 3 at the Herbert Hoover Presidential Library Museum. More information about this group is available through (319) 354-1634.

Saturday evening I attended the Cedar Rapids Symphony Orchestra’s third installment of its very popular Masterworks Series. The evening included David Diamond’s “Music for Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet,” Aaron Copland’s “Concerto for Clarinet, Strings, Harp and Piano,” and Jean Sibelius’ “Symphony No. 1 in E Minor, Op. 39.” Up next for the symphony is “Holiday Pops: Sounds of the Season.” The Holiday Pops concert, featuring the Cedar Rapids Symphony Orchestra, the Cedar Rapids Concert Chorale, Children’s Discovery Chorus/Crescendo Children’s Choir, Cedar Rapids Symphony School Suzuki Violins and the Preucil School Suzuki Violins, will take place Saturday and Sunday, Dec. 16 and 17, at 2:30 and 7:30 p.m. at the Paramount Theatre, 123 Third Ave. SE, Cedar Rapids; and Tuesday, Dec. 19, at 7:30 p.m. at Hancher Auditorium. Tickets for the Cedar Rapids show are available through (800) 369-TUNE. Tickets for the Iowa City show are available through (800) HANCHER.

Joe Jennison is the Executive Director of the Iowa Cultural Corridor Alliance, a group of 100+ arts and culture organizations, whose mission is to build, strengthen and lead the local cultural industry and the communities it serves. More information on these and other arts and culture events in Eastern Iowa is located at www.culturalcorridor.org

Need more Joe? Joe is a guest on KZIA 102.9 FM every Monday morning. For a sound bite of his most recent visit, log onto KZIA’s Schulte and Swann page at http://www.kzia.com/w3port/Default.aspx?tabid=99

Dance Gala 2006: A diverse mix of modern and classic styles

by Joe Jennison

Twelve classical ballerinas float across the stage dressed in purple tutus.

Later, eight business executives offer up a wild square dance to a tune by the Stoney Mountain Cloggers. And later still, a man and woman strip down to their undergarments as they perform a passionate two-person piece set to, of all things, polka music.

All that and I haven’t even mentioned the Astroturf. Read on…

Friday night, I took in “Dance Gala 2006: Breathless,” the annual dance concert produced and performed by the UI Department of Dance at Hancher Auditorium, on the University of Iowa campus, Iowa City. The program included six powerful short movements, four of which were world premieres, and all of which were stunningly performed by the University of Iowa’s young and talented company of student dancers.

In “De Furia e Felicidade (Of Rage and Bliss),” a premiere collaboration between choreographer Armando Duarte, composer Robert Moran and professor Dan Moore, eight dancers performed to a percussion composition played live behind them by Iowa Percussion. Both the music and the choreography offered an abstract interpretation based on the Brazilian art of graffiti.

“At the receding edges…” which premiered in 2005 and was revised in 2006, included the use of three large pieces of Astroturf. The dancers, dressed in long brown skirts, were dragged about the stage on top of the Astroturf, were buried within and rolled about the stage inside the Astroturf and at times rolled out and danced on top of the Astroturf.

“Scherza Infida” choreographed by Deanna Carter was the evening’s sole classical piece that included the previously mentioned ballerinas performing to selections from George Frederic Handel’s “Water Music.” Here, dancer Paul Christiano offered a strong solo as the lone man in the company of 12 female dancers.

In “Games,” first performed in 1951, choreographer Donald McKayle created a city scene of children at play. In three scenes, the audience experienced the children’s joy, deprivation and fear. Here, the music was provided onstage by the dancers themselves singing traditional Southern folk and slave songs throughout the piece.

“Politics Religion Sex” was performed by eight black-suited executives each wearing a skinny black necktie and white shirt who danced in unison to “Texas Star,” a square dance piece complete with calls by Paul Jackson. The piece later morphed into a brawl of sorts with the dancers throwing off their coats and tossing folding chairs across the stage. The piece ended in the aforementioned passionate two-person male/female piece.

The final piece of the evening was another premiere titled “ChorusStories/Love Lines,” choreographed by Bill Young in collaboration with the dancers. It too added to the diverse mix of styles and subjects and helped to complete the wonderfully diverse, eclectic and thoroughly enjoyable evening of modern dance.

Saturday, I stopped into the National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library, 30 16^th Ave. SW, Cedar Rapids, for the new exhibit “Works by Warhol from the Cochran Collection.” The exhibit includes 24 large prints by Andy Warhol created between 1974 and 1987. The exhibit includes “Moonwalk,” a print recreating the image of the moon walk of Buzz Aldrin, that later was used in the MTV ads. All of the pieces are colorful and beautiful to see but the exhibit’s most interesting feature may be the educational aspect that teaches about the life and history of Warhol himself, born in Pittsburth in 1928 to immigrant parents. The exhibit will run through March 11, 2007, and is open Tuesday through Saturday 9:30 a.m. to noon; and Sunday noon to 4 p.m. $7, with discounts for seniors and students. More information is available through (319) 362-8500.

Saturday evening I enjoyed “Stage Door” at the Iowa City Community Theatre, on the Johnson County Fairgrounds, Iowa City. The play is the classic Edna Ferber/George S. Kaufman comedy originally produced in the 1930s and utilizes a 28-person, mostly female cast. The play takes place in the lobby of a boarding house for young actresses where almost every character is trying to make it in show business. Director Jim Stewart stages the piece in the round and the costumes by Barbara Buddin are beautiful, vintage pieces. “Stage Door” will be performed again this Friday and Saturday at 8 p.m. and Sunday at 2:30 p.m. $15, with discounts for seniors and students, through (319) 338-0443.

