Though long-awaited funding for live-music venues is part of the federal Covid stimulus bill recently signed into law, several Quad-Cities entertainment spaces are taking a “wait and see” attitude regarding the reality. Scott Mullen, executive director of Moline’s TaxSlayer Center, said the $15-billion “Save Our Stages” act that was approved had included language noting some […]
Circa ’21 Dinner Playhouse, Rock Island, has only been open for two months since March 14, yet it has creatively, persistently found alternate ways to offer local entertainment for people like me who are desperate for it. Far from a luxury or a frill that can be easily excised, arts and culture have proven to […]
Many in the Quad-Cities today are mourning the death Saturday night of Joe Terronez, 91, a former longtime leader of Silvis and passionate advocate of the area’s Hispanic heritage. “He showed us that change does not come willingly, that we have to persevere to right some of the injustices in this world,” Tar Macias, publisher […]
Augustana College in Rock Island had extra special reason to celebrate on New Year’s Eve, as the blue lights on the Old Main dome turned gold to mark the private school exceeding its $125-million fundraising goal. For its ambitious “AUGUSTANA NOW” campaign, Augie raised a total of $133,662,743. “We set an audacious goal, and it […]
After a year of so much pain, suffering and death, New Year’s Day is the perfect time to celebrate hope, joy and new life – and a little Grace. Trinity on Friday announced that the first Quad-City baby was born at 12:20 a.m. on Jan. 1. Nora Grace Hessman was delivered by team members at […]
The day after Christmas is usually a letdown, but a new online concert showcasing Quad-Cities musicians offers another gift – for free. A new two-day holiday extravaganza, “The Festivus Show,” will be held Friday and Saturday nights, with 11 musical acts performing in 11 different downtown Davenport businesses. It aims to celebrate the beautiful originality […]
Pleasant Valley theater alum Laura Schutter always wanted to be Broadway star Rebecca Luker. After all, they both had clear, shining soprano singing voices, unpretentious warmth and profound decency. Schutter realized her dream over 10 years ago, as she understudied for Luker as Mrs. Banks in her Tony-nominated role in the musical “Mary Poppins,” and […]
One of my favorite Christmas presents was not something you can hold in your hand – but sometimes those are the best kind. It was an online musical revue – Circa ’21 Dinner Playhouse’s “Home for the Holidays,” an outstanding, heartwarming and utterly charming one-hour variety show with a cast of more than 30 students […]
Saturday In The Arts is a comprehensive weekly feature looking at a trend, personality, or major subject involving the Quad-Cities arts and entertainment scene. Making it through nearly five months of a paralyzing pandemic was bad enough, but for those of us in Iowa and the Quad-Cities, Aug. 10, 2020 and the days that followed […]
John Taylor of Cambridge, Ill. – a local cultural guru behind Heartland Connections, the Levitt AMP Galva Music Series and the Ca d’Zan concert series – has been a busy Christmas elf the past couple weeks. He has helped produce several holiday videos featuring area musicians. A “Spreading Holiday Cheer” video from Heartland Connections is […]
