Greetings, Cultural Adventurers:
2/17/2026
From Iowa’s cultural epicenter, Mainframe Studios at 900 Keosauqua Way in Des Moines, Iowa comes your Listener-supported Community Voice, the Award-Winning indie radio station, KFMG-LP 98.9 FM (streaming simultaneously at www.kfmg.org), bringing you music, literature & cultural content.
Quote of the Week –
“No one is useless in this world who lightens the burdens of another.”
– Charles Dickens (1812-1870), in “Our Mutual Friend.” Charles John Huffam Dickens was an English novelist, journalist, and social critic who is considered by many to be the greatest Victorian era novelist. His works, including Oliver Twist, David Copperfield, Great Expectations, and A Christmas Carol, were wildly popular during his lifetime and are still cherished by readers today. Dickens was known for his humor, satire, and keen observations of society and character.
Newsletter content:
I. Iowa Flash Buzz – Iowa/Greater Des Moines cultural news of the week;
II. Guests on this week’s show;
III. Performance Arts (Greater Des Moines/Iowa);
IV. Visual Arts (Greater Des Moines/Iowa);
V. Auditions and other engagement opportunities (Greater Des Moines/Iowa);
VI. Planning ahead;
VII. Author events (Greater Des Moines/Iowa);
I. Iowa Flash Buzz –
Opening this Friday. Des Moines Young Artists’ Theatr presents the stage adaptation of the beloved classic from A. A. Milne, Winnie the Pooh Feb 20-Mar 1. Listen to the preview interview in today’s show.
https://www.dmyat.org/winnie-the-pooh
Opening this Friday. CAP Theatre opens its next exciting show, Oliver Jr, which runs Feb 20-Mar 8. Check out the preview interview in today’s show.
https://www.captheatre.org/oliver-jr-february-march-2026
Appearing at Beaverdale Books Feb 20. Celebrated Iowa author Kali White VanBaale Shares glimpses into her new book, Release of Information and Other Linked Stories.
Gina Gedler does Bette
“I can do a bad a$$ Bette Midler!” Fri Feb 20, 7 PM at Noce. This show features one of Iowa’s most incomparable vocal stars with a great 9-piece band and two sassy chicks. www.nocedsm.com.
Opening Feb 24 thru Mar 1. The national tour of 4-time Tony Award-winning show (including Best Musical) The Outsiders stops in Des Moines Feb 24-Mar 1 at Des Moines Performing Arts’ Civic Center. Listen to the preview interview with a cast member in today’s show.
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https://www.desmoinesperformingarts.org/whats-on/events/2025-26/broadway/the-outsiders
II. This week’s guests on The Culture Buzz –
11:00 AM – Daniella Mestyanek Young, author, speaker, and group behavior specialist, delivers a bold, candid assessment of how America is being influenced in The Culting of America: What Makes a Cult and Why We Love Them.
“A propulsive memoir delivered in the honest tones of a woman who didn’t always think
she’d live to tell her story.”
–NYT
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11:15 AM – The Room in the Attic is an alluring thriller from the creative mind of T. M. Logan, the Sunday Times bestselling author with millions of books out in the world. Listen as T. M. shares the inspiration behind this novel filled with unforgettable characters, places and a story line that has readers turning page after page to the climactic ending.
“A darkly gripping and addictive read, [The Room in the Attic] skillfully plays on a new homeowner’s worst nightmare – that something deadly is lurking beneath the welcoming facade as the home’s past echoes into the present. Suspenseful and brilliantly crafted, I tore through it in a few days. T.M Logan at his absolute best.”
―Sarah Pearse, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Sanatorium
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11:32 AM – Poet and author Dennis Maulsby reads a passage from his House de Gracie.
11:36 AM – Jen Chapin sings “Feed Your Baby,” a track from her album, Reckoning.
11:40 AM – Poet Salvatore Marici reads “Invitation to Enter” from his collection, Fermentations.
https://icecubepress.com/2017/01/05/fermentations/
11:43 AM – With a meticulous foundation of research and a compelling ability to deliver history with a storyteller’s allure, Jamie Holmes brings a masterpiece work to the public with The Free and the Dead: The Untold Story of the Black Seminole Chief, the Indigenous Rebel, and America’s Forgotten War.” Jamie shares wonderful glimpses into this exceptional work.