Joe Jennison is the Executive Director of the Iowa Cultural Corridor Alliance, a group of 100+ arts and culture organizations, whose mission is to build, strengthen and lead the local cultural industry and the communities it serves. More information on these and other arts and culture events in Eastern Iowa is located at www.culturalcorridor.org

Need more Joe? Joe is a guest on KZIA 102.9 FM every Monday morning. For a sound bite of his most recent visit, log onto KZIA’s Schulte and Swann page at http://www.kzia.com/w3port/Default.aspx?tabid=99

Louis Picek’s “An Uncommon Eye” is fascinating folk art

by Joe Jennison

A flock of chickens are led into the backyard of a Midwestern restaurant, coerced by a trail of strategically placed corn kernels. The chickens march in line down a sidewalk, around a fence corner and directly up to a chopping block. In the background is a glaring neon sign that says “Aunt June’s Fried Chicken Freshest Around.”

Some call it folk art or primitive art or outsider art.

I call it fascinating…

Sunday, I headed over to the Iowa City/Johnson County Senior Center, 28 S. Linn St., Iowa City, to take in “An Uncommon Eye,” a new exhibit by West Branch artist Louis Picek. Picek, who holds an MFA in painting from the University of Iowa, is obviously inspired by all types of folk and primitive art. These 25 whimsical pieces tell elaborate stories using colorful imagery, recurring patterns and a sense of humor. Picek works mostly with acrylic on canvas but some of his pieces are also done on Masonite or ceramic.

In his work I saw references to myth and legend as in “Paul Bunyan, Brainerd, Minn.,” folktales as in “The Wounded Lion” and commentary on contemporary culture as in “She is all Ears, He is all Eyes.” In the latter, Picek paints a scene that depicts a young couple sitting on a beach. Above the male figure he writes “He is all eyes.” Above the female figure he writes “She is all ears.” On the shirts of each figure are painted several eyes and ears. This may seem like a heavy-handed gesture by another artist, but in the exaggerated, comical world of Picek this literal touch seems quite natural.

Picek takes great care to paint not only the front but also the sides of his canvases carrying the imagery and color to the very edge of a painting’s reality. An Artist’s Statement posted at the Senior Center quotes him as saying “My work is a continual exploration of today’s contemporary mass culture and the every day life around me. My art work represents life as I see it – with a touch of humor and fantasy thrown in. Who is to say what is reality in the world we live in today?”

Picek’s painted realities offer all of us a different perspective on art. And, in the context of the Senior Center’s busy cafeteria, Picek’s outsider art feels very much at home – a sense of the absurd on the walls of the very structured.

The Johnson County/Iowa City Senior Center is open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and weekends and holidays from 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Free. More information is available through (319) 356-5220.

While in Iowa City, I also stopped into the Chait Galleries Downtown, 218 E. Washington St., Iowa City. Here, I saw an exhibit titled “Unparalleled Pastels,” an
exceptional pastel floral exhibit from Indian artist and poet Tarlochan Oberoi. Oberoi is a graduate of the New Delhi Academy of Fine Arts, and his compositions are internationally recognized, acclaimed, and extensively exhibited. The Chait Galleries Downtown is open Monday through Friday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., Saturday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Free. More information is available through (319) 338-4442.

From here, I made my way down to the University of Iowa Museum of Art, on the University of Iowa campus, Iowa City, to more closely inspect the African masks exhibit. The UIMA has an extraordinary collection of African art, nearly 1500 works of art in the collection, half of which are on exhibit. Along with wooden sculpture and masks, the collection also includes textiles, ceramics, metalwork, basketry, and countless other media. I took particular interest in the masks including the new Sande Society Mask. The Sande Society masks of Sierra Leone and northern Liberia are the only masks in Africa worn exclusively by women. I learn that the mask is called “Bondo,” a name that is representative of the bravery and power of the female spirit it represents. The museum is open Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday from n oon to 5 p.m. and Thursday and Friday from noon to 9 p.m. Free. More information is available at (319) 335-1727.

Joe Jennison is the Executive Director of the Iowa Cultural Corridor Alliance, a group of 100+ arts and culture organizations, whose mission is to build, strengthen and lead the local cultural industry and the communities it serves. More information on these and other arts and culture events in Eastern Iowa is located at www.culturalcorridor.org

Need more Joe? Joe is a guest on KZIA 102.9 FM every Monday morning. For a sound bite of his most recent visit, log onto KZIA’s Schulte and Swann page at http://www.kzia.com/w3port/Default.aspx?tabid=99

Solve a crime and help out the Science Station too

by Joe Jennison

I witnessed an autopsy on Friday.

Yes, I actually leaned in over a (virtual) human body and watched as a medical examiner opened the chest cavity, removed the heart and showed me the hole where a bullet had gone straight through. And maybe even more amazing than that is that at this autopsy I was not acting as a visitor but rather as the lead detective in a horrific murder case.

And believe it or not, that was just the beginning…

Part of the new “Whodunit? The Science of Solving Crime” exhibit at the Science Station, 427 First St. SE, Cedar Rapids, the Medical Examiner’s station mentioned above is one of nine stations devoted to forensic investigation. Here, criminal investigators of all ages are invited to listen to witness testimony, search a back alley for clues, consider fingerprint, DNA and firearm samples and ultimately solve a made-up crime.

