Long before the acclaimed black comedy-drama “Succession” ruled prestige TV (on HBO 2018-23), two other intense royal power struggles ruled stages and screens – Shakespeare’s “King Lear” (1606) and James Goldman’s “The Lion in Winter” (1966). Logan Roy (the scarily intimidating Brian Cox) of “Succession” wasn’t an actual king, but a media king, utterly ruthless, […]
Richmond Hill Players’ final play for the 2025 season is a true holiday treat, in every sense of the word. “A Sherlock Carol” — a comedy/mystery by Mark Shanahan – is a supremely clever, well-crafted, smart, meticulous and affectionate tribute to two of the most famous literary characters ever: both haunted men of Victorian England, […]
Twenty-one years after it was last done at Quad City Music Guild (as well as 11 years after Circa ’21 and four years after Spotlight Theatre), the treasured warhorse, “The Sound of Music” makes a triumphant return to the Prospect Park stage in Moline. Performed with immense pride, care, compassion and full-throated enthusiasm by a […]
Classic entertainment is classic for a reason, and freshly tugs at our heartstrings every time, even though we may know every musical note, or spoken line. This time-tested formula is not guaranteed, for nostalgia only works when you have performers who have the professionalism, poise and polish to turn familiar pieces (both timeless and unforgettable) […]
“The show must go on” has never been more urgent than during this haunted month of October, when two Moline theaters were forced to replace female leads just days before opening night, due to health issues. First, at the start of the month, it was Sara Wegener, who stunningly stepped into the role of Elizabeth […]
The Black Box Theatre in downtown Moline deserves all the praises in the world for presenting another spot-on Quad Cities premiere, “The Thanksgiving Play” by Larissa FastHorse. But if the Native American playwright aimed to present the long-misunderstood or ignored perspective of Indigenous peoples in this beloved American holiday, this ridiculous satire – which mercilessly […]
Seeing the giddily entertaining “Young Frankenstein” musical at The Spotlight Theatre is like watching a classic B-movie spring to glorious life. This true “monster” of a show faithfully recreates the supremely silly 2007 Mel Brooks show, especially fitting for this sprawling gothic space, in the 1931 former Scottish Rite Cathedral at 1800 7th Ave., Moline. […]
One-person and two-person plays seem like the most challenging, thrilling and satisfying productions an actor could ever participate in. The current, mesmerizing show at Richmond Hill Players in Geneseo — the mysterious thriller, “The Woman in Black,” adapted by Stephen Mallatratt from the novel by Susan Hill — is one such example. The vast majority of the two-hour […]
Befitting its real-life subjects, The Black Box Theatre in downtown Moline is presenting an electrifying, glowing tribute to two powerful, strong, and pioneering women with the area premiere of the Lauren Gunderson two-hander “The Half-Life of Marie Curie” — starring Jessica White as Marie Curie and Pam Mautz Cantrell as Hertha Ayrton. This is their first show on […]
A powerhouse cast of Circa ’21 veterans and tremendous actors making their Circa debuts delivers a spectacularly moving, inspiring new production, with “Come From Away.” The 2017 Tony-winning musical is based on the true events of Sept. 11, 2001, reflecting the fear, chaos and boundless generosity of that day, when the good people of Gander, […]
