City, Saturday, July 22

at 10 a.m., Free Spend a Saturday with family at the Stanley with the LGBTQ Iowa Archives and Library. The organization is a community archives and lending library with a mission to protect, preserve and share the queer history of Iowa and increase queer literature for all ages. Their first Stanley storytime is in July and they’ll be reading Red: A Crayon’s Story by Michael Hall. The story follows a red crayon that has a “red” paper label, but everything they draw turns out blue. In the end, it’s a story about embracing who they are and celebrating their unique beauty. After storytime, kids will be invited to explore the Stanley galleries with a scavenger hunt and self-guided tour. All ages are welcome to the event and admission is free.

Literature

Crandic

Sunday, July 9 at 1 p.m. Give Me A Second: A Generative Poetry Editing Workshop, Iowa City Poetry, Online, $25

Monday, July 10 at 7 p.m. Grant Faulkner w/Mary Helen Stefaniak, Prairie Lights, Iowa City, Free

Tuesday, July 11 at 7 p.m. Wayne Johnson, Prairie Lights, Free

Thursday, July 13 at 7 p.m. Leslie Lehr w/Beth Howard, Prairie Lights, Free

Friday, July 14 at 7 p.m. Jolene Mcllwain, Prairie Lights, Free

Saturday, July 15 at 1 p.m. A Conversation w/Tirzah Price and Becky Vardaman, Sidekick Coffee & Books, Iowa City, Free

Sunday, July 16 at 3 p.m. Larry Baker, Prairie Lights, Free

Tuesday, July 18 at 7 p.m Author Talk: Diana Goetsch, Marion Public Library, Free w/ registration

Tuesday, July 18 at 7 p.m Charles Holdefer & Max Garland, Prairie Lights, Free

Thursday, July 20 at 10 a.m. Young Adult Book Club, Sidekick Coffee & Books, Free

Friday, July 21 at 7 p.m. SelfPublished Authors Book Fair, Sidekick Coffee & Books, Free

Sunday, July 23 at 4 p.m. Jacinta Hart Kehoe, Prairie Lights, Free

Monday, July 24 at 7 p.m. Kali White, Prairie Lights, Free

Thursday, July 27 at 6:30 p.m. Evening w/Eric Gapstur, Marion Public Library, Free

Saturday, July 29 at 1 p.m The Long Project Check-in, Porchlight Literary Arts Center, Iowa City, Free

Des Moines

Tuesday, July 11 at 6:30 p.m. Meet the Author: Grant Faulkner, Beaverdale Books, Des Moines, Free

Saturday, July 15 at 2 p.m. Meet the Author: Chasten Buttigieg, Franklin Junior High Event Center, Des Moines

Tuesday, July 18 at 6:30 p.m. Meet the Author: Larry Baker, Beaverdale Books, Free

Friday, July 21 at 6:30 p.m. Meet the Author: Jacinta Hart Kehoe, Beaverdale Books, Free

Monday, July 24 at 6:30 p.m. Meet the Author: Antonia Deignan, Beaverdale Books, Free

Wednesday, July 26 at 6:30 p.m. Meet the Author: Jason Liegios, Beaverdale Books, Free

Friday, Aug. 4 at 7 p.m. Poetry Open Mic Night, Beaverdale Books, Free

Performance

Crandic

Friday, July 7 at 9:30 p.m. Fresh Friday Comedy Show, Joystick Comedy & Arcade, Iowa City, $5

Opening Friday, July 7. Madagascar: A Musical Adventure, Brucemore, Cedar Rapids, $10-25

Saturday, July 8 at 8 p.m. CR Pride Late Show, CSPS Hall, Cedar Rapids, $40-100

Wednesday, July 12 at 7 p.m. The Rapids, Mirrorbox Theatre, Cedar Rapids, $15

Opening Friday, July 14. Disney’s High School Musical, Coralville Center for Performing Arts, $17-30

Thursday, July 20 at 6 p.m. The Little Mermen, Englert Theatre, Iowa City, Free-$20

Opening Friday, July 21. The Lightning Thief, Giving Tree Theater, Marion, $36

Opening Friday, July 21. Everybody, Riverside Theatre, Iowa City, $15-35

dwb (driving while black), Des Moines Metro Opera, Various Venues, Opening

Saturday, July 8 at 2 p.m, $30-40

This new English language opera was created by composer Susan Kander and librettist Roberta Gumbel in 2018. The opera emphasizes what it’s like to be the parent of a Black child, following a Black mother across years as she watches her Black son grow up and increasingly fears for what might happen to him as he nears driving age. After last month’s performance of this 45-minute chamber opera at the African American Museum of Iowa, the Des Moines Metro Opera will be bringing the piece to three central Iowa venues. Mainframe will host the show on July 8, the Lutheran Church of Hope+Elim on July 15 and Grand View University’s Viking Theatre on July 21. Performances will be followed by a community talkback session.

