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Seberg festival canceled, other Orpheum events relocated

The annual Jean Seberg Festival has been canceled for this year due to tornado damage. The event, established in 2011, was dubbed the Jean Seberg FUNdraiser (to benefit the Jean Seberg Endowment Fund and future festivals) and had been slated for Nov. 10.

The IVCCD Orpheum Theater Center, 220 E. Main St., has been closed to the public since the building endured approximately $1 million in damage from the July 19 tornado. As a result, the facility has had to cancel or reschedule all of its events.

“We had scheduled to have a fundraiser for what will become an every-other-year Seberg Festival. Because we can’t use the Orpheum this year, and will not have access to now-stored memorabilia, it seemed like it’d be best to postpone things a year, so we’ll collectively decide what happens in 2019 — a festival again or a fundraiser,” Orpheum Director Bob Untiedt said.

Previous festivals have included Seberg film screenings, exhibits of memorabilia, art and fashion shows, with guests coming from around the world to talk about the late French New Wave star. Although alternative locations in which to hold the festival were sought, coordinators felt focusing on tornado relief took priority.

“We had a strong team of volunteers working to make the fundraiser an enjoyable, memorable event and each has agreed to again lend their talents and enthusiasm when we next celebrate Jean at the O,” Nancy Adams, a long-time festival organizer, said.

The theater, which was built in 1948, was renovated in 2010 at a cost of $3.4 million, and is operated by the Iowa Valley Community College District. Because of this partnership, much of the Orpheum’s programming has been moved to the college, with many events taking place inside Dejardin Hall, room 808. Untiedt and office associate Tammy Losing are now working out of the Faust Student Union.

“Although we cancelled two weeks of Live After 5, we started up a couple weeks ago in collaboration with the 13th Street District, and had a great partnership for two weeks of concerts there,” Untiedt said. “Other events are going on mostly as planned, only with the venue being at (the college). We finalized two days of performances by La Patronal, a lively Peruvian band which is very danceable and quite interactive; they’ll be in Dejardin Hall.”

The performance will take place at 7 p.m. on Sept. 18. Tickets cost $12.50.

Blues & BBQ is set for 6 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. Oct. 13, with The Blue Dog Band and The Limestoners (featuring Bob Dorr). Dinner will be included and tickets cost $30.

On 7 p.m. Nov. 29, an Irish Christmas in America will be presented at First Baptist Church, featuring music, vocals and traditional Irish dance. Tickets cost $25.

Untiedt said he is working on coordinating movie screenings, which would take place at MCC.

Tickets are available by calling 641-844-5920 and are available at the door. For more information, visit www.orpheumcenter.com and the Facebook pages Jean Seberg at the O and IVCCD Orpheum Theater Center. Untiedt may be reached at bob.untiedt@iavalley.edu

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Contact Sara Jordan-Heintz at 641-753-6611 or sjordan@timesrepublican.com

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