Yes, the subject matter is gruesome, but it is also fascinating, educational and very well constructed. You enter the exhibit through Memory Diner, a complete corner diner set up on the first floor of the Science Station’s north end. Behind the counter is a startled cook and seated at the counter is another detective taking copious notes. At one end of the counter is a tape of the cook’s eyewitness account, at the other, a breaking news story that appears to show footage of the murder suspect fleeing the scene of the crime. Behind the diner is a dirty alley that very clearly shows the murder victim lying on his stomach next to a bloody knife. Was he killed by the knife? As the lead detective, it becomes your responsibility to find out what happened with the help of the Medical Examiner, Firearm Examiner, Fingerprint Examiner, DNA Examiner, Forensic Toxicologist and others.

All of the human beings in the exhibit are played by white plaster statues. In the Medical Examiner’s autopsy room, a film of an actual autopsy is superimposed on top of the white plaster cast body of the victim. The effect is very realistic and indeed a bit gory. Also on display are stories of real-life crimes and how evidence was used to solve those crimes. The entire exhibit takes about a 1/2 hour to get through and solve the crime.

Also on exhibit is “Hunters of the Sky,” an exhibit that features birds of prey; and “Fossil Lab: Featuring Iowa Fossils and T-Rex,” which features among other things a baby T-Rex jaw bone. The museum is open Tuesday through Thursday from10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Friday and Saturday 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., and Sunday from 11:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. $5.50 to $6.75 through (319) 363-IMAX.

However, without some serious financial help to cover the Science Station’s reported $1.3 million in debt, the museum will close on Nov. 15. When I was at the museum Friday to view the new exhibit, “Whodunit? The Science of Solving Crime,” I asked if anyone had stepped up with the financial help they need. “No,” I was told. “But a little boy did bring us his piggy bank with $3.75 in it.”

Please stop by the Science Station this week and show your support. We can not afford to lose this terrific cultural attraction.

Joe Jennison is the Executive Director of the Iowa Cultural Corridor Alliance, a group of 100+ arts and culture organizations, whose mission is to build, strengthen and lead the local cultural industry and the communities it serves. More information on these and other arts and culture events in Eastern Iowa is located at www.culturalcorridor.org

Need more Joe? Joe is a guest on KZIA 102.9 FM every Monday morning. For a sound bite of his most recent visit, log onto KZIA’s Schulte and Swann page at http://www.kzia.com/w3port/Default.aspx?tabid=99

“Gordon Paints Amana”: The power of color

by Joe Jennison

A hayfield is represented with vibrant yellows and oranges.

A setting sun ignites the canvas in stunningly beautiful reds.

And an Iowa landscape appears to glow in bold and brilliant blues.

Walk into a Gordon Kellenberger exhibit and from the doorway, even before you enter the room, Kellenberger’s stunning and unique perspective on the Midwest landscape seems to scream out at you from behind the frame. Take a minute to TALK to Kellenberger and you realize that the secret of his success is actually quite simple: Gordon Kellenberger understands color.

This weekend I took in “Gordon Paints Amana,” an exhibit that seeks to introduce the viewer to places in Amana that both residents and tourists drive by every day, but still somehow manage to take for granted. In this one-man show, Kellenberger includes 20 recent bright pastel paintings inspired by rarely seen areas of the 26,000-acre National Historic Landmark that is the Amana Colonies.

Kellenberger, who taught for 33 years and started the art program in the Amana schools, is well known around the Midwest for his colorful landscapes. This artist works with pure pigment pastels, which allows the paintings to keep their full intensity for years after their creation. Kellenberger says that he only blends colors that sit beside each other on the color wheel and that this is indeed what keeps his paintings looking so incredibly unique.

All of the pieces in the current exhibit were created in 2006 and were meant to reflect life in the Amana Colonies. In this exhibit, you will find pieces devoted to all seven villages and all four seasons. Favorites include “Amana Colony Cemetery” that depicts a simple Amana graveyard, and “The Grape Harvest” and “The Rhubarb Harvest,” which reflect traditional Amana tasks being undertaken by Kellenberger and his wife, both long-time residents of the area.

But his strength is indeed the landscapes, the many views of the barns and pastures and the rolling hills and country roads of this rural Iowa wonderland. On the drive back through the fields and villages of the Amana Colonies, after viewing the exhibit, the same roads and landscapes that I had passed less than an hour before seemed to glow with the bright colors of Kellenberger’s imagination: in my mind, as I drove through the area, the traditional fall colors of Amana seemed to morph into the bright oranges and reds and blues conjured up through Kellenberger’s paintings -- bright and vibrant and spectacular.

Kellenberger is represented in five Iowa galleries including Campbell-Steele Gallery, 1064 Seventh Ave., Marion, and Catiri’s Art Oasis, 4516 220^th Trail, Main Amana. The Amana Arts Guild is open Saturdays and Sundays or by appointment through October. More information is available through (319) 622-3678.

Thursday I made it to opening night of “Seussical the Musical!” at the Englert Theatre, 221 E. Washington St., Iowa City. This is a collaborative production between the Englert Theatre, City Circle Acting Company of Coralville and The Iowa Children’s Museum. The musical follows several memorable characters from the books of Dr. Seuss including Horton the elephant, the Cat in the Hat and the residents of Whoville. This too was an extremely colorful production with a talented cast of both children and adults all dressed in wild, imaginative costumes many accented with neon yellow and pink wigs. The musical continues this week Thursday at 7 p.m., Friday and Saturday at 8 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday at 2 p.m. Tickets are $20, with discounts for seniors, students and children through (319) 688-2653.

Tuesday I went to the 80^th Anniversary Season production of The Martha Graham Dance Company at Hancher Auditorium, on the University of Iowa campus, Iowa City. This was a wonderful retrospective of the various works of Martha Graham, where the dances were interspersed with narrations by the cast of why Graham was such an important and influential dancer and choreographer. Throughout the course of the program, we learned of Graham’s beginnings, of why she is still considered a dance pioneer and why even today audiences and dancers still love the work. This Thursday, Oct. 12, at 7:30 p.m. Hancher brings in another dance group with the Bayanihan Philippine National Dance Company. Tickets range from $15 to $40 through (800) HANCHER.

