Best Show Ever

Joel Sorenson is the co-founder and owner of All The Way Up in North Liberty, a dance studio for dancers of all ages with styles including hip hop, heels, kpop, breaking, and popping. Angie Jordan and Marlén Mendoza are dedicated community builders, pushing to establish a Self-Supported Municipal Improvement District, otherwise known as a SSMID, to further develop and draw business to the Pepperwood Plaza shopping district.

The episode features music by Gossip Cult, Alex Body, and “Jump-start Your Heart” by Miss Christine for our Song of the Week.

Thank you to Iowa Review for sponsoring this episode.

Ongoing support comes from the National Endowment for the Arts, the Iowa Arts Council, and from the United States Regional Arts Resilience Fund. Phase 1 is an initiative of Arts Midwest and its peer United States Regional Arts Organizations made possible by The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation. Best Show Ever is produced by the Englert in Iowa City, Iowa, and is supported by Friends of the Englert. Visit www.englert.org/friends to support our programming.

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Host: Elly Hofmaier

Line Producer: Savannah Lane

Audio Engineers: Gabi Vanek & Ioannis Alexakis

Executive Producers: John Schickedanz & Andre Perry

Kembrew McLeod is a Professor of Communication Studies at the University of Iowa. He’s written and produced several books and documentaries that focus on popular music, independent media, and copyright law. Kembrew is also well known for being proficient in the art of pranking, for which he’s claimed national notoriety. Sarah Nelson is the former COO at Foundation 2 Crisis Services in Cedar Rapids and the current executive director at Community Crisis Services and Food Bank.

The episode features music by Gossip Cult, Alex Body, and “Do U Follow Me?” by Halfloves for our Song of the Week.

Thank you to Preucil School of Music for sponsoring this episode.

Ongoing support comes from the National Endowment for the Arts, the Iowa Arts Council, and from the United States Regional Arts Resilience Fund. Phase 1 is an initiative of Arts Midwest and its peer United States Regional Arts Organizations made possible by The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation. Best Show Ever is produced by the Englert in Iowa City, Iowa, and is supported by Friends of the Englert. Visit www.englert.org/friends to support our programming.

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Host: Elly Hofmaier

Line Producer: Savannah Lane

Audio Engineers: Gabi Vanek & Ioannis Alexakis

Executive Producers: John Schickedanz & Andre Perry

Rachel Maker is a Cedar Rapids based retailer and clothing designer. Along with co-owning and operating Found and Formed, a vintage clothing shop in Cedar Rapids, Rachel has been trying her hand at styling local musicians, creating custom stage outfits for the likes of Elizabeth Moen and Anthony Worden. Mandi Nichols is the founder of the corridor community access network also known as CCAN. CCAN’s mission is to facilitate resident participation and empowerment, raising awareness about opportunities to improve the quality of life for all individuals in the Iowa Corridor.

The episode features music by Gossip Cult, Alex Body, and “Love Me Again” by King Wylde for our Song of the Week.

Thank you to MidWestOne Bank for sponsoring this episode.

Ongoing support comes from the National Endowment for the Arts, the Iowa Arts Council, and from the United States Regional Arts Resilience Fund. Phase 1 is an initiative of Arts Midwest and its peer United States Regional Arts Organizations made possible by The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation. Best Show Ever is produced by the Englert in Iowa City, Iowa, and is supported by Friends of the Englert. Visit www.englert.org/friends to support our programming.

Melissa Febos is a critically acclaimed, bestselling author and Associate Professor at the University of Iowa. Her most recent book, Girlhood, is a collection of essays centered around the trauma of a young female body and was released late March. Richard Rodney is a chef and entrepreneur. He owns Rodney’s Jamaican Jerk & BBQ, which caters authentic Jamaican food and sauces.

The episode features music by Gossip Cult, Alex Body, and “Pointless” by Ben Rendall for our Song of the Week.

Thank you to Iowa Review for sponsoring this episode.

Ongoing support comes from the National Endowment for the Arts, the Iowa Arts Council, and from the United States Regional Arts Resilience Fund. Phase 1 is an initiative of Arts Midwest and its peer United States Regional Arts Organizations made possible by The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation. Best Show Ever is produced by the Englert in Iowa City, Iowa, and is supported by Friends of the Englert. Visit www.englert.org/friends to support our programming.

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Host: Elly Hofmaier

Line Producer: Savannah Lane

Audio Engineers: Gabi Vanek & Ioannis Alexakis

Executive Producers: John Schickedanz & Andre Perry

Russ Curry founded Curious music in 1988. Curious music is a family owned,  record label based in Coralville that curates experimental and reflective music. After a near 20 year hiatus Russ is back in the game and has a slew of new projects underway. Among many other things, Katie Imborek is a physician, clinical professor, and co-director of the University of Iowa Health Care’s LGBTQ clinic, which she co founded in 2012. She’s also been a major force behind the expansion of telehealth communications and other efforts related to combatting the COVID-19 pandemic.

The episode features music by Gossip Cult, Alex Body, and “White Picket Fence” by Hannah Frey for our Song of the Week.

Thank you to Carrie Houchins-Witt for sponsoring this episode.

Ongoing support comes from the National Endowment for the Arts, the Iowa Arts Council, and from the United States Regional Arts Resilience Fund. Phase 1 is an initiative of Arts Midwest and its peer United States Regional Arts Organizations made possible by The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation. Best Show Ever is produced by the Englert in Iowa City, Iowa, and is supported by Friends of the Englert. Visit www.englert.org/friends to support our programming.

