Greetings, Cultural Adventurers:
3/3/2026
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 –
“A creative life is an amplified life. It’s a bigger life, a happier life, an expanded life, and a hell of a lot more interesting life.”
– Elizabeth Gilbert is an American journalist and author. Her 2006 memoir, Eat, Pray, Love, has sold over 30 million copies and has been translated into over 30 languages. The book was also made into a film of the same name in 2010.
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 –
Jurassic Quest at Iowa Events Center in Des Moines, IA on Mar 13-15.
The event features more than 80 life-size dinosaurs, interactive exhibits, fossil activities, and live presentations. We are also offering a Sensory Hour on Saturday morning with adjusted sound and lighting for families who benefit from a calmer environment.
https://www.jurassicquest.com/events/KCH9QS
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Opening this Thursday. The Underpants, produced by Indianola’s Carousel Theatre, Mar 5-15. https://carouseltheatre.org/
Opening this Friday. The Des Moines Playhouse presents its next big show through its Kate Goldman Family Series, The Lightning Thief: The Percy Musical. Mar 6-22. https://dmplayhouse.com/events/lightning-thief/
Family and star power from Des Moines Performing.
Billy Goats Gruff and Other Tales. Wellmark Family Series. Mar 6. 3 shows on this date. https://www.desmoinesperformingarts.org/whats-on/events/2025-26/applause/billy-goats-gruff-and-other-tales
Jerry Seinfeld. Mar 7. https://www.desmoinesperformingarts.org/whats-on/events/2025-26/jerry-seinfeld
Howie’s Broadway Cabaret at the Ironside Axe Club, 2700 University Avenue, Suite 100, West Des Moines. 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.
Last week of performances. CAP (Class Act Productions) Theatre. Oliver, Jr. Thru Mar 8.
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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
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 an opportunity for poets yearning to improve their own abilities. “Anatomy of a Working Manuscript” is a one-day intensive workshop .
https://www.kelkaybpoetry.com/
II. This week’s guests on The Culture Buzz –
11:00 AM – Opens Thursday March 5. From the wit of Steve Martin comes a rip-roaringly delightful show, The Underpants, produced by Indianola’s Carousel Theatre, March 5-15. This show holds the promise to sweep its audiences into a delightful escape of comedy. Listen as Director Michael Howland and Alexandra Rose (who plays Louise) share peeks inside the hilarity to ensue.
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11:14 AM – The wife-husband writing team of Christine Kuehn and Mark Schiponi delve into her family’s deepest secrets, now revealed, in the captivating Family of Spies: A World War II Story of Nazi Espionage, Betrayal, and the Secret History Behind Pearl Harbor. When Christine’s family’s darkest secret becomes known, she takes the bold, cathartic step by sharing it in her intense and compelling book.
“Taut as a spy thriller―but shockingly real―Family of Spies unearths the dark secret of an American family swept up in Nazi ambition, deception, and a covert role in one of the most devastating days in U.S. history. Christine Kuehn’s journey into her family’s past will leave you stunned. This is history that haunts.”
―Adam Makos, author of the New York Times bestseller, Devotion
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https://www.instagram.com/cks.collective/
https://us.macmillan.com/author/christinekuehn
11:30 AM – Secure Love: Create a Relationship that Last a Lifetime is Julie Menanno’s exceptional guide for relationship seekers. Julie is a trailblazing therapist, author, educator, a masterful interpreter of Attachment Theory, and an Architect of Emotional Connection who is continually working to bridge the gap between complex psychological concepts and everyday struggles. Her new book is a masterpiece work, distilling her years of experience coupled with her clarity in writing to give an essential guide for others.
a “must-read for every couple, at any stage of their relationship”
– Lori Gottlieb, New York Times bestselling author of Maybe You Should Talk to Someone
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https://www.thesecurerelationship.com/
11:43 AM – Oren Harman has an insatiable curiosity coupled with a gift of capturing his research and observations into compelling, insightful reading. Professor Harman has written widely for popular and professional audiences on genetics, evolution, history and philosophy of science, altruism, biography, and science and mythology. Oren’s new book is Metamorphosis: A Natural and Human History and explores that vastness that living things embody when it comes to the almost magical process of metamorphosis.
