Tuesday, October 7, 2025

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The Culture Buzz

Greetings, Cultural Catalysts:

11/2/2022

11:00 AM to 1:00 PM Central Time.
Broadcast regionally on KFMG 98.9 FM; Simultaneously streaming globally through www.kfmg.org

From Iowa’s cultural epicenter, MainFrame Studios Building at 900 Keosauqua Way in Des Moines, comes your Listener-supported Community Voice, the Award-Winning independent radio station KFMG-LP 98.9 FM, bringing you music, literature & cultural news. — John Busbee for The Culture Buzz

The Culture Buzz Podcast Library – https://archive.org/details/@the_culture_buzz
2014 Iowa Governor’s Award for Partnership & Collaboration in the Arts
2018 – voted Best Local Talk Radio Show
www.TheCultureBuzz.com 

Quote of the Week

“I don’t want to get to the end of my life and find that I lived just the length of it. I want to have lived the width of it as well.” — Diane Ackerman, an American poet, essayist, and naturalist known for her wide-ranging curiosity and poetic explorations of the natural world. 

CNA - Alcohol/Cancer (October 2025)CNA - Stop HIV (October 2025)

Curious about my primary source for reliable quotes, often with back stories included? Just visit Mardy Grothe’s exceptional, free source, Dr. Mardy’s Dictionary of Metaphorical Quotations – https://www.drmardy.com/dmdmq/

Newsletter content:

  1. Guests on this week’s show
  2. Performance Arts (Greater Des Moines/Iowa)
  3. Visual Arts (Greater Des Moines/Iowa)
  4. Auditions and other Individual Enhancement Opportunities
  5. Planning ahead
  6. Author events (Greater Des Moines/Iowa)
  7. Best-sellers, life resource books, Greater Des Moines performing arts organizations, Central Iowa indie book stores, cultural exploration resources, health & welfare resources

Special Cultural Headline News:

  1. Art on the Prairie returns for its 12th year, set to take place in eight historic downtown Perry buildings on Sat and Sun, Nov 12 and 13, 10am-5pm and 10am-4pm, respectively. There will be a pre-festival poetry slam on Thu Nov 11. The cultural doors are flung open, and a palpable creative energy fills the streets and venues as a plethora of the arts is presented in one of Iowa’s premier cultural communities. Come savor what this celebration of art, music, literature, and small town living offers in what has become an eagerly anticipated tradition. 
     http://www.artontheprairie.org/
  2. Des Moines Community Playhouse
    Calling Des Moines area church and community choirs, musical groups, etc.
    For the past 15 years excluding 2020 and 2021, we have had choirs, soloists, quartets, brass ensembles, harp choirs and bell choirs from surrounding churches and schools perform in the lobby before our holiday show, which is Rodgers + Hammerstein’s Cinderella this year. We are excited to start this tradition again and we would love to have anyone who is interested in joining us this year!
    Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Cinderella runs Dec. 2- 18. Performance opportunities will fill up quickly, so contact us soon if you’re interested in performing! To schedule a performance, or if you have any questions, contact us at mniemeier@dmplayhouse.com or call us at 515-974-5371.
  3. 15th Annual National Immigrant Entrepreneur Summit (IES)
    You are cordially invited to the 15th Annual National IES. Nov 19, 2022 at the FFA Enrichment Center, 1055 SW Prairie Trail Pkwy, Ankeny, IA 50023. 8:30am – 5:00pm
    Sessions are available to view online at https://iesusa.org/product/15th-annual-national-ies/. You can also get your tickets there. $70.00
    Please RSVP by November 11th
    Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/events/789089522236649 