“A brilliant, page-turning work of history by a master storyteller. This fascinating, forgotten tale of profound narrative power reminds us that discovering the truth about our past moves us closer to ‘a more perfect union.’”
—Ty Seidule, Professor Emeritus of History at the United States Military Academy at West Point and author of Robert E. Lee and Me: A Southerner’s Reckoning with the Myth of the Lost Cause
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https://www.jamieholmesbooks.com/
12:00 PM – Opening this Friday. Des Moines Young Artists’ Theatr presents the stage adaptation of the beloved classic from A. A. Milne, Winnie the PoohFeb 20-Mar 1. This show is definitely for the youngest of theatre patrons, and encourages parents and grandparents to renew their youthful memories of Pooh Bear and company. Director Barb Wagner and Conor McMahon (as Pooh) lead a lively discussion.
https://www.dmyat.org/winnie-the-pooh
12:11 PM – Appearing at Beaverdale Books Feb 20. Celebrated Iowa author Kali White VanBaale Shares glimpses into her new book, Release of Information and Other Linked Stories. Captivating, immersive and compelling as only Kali can write, this collection is a wonderful journey in storytelling.
“Striking and haunting . . . VanBaale’s stories offer an intimate look of lives fractured, revealed, and profoundly transformed.”
– Booklist
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12:25 PM – Opening Feb 24 thru Mar 1. The national tour of The Outsiders stops in Des Moines Feb 24-Mar 1 at Des Moines Performing Arts’ Civic Center. Listen as cast member Mark Doyle (as Bob) provides insights into this powerful, 4-time Tony Award-winning show (including Best Musical).
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https://www.desmoinesperformingarts.org/whats-on/events/2025-26/broadway/the-outsiders
12:38 PM – Poet Julie Hanson reads “Improvisation or the Bluebird of Happiness” from her collection, The Audible and the Evident.
12:41 PM – Opening this Friday. CAP Theatre prepares for its next exciting show, Oliver Jr, which runs Feb 20-Mar 8. Listen as Director Christine Yoder, Drea Miller (as Nancy), and Kylie Jorgenson (as Mrs. Sowerberry) lead a lively discussion about their production.
https://www.captheatre.org/oliver-jr-february-march-2026/
12:56 PM – Poet Kelli Lage reads “A Neon Bar Sign and Disco Ball Fall in Love” from her collection, Early Cuts.
https://www.kellilage.com/p/home-page.html
12:57 PM – Esteemed writer and poet Jaes Autry reads a passage from his exceptional life resource book, Choosing Gratitude 365 Days a Year, co-written with his wife, Sally Pederson.
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https://www.helwys.com/product/choosing-gratitude-365-days-a-year/
III. Performance Arts
1. Des Moines Young Artists’ Theatre. Winnie the Pooh. Feb 20-Mar 1. https://www.dmyat.org/winnie-the-pooh
2. CAP (Class Act Productions) Theatre. Oliver, Jr. Feb 20-Mar 8.
3. Des Moines Playhouse. Agatha Christie’s The Mousetrap. Thru Mar 1. https://dmplayhouse.com/events/agatha-christies-the-mousetrap/
4. Ankeny Community Theatre. Pride@Prejudice. Thru Feb 22.
https://ankenycommunitytheatre
.com/
5. Tallgrass Theatre Company. Disenchanted! Thru Mar 1. https://tallgrasstheatre.org/tickets/
6. AUDITIONS: Tallgrass Theatre Company – Sarah Frank & Jack Balcombe Dream Project. For Peter Pan on Her 70th Birthday. Director – Tom Perrine. Sun Feb 22, 6 PM, Mon Feb 23 7 PM.
7. AUDITIONS: Ankeny Community Theatre. Enemy of the People by Arthur Miller. Director – Dan Chase. Sun Feb 22, and Mon Feb 23 at 6:30 PM.
