dsm Season Preview

Happy new year!

Did you hang up an actual paper calendar? Our dsm team did. We use a few digital calendars, too. These days, we even have calendars for our calendars, with tasks and subtasks and bells and whistles to make sure we send you all our best newsy stuff on time.

And time is ticking. We'll release our next print edition next Monday at an unveiling party before the Iowa Wolves game at Wells Fargo Arena, but we couldn't wait to send you the following list of local concerts, plays, art shows and other recommendations to fill your calendar from now through the return of spring.

As always, if you're planning something of your own, just let us know.

Cheers,
Michael Morain
dsm editor

This close-up of a print by Will Wilson features Nakotah LaRance, a member of the Hopi Nation and six-time hoop dancing world champion. (Photo: Brad Flowers)

MUSEUMS & GALLERIES

Native American portraits, seen through a new lens

Iowa State University Museums opens its 50th year with an exhibition by the contemporary Navajo photographer Will Wilson at the Brunnier Art Museum in Ames.

From Jan. 21 through May 4, "In Conversation: Will Wilson" showcases photos from Wilson’s Critical Indigenous Photographic Exchange, which explores the relationship between science, culture and identity. The project responds to portraits of Native Americans that Edward Sheriff Curtis photographed in the early 20th century. Although Curtis focused his lens on stereotypes that are now outdated, much of his work still appears in calendars, postcards and even history books and documentaries.

"I want to supplant Curtis' Settler gaze and the remarkable body of ethnographic material he compiled with a contemporary vision of Native North America," Wilson has said of his ongoing project, which he started a dozen years ago at the New Mexico Museum of Art in Santa Fe.

The Critical Indigenous Photographic Exchange is a series of studio portraits that Wilson creates with the same wet-plate collodion technique that Curtis used more than a century earlier. But now, each subject chooses their own clothing, pose, props and other ways to represent themselves authentically. The sitters also get to keep the original photo.

The Brunnier Art Museum will also host five free programs during the exhibit’s run, including a curator’s tour on Jan. 26 and an artist talk with Wilson on April 4.

More Exhibitions & Events

"Acts of Projection: Magic Lantern Shows and the U.S. Civil War," through Jan. 17, Drake University’s Anderson Gallery. Before moving pictures, "magic" lantern shows projected hand-painted slides onto screens to portray works of art, travel images and, by the 1860s, moving photos from the Civil War. See historic images and the new artwork they inspired.

"Greater Des Moines Exhibited," through Jan. 30, Polk County Heritage Gallery. More than 40 area artists exhibit work in this year’s juried show, a long-standing tradition in the grand old gallery that once housed a post office on the north side of the county administration building.

"Winter Sampler," through Feb. 8, Olson-Larsen Galleries. A colorful mixed-media show features Debra Smith’s abstract textiles, Tim Schiffer’s watercolor still lifes, Molly Wood’s photos inspired by the Old Masters, and more.

"Ghosts," Jan. 10-Feb. 1, Moberg Gallery. With deliberately blurring drawings in white charcoal, pencil and India ink, former Des Moines Art Center director Jeff Fleming reimagines family photos from the early 1960s, filling them with memories that shift in and out of focus. The show opens with a reception 5-8 p.m. this Friday.

"Figments and Phantoms," Jan. 10-April 20, Des Moines Art Center. The portrait subjects are fragmented, distorted or conspicuously missing in this exhibition in the John Brady Print Gallery.

"Roadshow" preview, Feb. 8, Iowa PBS. The local public television station hosts a sneak peek at the "Antiques Roadshow" episodes that feature the show’s visit last summer to Living History Farms. The episodes air on Feb. 17 and 24 and March 17.

"Time Travelers," Feb. 14-May 11, Des Moines Art Center. The group show explores the past and how we remember it with a mix of folklore, history and cultural souvenirs. It centers on two very different works in the permanent collection: Tuan Andrew Nguyen’s film "The Boat People" and Mika Rottenberg’s "Cheese," a surrealist installation built from small TV monitors and old barn wood.

A cat on a hot tiny boat co-stars in "Life of Pi." (Photo: Ellie Kurttz)

THEATER & DANCE

Lost at sea with a tiger: What could go wrong?

Marvelous puppets have prowled and galloped through the Des Moines Civic Center over the years, from the beasts and birds of "The Lion King" to the mighty equine stars of "War Horse."

Another menagerie will grace the stage in "Life of Pi," Feb. 25 through March 2. It’s adapted from Yann Martel’s 2001 novel, which won the Booker Prize and inspired a 2012 film. The tale about a teenager stranded on a lifeboat with a hyena, a zebra, an orangutan and a hungry Bengal tiger comes to life in a new way on stage, with sophisticated puppets and a Tony Award-winning mix of lighting, sound, video and sets.

The New York Times called it a "tribute to human ingenuity and animal grace."

More Performances

"Diary of a Wimpy Kid," Jan. 17-Feb. 2, Des Moines Playhouse. Middle school is full of highs and lows: Just ask Greg Heffley in the new musical based on the award-winning book series by Jeff Kinney.