Saturday, July 22 at 7 p.m. Comedy: Be Kind Rewind, Lucky Cat Comedy, Cedar Rapids, $15

Saturday, July 22 at 8 p.m. A Night of Stand Up Comedy, Willow Creek Theatre, Iowa City, $5

Saturday, July 22 at 9:30 p.m. Summer Comedy Showcase, Joystick Comedy & Arcade, $5

Sunday, July 23 at 11 a.m. Life in Plastic, It’s Fantastic! Drag Show, NewBo City Market, Cedar Rapids, $10-80

Closing Sunday, July 23. Rock of Ages, Theatre Cedar Rapids, $18-51

Saturday, July 29 at 9:30 p.m. Comedy Game Show, Joystick Comedy & Arcade, $5

Sunday, July 30 and Thursday, Aug. 3. National Theatre Live: Fleabag, FilmScene–The Ped Mall, $10-13

Des Moines

Opening Saturday, July 8. The Love for Three Oranges, Des Moines Metro Opera, Blank Performing Arts Center, $26-137

Saturday, July 8 at 7 p.m. Fortune Feimster: Live Laugh Love, Hoyt Sherman Place, Des Moines, $29.50-65

Friday, July 14 at 7 p.m. Jamie Shriner: Stand-Up Comedy, Teehee’s Comedy Club, Des Moines, $15-20

Opening Friday, July 14 at 7:30 p.m. Little Shop of Horrors, Des Moines Community Playhouse, $29-53

EDITORS’ PICKS: JULY 2023

Wednesday-Sunday, July 19-23. Shakespeare on the Lawn: Twelfth Night, Salisbury House & Gardens, Des Moines, Free-$35

Saturday, July 22 at 7 p.m. Kjell Bjorgen: Stand-Up Comedy, Teehee’s Comedy Club, $15-20

Saturday, July 22 at 7:30 p.m. Kelli O’Hara, Des Moines Civic Center, $36-125

Saturday, July 22 at 7:30 p.m. Dog Boyz Sketch Comedy, Stoner Theater, Des Moines, $21.50

Saturday and Sunday, July 22 and 23. Sway’s Bloom! Cowles Commons, Des Moines, Free

Closing Saturday, July 22. Bluebeard’s Castle, Des Moines Metro Opera, Blank Performing Arts Center, Indianola, $28-129

Closing Sunday, July 23. Carmen, Des Moines Metro Opera, Blank Performing Arts Center, $27-145

Thursday-Sunday, July 27-30. The Comedy of Errors, CAP Theatre, Altoona, $7

Saturday, July 29 at 9:30 p.m. Comedy Kickback, Teehee’s Comedy Club, $15-20

Sunday, July 30 at 9 a.m. Dancing on Cowles Commons, Cowles Commons, Free

Film

Crandic

Thursday, July 6 at 7 p.m. The Red Shoes, FilmScene–Chauncey, Iowa City, $10-13

Saturday, July 8 at 8:45 p.m. Pee-Wee’s Big Adventure, FilmScene in the Park, Free

Saturday, July 8 at 9:15 p.m. Uncharted, City Park, Hills, Free

Sunday, July 9 at 6:30 p.m. Friendly Faces, Public Space One Close House, Iowa City, Free

Sunday and Thursday, July 9 and 13. The Umbrellas of Cherbourg, FilmScene–Chauncey, $10-13

Thursday, July 13 at 7 p.m. Come Back to the 5 & Dime, Jimmy Dean, Jimmy Dean, FilmScene–Ped Mall, $10

Saturday and Sunday, July 15 and 16. The Emperor’s New Groove, FilmScene–Chauncey, Free-$5

Sunday and Tuesday, July 16 and 18. Splash, FilmScene–Chauncey, $10-13

Sunday, July 16 at 8 p.m Speed, FilmScene–Ped Mall, $20

Wednesday, July 19 at 6:30 p.m. Threads, FilmScene–Chauncey, $10-13

Thursday, July 20 at 3:30 p.m. The Emperor’s New Groove, FilmScene–Chauncey, Free-$5

Saturday, July 22 at 8:35 p.m. Turning Red, FilmScene in the Park, Free

Saturday, July 22 at 9 p.m. Sonic the Hedgehog 2, Mercer Park, Iowa City, Free

Friday, July 28 at 12 a.m. Earth Mama, FilmScene–Chauncey, $10-13