8. Des Moines Performing Arts. The Outsiders. National Tour. Feb 24-Mar 1. https://www.desmoinesperformingarts.org/whats-on/events/2025-26/broadway/the-outsiders
9. Des Moines Playhouse – Kate Goldman Family Series. The Lightning Thief: The Percy Jackon Musical. Mar 6-22. https://dmplayhouse.com/events/lightning-thief/
10. Ballet Des Moines at Hoyt Sherman Theatre. Feb 27-28. Nothing Holds Still, three world premier ballets. https://www.balletdesmoines.org/nothing-holds-still
11. Tallgrass Theatre Company. Comedy Xperiment. Mar 6-7.
12. Des Moines Performing Arts – Wellmark Family Series. Billy Goats Gruff and Other Tales. Mar 6.
13. Des Moines Performing Arts. Jerry Seinfeld. Mar 7.
14. Howie’s Broadway Cabaret. Rarely Performed Broadway Songs! Mar 8, 5-8 PM. 19 performers will sing one solo and one duet. Two trios will be in the mix as well.
15. Iowa Stage Theatre Company. The Seagull. Mar 13-22. https://www.iowastage.org/the-seagull
16. Tallgrass Theatre Company. Broadway Karaoke. Mar 14.
IV. Visual Arts – Exhibitions
Exhibitions –
· Moberg Gallery. “Unravel and Reclaim”. The new exhibit features collages and ceramics by Venezuelan artist Edgard Camacho, who now lives in Des Moines. His work embraces visible seams, fissures and reassembly to explore themes of fragmentation, rupture and repair. Thru Feb 28. https://moberggallery.com/
· The Avenues. New works of art will soon light up the night along Ingersoll Avenue this winter and spring.
· January 22 – February 18: “A Feast For Your Eyes” by Alyson O’Hara and Genevieve Lavalle, of Des Moines;
February 19 – March 18: “Grasp” by Jennifer Leatherby, of Des Moines;
March 19 – April 16: “Polychromatic Rabbit” by Heather Vail, of Corydon.
Liz Lidgett Gallery + Design, 2711 Ingersoll, sponsored an honorarium for each selected artwork, as artists deserve to be compensated for their work.
· Des Moines Art Center. Camille Henrot. Thru Mar 29.
· Des Moines Art Center. Bill Owens. “Work and Leisure,” thru Apr 19.
1. Des Moines Art Center. 2 Re-connect with old favorites on exhibit from their permanent collection. Explore the constantly changing exhibits, from staff-curated to international, always ready to stimulate the imagination and senses. Always open (except holidays), always free.
https://desmoinesartcenter.org/
2. Brunnier Art Museum. Ames. 2 This is the flagship for the University Museums, a treasure trove of visual arts immersion on the Iowa State University campus, which includes the Christian Petersen Art Museum, The Farm House Museum, the Anderson Sculpture Garden and the Art on Campus Collection. https://www.museums.iastate.edu/visit/brunnier-art-museum
3. The Grinnell College Museum of Art. Grinnell. 2https://www.grinnell.edu/campus-life/arts-culture/museum
4. 2AU. West Des Moines. 1,2
5. Greater Des Moines Botanical Garden. Des Moines 2 I added this destination for its unique value as a “living gallery,” where the constantly changing floral exhibitions entice and delight.
https://www.dmbotanicalgarden.com/
6. Heritage Art Gallery. 2 Des Moines. http://www.polkcountyheritagegallery.org/
7. Hoyt Sherman Place Art Gallery. 2 Des Moines. https://hoytsherman.org/gallery/
8. IN Tandem Arts & Authors. 1,2 Des Moines. https://www.facebook.com/INTandemArtsAndAuthors/
9. Kavanaugh Art Gallery. West Des Moines. 1,2
10. Kunzler Studios. West Des Moines. 1,2 kunzlerstudios.com
11. Liz Lidgett Gallery + Design. Des Moines.
12. Moberg Gallery. Des Moines. 2
13. Olson-Larsen Galleries. West Des Moines.1,2
14. Polk County Heritage Gallery. Des Moines. 2
http://www.polkcountyheritagegallery.org/
15. Slow Down Coffee Shop. Des Moines. 2
https://www.theslowdowndsm.com/
16. Zanzibar’s Coffee Adventure. Des Moines. 2 https://www.facebook.com/ZanzibarsCoffeeAdventure/
1Visit these galleries open during semi-annual Historic Valley Junction Gallery Nights.
