The economy is in shambles. The world is a mess. Young people feel as if they have little to no hope to achieve the American dream they’ve been promised. And so, for many young people struggling with this realization, escapism is paramount to balancing out their lives and getting them through. Sound familiar? It should, […]
There’s big news at the big auditorium at North Scott High School, Eldridge, as a big cast and crew have come together to break out their new production of the big, boisterous musical “Disney’s Newsies.” The Countryside Community Theatre performances – by a predominantly young cast of 33, led by director and choreographer Ashley Becher […]
Downtown Davenport’s The Mockingbird On Main will present their inaugural production – Katori Hall’s “The Mountaintop” July 29 through August 7. What happened inside room 306 of the Lorraine Motel in Memphis the night before the assassination of Civil Rights Leader Martin Luther King, JR. is a mystery. In “The Mountaintop,” Hall imagines what may […]
Opening August 19th at Moline’s Black Box Theatre is the psychological thriller “Murder in Green Meadows” by Douglas Post. The original production received six Emmy Award nominations when presented on TV with the Steppenwolf Theatre Company in Chicago. The Black Box production stars James Driscoll, Jenny Winn, Jonathan Grafft and Lora Adams and directed by […]
The Genesius Guild will close the 2021 season by going back to their roots with a Greek tragedy. Euripides’ Hippolytus will be staged July 24, and 25. All performances begin at 7:00 PM and will be held at the Don Wooten Stage in Lincoln Park, Rock Island. Admission is free. This performance continues a longstanding tradition. […]
Playcrafters Barn Theatre, 4950 35th Ave., Moline, presents the Pulitzer-winning “The Piano Lesson” this weekend. The play, by August Wilson (1945-2005) is set in the 1930s of The Great Depression. Its discordant, clashing notes resolve in peaceful harmony that carry forceful lessons for our fractious times today. Directed by Kermit Thomas of Moline, part of Wilson’s […]
The Black Box Theatre in downtown Moline presents the dramedy “I and You” by Laura Gunderson through Saturday. The plot: One afternoon, Anthony (Michael Alexander) arrives unexpectedly at classmate Caroline’s (Adrienne Jane) door bearing a beat-up copy of Walt Whitman’s Leaves of Grass, an urgent assignment from their English teacher. Homebound due to illness, Caroline […]
Live theatre makes a triumphant return to First Presbyterian Church (1702 Iowa St., Davenport) with a long-awaited production of Frank Loesser’s classic musical “Guys and Dolls” on Friday, July 23 and Saturday, July 24. This production was originally scheduled for March 2020 and postponed as Covid-19 entered the Midwest just two weeks prior to opening night. […]
Richmond Hill Players will hold auditions for the last two shows of the 2021 season on Saturday, July 24 and Sunday, July 25 from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. at the Barn Theatre in Geneseo. The plays holding auditions are Clue: Onstage by Jonathan Lynn, directed by Dana Skiles, with the show running in mid-October; and Every Christmas […]
I wanted to like the African-American drama “The Piano Lesson” at Playcrafters Barn Theatre much more than I did. It truly has all the ingredients to make something special, but Saturday night’s version appeared undercooked and not quite ready to serve as a fully satisfying meal. The Pulitzer Prize-winning play by August Wilson (1945-2005), who […]