Joe Jennison is the Executive Director of the Iowa Cultural Corridor Alliance, a group of 100+ arts and culture organizations, whose mission is to build, strengthen and lead the local cultural industry and the communities it serves. More information on these and other arts and culture events in Eastern Iowa is located at www.culturalcorridor.org

Need more Joe? Joe is a guest on KZIA 102.9 FM every Monday morning. For a sound bite of his most recent visit, log onto KZIA’s Schulte and Swann page at http://www.kzia.com/w3port/Default.aspx?tabid=99

Seeing the view from the other side of the Hancher stage…

by Joe Jennison

I danced on the Hancher stage Friday night.

And I jammed with the band at the encore.

And, at one point, with 200 people, a six-piece salsa band and a very long Conga line partying on and across the stage, I took a moment to stop and look out and into the auditorium, and I saw something that touring performers such as Aretha Franklin and Renee Fleming see when they come to Iowa City – I saw an audience looking back.

Friday night’s performance by salsa band Los Hombres Calientes led by trumpeter Irvin Mayfield and percussionist Bill Summers is the second year in a row that the team at Hancher Auditorium, on the University of Iowa campus, Iowa City, have created a party on their stage. At this event, audience members are treated to an appetizer buffet and drinks before the show, and during the show are invited to leave their seats and join the band in a massive fiesta on the stage.

Mayfield, the Cultural Ambassador to New Orleans, and Summers, master percussionist with several impressive credits including as a veteran performer with Herbie Hancock’s Headhunters, are both passionate, passionate performers. On another evening, I would have been happy to politely sit and listen and applaud at the appropriate times to a group performing at the caliber of these two musicians. But Friday night I was thrilled to leave my seat and join many in the audience as we paraded down the aisle, up the ramp and onto the stage where we all became part of the show.

I have to admit that the first few minutes were mildly uncomfortable. As an audience member, I have spent countless evenings sitting quietly in auditoriums such as Hancher without ever considering joining the performers on stage. But Friday night, with 200 like-minded audience members on my side, I too, slowly began salsa dancing with the crowd, feeling the rhythms, learning the rumba, and eventually, joining the band in a wild finale where several of us were asked to play along.

At the finale, I was one of the active participants who began to lead the crowd in the “One More Song” chant. Although several audience members left the stage altogether, a small group of us die-hards remained. After a few minutes all six performers returned. It was here, that the evening began to really take off. Several audience members, including myself, were given conga drums or other percussion instruments and asked to continue the music. All of us who were mere audience members moments ago, all of the sudden became bandmates, actually performing percussion solos as the onstage crowd clapped and danced and cheered us on.

Los Hombres Calientes and Hancher Auditorium had turned the massive auditorium into an intimate jazz club and its regular passive audience into active participants. This was a memory that I will carry with me forever. Well done…

Saturday I enjoyed the Lincoln Highway Arts Festival in Mount Vernon. The event included 50+ artists at three locations along the old Lincoln Highway that runs through both Mount Vernon and Lisbon. Connecting the three festival areas was an old-time trolley manned by volunteers from the local historical society who provided running commentary on the history of the area including Mount Vernon’s three National Historic Districts. Most notable was the exhibit at Cornell College’s Peter Paul Luce Gallery at McWethy Hall, which featured the sculptural work of three of Cornell’s extremely talented alumni: Elizabeth Rhoads-Read, David Rega and Thomas Newport. The Peter Paul Luce Gallery exhibit runs through Oct. 22. Gallery hours are Monday through Friday 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Sundays 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. More information is available at (319) 895-4241.

Joe Jennison is the Executive Director of the Iowa Cultural Corridor Alliance, a group of 100+ arts and culture organizations, whose mission is to build, strengthen and lead the local cultural industry and the communities it serves. More information on these and other arts and culture events in Eastern Iowa is located at www.culturalcorridor.org

Need more Joe? Joe is a guest on KZIA 102.9 FM every Monday morning. For a sound bite of his most recent visit, log onto KZIA’s Schulte and Swann page at http://www.kzia.com/w3port/Default.aspx?tabid=99

Riverside Theatre: How to see 15 plays in two hours…

By Joe Jennison

One reminded me of a stand-up comedy routine.

Another, a poetry slam.

Others dealt more conventionally with cancer and relationships and death.

And every single one of these plays were well thought out, meticulously written and carefully interpreted.

That is all 15 of them.

This evening of theater was part of Riverside Theatre’s, 213 N. Gilbert St., Iowa City, annual “Walking the Wire” monologue festival featuring the work of playwrights from around the country and performed by actors and actresses who all call the Corridor home.

Personal favorites included “Bathtub Gin” written by Chris Van Strander from New York and performed by Elena Passarello of Iowa City. This short play chronicles the brief life of a 20s-era flapper and her many close calls with death. Another high point of the evening was Jon Howard’s take on Idaho writer Robert Caisley’s “Apology,” a play about a first date that has gone horribly, horribly wrong. Others included Krista Knight’s “Macaw,” about the death of a bird in the temporary care of an overworked pet store worker and Michael Bettencourt’s “Booger,” about an adult male coming to terms with his Catholic faith and upbringing.

But the true winner in this type of production is the audience, who were treated to a rich, diverse group of playwrights and actors in a short two-hour timeframe, and who had access to 15 different styles and subjects and themes, none of which lasted more than seven minutes or so. Unlike a traditional play, if there was something in one of these plays that didn’t appeal to you, you simply had to hold your breath and wait a few minutes, as an entirely new play with a new performer would soon start up…

I look forward to next year’s installment.