“A meditation on transformation . . . Warm and empathetic . . . wonderful.” –Science
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12:00 PM – Opens this Friday March 6. The Des Moines Playhouse presents its next big show through its Kate Goldman Family Series, The Lightning Thief: The Percy Musical. Based on the popular young reader series, Chris Stamatelos (as Percy) and Madeline Davis (as Annabeth) share wonderful insights about this grand theatrical experience.
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https://dmplayhouse.com/events/lightning-thief
12:13 PM – Jeff Kluever is a well-respected Iowa historian, and his Marching Home captures a vibrant telling of life in the Civil War.
“Two men. One born a slave. The other born free. Brought together by war, one fights to free the woman he loves, and for the future they’ve dreamed of together. The other fights to prove he is capable of more than what society expects or permits Black men to achieve.”
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12:30 PM – Opening soon. Iowa Stage Theatre Company launches its 2026 Season with a stellar offering – Chekhov’s The Seagull. This company is well-equipped to deliver an unforgettable production of the first in Chekhov’s canon. Listen as Director Alex Wendel and Brittny Rebhun (who portrays Nina) share enticing glimpses into a show awaiting you.
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12:43 PM – Best Boy is written by Deborah Goodrich Royce, hailed as “the new queen of bladed psychological thrillers. (Sarah McCoy, NYTimes, USA Today, and international bestselling author)” Listen as Deborah shares glimpses into the inspiration for this storyline, and delectable details about the story she captured and so beguilingly shares.
“Deborah Goodrich Royce has outdone herself with her latest, a gripping psychological thrill ride that explores the power of the stories we tell ourselves, the ones we build our lives on and that we feverishly seek to uphold so as to not fall apart. Best Boy is the kind of novel you can’t put down and that you desperately don’t want to end!”
— Christa Carmen, author of The Daughters of Block Island and Beneath the Poet’s House
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https://deborahgoodrichroyce.com/
12:57 PM – Poet Robert Tremmel reads “The Good Old Days” from his collection, Return of the Naked Man. As Robert shares in his bio, “For the last twenty-three years, he and his wife, Michelle, have lived in Ankeny, Iowa, just a short drive from waters polluted by farm run-off from Northwest Iowa.”
“In The Return of the Naked Man, Robert Tremmel takes us on a poetic journey of personal exploration…The poems are insightful, fun, and at once both accessible and challenging. Tremmel has written a book that will last in the mind long after its pages have been shelved.”
—Ace Boggess, author of Escape Envy and The Prisoners
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https://www.brickroadpoetrypress.com/robert-tremmel-bio
III. Performance Arts
1. Carousel Theatre of Indianola. The Underpants. Mar 5-15. https://carouseltheatre.org/
2. Des Moines Playhouse – Kate Goldman Family Series. The Lightning Thief: The Percy Jackon Musical. Mar 6-22. https://dmplayhouse.com/events/lightning-thief/
3. Tallgrass Theatre Company. Comedy Xperiment. Mar 6-7.
4. Des Moines Performing Arts – Wellmark Family Series. Billy Goats Gruff and Other Tales. Mar 6. https://www.desmoinesperformingarts.org/whats-on/events/2025-26/applause/billy-goats-gruff-and-other-tales
5. Des Moines Performing Arts. Jerry Seinfeld. Mar 7. https://www.desmoinesperformingarts.org/whats-on/events/2025-26/jerry-seinfeld
6. Howie’s Broadway Cabaret at the Ironside Axe Club, 2700 University Avenue, Suite 100, West Des Moines. 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.