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Host: Elly Hofmaier

Line Producer: Savannah Lane

Audio Engineers: Gabi Vanek & Ioannis Alexakis

Executive Producers: John Schickedanz & Andre Perry

This week, we’ll chat with Jake Jones, a graduate student at the University of Iowa's School of Art and Art History and the production director for KRUI 89.7 FM. We’ll also hear from Jane Wilch, the Recycling Coordinator for the City of Iowa City, about her passion for environmentalism and her climate-focused best show ever.

The episode features music by Gossip Cult, Alex Body, and “Concrete Stilts” by Dana T. for our Song of the Week.

Thank you to Toyota of Iowa City and Lensing Funeral Home for sponsoring this episode.

Ongoing support comes from the National Endowment for the Arts, the Iowa Arts Council, and from the United States Regional Arts Resilience Fund. Phase 1 is an initiative of Arts Midwest and its peer United States Regional Arts Organizations made possible by The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation Best Show Ever is produced by the Englert in Iowa City, Iowa, and is supported by Friends of the Englert. Visit www.englert.org/friends to support our programming.

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Host: Elly Hofmaier

Line Producer: Savannah Lane

Audio Engineers: Gabi Vanek & Ioannis Alexakis

Executive Producers: John Schickedanz & Andre Perry

In this week’s episode we talk with multimedia artist Hannah Song about how she incorporates platforms like youtube and tiktok into her creative process. Then we check in with master stonemason, JB Barnhouse, about his career and best show ever.

The episode features music by Gossip Cult, Alex Body, and “Pretty in Pink” by the Hex Girls for our Song of the Week.

Thank you to Toyota of Iowa City and Lensing Funeral Home for sponsoring this episode.

Ongoing support comes from the National Endowment for the Arts, the Iowa Arts Council, and from the United States Regional Arts Resilience Fund. Phase 1 is an initiative of Arts Midwest and its peer United States Regional Arts Organizations made possible by The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation Best Show Ever is produced by the Englert in Iowa City, Iowa, and is supported by Friends of the Englert. Visit www.englert.org/friends to support our programming.

In this week’s episode we chat with Tyler James, aka Jim Swim, a language arts teacher by day and hip hop artist/producer by night, about his recent essay about making money as an artist. Then we hear from Tree Bloomquist, assistant manager and baker at Dodge St. Coffeehouse, about her baking journey and best show ever.

The episode features music by Gossip Cult, Alex Body, and “Organic:Plastic” by Pink Neighbor for our Song of the Week.

Thank you to Taxes Plus and Carrie Houchins-Witt for sponsoring this episode.

Ongoing support comes from the National Endowment for the Arts, the Iowa Arts Council, and from the United States Regional Arts Resilience Fund. Phase 1 is an initiative of Arts Midwest and its peer United States Regional Arts Organizations made possible by The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation Best Show Ever is produced by the Englert in Iowa City, Iowa, and is supported by Friends of the Englert. Visit www.englert.org/friends to support our programming.

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Host: Elly Hofmaier

Line Producer: Savannah Lane

Audio Engineers: Gabi Vanek & Ioannis Alexakis

Executive Producers: John Schickedanz & Andre Perry

In this week’s episode, we’ll be talking to Adam Knight, Producing Artistic Director of Riverside Theatre, about Riverside’s work during the pandemic and the theatre’s new location in Downtown Iowa City. Then we’ll hear from Ala Mohamed, a student at the University of Iowa and one of the founders of the Iowa City Freedom Riders.

The episode features music by Gossip Cult, Alex Body, and “All the Ladies” by Big Begonias for our Song of the Week.

Thank you to MidAmerica Securities and Preucil School of Music for sponsoring this episode.

Ongoing support comes from the National Endowment for the Arts, the Iowa Arts Council, and from the United States Regional Arts Resilience Fund. Phase 1 is an initiative of Arts Midwest and its peer United States Regional Arts Organizations made possible by The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation Best Show Ever is produced by the Englert in Iowa City, Iowa, and is supported by Friends of the Englert. Visit www.englert.org/friends to support our programming.

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Host: Elly Hofmaier

Line Producer: Savannah Lane

Audio Engineers: Gabi Vanek & Ioannis Alexakis

Executive Producers: John Schickedanz & Andre Perry

This week we’ll hear from choral director and omnipresent musician Avery Moss. We’ll also talk with Andy Martin, co-owner of Martin Construction, about his best show ever.

The episode features music by Gossip Cult, Alex Body, and “Seriously” by Kane & the Stubborn Stains for our Song of the Week.

Thank you to MidAmerica Securities and Preucil School of Music for sponsoring this episode.

Ongoing support comes from the National Endowment for the Arts, the Iowa Arts Council, and from the United States Regional Arts Resilience Fund. Phase 1 is an initiative of Arts Midwest and its peer United States Regional Arts Organizations made possible by The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation Best Show Ever is produced by the Englert in Iowa City, Iowa, and is supported by Friends of the Englert. Visit www.englert.org/friends to support our programming.

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Host: Elly Hofmaier

Line Producer: Savannah Lane

Audio Engineers: Gabi Vanek & Ioannis Alexakis

Executive Producers: John Schickedanz & Andre Perry