Friday night I attended Iowa City Community Theatre’s production of the musical “Oliver!” performed in the Englert Theatre, 221 E. Washington St., Iowa City. The musical utilized the talents of 28 children, including a 3-month old. The play unfortunately finished its run on Sunday, however the theater’s next play will be “Stage Door” by Edna Ferber and George S. Kaufman and will be performed Nov. 3 through 12. $15 with discounts for seniors, students and children. Tickets and information are available through (319) 338-0443.

Saturday night I attended the opening concert of the Cedar Rapids Symphony season’s Masterworks series at the Paramount Theatre, 123 Third Ave. SE, Cedar Rapids. New conductor Timothy Hankewich led the symphony through a wonderful program of works by Elgar, Mozart and Respighi. The next concert of the Masterworks series will be Saturday, Oct. 28, at 8 p.m. Tickets range from $18 to $46 through (800) 369-TUNE.

Sunday afternoon I stopped into the Cedar Rapids Museum of Art, 410 Third Ave. SE, Cedar Rapids, to see the return of the permanent exhibit of works by Grant Wood. After several months at the Smithsonian in Washington DC, the CRMA once again shows off the largest collection of Grant Wood art and craftwork in the world with “Midwestern Visions: Grant Wood, Marvin Cone and Beyond,” a new display showcasing the Wood and Cone collection next to works by other local and regional artists, providing a fuller, more complete picture of the Midwest’s contribution to the history of art. In the back gallery is “Cedar Rapids: Day Into Night,” which includes works by local and regional artists that address some aspect of life in Cedar Rapids or Linn County. The museum is open Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Thursday, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.; and Sundays noon to 5 p.m. $6. Information through (319) 366-7503.

Joe Jennison is the Executive Director of the Iowa Cultural Corridor Alliance, a group of 100+ arts and culture organizations, whose mission is to build, strengthen and lead the local cultural industry and the communities it serves. More information on these and other arts and culture events in Eastern Iowa is located at www.culturalcorridor.org

Need more Joe? Joe is a guest on KZIA 102.9 FM every Monday morning. For a sound bite of his most recent visit, log onto KZIA’s Schulte and Swann page at http://www.kzia.com/w3port/Default.aspx?tabid=99

Surviving the Battle of Ushers Ferry

By Joe Jennison

A young Confederate boy of about 10 years old is hit by rifle fire.

Shot in the lower right leg, the boy limps around the battlefield desperately looking for shelter from the constant barrage of gun and canon fire. As the Northern soldiers continue to push back the weakened Confederate Army, the boy begins crawling along the battlefield in desperate hope of reaching safety. With nowhere else to go, he props up the fallen body of a dead comrade and hides behind it as the enemy surges forward.

This was just one dramatic scene at the Civil War re-enactment I attended Sunday afternoon at Ushers Ferry, 5925 Seminole Valley Trail NE , Cedar Rapids. From my comfortable spot on a set of bleachers just a few yards from the action, I could see 300 such stories meticulously recreated on the battlefield stretched out before me. This was a theatrical presentation on an absolute epic level – horses, canons, rifle fire, medical teams – each piece of the staged battle as complex and as complete as the storyline carried out by the unnamed boy above.

The battle lasted a little over a ½ hour, with men from both sides wounded or killed as the 21^st century audience watched from the bleachers. When nearly all of the Confederate soldiers were dead or dying, a Union bugle player sounded a few positive notes and then, on cue, all 300 men, women and children rose from their spots on the battlefield and received their much-deserved applause.

The Battle of Ushers Ferry -- was over.

I don’t know if I’ve ever seen a piece of theater as large and as detailed as this staged Civil War battle. Even after the re-enactment, many of the participants continued with the presentation. I followed the pretend troops down a muddy road and into Ushers Ferry, recreated to look like a Civil War-era town. Along the way were simple pup tents and improvised encampments where individual units spent the entire weekend -- living as infantry, artillery and cavalry men would have lived during the 1860s. I overheard a squad commander giving his troops a pep talk and watched as make-believe limbs were discarded in a pretend field hospital.

My sister and I toured the period buildings of Ushers Ferry, and were invited into a recreated kitchen by a costumed interpreter portraying the lady of the house. In the character of a consummate hostess, she reached into her ice chest and offered us two cups of spruce beer, a sort of root beer made with spruce needles.

At the end of the afternoon, as the sun began to set, we watched the men and women of the individual Civil War units slowly put away their tents and props and realistic guns as we made our way to our 2006 minivan parked in the grass on the other side of the battlefield. During the warmer months, we were told, these Civil War enthusiasts put on as many as 33 of these imaginary battles across the Midwest – each battle different than the one before.

I will not be in Greenbush, Wisc. or Harrisburg, Penn. this next week to attend the upcoming Civil War re-enactments currently scheduled, but I’m sure the residents of those communities will appreciate as I did the hard work and extreme level of detail these unpaid, amateur Civil War hobbyists put into recreating the 1860s. For me, this detailed re-enactment of history created a memory that I will carry forever.

Ushers Ferry Historic Village hosts All Things Scottish: Celtic Fest 2006 Saturday, Sept. 23, from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. The afternoon will include demonstrations of Highland Games, traditional music, dance and food. $5, $2 for children. More information is available through (319) 286-5763.