This week’s guests on The Culture Buzz –

  • 11:00 AM – Laurie Loewenstein continues her Dust Bowl Series with her new Funeral Train, a scintillating murder mystery set in the stark 1930s Oklahoma Dust Bowl. Laurie shares insights into this captivating story. “Reading ‘Funeral Train’ feels like being catapulted back in time to experience the 1930s at an almost unbearably visceral level.” – New York Times https://laurieloewenstein.com/
  • 11:15 AM – Life is always better with Susan Werner’s music, so here is “Iowa,” from her landmark album, HAYSEED. “Susan Werner, a clever songwriter and an engaging performer, brings literacy and wit  back to popular song.” – The New Yorker http://susanwerner.com/music/
  • 11:19 AM – As the live performing scene powerfully emerges from COVID derailing, the preeminent resource for what’s happening on Central Iowa stages returns full force, too. Timothy Rose produces the quintessential calendar for theatre with his “Gentle Guide to Des Moines Theater,” and begins a new round of regular conversations on the show about what’s happening on the bare boards. “No source is more thorough in Central Iowa theatre scene coverage than Timothy Rose, whose Gentle Guide to Des Moines Theatre gives cultural adventurers a detailed look at upcoming shows, auditions, special performance events and more.” – The Culture Buzz https://gentleguidetheatre.com/?fbclid=IwAR2kF6TYLjHwe8tq1-xjSxhYRQcqkQfLh_483gPWK4lDN64yiWFVVejYNGA
  • 11:31 AM – Now available. Iowa History Journal publisher Michael Swanger returns to the show to share insights into the new issue’s cover story and how Iowa connections were much more prevalent at the OK Corral gunfight than most knew. https://iowahistoryjournal.com/
  • 11:45 AM – Opening Fri Nov 4. CAP Theatre (Class Act Productions) prepares to open the fairy tale classic, Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Cinderella, for a three-week run in Altoona. Director Katie Murphy and title role actress Addyson Marvin share insights into what makes this show and the CAP Theatre experience so special. https://www.captheatre.org/main/rodgers-hammersteins-cinderella/
  • 12:00 PM – Opening Fri Nov 4. Tallgrass Theatre Company opens Miss Bennett: Christmas at Pemberley, a witty dive into “Pride and Prejudice” characters, plus some new twists and turns. Director Megan Helmers and Jacelyn Smith (as “Miss Bennett”) lead a lively conversation about the show. https://tallgrasstheatre.org/tickets/
  • 12:12 PM – One big day only Nov 5. Unity Center of Des Moines returns to full force with the opening of its space to the Nov 5 Spirit Seekers Fair, a soul-quenching exploration of opportunities and adventure. Respond to your cultural adventurer, as this event is free and open to the public. Listen as two key presenters this year, Heather Brown and Diana Ringo, share their perspectives about this excellent chance to learn more about what awaits the receptive spirit. “Unity’s Spirit Seekers Fairs are wonderful events for the Cultural Adventurer. Filled with an enticing diversity of presenters, this sensory experience is a gateway for self-exploration and discovery. Anyone with a positive curiosity should make this a ‘must-attend’ event.” – The Culture Buzz https://www.unitydesmoines.com/
  • 12:22 PM – In Tim Bakken’s The Plea of Innocence: Restoring Truth to the American Justice System, he proposes groundbreaking, fundamental reform for the adversarial legal system to keep innocent people from going to prison. Tim leads an eye-opening conversation about how the system can be fixed. “Featuring compelling analysis and exceptional scholarship, The Plea of Innocence  illustrates how the justice system can be revised to protect innocent people from conviction. Few books could be more important or timely. — Brian Levin, California State University, San Bernardino https://nyupress.org/9781479817139/plea-of-innocence-the/
  • 12:43 PM – Dr. Barry S. Levy returns to continue the conversation about a critically important issue presented in one of the most important books of our time, From Horror to Hope: Recognizing the Presenting the Health Impacts of War. Barry gives readers of this must-have book a comprehensive overview and understanding of the devastation of war. To understand this global problem is the first step in making the world a better place, and Dr. Levy ties everything together with a strong thread of hope. “An encyclopedic tour de force! Replete with history, data, and human stories, this book will first horrify and then inspire readers to take action.” — Kathleen Rest, Former Executive Director, Union of Concerned Scientists https://global.oup.com/academic/product/from-horror-to-hope-9780197558645?cc=us&lang=en&