"The Gull," Jan. 22-25, Des Moines Playhouse. After a two-year hiatus, TheatreMidwest returns with the world premiere of a one-woman riff on Chekhov’s classic "The Seagull," in the Playhouse’s newly renovated studio theater.

"Shucked," Jan. 28-Feb. 2, Des Moines Civic Center. The national tour of the proudly corny, "farm-to-fable" musical about a farmgirl’s quest to save her hometown comes to the heart of the Heartland.

"Ripcord," Jan. 31-Feb. 16, Tallgrass Theatre Co. When two women — one chipper, the other grouchy — are forced to share a room at a senior living facility, their rivalry quickly escalates in this play from David Lindsay Abaire.

"Men on Boats," Feb. 7-March 2, Des Moines Playhouse. Join a ragtag group of explorers on an 1869 expedition along the Colorado River in "a true(ish) adventure on the American frontier."

Momix: "Alice," Feb. 12, Des Moines Civic Center. The famous dance company from Connecticut puts a new spin on "Alice in Wonderland" in the DMPA’s Dance Series.

"See the Music," Feb. 20 at Grinnell College; Feb. 28 at Hoyt Sherman Place; March 2 at Stephens Auditorium in Ames. Pianist Douglas-Jayd Burn and the acclaimed Aizuri (string) Quartet team up with Ballet Des Moines to premiere work choreographed by the company’s artistic director, Tom Mattingly.

"Jesus Christ Superstar," March 7-23, Des Moines Playhouse. The company revives Andrew Lloyd Webber’s enduring rock opera about the life, death and resurrection of its title character.

"Broadway’s Next Hit Musical," March 11-16," Temple Theater. A team of clever improvisers recreate a Phony Awards ceremony, featuring fully choreographed musical numbers based on audience suggestions.

"Grand Horizons," March 14-23, Des Moines Civic Center’s Stoner Theater. Iowa Stage Theater presents Bess Wohl’s Tony-nominated play about a librarian in her 80s who decides she’s ready to divorce her husband of 50 years.

"Some Like It Hot," March 18-23, Des Moines Civic Center. The national tour of the 2022 musical about two jazz musicians who flee Chicago after witnessing a mob hit is based on the 1959 movie, which in turn was based on a 1935 French film called "Fanfare of Love."

Various funny people are coming to Hoyt Sherman Place in the next few months, including Colin Mochrie and Brad Sherwood of "Whose Line Is It Anyway?" (Jan. 18), Patton Oswalt (March 9), and Countess Luann de Lesseps of "The Real Housewives of New York" (March 15).

Musicians perform all evening in the downtown Marriott, filling two ballrooms with live tunes. (Photo: Winter Blues Fest)

MUSIC

Warm up with the Winter Blues Fest

Music historians say the blues first bubbled up in the 1860s in the Deep South, where its call-and-response patterns echoed Black spirituals and work songs. But those rhythms still resonate even here in 21st-century Iowa, where music fans forget their troubles every year at the Winter Blues Fest.

"It’s 20 bands all under one roof and out of the cold," Central Iowa Blues Society President Scott Allen said of the 30th annual event, set for Feb. 14 and 15 at the downtown Marriott.

The shindig fills two ballrooms: one for regional and national acts and another for Iowan musicians, including those in Heath Alan’s Iowa Blues Expo and an Iowa Blues Hall of Fame showcase hosted by the one and only Bob Pace.

More Music

Des Moines Big Band, every Wednesday, Noce. Warm up the winter with the big band mid-week or smaller ensembles and soloists Thursday through Saturday.

Botanical Blues, Sundays through March 30, Greater Des Moines Botanical Garden. Bob Pace is up next in the weekly concert series, where you can warm up and shake off the blues.

Big Head Todd and The Monsters, Jan. 10, Hoyt Sherman Place. The platinum-selling Colorado rockers led by Todd Park Mohr bring their 40th anniversary tour to town.

The Byrne Brothers, Jan. 18, Franklin Center. The multitalented musicians from Donegal, Ireland, take a turn in the Celtic Music Association’s season.

Judy Carmichael, Jan. 31, Temple Theater. The versatile jazz singer and pianist is best known for her stride keyboard style.

Guster, Feb. 4, Hoyt Sherman Place. The band’s current tour, "We Also Have Eras," retraces its 30-year hit-making history and its latest album, "Ooh La La."

"Folsom Prison Experience," Feb. 7, Hoyt Sherman Place. Part play, part concert, this show recreates Johnny Cash’s legendary 1968 performance at the Folsom State Prison near Sacramento.

Switchback, Feb. 8, Franklin Center. The duo that switches back and forth between Celtic and Americana styles plays a Celtic Music Association concert.

Des Moines Symphony, Feb. 8-9, Des Moines Civic Center. Chicago’s Mei-Ann Chen conducts Rachmaninoff’s Symphonic Dances and Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 1, featuring Anne Marie McDermott.

Voces8, Feb. 11, Stephens Auditorium in Ames. The British a cappella group mixes and matches its eight voices.

