Now I know I’m probably sappier than everyone at Studio 13 put together but I just want to reiterate how incredibly lucky we, as audience members, are to experience this level of talent and dedication.
Eastern Iowa Arts & Entertainment
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‘I’ve had “evil video game” in my notes for story ideas for, like, ever’: Tatiana Schlote-Bonne on writing horror for the fun of it
On the day of the release of her debut, Such Lovely Skin, Tatiana Schlote-Bonne expressed excitement and optimism about her literary future and upcoming books. The Iowa Nonfiction Writing Program graduate’s horror novel centers on a young gamer and Twitch streamer, Viv, whose most recent game creates a demonic mimic of her which is determined to ruin her life.
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UI Theatre alum Brian Quijada on staging a ‘reverse border story,’ how it feels when audience members walk out and why new plays are more exciting
Brian Quijada is an Emmy-nominated playwright, actor and composer. He also happens to be a University of Iowa Theatre Arts alumnus, getting his start as an undergrad that ended up double majoring in English and Theatre. Quijada has returned to Iowa City for a visit culminating in a performance with collaborator Nygel D. Robinson on […]
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Deliberately scratched frames, disquieting docs, dreamy shots of Iowa: Reviews of 10 films featured at Refocus
It is officially a wrap on the 2024 Refocus Film Festival, which means it is time to unpack all I was able to see and experience following opening night.
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A packed Englert audience sees and celebrates ‘Nightbitch’ movie as Refocus 2024 kicks off
Last night, a giddy audience gathered in the historic Englert Theatre, its marquee beautifully illuminating their entrance, for opening night of the third annual Refocus Film Festival. Onstage, Andrew Sherburne and Programming Director Ben Delgado expressed their gratitude for all who made the festival possible and shared some backstory on their efforts to screen Marielle […]
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Swallowing a tooth, and other ways local poets ‘harness a feeling’ in short films at Refocus
“It is October. Everything is overturning,” writes Hannah Bonner in her debut book of poetry, Another Woman. “I pack a suitcase to get through October and drive to the shore with a video camera,” begins the poem “Video Footage” in Julia Anna Morrison’s Long Exposure, her first book of poems. It is October. And with […]
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‘Star Search: All Stars’ Ep. 7: Well-steeped tea spills, patterns clash and a fan favorite falls in the semi-final roast
Girl, this is not RuPaul’s best friends race. I can’t believe it’s already the top four but here we are, and what a challenge for it. I feel like everyone knows that the roast is harrowing.
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Almost too magical to be true, Lost Woods Festival brought stellar Iowa musicians, cozy furniture and spellbinding vibes in its second year
A mysterious secret location? Tick. A stunning line up of Iowa’s best bands? Tick. Delicious local food trucks? Tick. What’s not to love? With this in mind, I started the ninety-minute road trip from Iowa City to Cedar Falls with high expectations.
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‘Star Search: All Stars’ Ep. 6: Filthy, freakish and sickening in every sense, Dragula week had the artists going all-fucking-out
It was not a night for the faint of heart. The Dragula Ball was the most gripping, nutso, disgusting thing I’ve ever seen — and it was everything. The top five created three looks for three categories: Glamour, Horror and Filth.
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Review: You won’t be borden at ICCT’s ‘Lizzie the Musical,’ a rock-horror show rooted in history
Calling all true crime fans… Lizzie the Musical is a rock-infused retelling of the infamous Lizzie Borden case, in which Lizzie is accused of brutally murdering her father and stepmother in 1892. The show explores the events leading up to the murders, focusing on Lizzie’s strained family life, her oppressive circumstances and her rebellious spirit. With […]
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Review: Riverside Theatre’s ‘POTUS’ is a smart, chaotic, wig-tastic political farce starring seven women
Closing out the political chapter of Riverside Theatre’s 2024-2025 season, following Derrick Wang’s opera Scala/Ginsburg, is Oregonian playwright Selina Fillinger’s POTUS: Or, Behind Every Great Dumbass Are Seven Women Trying to Keep Him Alive. A fast-paced political farce set in the White House, the play follows seven women working behind the scenes to manage a […]
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‘It feels like we are one hive’: 100 percussionists fill City Park with sound in performance of ‘Inuksuit’
The sky overhead City Park in Iowa City was clear, a dome of deep blue. Under that sky, more than 100 musicians arranged in concentric circles around conductor Steven Schick, their legs folded in lotus positions. Schick stood up and brought a sea shell to his mouth. The sound was almost imperceptible, only the friction […]