Earlier this week, I toured the new exhibit at the Science Station, 427 First St. SE, Cedar Rapids. Titled “Hunters of the Sky,” the new exhibit explores the world of owls, eagles, condors and falcons and includes taxidermy, videos and other interactive exhibits. Throughout the months of September and October, receive one same-day IMAX movie admission when you purchase admission to the museum. The museum is open Tuesday through Thursday 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Friday and Saturday 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.; and Sunday noon to 6 p.m. $5.50 to $6.75 through (319) 363-IMAX.

Joe Jennison is the Executive Director of the Iowa Cultural Corridor Alliance, a group of 100+ arts and culture organizations, whose mission is to build, strengthen and lead the local cultural industry and the communities it serves. More information on these and other arts and culture events in Eastern Iowa is located at www.culturalcorridor.org

Need more Joe? Joe is a guest on KZIA 102.9 FM every Monday morning. For a sound bite of his most recent visit, log onto KZIA’s Schulte and Swann page at http://www.kzia.com/w3port/Default.aspx?tabid=99

UI Project Art: Art heals

By Joe Jennison

There is a really interesting piece of sculpture on permanent exhibit in the children’s waiting area in the Center of Excellence for Image Guided Radiation Therapy at the University of Iowa Hospitals.

The piece is an electronic three-dimensional maze of constantly moving wheels and gears and ramps taking solid nylon balls (about the size of a ping-pong ball) and rolling and bouncing and manipulating them up and around and through this whimsical, creative contraption. I imagine that patients and families waiting for something as serious as radiation therapy watch this piece of art as I did and smile and wonder and giggle.

And, I imagine that those families appreciate as I do -- perhaps MORE than I do -- the many benefits of public art.

The piece is called “Odyssey of the Spheres” (2004), and was created by New York-based artist George Rhoads, and is one of 4,000 pieces of public art permanently on display throughout the hospital. On Thursday, I was given a complete tour of the art on display through eight floors and corridors and waiting rooms.

Managed through UI Project Art, the collection on display includes drawings, prints, paintings, sculpture, ceramic art, fiber art, photography and mixed media, and pieces of the collection can be seen in each and every single patient care area of the hospital. There are several local and regional artists on display including Tom and Marcia Wegman, Jane Gilmor and Fred Easker. Gilmor has taken some etched metal and framed it using a magnifying glass and some old house shingles. The result is an earthy creation that one can’t help but to stop and investigate and consider. Some of Gilmor’s etched metal pieces appear in a children’s ward as well, with the words of the actual brave young patients permanently captured on those framed metal pieces of art.

If you were to take Elevator F and get off on the Eighth Floor, you would encounter the University of Iowa Medical Museum and Patients Library, also on my Thursday tour. The Museum offers two rooms of interesting historical exhibits: on my tour I saw an actual Iron Lung and learned of its use during the polio epidemic of the 1940s and 1950s. I also saw a Civil War-era medical kit and several photos, objects and paperwork documenting the hospital’s long history.

The University of Iowa Patients’ Library just down the hall offers patients access to books and videos and games. Patients can call in to request that a certain item be delivered to their room and through the Art Cart can request specific fine art prints be hung in their room as they heal. UI Project Art also manages a series of performing arts events held regularly on the 8^th Floor Terrace Area featuring music, dance, and theater.

The Medical Museum galleries are open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday and 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. The public art is on display 24/7 and is available for viewing any time the hospital is open and is always free. More information is available at (319) 356-7106.

Saturday I attended Tango lessons at Arts a la Carte/Old Brick, 20 E. Market St., Iowa City. The classes were taught by Argentinean husband-and-wife team Lorena Gasse and Ariel Barrionuevo and co-sponsored by the Iowa City Tango Club. The Tango is a beautiful form of expression and Gasse and Barrionuevo proved to be wonderful teachers and ambassadors for the dance. The hour-and-a-half class was a solid workout and a great way to spend a morning. On Oct. 6, 7 and 8, a similar set of Tango classes will be offered in the same space by Buenos Aires natives Tomas Howlin and Noel Strazza. More information is available at (319) 447-1445.

Joe Jennison is the Executive Director of the Iowa Cultural Corridor Alliance, a group of 100+ arts and culture organizations, whose mission is to build, strengthen and lead the local cultural industry and the communities it serves. More information on these and other arts and culture events in Eastern Iowa is located at www.culturalcorridor.org

Need more Joe? Joe is a guest on KZIA 102.9 FM every Monday morning. For a sound bite of his most recent visit, log onto KZIA’s Schulte and Swann page at http://www.kzia.com/w3port/Default.aspx?tabid=99

Kinnick: More than a stadium

By Joe Jennison

I heard Nile Kinnick speak this weekend.

And I saw the actual Heisman Trophy inscribed with his name.

Yes, I got to know THIS football hero not on a field or in the $89 million stadium that bears his name, but rather at a theater, and later, a museum on the University of Iowa campus. And, after experiencing everything available about the football hero at those two stops, I was still inspired to learn more…

“Kinnick,” a play commissioned by the University of Iowa Department of Intercollegiate Athletics, produced by Riverside Theatre, and performed last weekend at Hancher Auditorium, tells the story of the young Nile Kinnick, who in 1939, set 14 school records and racked up virtually every major award, including the Heisman. Less than four years after that historic season, on June 2, 1943, Kinnick tragically died in a plane crash at sea during a training mission.

The play seeks to introduce a new generation to the beloved University of Iowa football star. Kinnick’s story is told by way of an old-time radio show produced after his death. This allows the audience to not only get to know the title character, but also the cultural context in which he lived and died. Here, in between dramatic recreations of historic moments in Kinnick’s life, the audience is treated to recreations of commercials for Colgate shaving cream and Halo shampoo, and are introduced to media icons such as George Burns, Gracie Allen and Walter Winchell.

