The Beaker Brothers perform their annual concert at the Englert Theatre in Iowa City Nov. 16, paying tribute to the pioneering Latin-Rock guitarist Carlos Santana, with a show full of some of Santana’s earlier work. Guest-starring with the Beakers is percussionist and singer Ed East, Orquesta Alto Maiz bandmate of Jim Dreier. The Brothers promise …

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Willow Creek Theatre in Iowa City offers many opportunities to watch and to learn improv comedy, with their own improv team performing weekly along with classes for all ages. Nov. 15 and 16 “Dumb John,” one of the top improv teams from Chicago comes to town for a Friday Show and Saturday clinic. Tickets …

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“In the Garden of Hope” is the title of the Nov. 10 concert by Family Folk Machine, Iowa City’s multi-generational choir. The program will consist of a variety of songs, several written by members of the Family Folk Machine, on an environmental theme. 3pm Nov. 10 at the Englert Theatre. Free admission, donations accepted. Learn …

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“North By Northwest meets The Holy Grail” is how Erin Mills and Jaret Morlan describe “The 39 Steps,” a riotous comedy based on the Alfred Hitchcock movie. But to say the script takes liberties with the source material is just where things start. Most of the four cast members play multiple parts, with quick …

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Patrick Du Laney directs “The Thanksgiving Play” at Theatre Cedar Rapids, one of the most-produced plays in the country right now. It’s the story of some high school teachers charged with writing a play that celebrates the Thanksgiving story but is culturally sensitive. The result is anything but, when they bring in a Native …

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The Cedar Rapids Concert Chorale and the Cedar Rapids Community Orchestra team for “A Salute to Veterans,” Nov. 8 at Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Cedar Rapids. In addition to standards like The Star Spangled Banner, America The Beautiful, and Battle Hymn of the Republic, directors Gerry Kreitzer and Josh Reznicow have also put in stirring …

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Don’t be confused by the fact that the address for the location of the Whittier Holiday Bazaar is Springville! The Whittier Community Building is easy to find, at the Corner of Whittier Rd. and County Home Rd. just east of Cedar Rapids. Organizer Lena Gilbert says the bazaars will include pottery, paintings, jewelry, and treats …

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Caleb Rainey’s poetry has made him one of Iowa’s best-known artists (shortly after this interview was recorded, he won The 2024 Iowa Author Award for poetry). Nov. 8-9, he hosts the third annual Mic Check Poetry Fest, featuring both renowned poets like Rudy Francisco and Iowa’s Poet Laureate Vince Gutera, with jazz accompanying the …

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There’s one line in “A Few Good Men” that everyone knows, even if they never saw the Jack Nicholson/Tom Cruise/Demi Moore film. But the movie started as a Broadway play, one of the early works by celebrated writer/producer Aaron Sorkin, who went on to make legendary projects like The West Wing. Scot Hughes does double …

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In this second culture crawl installment of the Kirkwood fall production of “Into the Woods,” we chat with student actors Jacob Cacioppo (playing The Baker), Laci McHenry (playing The Baker’s Wife), and director Emma Kostiv. This funny, emotionally charged, mysterious, dark, and exciting show runs for two weekends with six showings, including two matinees.  Nov …

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