Performance Arts

  1. Tallgrass Theatre Company. Miss Bennet: Christmas at Pemberley Nov 4-20. https://tallgrasstheatre.org/tickets/
  2. Class Act Productions, Altoona. Cinderella. Nov 4-20. https://www.captheatre.org/main/rodgers-hammersteins-cinderella/
  3. Des Moines Community Playhouse – Kate Goldman Children’s Theatre. Harriet the Spy. Thru Nov 13. https://www.dmplayhouse.com/events/harriet-the-spy/

Visual Arts – Exhibitions

  1. Artisan Gallery 218. “Des Moines Architectural Forms: Artist Renderings of the City” will display the impressions of Gallery partners Marybeth Heikes and Victoria Herring of various interior and exterior forms of architecture in Des Moines, continues through Dec 31. https://www.artisangallery218.com/
  2. Artisan Gallery 218. “A Tale of Kitsune: Selections from the Shapeshifter Project” continues through Dec 31. https://www.artisangallery218.com/
  3. Zanzibar’s Coffee Adventure. Local artist Pat Millin is being featured in a new show opening on Ingersoll Avenue. Her latest work will be on display at Zanzibar’s Coffee Adventure thru Nov 18. Pat is known for her numerous series representing the deep emotional psychologies found in the events of everyday life. In her new series, “Finding Refuge,” she turns her creative energies to images of the refugee experience. https://www.pmillin.com/

Visual Arts – Galleries & Found Space Exhibition Sites

  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. 2 https://www.grinnell.edu/campus-life/arts-culture/museum
  4. 2AU. West Des Moines. 1,2 http://www.2aulimited.com/
  5. Artisan Gallery 218. West Des Moines. 1,2 https://www.artisangallery218.com/
  6. 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/
  7. Hoyt Sherman Place Art Gallery. Des Moines. https://hoytsherman.org/gallery/
  8. Kavanaugh Art Gallery. West Des Moines. 1,2 https://kavanaughgallery.com/
  9. Kunzler Studios. West Des Moines. 1,2 kunzlerstudios.com
  10. Liz Lidgett Gallery + Design. Des Moines. https://www.lizlidgett.com/
  11. Moberg Gallery. Des Moines. 2 https://moberggallery.com/
  12. Olson-Larsen Galleries. West Des Moines.1,2 https://olsonlarsen.com/
  13. Polk County Heritage Gallery. Des Moines. 2 http://www.polkcountyheritagegallery.org/
  14. Ritual Café. Des Moines. 2 https://www.facebook.com/ritualcafedesmoines/
  15. 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.

Auditions, Volunteer, and other Individual Enhancement Opportunities

  1. Tallgrass Theatre Company. A Very Merry Tallgrass Holiday. Sun Nov 6, Mon Nov 7 at 6:00 PM. https://tallgrasstheatre.org/audition/
  2. Des Moines Playhouse/Kate Goldman Children’s Theatre. Go, Dog Go! Nov 7. https://www.dmplayhouse.com/auditions/go-dog-go/
  3. Ankeny Community Theatre. Exit Laughing. Nov 12, 13 2:00 PM. https://www.ankenycommunitytheatre.com/exit-laughing.html
  4. Des Moines Playhouse. Kinky Boots auditions have been moved to 6:00 PM, Monday, Nov. 14, 2022. (Original date was Jan. 9, 2023.) https://www.dmplayhouse.com/auditions/kinky-boots/
  5. Ankeny Community Theatre. https://www.ankenycommunitytheatre.com/audition.html
  6. Class Act Productions (CAP). http://www.captheatre.org/main/expect/
  7. Des Moines Community Playhouse. https://www.dmplayhouse.com/audition-2/
  8. Des Moines Performing Arts. https://desmoinesperformingarts.org/
  9. Des Moines Young Artists Theatre. https://www.dmyat.org/
  10. Iowa Shakespeare Experience. https://www.iowashakespeare.org/
  11. Iowa Stage Theatre Company. https://www.iowastage.org/audition
  12. Pyramid Theatre Company. http://pyramidtheatre.org/
  13. Tallgrass Theatre Company. https://tallgrasstheatre.org/audition/
  14. Urbandale Community Theatre. https://urbandaletheatre.com/get-involved/

