Music

Tomáš Kubínek & Orchestra Iowa: Professor Kubínek Meets the Symphony

Iowa City West High School

Friday, November 5, 7:30 p.m.

Czech-born entertainer Tomáš Kubínek, who has displayed his ingratiating talents everywhere from Tokyo's Asahi Hall to Broadway's New Victory Theatre, is a multi-hyphenate if ever there was one: a musician-comedian-magician-director-vaudevillian-inventor-clown-award-winning-housefly-catcher. (Check out his Web site at Kubinek.com. I am so not kidding about that last one.)

Exhibit

Microbes: Invisible Invaders, Amazing Allies

Putnam Museum & IMAX Theatre

Saturday, October 2, through Sunday, January 30

According to the Putnam Museum & IMAX Theatre's Web site, the venue's new exhibit offers an exploration of that "which sustains all life on earth while holding the deadly potential to wipe out millions." Much like my What's Happenin' jokes.

Event

Craig Karges: Experience the Extraordinary

Centennial Hall, Augustana College

Saturday, September 11, 8 p.m.

The gentleman in the accompanying photo is self-described "extraordinist" Craig Karges. Based on that picture, you may want to think twice about inviting him to your next dinner party.

Movie

The River Is Life

Veterans Memorial Park

Saturday, August 28, 8 p.m.

In describing his documentary adventure The River Is Life - in which two intrepid buddies kayak 2,300 miles down the Mississippi River - filmmaker Phillip Hullquist says that the movie follows him and fellow traveler Ryan Jeanes "from black bears in the north to gators in the south." He also says that his films "tend to be about things people would love to do, but are letting some reason, real or imaginary, hold them back."

For my part, black bears and gators are exactly the reasons I'd never kayak down the Mississippi, but Hullquist is clearly made of stronger stuff than I.