And so it begins… Tristan Tapscott’s column on the local theater scene
We begin.
Circa ’21 Dinner Playhouse. Quad City Music Guild. Playcrafters Barn Theatre. QC Theatre Workshop. New Ground Theatre. Prenzie Players. Genesius Guild. Center for Living. Richmond Hill Players. Opera Quad Cities. Ballet Quad Cities. Bottoms Up Burlesque. Countryside Community Theatre. The After Hour.
Circa ’21 Speakeasy. The Blacklist. Backroom Comedy Theatre. My Verona Productions.
Comedy Sportz. Establishment Theatre. Curtainbox Theatre Company. The District Theatre.
…and on and on and on…
To quote one of the most brilliant musicals of all time, Hamilton, “Look around at how lucky we are to be alive right now.”
Whether or not you can see – or in some cases, admit – we are in the midst of an important renaissance. The theatrical landscape is booming, the music scene is becoming world reknown and comedy market is exploding. The Quad Cities is becoming a mecca for arts and entertainment. Stop. Take a moment. Breathe. And let that sink in. And then tell me it’s not true.
Are you finished? Are you with me?
Good choice.
My name is Tristan Tapscott and I have been on the front lines of this revolution since its humble beginnings well over ten years ago. The trajectory was always clear and it was only a matter of time before the Quad Cities would catch up to us renegades. I am happy to say the world is awakening to and embracing this new hub of artistic activity: the Quad Cities.
It’s all happening.
I will be sitting down each week with a different artist that I will feature on my podcast and web series, Pocket Full of Animal Crackers. You can watch or listen to the series here and then read my column for a more in depth look at their back ground, their current projects and what makes them happy. In addition, I will be sure to give you the scoop on what is coming up and what you should be checking out on the many stages across the area.
“Life is like blank sheet of paper. You never know it can be until you put something on it. So Dream it. Do it! And work hard to do the best possible job. What are you waiting for?”
-Marty Sklar, Disney Imagineer
Until next time…