In all seven actors portrayed the 18+ characters on stage in a quick, intermission-less 90 minutes. I enjoyed the piece very much, especially Jackson Doran’s performance in the title role. Like any good biographical piece, I left this presentation inspired to know and learn more about Nile Kinnick.

Saturday morning I headed over to the University of Iowa Athletics Hall of Fame, 2425 Prairie Meadow Drive, Iowa City. In this pristine museum, there are three floors and more than 100 years of University of Iowa athletics memorabilia, including trophies, photographs, ribbons, letters, uniforms, plaques and various autographed balls and helmets. As you wander through the display cases, electronic sensors trigger audio clips. Representative memorabilia include that of former Olympians, professional sports figures and winning teams and individuals in wrestling and swimming and gymnastics, football, baseball, basketball, field hockey, golf and more.

It was here, in the Hall of Fame, on Floor Two, that I saw Kinnick’s actual Heisman Trophy. Also on display in the same area is a uniform worn by him, photos of him and other memorabilia.

As I bent over to get a closer look at the exhibit devoted to Kinnick, a recording of his voice rang out from a speaker above me. This was no actor and the memorabilia that I was looking at was no prop. The actual Heisman speech, which I had heard so eloquently recreated the night before, was available on recurring loop sounding as clear and as vital today as it did live from the Downtown Athletic Club in New York City in 1939. Here, at the University of Iowa Athletics Hall of Fame, Kinnick and hundreds of other sports heroes, live on.

The University of Iowa Athletics Hall of Fame is open Monday through Friday, from 11.a.m to 6 p.m.; Saturday 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.; and Sunday noon to 5 p.m. $4. More information is available through (319) 384-1031.

Riverside Theatre’s next production is “Walking the Wire,” a series of monologues performed at Riverside Theatre’s main stage, 213 N. Gilbert, on Sept. 22 and 23 at 7:30 p.m. and Sept. 24 at 2 p.m. Tickets range from $20 to $23. Reservations and information are available through (319) 338-7672.

Joe Jennison is the Executive Director of the Iowa Cultural Corridor Alliance, a group of 100+ arts and culture organizations, whose mission is to build, strengthen and lead the local cultural industry and the communities it serves. More information on these and other arts and culture events in Eastern Iowa is located at www.culturalcorridor.org

Need more Joe? Joe is a guest on KZIA 102.9 FM every Monday morning. For a sound bite of his most recent visit, log onto KZIA’s Schulte and Swann page at http://www.kzia.com/w3port/Default.aspx?tabid=99

Kalona: 1,200 Amish, four museums and a restored historical village

By Joe Jennison

Several times throughout my docent-led tour of the Kalona Historical Village, 715 D. Ave., Kalona, the guide’s well-researched script was upstaged by the subtle clip-clop of a passing horse and buggy. This comforting, pleasant sound is prevalent throughout Kalona, a reminder of the slower pace and simple life of the Amish.

The Village offers an opportunity to explore and understand the history of all of Kalona’s citizens, including the 1,200 men, women and children that make up the area’s Amish community -- a group that lives life simply, without electricity or telephones or automobiles. At the site, visitors are given a tour of a restored Amish General Store as well as an Amish-built Grandpa House.

But that, is just the beginning…

On Saturday, I was part of a small group tour that started in the Kalona Visitors Center on the Historical Village grounds. Our first stop was the Quilt and Textile Museum located in the Visitors Center. On display is an exhibit titled “Remember the Brides,” which displays several wedding dresses and family heirloom quilts. In a small room next to the museum is the Reif Family Rock and Mineral Display, a collection of several crystals and gems from the region.

However, my favorite stop on the tour is the Wahl House, a house that was built in 1892 to replace a stagecoach stop hotel. The house was later purchased by Glen Wahl and served as a home and storage facility for the Wahls’ collections. In 1948, the house was donated to the Village by the Wahl family and moved to its present location. Impeccably restored, the house features several Victorian-era touches including a Bustle Bench and a Fainting Couch. In the restored Wahl House kitchen, we were treated to demonstrations using butter churns and cherry pitters and an antique sausage maker.

Another interesting stop on the tour is the Old Order Amish Grandpa House. We were told that when the younger generation takes over a family farm, the matriarch or patriarch is built a Grandma or Grandpa House on the property, as a sort of retirement home. There are several of these homes still standing today throughout Kalona. Also included on the tour is a one-room schoolhouse, a small post office and the town’s original train depot – all fully restored. And the Snyder Log House, rumored to be the oldest house still standing in Washington County, sits in the back corner of the property and contains a rope bed, spinning wheel and cast iron stove.

All in all, there are 12 historical buildings and four museums on the property, and plenty to see and learn. The Saturday tour ended at the Iowa Mennonite Museum and Archives, a rich repository of Mennonite records, artifacts and displays, which interpret Amish and Mennonite history. We learned of the origins and beliefs of the Mennonites and the Amish, who first arrived in the area in 1846. Although Mennonites live with many modern conveniences, the Old Order Amish live without things such as electricity and telephones and cars, and, of course, continue to drive those pleasant-sounding, horse-drawn carriages.

Learn more about the people that make up the Kalona area at Kalona’s Fall Festival at the Kalona Historical Village Friday, Sept. 29, from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Saturday, Sept. 30, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Docent-led tours are available Monday through Saturday from April to October. $6. More information is available at (319) 656-2519.

Joe Jennison is the Executive Director of the Iowa Cultural Corridor Alliance, a group of 100+ arts and culture organizations, whose mission is to build, strengthen and lead the local cultural industry and the communities it serves. More information on these and other arts and culture events in Eastern Iowa is located at www.culturalcorridor.org

Need more Joe? Joe is a guest on KZIA 102.9 FM every Monday morning. For a sound bite of his most recent visit, log onto KZIA’s Schulte and Swann page at http://www.kzia.com/w3port/Default.aspx?tabid=99

PTDN’s “Third Places”: a great monthly networking event and – Wow! -- what a view

By Joe Jennison

Last Monday I was introduced to a “Third Place.”