Planning ahead

  • With Mother Nature shifting into holiday season mode, consider a short drive to Pella.
    Horse-Drawn Carriage Rides
    Downtown Pella
    Various dates beginning November 12 through December 17
    There are few things more festive than horse-drawn carriage rides! Join us for a trot around the town! Carriages pick up and drop off in front of the Information Windmill at the corner of Franklin Street and Main Street, directly kitty-corner from Smokey Row. No advanced reservations, tickets may be purchased at the loading zone during ride hours (Corner of Main & Franklin Streets in Central Park).
    $5 for adults; $3 for children 12 and under; FREE under 2 years old. https://www.facebook.com/events/292423426260081/292423432926747/

Between the covers — author events worth noting:

  1. Beaverdale Books – Nov 3, 6:30 PM. Phil Adamo. The Medievalist
  2. Beaverdale Books – Nov 9, 6:30 PM. Madison Traviss. Indi Meets Washington
  3. Artisan Gallery 218 – Nov 14, 7:30 PM. Rob Sand. The Winning Ticket
  4. Art on the Prairie, Perry IA – Nov 11, 12, 13. One of Iowa’s largest gatherings of poets will fill a compelling schedule over one evening and two days of poetic immersion. http://www.artontheprairie.org/poetry.html
  5. Beaverdale Books – Nov 12, 2:30 PM. Daniel Henderson. Confessions of a Recovering Evangelical: Overcoming Fear and Certainty to Find Faith Through Doubt and Questioning
  6. Artisan Gallery 218 – Nov 14, 7:30 PM. Rob Sand. The Winning Ticket
  7. Beaverdale Books – Nov 15, 6:30 pm. Mary Helen Stefaniak. The World of Pondside & The Six-Minute Memoir: Fifty-Five Short Essays on Life
  8. Franklin School, NW entrance 48th & Franklin Avenue – Nov 15, 6:30 PM. Abena Sankofa Imhotep. Omari’s Big Tree and the Mighty Djembe. Meet author and illustrator.

Recurring bookstore events –

  1. Beaverdale Books – Hunter’s Classics Book Club (2nd Tue, 7:00 PM); Beaverdale Book Browsers Club (2nd Thu, 6:30 PM); Urbandale UCC Book Club (3rd Thu); Books and Bonbons (3rd Thu, 7:00 PM); Environmental Bok Club (3rd Sat); Mystery Book Club (4th Tue, 7:00 PM)
  2. Storyhouse Bookpub – Storytimes (Saturdays 11:00 AM)
  3. Dogeared Books – Dog-Eared official book club (one Thu/month, 10-11 AM); Between the Covers (one Sat/month, 7-8 PM); Women from Other Words book club (one Mon/month 5-6 PM); Translation book club (one Fri/month, 7-8 PM); Books & Beverages – the book club experience without the commitment (one Thu/month, 6-7 PM)

Beaverdale Books provides their Top Ten sellers list, updated each month. Updated hours: Mon-Fri 10:00 AM to 8:00 PM; Sat 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM; Sun 12:00 Noon to 4:00 PM. 515-279-5400.

Top Ten sellers in our store last month — see what everyone’s reading!

