Here are 5 things to do this weekend in Johnson County, including concert that reimagines hit songs

Music, from today’s hits with a retro twist to works by Black composers, will be heard across two Iowa City performance venues starting Friday.

Postmodern Jukebox comes to the Englert Theatre to give audiences a taste of what modern singers like Taylor Swift would sound like in the 1960s, while two musicians and composers will present “Songs of Black America" at the Hancher Auditorium.

Here are five things to do this weekend in Johnson County.

Postmodern Jukebox at the Englert Theatre

What would today’s biggest musicians sound like if they were performing during the 1920s, or maybe the 1960s?

Postmodern Jukebox has an idea.

Created by New York City pianist Scott Bradlee in 2011, Postmodern Jukebox remakes current pop hits into the “classic sounds of the legends of yesterday,” according to its website.

For example, Bruno Mars is reimagined as Frank Sinatra, or Guns ‘n’ Roses is transformed to capture the sound of renowned blues singer Bessie Smith.

Postmodern Jukebox has covered a variety of songs, such as Billy Idol’s “Dancing With Myself” and Billie Eilish’s “Bad Guy.” Their YouTube videos frequently surpass a million views, with some of the most popular videos being their “Zombie” by The Cranberries cover and “All The Small Things” by Blink 182.

Postmodern Jukebox has performed at Radio City Music Hall, the Sydney Opera House and the Red Rocks Amphitheater.

Now, it returns to Iowa City Saturday at 7:30 p.m.

Visit the Englert Theatre’s website to purchase tickets.

Aaron Diehl and Brandon Patrick George at the Hancher Auditorium

Pianist Aaron Diehl and flutist Brandon Patrick George will perform together at the Hancher Auditorium on Friday and explore music by Black American composers.

“Songs of Black America” features music by composers ranging from William Grant Still to Valerie Coleman.

Diehl is a composer and pianist who was born in Columbus, Ohio. His love for music was nurtured by his grandfather, and early in Diehl’s career, he was a finalist in jazz at Lincoln Center’s Essentially Ellington competition  and studied at the Juilliard School, according to the musician’s website.

In 2011, Diehl won the American Pianists Association's Cole Porter Fellowship. He has released multiple albums, including 2020’s “The Vagabond.”

Like Diehl, George grew up in Ohio. The flutist performed in ensembles including the Los Angeles Philharmonic and the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, according to his website. George went on to pursue a solo career and has performed at the Lincoln Center, the Metropolitan Museum of Art and is a member of the Grammy-nominated quintet Imani Winds.

The performance starts at 7:30 p.m. at the Hancher Auditorium. Visit the performance venue’s website to purchase tickets.

Riverside Theatre presents ‘The Weir’

Riverside Theatre is presenting a show fitting for the spooky season.

The second production in the theater’s current season is “The Weir,” by Conor McPherson and directed by producing artist director Adam Knight. “The Weir" is set in a bar in a rural Irish town where several men tell ghostly tales to the unfamiliar woman who joins them at the bar. What unfolds is a true, haunting tale from their newcomer.

Performances kick off Friday at 7:30 p.m. There will be another performance Saturday at the same time followed by a Sunday performance at 2 p.m. with a free talkback for audiences that is open to the public.

Published in 1997, “The Weir” has since ran on Broadway, earned McPherson a Critics' Circle Award in 1998 and has become a critically acclaimed play.

“The Weir” continues through the end of October.

Visit Riverside Theatre’s website to purchase tickets.

The Picture Show series at FilmScene

For some family fun, FilmScene at the Chauncey presents “Coco” as part of its series, The Picture Show.

The ongoing series “features the best in all ages programming,” according to FilmScene’s website.

The 2017 Disney/Pixar animated hit “Coco” follows young musician Miguel in his quest to pursue music like his idol, despite his family’s ban on music. When Miguel finds himself in the Land of the Dead, he, his newfound friend and a skeletal, colorful crew of his ancestors help him meet his idol and discover his real family history.

Showtimes for the film are 11 a.m. on Saturday and 11 a.m. on Sunday. Tickets for children are free when accompanied by an adult. Visit FilmScene’s website to purchase tickets.

Cirque Italia in Coralville

Beneath a white and blue big tent will be a dazzling display of acrobatics for Iowa City area audiences beginning Thursday.

Cirque Italia will set up at the Coral Ridge Mall for a series of performances through Sunday with a show that is themed around water, complete with rainfall and jets of water that accompany performers throughout their acts.

Showtimes are as follows:

• Oct. 13 at 7:30 p.m.

• Oct. 14 at 7:30 p.m.

• Oct. 15 at 1:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.

• Oct. 16 at 1:30 p.m. and 4:30 p.m.

Visit Cirque Italia’s website for more information or to purchase tickets.

Paris Barraza covers entertainment, lifestyle and arts at the Iowa City Press-Citizen. Reach her at PBarraza@press-citizen.com or (319) 519-9731. Follow her on Twitter @ParisBarraza.

This article originally appeared on Iowa City Press-Citizen: Things to do this weekend in Iowa City, Johnson County