Bucktown Show to Play Last Gig at Davenport Junior Theatre
Every Bucktown Americana Music Show is special, but the one scheduled for 7 p.m. Friday, April 18 is one for the history books – as the down-home, warm-hearted variety show will play its last gig at Davenport Junior Theatre (DJT), 2822 Eastern Ave.
The former Bucktown Revue (as it was called before rebranding as the Bucktown Americana Music Show, because a lot of people weren’t sure what “revue” entailed) began performing at the DJT Mary Fluhrer Nighswander Theatre in Davenport, during the 2012-13 season. Before that, they were at the former River Music Experience (now Common Chord) performance hall in downtown Davenport, for six years, and in its first year, was at the old Moline Club, said founder and producer Mike Romkey of Bettendorf.
The monthly variety show (on the third Friday of the month August to May) is moving because of plans to redevelop the Annie Wittenmyer Campus in the 2800 block of Eastern Avenue, which is also forcing the move of DJT (the nation’s second-oldest children’s theatre).
The city of Davenport has conveyed the Annie Wittenmyer Complex to developer Chris Ales to convert the property into workplace and senior housing that will total over 100 units. With an abundance of deferred maintenance, the city lacks the capital to maintain the campus.
The Bucktown variety show features hosts Mike Romkey and his wife Korah Winn Romkey, and has performed at Davenport Junior Theatre since its 2012-13 season.
The city has an agreement with the Davenport School District, to lease part of the Davenport Learning Center at 1002 West Kimberly Road, Davenport, for DJT classes and programs. This lease is valid through December 2030.
Renovation of the Davenport Learning Center for DJT needs will be completed for fall 2025 programming starting in September. The DJT class programming will be held at the Davenport Learning Center with Showcase Performances still happening at the Nighswander Theatre on 2822 Eastern Avenue, Davenport, since the theater is not part of the redevelopment plans.
“We have completely enjoyed working with the Junior Theatre and Park Board staff,” Bucktown’s Romkey said this week by email. “They are real pros and have been incredibly supportive and welcoming. We will miss them, especially Valerie Moore, the theater manager. Smart, friendly and with it!”
“It’s been fun to host many of the area’s best singer/songwriters and musicians. People like Richard Roberts and John Phillips, Comfort Food, the Quarter Moon Tinsnips, the Miracle Bluegrass Band from Geneseo, the Carefree Highwaymen, just to name a few,” he said.
“It’s also been rewarding to host national touring artists once or twice a year. We’ve had Matt Flinner, Mike Compton, Joe Newberry, the Price Sisters, Fiddlin’ Banjo Billy Mathews, the Wildwoods, Liam Purcell at Bucktown,” Romkey said. “It’s been really rewarding to have an excuse to bring that kind of bluegrass and roots music talent to the area.”
Other highlights related to the show would certainly be the tours they went on with the cast and a bunch of Bucktown friends to Ireland and Scotland, he said, noting the show sponsor, Dick Fislar and Picture Perfect Travel, put those tours together.
QC singer-songwritrer Chloe Mae will perform at the Bucktown Americana Music Show, on Friday, April 18.
“We’ve had just the best time in the world while working out of Davenport Junior Theatre,” Romkey added. “It really has been our home in every sense of the word.”
Their new home, starting with the May 15 show, will be in the theater at the Rock Island Library Midtown Branch, 2715 30th St., Rock Island, the facility the library shares with the Two Rivers YMCA.
“The library folks are also our kind of people, the theater is modern and comfy, and there is tons of parking,” Romkey said. “We’re sorry we need to move, but we’re excited about the future.”
The monthly Bucktown Americana Variety Show (founded by Mike Romkey, center) has been a regular Quad Cities institution for 20 years.
Bucktown decided to move for May (rather than waiting for the season to end) to be the most prudent thing to do to avoid any misunderstandings or surprises — “we figured we’d also have a better chance to publicize the move to the people who’ve been coming to Junior Theatre for years, to get them to come to Rock Island with us to check it out while they were still in the regular habit of coming to Bucktown monthly, etc.,” Romkey said.
“I expect to both lose and gain people with the move. Since there were lots of reasons to think moving in May is a good idea (I got some encouragement and hints from certain people in the know), I figured to just bite the bullet and take advantage of doing it on the last show this season thinking that momentum might help more than giving people a couple of months off and then asking them to start a new habit cold,” he added.
A city of Davenport Task Force is meeting monthly, to keep everyone up to date, as well as continue working on creation of a stand alone performing arts center for DJT.
The “Last Waltz” at Bucktown Friday will feature Five Bridges Jazz playing some hot Dixieland and the singer/songwriter is a talented young performer named Chloe Mae. Tickets are $15 each, available HERE.
