IOWA CITY, Iowa — The University of Iowa’s performing arts academic units—the School of Music, Department of Theatre Arts, and Department of Dance—will present an array of over 350 performances throughout the 2026–2027 academic year. These events will highlight student artistry, faculty direction, collaboration across campus, and excitement about new work.
The season reflects these priorities through a wide-ranging lineup of performances and celebrations. From opera, orchestral music, theatre, and dance, to milestone anniversaries and the opening of a new facility, this academic year will be special across the performing arts.
The School of Music will once again present hundreds of performances throughout the academic year. Opera productions include Engelbert Humperdinck's Hänsel und Gretel on October 16–18 and Gaetano Donizetti's L'elisir d'amore on April 23–25 at the Coralville Center for the Performing Arts. The School of Music will also present the annual Band Extravaganza on December 6 at Xtream Arena. In February, UI student musicians will engage with Kronos Quartet through a Hancher residency and performance series focusing on Fifty for the Future, a Kronos landmark initiative that has reshaped the contemporary string quartet repertoire.
Additional highlights from the School of Music include the return of the Key Change Piano Recital Series in Voxman Music Building's Recital Hall with performances scheduled throughout the season. A performance of Beethoven's Ninth Symphony featuring the UI Choirs and UI Symphony Orchestra will be presented on December 9 at Hancher Auditorium.
Department of Dance highlights include the annual collaboration with the International Writing Program on October 10, a performance by the University of Iowa Dance Company on February 27, and the Faculty Concert March 25–27.
Dance’s annual Dance Gala will take place at Hancher Auditorium on November 13 and 14, featuring works created in collaboration with students by faculty members Stephanie Miracle, Tony Orrico, Kristin Marrs, Dan Fine, Gloria Sitso Ahlijah, and Eloy Barragán. Guest artist and choreographer Zachary Manske, who played the title role in Billy Elliott on the national tour of the eponymous musical and is now a dancer with The Joffrey Ballet, will create and stage a dynamic new work with student dancers.
In the Theatre Building, the Department of Theatre Arts will present five mainstage productions alongside the annual Iowa New Play Festival. The season opens with The Government Inspector, adapted by Jeffrey Hatcher from the original by Nikolai Gogol and directed by Associate Professor Paul Kalina. Additional productions include Mary Hamilton's 16 Winters, or the Bear's Tale directed by department chair Mary Beth Easley; Kimber Lee's to the yellow house directed by UI alum Kayla Adams; Urinetown, The Musical by Mark Hollmann and Greg Kotis; and an original devised work led by assistant professor Johanna Kasimow.
The UI theatre season culminates with Iowa New Play Festival, one of the department's signature events and a nationally recognized incubator for emerging playwrights and new theatrical work.
This season also includes major celebrations. On October 29, the School of Music will mark the 10th anniversary of the opening of Voxman Music Building with an open house that includes performances throughout the facility. The Department of Dance enters a transformative year with the opening of its new Dance Building and the return of the University of Iowa Dance Company. A ribbon-cutting ceremony, followed by tours, receptions, and performances, will officially open the building on September 24.
Across all disciplines, the season embodies Performing Arts At Iowa's deep commitment to the creation of new work and innovation in the arts. This energy shapes a vibrant community where students are empowered to take risks, develop their voices, and engage in meaningful artistic inquiry, while welcoming audiences of all ages to engage with the arts and celebrating artists from around the world.
Tickets for 2026–27 Performing Arts at Iowa events go on sale Monday, July 20, through the Hancher Box Office. Visit performingarts.uiowa.edu/events to explore the full calendar of events and learn more about each unit’s upcoming season.
Hancher Box Office is open from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday. The box office will close at 2:00 p.m. on Fridays through August 21. Tickets can be purchased in person or by phone (319-335-1100 or 800-HANCHER) during those hours. Tickets are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week at hancher.uiowa.edu. All ticket buyers are encouraged to make sure they are using the Hancher website (hancher.uiowa.edu)—and no other—when purchasing tickets online.