According to author Ray Oldenburg in “The Great Good Place,” third places are distinctive informal gathering places that help to create a sense of place and community, invoke a sense of civic pride, enrich public life and democracy, encourage sociability and make life more colorful.

Yes, after my tour of Water Tower Place, 900 Second St. SE, Cedar Rapids, I can attest that Oldenburg is indeed correct. Life IS much more colorful at a “Third Place,” especially if that third place has a gorgeous rooftop garden.

The Professional & Technical Diversity Network (PTDN) is a resource that connects individuals, community organizations and employers in order to support the growth of a diverse workforce. The Corridor-wide group offers several regular networking events including welcoming receptions and monthly “Third Places” gatherings.

Monday’s “Third Place” event took place at Water Tower Place. I was one of about 30 people who met in the restored 1920s lobby of the building and got a thorough tour down into the basement parking garage, in and through the various residential spaces, and up and out onto the rooftop garden with panoramic views of the entire area.

The building was originally home to Churchill Drug, and later became a warehouse for the Hawkeye Seed Company. The shelving units of the warehouse are all gone now, replaced by some 46 residential luxury condominiums, all but 11 of which have been sold. One of the unique selling points to these condos is that, as this is a new project, each individual buyer is able to design the units themselves – therefore, no two units are alike. Many of the units have exposed brick and retain the original exposed concrete flooring. And all units come with a balcony – those on the North side of the building have views of the downtown area of Cedar Rapids, those on the South, views of Third Street including the soon-to-be redeveloped Farmstead Foods site.

But, the best view has to be from the building’s rooftop garden, which is also home to the historic water tower for which the site is named. The large rooftop area has two separate barbecue setups and several patios all connected by a boardwalk. On the day that I toured with PTDN, several neighborhood landmarks could be easily identified from the rooftop – The Cherry Building, the National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library, The African American Historical Museum and Cultural Center of Iowa, The Science Station, Cedar Rapids Public Library and CSPS. The luxury condos, all with access to the rooftop, range in size from 720 to 1877 square feet, and in price from $165,000 to $415,000.

PTDN’s “Third Place” events take place starting at 5 p.m. on the first Monday of the month in Cedar Rapids and the third Monday of the month in Iowa City. More information is available through chair@ptdn.com.

Wednesday I made it to the Old Creamery Theatre Company, 39 38^th Ave., Amana, to see “Lend Me a Tenor,” a very funny adult farce written by Ken Ludwig and starring Sean McCall and Tom Milligan in the roles of Max and Tito. The play takes place at a hotel suite in Cleveland, Ohio, in 1934. A famous opera singer is set to play Otello at the local opera company’s season opener. When the star ends up dead in a hotel room, the opera company’s general manager decides to make a cast change without telling his sold-out audience. Especially strong in this wild backstage opera farce is Meg Merckens as Maria and Marquetta Senters as Julia. The play will resume Sept. 6 through 24. Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m.; and Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays at 3 p.m. $20-$24 through (800) 35-AMANA.

Sunday I visited Brucemore National Trust Historic Site, 2160 Linden Drive SE, Cedar Rapids, for Cabaret in the Courtyard, an annual concert featuring musicians who live in or have ties to the area. Sunday’s headliner was Gerard Estella, a local pianist and composer. Estella surrounded himself with an all-star musical cast including Doug Jackson, Doug Elliott, Janelle Lauer, Jane Pini, Ron DeWitt, Greg Kanz and Dave Ollinger. The original songs in the show, written by Estella and local composer Robert Nassif, were all inspired by Brucemore. Most impressive was Act One’s “Almost Always Mine,” a beautiful ballad inspired by a nanny that worked for the Douglas family, the second family that lived in the estate, and written from her point of view. Cabaret in the Courtyard continues Friday, Saturday and Sunday at 7:30 p.m. with “A Daugherty Family Reunion.” Tickets are $20 through (319) 362-7375.

Joe Jennison is the Executive Director of the Iowa Cultural Corridor Alliance, a group of 100+ arts and culture organizations, whose mission is to build, strengthen and lead the local cultural industry and the communities it serves. More information on these and other arts and culture events in Eastern Iowa is located at www.culturalcorridor.org

Need more Joe? Joe is a guest on KZIA 102.9 FM every Monday morning. For a sound bite of his most recent visit, log onto KZIA’s Schulte and Swann page at http://www.kzia.com/w3port/Default.aspx?tabid=99

August 7, 2006

Herbert Hoover in West Branch: birthplace, museum, library – and a tallgrass prairie

            By Joe Jennison

            I know you’re familiar with the Herbert Hoover Presidential Library and Museum. I know you’re aware of the well-done permanent exhibit, the birthplace, gravesite, library, papers and collections available daily.

But did you know that the Herbert Hoover Historic Site in West Branch is also home to something that predates Herbert Hoover? Something that at one point covered more than 85 percent of Iowa? And was once considered more intrinsic to our landscape than corn or soybeans or even Hawkeye football?

            Sunday afternoon I visited the Herbert Hoover Presidential Library & Museum, 210 Parkside Drive, West Branch, for the final day of its annual three-day HooverFest, a celebration in honor of Hoover’s birthday. Sunday’s festivities started at 11 a.m. with a ceremony at the gravesites of the President and Mrs. Hoover. The ceremony included a flag procession, the reading of a