Hancher Auditorium at the University of Iowa has announced its 2023-2024 season of events, bringing innovation, collaboration, and creative exploration to the fore. The new season features a Broadway subscription series, a new fall festival, and a robust lineup of newly announced performances.
“This season’s announcement embodies so many threads,” says André Perry, executive director of Hancher Auditorium.
Kicking off the season on Friday, August 25, is a free outdoor concert by Iowa native Elizabeth Moen, Alabama Shakes lead vocalist Brittany Howard, and soulful singer-songwriter Dawn Richard. The audience is invited to gather on the Hancher Green starting at 5 p.m. with music getting underway at 6 p.m.
Tickets go on sale to the general public on Monday, July 31, at 10 a.m. The Hancher Box Office is open weekdays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and tickets are always available online at hancher.uiowa.edu.
In early September, Hancher will present three superstars in quick succession. Beloved singer-songwriter Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit will perform on Friday, September 8; jazz luminary Herbie Hancock takes to the stage on Saturday, September 9; and newly minted Pulitzer Prize-winner Rhiannon Giddens will perform on Wednesday, September 13.
Broadway fans can still take advantage of subscription pricing for To Kill a Mockingbird, Hairspray, Chicago, and Come From Away. Beginning on July 31, they will also be able to choose tickets for individual shows. Tickets for individual events that are part of October’s Infinite Dream festival—which explores myriad ways to engage with the idea of the American Dream—will also go on sale July 31; full festival passes are also still available.
As the season progresses, Hancher will present artists in new configurations inside the facility—and will present several artists in other venues on and off campus.
“Our team has thought carefully and creatively about ways to enhance the connection between artists and audiences,” says Aaron Greenwald, Hancher’s programming and engagement director. “Intimacy and immediacy can be such powerful parts of an experience, and for each of the exceptional artists we are presenting, we worked to find the best ways to highlight them and their work.”
Examples of artists performing in these additional venues include acclaimed tap dancer Ayodele Casel performing on Hancher’s Hadley Stage with the audience seated on stage, serpentwithfeet performing Heart of Brick at The Englert Theatre, and the Elias String Quartet performing in the round in Hancher’s Strauss Hall.
Other key aspects of the season include collaborations with the Mic Check Poetry Fest and Feed Me Weird Things’ FEaST festival, a season-long collaboration with Pulitzer Prize-winning composer Caroline Shaw, and a performance by Department of Dance students in collaboration with the Martha Graham Dance Company.
The regular season culminates with a major performance and Iowa debut of the contemporary opera Fierce. William Menefield, assistant professor of jazz studies at the University of Iowa, composed the music for Fierce, which first debuted as a commission project of the Cincinnati Opera in July 2022.
Hancher Auditorium’s 2023–2024 Season
University of Iowa’s Fall Welcome Concert: Brittany Howard, Dawn Richard, and Elizabeth Moen. Aug. 25, 6 p.m., Hancher Green
Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit with special guest Wednesday. Sept. 8, 7:30 p.m., Hancher Auditorium
Herbie Hancock. Sept. 9, 7:30 p.m., Hancher Auditorium