  1. Bet the Farm: The Dollars and Sense of Growing Food in America, Beth Hoffman*
  2. Finding Turtle Farm, Angela Tedesco*
  3. Hello Iowa, Mary Gordon* and Candace Camling**
  4. Baking Blue Ribbons: Stories and Recipes from the Iowa State Fair Competitions, Kay Fenton Smith* and Carol McGarvey*
  5. The Land Remains: A Midwestern Perspective on Our Past and Future, Neil D. Hamilton*
  6. Heart Songs, Dennis Maulsby*
  7. Where the Crawdads Sing, Delia Owens
  8. The Last White Man, Mohsin Hamid
  9. Horse, by Geraldine Brooks,
  10. She Said, He Said: Money, Scott Galenbeck*

* Iowa author
Highlighted author names’ indicate interviews are in The Culture Buzz Podcast Library.
Please visit: https://archive.org/details/@the_culture_buzz 

Life Resource books worth your consideration:

  1. From Horror to Hope: Recognizing and Preventing the Health Impacts of War by Barry S. Levy MD. This meticulously researched book adds Dr. Levy’s career of understanding and study on these issues, creating the most comprehensive understanding on this topic, while giving hope for a future with less or no war.
  2. The Exceptional Professional: What You Need to Know to Grow Your Career is an info-packed gem from Callista Gould. https://cultureandmanners.com/ 

Check out The Culture Buzz’s insightful interviews for these and other authors’ interviews at https://archive.org/details/@the_culture_buzz

Performing Arts Organizations:
Please check in advance regarding any scheduled performances, exhibitions, museum visits, etc.

Greater Des Moines Independent Book Store Happenings:
The Culture Buzz shares many authors and their books with its audiences. We encourage you to visit your local independent book store regularly. The folks at these destination locations know books, and welcome the chance to help anyone connect with titles and subjects they seek. Check these sites, as their calendars are always filled with enticing activities and news.

  1. Beaverdale Books, Des Moines. http://www.beaverdalebooks.com/
  2. Pageturners Bookstore, Indianola. http://www.pageturnersbookstore.com/
  3. Dog-eared Books, Ames. https://dogearedbooksames.com/
  4. Artisan Gallery 218, 218-5th Street, Historic Valley Junction, West Des Moines (select author events), http://www.artisangallery218.com/
  5. Read a Book Nook, Marshalltown. https://read-a-book-nook.business.site/
  6. Book Vault, Oskaloosa. https://bookvault.indielite.org/
  7. Pella Books, Pella. https://pellabooks.com/
  8. Prairie Lights Books & Cafe, Iowa City. https://www.prairielights.com/
  9. Storyhouse Bookpub, Des Moines Historic East Village. https://storyhousebookpub.com/

Cultural Exploration Resources:
The Culture Buzz will begin including carefully vetted but comprehensive listings where you can do some advance online exploration before scheduling destinations in the region. These are two great websites to know about:

