Moline’s Playcrafters announces 2027 season, schedules “No Exit” auditions
Playcrafters Barn Theatre, 4950 35th Ave., Moline, has announced its 98th season of live community theater, featuring six mainstage productions and a special holiday presentation in 2027.
As Playcrafters approaches its centennial, the 2027 season celebrates the variety that has long been at the heart of community theater, it says in the season release. From classic stories and beloved characters to provocative contemporary drama and laugh-out-loud comedy, the season offers something for audiences of many ages and interests.
The 98th season opens with Tim Firth’s Calendar Girls and continues with Tennessee Williams’ The Glass Menagerie, Anne of Green Gables, John Pielmeier’s Agnes of God, Steve Martin’s The Underpants, and Jackie Sibblies Drury’s Pulitzer Prize-winning Fairview. In addition to the six mainstage productions, Playcrafters will present a special holiday production of A Charlie Brown Christmas over Thanksgiving weekend, November 26–28.
Mainstage performances are Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 p.m. and Sundays at 3 p.m. Individual production dates are listed below.
- “Calendar Girls” by Tim Firth, February 5, 6, 7, 12, 13 & 14
After Annie’s husband John dies of leukemia, she and her best friend Chris persuade fellow Women’s Institute (WI) members to help raise funds for a new settee in the local hospital waiting room. Their fundraiser — an “alternative” calendar of them posing nude — takes off and friendship is tested by newfound fame.
Based on the true stories of eleven WI members who posed nude to raise money for the Leukemia Research Fund. Rated R: Nudity, adult themes, & discussions of terminal illness/death/grief
- “The Glass Menagerie” by Tennessee Williams, April 9, 10, 11, 16, 17 & 18
In a cramped St. Louis apartment, faded Southern belle Amanda Wingfield clings to the hope of securing a future for her fragile daughter Laura, while her restless son Tom dreams of escape. When Tom invites his acquaintance Jim to dinner as a potential suitor for Laura, the family’s fragile hopes collide with reality.
Williams’ celebrated autobiographical memory play is a tender and haunting portrait of family, dreams, and desperation. Rated PG-13: Ableist & racial language, emotional/domestic abuse, & alcoholism
- “Anne of Green Gables” by Sylvia Ashby (based on the book by L. M. Montgomery), June 11, 12, 13, 18, 19 & 20
When the orphanage mistakenly sends young, freckle-faced Anne to the Cuthberts, stern Marilla and her warm-hearted brother Matthew find their quiet farm forever changed. Anne’s imagination, wit, and determination win over the people of Avonlea.
Based on the beloved classic by L. M. Montgomery, Ashby’s adaptation is a charming story of family, friendship, growing up, and finding where you belong. Rated G: Family-friendly classic for all ages
- “Agnes of God” by John Pielmeier, August 6, 7, 8, 13, 14 & 15
When a young nun is accused of murdering her newborn, court-appointed psychiatrist Dr. Martha Livingstone is sent to a convent to determine whether Agnes is sane. As Livingstone questions Agnes and the protective Mother Superior, conflicting stories emerge about faith, trauma, and what really happened.
Pielmeier’s provocative drama is a gripping mystery that explores the boundaries between faith, reason, and love. Rated PG-13: Mature themes, infant death, religious themes, & psychological trauma
- “The Underpants” by Steve Martin, adapted from Carl Sternheim, October 1, 2, 3, 8, 9 & 10
When Louise Markes’ bloomers fall down in public, her conservative husband Theo fears the scandal will cost his government job. Instead, Louise’s embarrassing moment attracts two lovestruck men who both want to rent their spare room. As Theo happily collects rent from both, he remains oblivious to their amorous intentions.
Adapted from a classic German comedy, this is a satire about scandal, desire, and the absurdity of respectability. Rated PG-13: Sexual themes, suggestive humor, & adult situations.
- “Fairview” by Jackie Sibblies Drury, December 10, 11, 12, 17, 18 & 19
As the Frasier family prepares for Grandma’s birthday party, Beverly struggles to keep everything—and everyone—perfect. Her sister won’t help, her husband won’t listen, her brother is missing, and her teenager has a mind of her own. As the party unfolds, it becomes clear that nothing is quite what it seems.
2019 Pulitzer Prize for Drama winner, this groundbreaking and provocative script is an experimental examination of family, identity, race, and the insidiousness of white supremacy. Rated R: Racial themes, mature subject matter, & language.
- Special production of “A Charlie Brown Christmas,” by Charles M. Schulz (based on the television special by Bill Melendez and Lee Mendelson, stage adaptation by Eric Schaeffer), November 26, 27 and 28.
When Charlie Brown struggles to find the true meaning of Christmas, his friends help him discover that the holiday is about more than presents, decorations, and the perfect tree. Featuring the music and timeless charm of the classic animated special, the Peanuts gang come to life onstage in this family favorite adaptation of the beloved holiday special. Rated G: Family-friendly holiday classic for all ages
2027 Season Punch Cards include admission to six performances for $90 — giving patrons six shows for the price of five. Punch cards may be used at any time and for any of Playcrafters’ six mainstage productions during the 2027 season.
For an additional $10 per ticket, admission to the special production of A Charlie Brown Christmas can be added to a season punch card. Individual tickets are $18, with $16 tickets available for seniors and military personnel. Children’s tickets will be available for some productions.
Tickets and additional information are available at playcrafters.com or by calling (309) 762-0330.
Housed in a historic converted barn (built in 1914) since its first production in 1960, Playcrafters presents a varied season of live theatre and provides opportunities for community members to participate both onstage and behind the scenes.
“No Exit” auditions
The last 2026 play, the absurdist drama “No Exit,” will have auditions Sept. 12-14. The 1944 Jean-Paul Sartre play, adapted from the French by Paul Bowles, will be directed by Kate Farence. Playcrafters is seeking four actors for No Exit: two female-presenting actors, one male-presenting actor, and one actor of any gender presentation.
The roles available are Inez, Estelle, Cradeau, and Bellboy. In “No Exit,” three damned souls are brought to the same room in hell by a mysterious valet. They had all expected medieval torture devices to punish them for eternity, but instead find a plain room furnished in Second Empire style, according to a synopsis. None of them will admit the reason for their damnation.
Auditions will be Saturday, Sept. 12 and Sunday, Sept. 13 from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m., and Monday, Sept. 14 from 6–9 p.m. Performances will be Nov. 13-15 and 20-22.
Auditions will consist of cold readings from the script. No preparation is required.
If you need accommodations or an alternative audition arrangement to participate in auditions, please contact office@playcrafters.com.
Kate Farence’s previous directing credits include Antony and Cleopatra (2015), The Caucasian Chalk Circle (2017), and King John (2018), all with Prenzie Players.