2Check website for current exhibitions.
V. Auditions, Volunteer, and other Enhancement Opportunities –
“The Arts is a Contact Sport” (A Culture Buzz creed)
· AUDITIONS: Tallgrass Theatre Company. For Peter Pan on her 70thBirthday. Feb 23.
· AUDITIONS: Des Moines Playhouse. Noises Off! Mar 23.
· Additional volunteer opportunities abound – now is a great time to explore how to find other ways to engage with Central Iowa theatre companies. Assistance is always welcome, from costume and set building, to ushering, to back stage crew, find a short-term commitment that will be immensely gratifying.
· CALL FOR ARTISTS. Save the Date for the 16th Annual Art on the Prairie Festival 2026: Sat & Sun, Nov 14-15, 2026! The Artist Application for this juried show is now OPEN with deadline of Apr 1! www.ArtonthePrairie.org
Check out these theatre companies to consider a wide range of engagement opportunities.
1. About Time Theatre Company. https://abouttimetheatre.com/shows/
2. Ankeny Community Theatre. https://www.ankenycommunitytheatre.com/audition.html
3. Carousel Theatre of Indianola. https://carouseltheatre.org/?page_id=344
4. Class Act Productions (CAP). http://www.captheatre.org/main/expect/
5. Des Moines Community Playhouse. https://www.dmplayhouse.com/audition-2/
6. Des Moines Performing Arts. https://desmoinesperformingarts.org/
7. Des Moines Young Artists Theatre.
8. Iowa Stage Theatre Company. https://www.iowastage.org/audition
9. Once in a While Productions. https://www.facebook.com/groups/6717224708342610/
10. Pyramid Theatre Company. http://pyramidtheatre.org/
11. Tallgrass Theatre Company. https://tallgrasstheatre.org/audition/
12. Theatre Midwest. https://www.theatremidwest.org/
13. Urbandale Community Theatre. https://urbandaletheatre.com/get-involved/
VI. Planning ahead
Ballet Des Moines – Nothing Holds Still
includes three world premiere ballets at Hoyt Sherman Place, Feb 27 & 28 performance will include both sought-after and brand new choreographers, live music from the Belin Quartet, costumes by BDM Wardrobe Director Sarah Dornink, and an art installation by BDM Artist-in-Residence Olivia Valentine. The triple bill includes:
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Behind. Between. Beyond. Choreography by DaYoung Jung with an original score by Midwest composer Philip Daniel.
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bound. Choreography by BDM Choreographic Institute winner and company dancer Cameron Miller.
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Spilled Shadows. Choreography by BDM Artistic Director Eric Trope. Music by Fanny Mendelssohn played live by the Belin Quartet. Set design by BDM Artist-in-Residence Olivia Valentine, with support from the Greater Des Moines Public Art Foundation.
https://www.balletdesmoines.org/nothing-holds-still
Two Poetry Learning Opportunities from a brilliant, seasoned poet
Kelsey Bigelow has become one of Iowa’s shining poetry stars. Experienced beyond belief, a tireless practitioner of her craft, and a relentless advocate for helping others embrace the beauty and importance of poetry, Kelsey has created two opportunities for poets yearning to improve their own abilities. “Poetry as a Coping Tool” is a 4-week workshop, and “Anatomy of a Working Manuscript” is a one-day intensive workshop.
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https://www.kelkaybpoetry.com/
Global Dance Atlas, takes you around the world in rhythm! From the tangos of Piazzolla to the fire of Carmen, the energy of the Russian Sailors Dance, and the spirit of Shaker Dances — this is one concert that will have your toes tapping and your heart soaring. Free. Sun Mar 1, 3 PM.