  1. The Culture Buzz – John Busbee and associates encourage cultural adventures with a comprehensive overview of what The Culture Buzz delivers. An archive library of favorite interviews is on the website, and all recent interviews can be found at https://archive.org/details/@the_culture_buzz. http://www.TheCultureBuzz.com/
  2. Gentle Guide to Theater – Timothy Rose renews his insights and information about the Central Iowa theatre scene with his new website. This site is anchored by the most navigable, informative calendar of upcoming things theatrical in this region. www.gentleguidetheatre.com
  3. Center Stage – This Cityview monthly column covers feature stories about Central Iowa’s theatre scene. Distributed throughout the region and available online. Current column: https://www.dmcityview.com/center-stage
  4. Cityview – Central Iowa’s monthly printed and continually updated online resource to all things happening in your community, from arts & culture, to music, to civic and political discourse, to fascinating columnists and stories. Cityview is the reliable source for keeping you informed and engaged in the Greater Des Moines community and beyond. https://www.dmcityview.com/
  5. Art Week Des Moines – this annual, community/neighborhood celebration of the arts happens in several Greater Des Moines communities during the week leading up to the Des Moines Arts Festival. Planning, engagement and more happen throughout the year, and a diversity of input is welcomed and embraced by this initiative. https://artweekdesmoines.com/
  6. dsm Magazine – Central Iowa’s gateway to arts, culture and more in a stunning, visual format. https://dsmmagazine.com/ dsm’s CultureCast podcast features interviews with cultural leaders, artists and musicians. https://dsmmagazine.com/culturecast/
  7. ia Magazine – Built upon the success of its Central Iowa counterpart, this annual gem brings enticing cultural news from across the state. https://iapublication.com/
  8. Contact Buzz – This new column covers crossroads between creativity and culture, and is offered in the new Des Moines edition of Little Village magazine. https://littlevillagemag.com/desmoines/
  9. Little Village magazine. This Des Moines edition of the iconic Iowa City monthly brings a progressive voice to Central Iowa readers. https://littlevillagemag.com/desmoines/
  10. 900Views Podcast. An exploration of arts and community with Host Pat Boddy. Based out of Mainframe Studios in downtown Des Moines, 900Views provides a platform for glimpsing the creative work and lives of the Midwest’s cultural producers and influencers. https://www.listennotes.com/podcasts/900views-pat-boddy-RCELj1xc7Wh/
  11. Greater Des Moines Community Jazz Center is this region’s source for a decades-established advocacy group for jazz, and established jazz professionals guiding and nurturing next generations of jazz musicians and fans. http://dmcommunityjazzcenter.org/
  12. Central Iowa Blues Society is the area’s connecting point for performance, presentations and education in the world of blues. www.cibs.org
  13. Bryan Farland, for many years, single handedly puts together the most comprehensive list of live and streaming music in Iowa. Bryan reaches out two ways, https://www.facebook.com/TheListDSM and farlanbr@dsmlivemusic.com

Resources to help, support and guide during any challenges you or someone you care about may be experiencing:

  • COVID Iowa Recovery: 800-775-9276 https://covidrecoveryiowa.org/
  • National Alliance on Mental Illness: 1-800-950-NAMI (6264) or info@nami.org
  • United Way 211: Dial 211, text ZIP code to 898211 or visit 211iowa.org
  • CICIL: #CICILServes COVID-19 Hotline: (866) 44-CICIL
  • Trans Lifeline: (877) 565-8860
  • LGBT National Youth Talkline: (800) 246-7743
  • LGBT National Talkline: (888) 843-4564
  • Des Moines Pastoral Counseling Center: dmpcc.org
  • Broadlawns 24/7 Crisis Team: (515) 282-5752
  • Your Life Iowa Help Line: (855) 581-8111
  • Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255
  • Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741 to be connected to crisis counseling
  • Online Mental Health Crisis Chat: iowacrisischat.org
  • MercyOne Des Moines Behavioral Health Clinic: 515-643-9030.
  • Prelude Behavioral Services (substance treatment): 515-262-0349
  • Instead of 911 – Des Moines area
    * Domestic Violence: 515.286.3600
       Polk County Crisis & Advocacy
    * Poison Control: 800.222.1222
    * Mental Health Crisis: 515.282.5752
       Broadlawns Crisis Team
    * LGBTQ+ Abuse: 866.488.7386
    * Sexual Assault: 515.243.7386
       Children & Families of Iowa
    * Veteran Crisis: 800.273.8255 press1
       Veterans & Their Families Health Crisis Line
    * Child Abuse/Neglect: 800.422.4453
       National US Child Abuse Hotline
    * Animal Abuse/Neglect: 515.284.6905
       Des Moines Animal Control
    *open 24/7
     
    As always, I appreciate news and information from you out there in the cultural trenches and am ready and willing to pursue a story or interview to share with my audiences. ♦

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