Rhiannon Giddens with special guest Adia Victoria. Sept. 13, 7:30 p.m., Hancher Auditorium
Attacca Quartet and Caroline Shaw. Sept. 17, 7:30 p.m., Hancher Auditorium / onstage seating
Ayodele Casel, Rooted. Sept. 22, 7:30 p.m.; Sept. 23, 2 & 7:30 p.m., Hancher Auditorium / onstage seating
Fall 2023 Levitt Lecture: Alan Page. Sept. 26, 7:30 p.m., Hancher Auditorium
serpentwithfeet, Heart of Brick. Oct. 5, 7:30 p.m., The Englert Theatre
Infinite Dream festival: The Sphinx Virtuosi. Oct. 11, 7:30 p.m., The Englert Theatre
Infinite Dream festival: Love In Exile featuring Arooj Aftab, Vijay Iyer, and Shahzad Ismaily, and Makaya McCraven: In These Times. Oct. 12, 7:30 p.m., Hancher Auditorium
Infinite Dream festival: John Irving in conversation with Lan Samantha Chang. Oct. 13, 7:30 p.m., Hancher Auditorium
Infinite Dream festival: Model/Actriz with special guest TBD. Oct. 13, 9:30 p.m., Gabe’s
Infinite Dream festival: Kurt Vile and The Violators with special guest Lonnie Holley and Mourning [A] BLKstar. Oct. 14, 7:30 p.m., Hancher Auditorium
Infinite Dream festival: N O W I S W H E N W E A R E (the stars) by Andrew Schneider. Oct. 18–21, showtimes on Hancher’s website, Hancher Auditorium / onstage
Samara Joy. Oct. 25, 7:30 p.m., Hancher Auditorium
Disney / Pixar’s COCO with Orquesta Folclórica Nacional de México. Oct. 27, 7:30 p.m., Hancher Auditorium
Mic Check Poetry Fest showcase: Danez Smith and Denice Frohman. Nov. 3, 7 & 9 p.m., Strauss Hall / cabaret
FEaST festival: Sun Ra Arkestra and Theon Cross. Nov. 4, 7:30 p.m., The Englert Theatre
Takács Quartet. Nov. 9, 7:30 p.m., The Englert Theatre
Dance Gala. Nov. 10 & 11, 7:30 p.m., Hancher Auditorium
Midori and Festival Strings Lucerne. Nov. 14, 7:30 p.m., Hancher Auditorium
Roomful of Teeth and Gabriel Kahane. Nov. 16, 7:30 p.m., Hancher Auditorium / onstage seating
Mavis Staples and The War And Treaty. Dec. 2, 7:30 p.m, Hancher Auditorium
JACK Quartet plays John Zorn. Dec. 6, 7:30 p.m., Old Capitol Museum / Senate Chamber
The King’s Singers, When You Wish Upon a Star. Dec. 9, 7:30 p.m., Hancher Auditorium
To Kill A Mockingbird. Jan. 19, 7:30 p.m.; Jan. 20, 2 & 7:30 p.m.; Jan. 21, 1 & 6:30 p.m., Hancher Auditorium
Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. Jan. 24, 7:30 p.m., Hancher Auditorium
Club Hancher: Jeff Parker and The New Breed. Jan. 27, 7 & 9 p.m., Strauss Hall / cabaret
Elias String Quartet. Feb. 15, 7:30 p.m., Strauss Hall / in the round
Reggie Wilson/Fist and Heel Performance Group, POWER. Feb. 16, 7:30 p.m.; Feb. 17, 2 & 7:30 p.m., Hancher Auditorium / onstage seating
Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo. Feb. 21, 7:30 p.m., Hancher Auditorium
Hairspray. Feb. 23, 7:30 p.m.; Feb. 24, 2 & 7:30 p.m.; Feb. 25, 2 p.m., Hancher Auditorium
Club Hancher: Haley Heynderickx and The Westerlies. March 7, 7 & 9 p.m., Strauss Hall / cabaret
Spring 2024 Levitt Lecture: Judy Woodruff. March 19, 7:30 p.m., Hancher Auditorium
Club Hancher: Y La Bamba. March 22, 7 & 9 p.m., Strauss Hall / cabaret
Sō Percussion and Caroline Shaw. March 25 & 26, 7:30 p.m., Hancher Auditorium / onstage seating
Martha Graham Dance Company, GRAHAM100. March 29, 7:30 p.m., Hancher Auditorium
Oumou Sangaré. April 12, 7:30 p.m., The Englert Theatre
Club Hancher: La Dame Blanche. April 19, 7 & 9 p.m., Strauss Hall / cabaret
Fierce. April 26 & 27, 7:30 p.m., Hancher Auditorium
Chicago. May 3, 7:30 p.m.; May 4, 2 & 7:30 p.m.; May 5, 2 p.m., Hancher Auditorium
Come from Away. June 4–6, 7:30 p.m., Hancher Auditorium
The Hancher Box Office can be reached by phone at 319-335-1160 or 800-HANCHER. Tickets are also available online at hancher.uiowa.edu.