With the return of September and the long-awaited fall season, art aficionados and theatre-goers rejoice as new forms of artistic expression will soon be introduced into their life. While some theaters and galleries have opened their doors, others are still taking precautions in the midst of the pandemic, and are producing the bulk of their projects online. Here’s a preview of what the fall arts season will look like in Iowa.
Performance Theater
Riverside Theatre
Iowa City
The theater recently launched its fall season with a prerecorded production. Producing Artistic Director, Adam Knight, and team have had to pivot their strategy, but still anticipate being able to connect their community via performances—even if the performances aren’t actually in-person. Riverside Theatre will produce the entirety of their upcoming season online. For more information, visit www.riversidetheatre.org.
Theatre Cedar Rapids
Cedar Rapids
This beloved theater company is launching its fall season in two weeks, starting with an online cabaret called Dear Broadway. The pandemic has impacted the types of shows that the company is currently putting on—as well as what they will take on project-wise in the future. Director Katie Hallman and the team at Theatre Cedar Rapids have insisted that instead of the large-scale musicals the company is more widely known for, audiences will see smaller, more focused productions like concerts, cabarets and one-man plays. For more information, visit www.theatrecr.org.
The Giving Tree Theatre
Marion
The Giving Tree Theatre in Marion returned with live performances a few months ago, but were forced to once again take a break from the stage. Now, the Giving Tree company is back and fully reopened—to a sold-out live play, no less. In order to ensure safety precautions are maintained, many seats are still blocked off and audience members are served any requested food or drink options via their seats. For more information, visit www.givingtreetheatre.com.
The Englert Theatre
Iowa City
When the pandemic hit, the Englert Theatre’s staff was primarily working to organize and market live events that would promote community engagement and connectivity. Now, the team is still prioritizing that level of connectivity, just through virtual education and digital interactive opportunities. The team hopes to resume in-person performances soon, but for the time being they’re managing a number of programs like Acting Out! Prep School, captured performances like Mission Creek Underground and they have introduced a new podcast called Best Show Ever. For more information, visit www.englert.org.
Art Galleries & Exhibitions
Saturdays at the Stanley
Iowa City
This event brings the museum’s collection to viewers in a casual, fun and interactive atmosphere. Each event has a theme—game day, frenemies and cats, among others—that looks at artwork from a different perspective. Curators lead visitors through a selection of works, share stories about the artists and subject matter, and open the discussion up to the audience. For more information, visit www.events.iowa.edu.
Cedar Rapids Museum of Art
Cedar Rapids
Mary Zeran’s decade of evolution is on display through Jan. 3 in her first solo exhibition at the Cedar Rapids Museum of Art. Her work has been shown as part of several group exhibitions at the museum, most recently during “Up All Night” and “Into the Blue” in 2019, and “Beyond the Prairie: Midwestern Art from the Collection” in 2018. For more information, visit www.crma.org.