Des Moines Symphony, Feb. 14-15, Des Moines Civic Center. The orchestra plays Nicholas Hooper’s score with screenings of "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince."

A Celebration in Song, Feb. 15, St. Ambrose Cathedral. The finely tuned voices of the Luther College Nordic Choir, Iowa State Singers and Des Moines Choral Society sing to the rafters.

Czech National Philharmonic of Moravia, Feb. 15, Stephens Auditorium in Ames. Pavel Snajdr leads the orchestra from Prague.

Des Moines Vocal Arts Ensemble, Feb. 16, Noce. The singers let loose for a cabaret. Grab a drink and settle in.

"Voix de Ville," Fridays from Feb. 21 through March 28, Noce. If you missed the vaudeville series last year, check it out. There are singers, dancers, drag queens and more.

"Unmasking the Singer," Feb. 22, Hoyt Sherman Place. Local celebrities sing in disguise to raise money for the Salvation Army. All will be revealed. (FYI: That's Des Moines Fire Chief John TeKippe in the frog suit.)

Des Moines Community Orchestra, Feb. 23, Drake University’s Sheslow Auditorium. Carl Johnson conducts a program of favorites by Bach, Shostakovich, Wagner and more.

Yamato: The Drummers of Japan, Feb. 28, Stephens Auditorium in Ames. The world-famous Taiko drummers bring their massive drums, including one made from a tree that was at least 400 years old.

Pink Martini, March 4, Hoyt Sherman Place. The world-famous group that sings in 25 languages (not at the same time) offers its swanky, sophisticated jazz in concert featuring China Forbes.

The Jeremiahs, March 8, Franklin Center. The globe-trotting Irish group brings its tunes to town for a Celtic Music Association concert.

Des Moines Symphony, March 8-9, Des Moines Civic Center. Cellist Sterling Elliott joins the orchestra for Haydn’s Cello Concerto in D Major.

Des Moines Gay Men’s Chorus, March 22, St. John’s Lutheran Church. The program, "Reclaim and Rise," focuses on "reclaiming strength and rising anew in the face of adversity."

Nobuyuki Tsujii, March 23, Drake University’s Sheslow Auditorium. The Van Cliburn Gold Medal-winning pianist known simply as "Nobu" takes a turn in the Lauridsen Great Pianists Series organized by the Civic Music Association.

Joe Fonda and Thomas Heberer, March 23, Caspe Terrace in Waukee. The bassist and trumpeter team up for a jazz concert in one of the intimate auditorium, one of the most beautiful in Central Iowa.

Sona Jobarteh, March 28, Drake University’s Sheslow Auditorium. The Gambian singer, songwriter and versatile instrumentalist blends West African traditions into a style that is all her own.

Other Events

V Spehar, Jan. 9, Temple Theater. When all the news seemed overwhelming a few years ago, V Spehar broke it down into bite-sized, 60-second stories for their "Under the Desk News" podcast on TikTok. With 3 million followers and counting, Spehar plans to take a turn in the Capital City Pride Speaker Series.

Dome After Dark, Fridays through March 28, The Greater Des Moines Botanical Garden. Breathe in all that lovely, humid oxygenated air before spring returns to the non-tropics outside. While you’re there, check out the glass art by Joel Ryser of Davenport.

Harlem Globetrotters, Jan. 12, Wells Fargo Arena. The famous ballers show off their skills in a game against their rivals, the Washington Generals, as part of a new global tour.

Mireya Mayor, Jan. 21, Des Moines Civic Center. Once described in the New York Times as "the female Indiana Jones," the primatologist and Emmy-nominated TV presenter shares a talk she calls "Pink Boots and a Machete" in the Des Moines Performing Arts’ Explorer Speaker Series.

Indulge, Jan. 25, The River Center. Enjoy unlimited samples of wine, cheese and chocolate. What’s not to love?

Iowa Bike Expo, Jan. 25, Iowa Events Center. Pedal pushers gather for the annual extravaganza of bike gear, bike apparel, bike nonprofits and all the other bike stuff. Later that day, many will migrate out west for the RAGBRAI Route Announcement, held for the first time at Vibrant Music Hall in Waukee.

BRR: Bike Ride to Rippey, Feb. 1, starting at the Hotel Pattee in Perry. Hundreds of hardy, foolhardy cyclists bundle up for the 48th annual trek to Rippey and back. It’s 12 miles each way, with hot food and drinks in both towns.

Tee Franklin, Feb. 13, Temple Theater. The writer behind the hit series "Harley Quinn" takes a turn in the Capital City Pride Speaker Series.

Des Moines Home and Garden Show, Feb. 13-16, Iowa Events Center. Hundreds of landscapers, gardeners, interior designers and other domestic experts offer demonstrations, pop-up indoor gardens and more to signal that spring is just around the corner.

"East Meets West: In the Footsteps of Marco Polo," March 11, Des Moines Civic Center. Longtime National Geographic photographer Michael Yamashita offers an epic show-and-tell, with stories and photos of his travels through Asia.