7. CAP (Class Act Productions) Theatre. Oliver, Jr. Thru Mar 8.
8. Iowa Stage Theatre Company. The Seagull. Mar 13-22. https://www.iowastage.org/the-seagull
9. Tallgrass Theatre Company. Broadway Karaoke. Mar 14.
10. Des Moines Symphony. Reflection – Smetana & Beethoven. Mar 14-15 at the Civic Center. Joseph Giunta leads the Orchestra in Mozart’s Symphony No. 38 in D Major, K. 504, “Prague,” Smetana’s Moldau from Má Vlast and Beethoven’ Violin Concerto featuring Stella Chen in her Des Moines Symphony debut.
https://dmsymphony.org/concerts-events/reflection-smetana-beethoven/
11. Des Moines Playhouse. Improv theatre – Runaway Twain. Mar 22. https://dmplayhouse.com/events/runaway-twain-improv-aug25/
IV. Visual Arts – Exhibitions
Exhibitions –
· The Avenues. New works of art will soon light up the night along Ingersoll Avenue this winter and spring.
Thru 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: 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.
· OUR ANNUAL JURIED SHOW WILL BE BACK THIS MAY! Get ready—Iowa Exhibited is back! Beginning Friday, February 27, Iowa resident artists are invited to submit up to three original works for our annual exhibition. Submissions will be open for 21 days, closing on Friday, March 20—so start selecting your strongest pieces now! The exhibition will be on view May 7 through early/mid July (final date coming soon), with an Opening Reception on Thursday, May 7 from 6:30–8:00 PM. Join us for an evening of art, conversation, and celebration of Iowa’s incredible creative community.
http://www.polkcountyheritagegallery.org/
· 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
Community Jazz Center Big Band event
Thanks to Walnut Hills for the use of your church for CJC Big Band rehearsals. What better way to say thanks than a concert featuring requests of TV and movie themes from the congregation and youth groups. All proceeds from the concert go to the youth group work trip. Free.
SUNDAY, MARCH 8. 5 PM
WALNUT HILLS UNITED METHODIST CHURCH
12321 HICKMAN RD, URBANDALE
https://www.cjc-dsm.org/cjc-big-band.html
Howie’s Cabaret – Rarely 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
Worth the trip
The Mount Pleasant Historic Preservation Commission is hosting a fabulous jazz concert with the Jerry Tolson Quartet and special guest Delfeayo Marsalis on March 20 in the Chapel Auditorium in Mount Pleasant.
The event is a fundraiser for needed repairs at the Historic Second Baptist Church in Mount Pleasant, the oldest African American church in Iowa. Mr. Tolson grew up in Mount Pleasant, where his family members were pillars of the Second Baptist Church for decades. We envision transforming the historic building into a museum to tell the story of the rich African American history of Mount Pleasant.
https://historicsecondbaptistmp.org/
Here’s a link to our Facebook Event: https://www.facebook.com/events/1366977668497131/
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OUR ANNUAL JURIED SHOW WILL BE BACK THIS MAY! Get ready—Iowa Exhibited is back! Beginning Friday, February 27, Iowa resident artists are invited to submit up to three original works for our annual exhibition. Submissions will be open for 21 days, closing on Friday, March 20—so start selecting your strongest pieces now! The exhibition will be on view May 7 through early/mid July (final date coming soon), with an Opening Reception on Thursday, May 7 from 6:30–8:00 PM. Join us for an evening of art, conversation, and celebration of Iowa’s incredible creative community.
http://www.polkcountyheritagegallery.org/
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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.
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. Drew Daywalt. Forty the Fortune Teller. Thu Mar 5, 4-5 PM
2. Beaverdale Books. Open Mic Poetry Night hosted by Kelsey Bigelow. Fri Mar 20, 7-9 PM.
3. Beaverdale Books. Melinda Wichmann. How to Life with a Ghost. Wed Mar 25, 6:30 PM.
4. Beaverdale Books. Rachel Yoder. Nightbitch. Thu Mar 26, 6 PM.
5. Beaverdale Books. Barry Markovsky. Everyday Extraordinary: A Scientist Ponders a Lifetime of Magical, Bizaare, and Paranormal Experiences. Fri May 15, 6:30 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