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https://www.ciwe.org/global-dance-atlas/
Today marks the opening of “America 250: Prairie, Plows, and the People’s College“ at Farm House Museum, commemorating the nation’s 250th anniversary through more than 250 historical objects. The exhibition presents six themes—Early Iowa State, Early Iowa, Immigration, National Imagery, Native Stories, and Innovation and the Victorian Home—through decorative arts, textiles, furniture, and documents that trace Iowa State’s land-grant heritage. Visitors can see George Washington Carver featured in the 1896 Bomb yearbook, a hand-painted Norwegian Rosemaling trunk from 1852, the VEISHA bicycle from the 1890s, and other objects that reveal how Farm House residents and early Iowa State students lived and learned. The exhibition runs through October 2026 and is free and open to the public. Visit museums.iastate.edu for hours and more information.
Howie’s Cabaret – Rarey Sung Broadway Treasures
Sun Mar 8, 5-8 PM at St. James Celebrations 9774 G24 HWY, Indianola, IA 50125
Free and open to the public. Produced by Michael Howland, Des Moines Theatre veterans are assigned both a solo and duet – each song is on the top of Howie’s list of Broadway musical numbers that are often overshadowed… powerful vocals, show stopping numbers, and amazing talent! Beverages available for purchase. You may bring your own food. Please invite your friends and family to attend!
https://www.facebook.com/events/1215899620012161
About Time Theatre Company begins a new season
White Rabbit, Red Rabbit. Apr 1 – 4, 2026, at The Annex next to xBk Live.
A unique, internationally acclaimed play by Iranian writer Nassim Soleimanpour, known for its radical format: a different actor performs it for the first time, with no rehearsal, no director, and no prior knowledge of the script, using a sealed envelope to guide them through a surreal, allegorical journey about power, obedience, and censorship, often involving the audience in surprising choices. It’s a powerful, ever-changing theatrical experiment that functions as a “message in a bottle” from a generation under restriction, exploring themes of freedom, storytelling, and moral choice.
Worth the trip – Cedar Rapids Independent Film Festival 2026
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VII. Between the covers – author/book events worth noting:
1. Beaverdale Books. Daniel Henderson. Rhythm & Pep. Tue Feb 17, 6:30 PM.
2. Beaverdale Books. Kali White VanBaale. Release of Information and Other Linked Stories. Fri Feb 20, 6:30 PM.
3. Beaverdale Books. Local Author Fair. Logan Capesius, Sami DeWall, Alan Feirer, Devo Kimbro, Jason Liegois, J. Susanne Wilson. Sat Feb 28, 1-3 PM
*Highlighted author names indicate interviews are in The Culture Buzz Archive Library.
Please visit: https://archive.org/details/@the_culture_buzz
Greater Des Moines/Central Iowa Independent Book Stores:
The Culture Buzz encourages you to visit your local independent book store regularly. Check these sites, as their calendars are always filled with enticing activities and news.
1. Beaverdale Books, Des Moines.
http://www.beaverdalebooks.com/
2. Storyhouse Bookpub, Des Moines Historic East Village.
https://storyhousebookpub.com/
3. The Little Book, Des Moines (Highland Park District).
https://www.thelittlebookdsm.com/
4. Shelf Love DSM, Des Moines (Drake Neighborhood).
5. Nos Books, Des Moines (Drake Neighborhood). https://www.nosbookstore.com/
6. Reading in Public Bookstore + Café, Historic Valley Junction.
7. Indie Authors Book Expo, Valley West Mall. https://iabe515.wordpress.com/
8. Pageturners Bookstore, Indianola.
http://www.pageturnersbookstore.com/
9. Dog-eared Books, Ames.
https://dogearedbooksames.com/
10. Read a Book Nook, Marshalltown.
https://read-a-book-nook.business.site/
11. Book Vault, Oskaloosa.
https://bookvault.indielite.org/
12. Pella Books, Pella.
13. Prairie Lights Books & Cafe, Iowa City.
https://www.prairielights.com/
Thank you for your cultural adventurism,
John Busbee for The Culture Buzz
Subscribe for free on Substack
The Culture Buzz Podcast Library – https://archive.org/details/@the_culture_buzz
Member of the Iowa Writers’ Collaborative
2014 Iowa Governor’s Award for Partnership & Collaboration in the Arts
2015 Iowa History Award for Iowa History Journal magazine story, “Last Full Measure of Devotion”
2018 – voted Best Local Talk Radio Show
Cityview Magazine “Center Stage” columnist
Little Village Magazine “Contact Buzz” columnist
