The University of Iowa’s Hancher will present Three Acts, Two Dancers, One Radio Host on Saturday, Oct. 18, at 7:30 p.m. at the Englert Theatre in downtown Iowa City. The show features Ira Glass, Monica Bill Barnes, and Anna Bass.
This unlikely performance pairs two art forms, which as Glass puts it, "have no business being together—dance and radio." The relationship started when Glass, the host of This American Life, saw a performance by the Monica Bill Barnes & Company several years ago. Glass felt that the dancing he saw had much in common with the storytelling that is the hallmark of his radio show. He reached out to the dancers, and what started as a fun side project has ballooned into a full stage show.
The show takes the audience on a journey that incorporates audio from This American Life as the sound and text for dance. Glass functions as the show’s emcee, narrating between stories and weaving elements of dance between scenes. Barnes and Bass are as much actors as dancers, playing out the stories in abstract and literal ways. The show includes personal stories from each of the performers, giving a glimpse into their lives as artists.
As the title suggestions, the show is divided into three acts. Act one is about the job of being a performer. Act two is about falling in love and what it means to stay in love. Act three is about losing what you love.
Three Acts, Two Dancers, One Radio Host is supported by the Hancher Partners and gifts to the Hancher Circle through the UI Foundation.
Tickets, which are $50/$35 for nonstudents, $45/$10 for college students, $45/31 for senior citizens, and $25/$10 for youth, are available from the Hancher Box Office. Located on the first floor of the south end of the Old Capitol Town Center near the parking ramp, the Hancher Box Office is open for phone (319-335-1160 or 800-HANCHER) or walk-up business from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. weekdays. Tickets may be ordered online at the Hancher website. Any remaining tickets will be available for sale one hour before show time at the Englert Theatre.
Individuals with disabilities are encouraged to attend all UI-sponsored events. If you are a person with a disability who requires a reasonable accommodation in order to participate in this program, contact the Hancher Box Office in advance at 319-335-1158.