In the action-packed fantasy novel The Arimathean, the three wise men and Joseph of Arimathea are ninja wizards, part of a secret society of warriors of the supernatural, who are entrusted to protect Joseph and Mary on the road to Bethlehem as King Herod and a cadre of demons led by Satan attempt to kill them before Jesus can be born! It’s a wild, fun, roller coaster ride of a novel that tells a totally different and fantastic version of the Christmas story! The novel will be signed by its author, Sean Leary, from noon to 5 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 28, at The Book Rack, 4764 Elmore Ave., Davenport. Get... Read More

Writing a new play is murder. Well, it certainly was for busy Q-C actor, director, and theater owner Tristan Tapscott, whose latest original work – “Murder at Mistwell Manor” – is a breezy blast. Known in part — before he opened The Mockingbird on Main theater last summer — for penning a new musical adaptation of “A Christmas Carol” (with composer Danny White), Tapscott now has three original plays under his belt in the new cabaret-style space that welcomes new works. In December, the Mockingbird opened the silly holiday show “Deck the Halls,” and in March, it staged... Read More

The latest production at Moline’s intimate Black Box Theatre isn’t one necessarily to be enjoyed, but is a terrifying thriller – tailor-made for fans of suspense, mystery and horror. The whiplash-inducing, psychological roller-coaster “Veronica’s Room” (1973) truly puts the “black” in Black Box. Director and co-founder Lora Adams warns as much in her brief introduction to the exhilarating, hard-to-watch four-actor play by the demented genius Ira Levin (1929-2007) — author of “Rosemary’s Baby,” “Deathtrap,” “The Stepford Wives” and “The Boys From Brazil.” “I... Read More

Ballet Quad Cities is unspooling a classic Lewis Carroll tale in dance, with “Alice in Wonderland” presented today, Saturday, April 9 at 2:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. at the Adler, 136 E. 3rd St., Davenport. Tickets are $25 for adults, $19 for students and seniors, and $15 for children 12 and under, available HERE. Ballet Quad Cities artistic director Courtney Lyon, who choreographed the ballet, has worked for the Q-C company since 2000, starting as a professional dancer, and she’s been artistic director since 2009. Her undergraduate degree is in dance from University of Iowa, where she studied... Read More

As a lapsed Catholic and current wine lover, I was fully prepared to be intoxicated by “Drinking Habits,” the latest feel-good farce at Richmond Hill Players in Geneseo. I wasn’t prepared for how drunk with delight I got, I could barely drive home after Sunday’s picture-perfect matinee at the Barn Theater in Richmond Hill Park. In the silly Tom Smith story (intricately deep with secrets and many surprise romantic and family connections), two nuns at the 1965 Sisters of Perpetual Sewing have been secretly making wine to keep the convent’s doors open, but Paul and Sally, reporters and former... Read More

Rick Elice’s Broadway hit “Peter and the Starcatcher is A LOT – a lot of characters (allegedly 100), a lot of story (with intermission, 160 minutes), a lot of action, sound and fury, and in its ADD-fueled, childlike soul, a heck of a lot of fun. Though you couldn’t pay me enough to summarize its crazy, complicated, silly plot, the new production at the Spotlight Theatre, 1800 7th Ave., Moline, is an exuberant, enthusiastic riot. Fitting snugly into its stellar reputation for family-friendly shows, the boisterous (and at times poignant) comedy with lots of music certainly shines with a starry... Read More

The following article is part of QuadCities.com’s partnership with local music website The Echo. For more, check out theechoqc.com! Nearly one in every five East Moline residents is Hispanic or Latino, so it makes sense there is a solid Mariachi band program at Glenview Middle School, 3100 7th St., East Moline. Formed in 2015 by Richard Clark, who retired last year, the Mexican music program is under the new direction of Monike Hill of Davenport, who has a bachelor’s degree in Music Education from Western Illinois University and a master’s degree in Instrumental Conducting and Pedagogy... Read More

The old saying, “All good things come to those who wait,” had deeply resonant meaning Saturday night, with the triumphant, flawless world premiere of the opera “Karkinos” at Moline’s Bartlett Performing Arts Center. In collaboration with Living Proof Exhibit, the Quad City Symphony Orchestra commissioned local composer and Augustana professor Jacob Bancks to create the opera, which aims to provide hope and celebration for those with cancer and all who love them. It’s the first opera premiered by the QCSO in its 107-year history. Inspired by direct conversations with over 30 Quad-Cities... Read More

There’s literally no place in the Quad-Cities like Rozz-Tox. After marking its 10th anniversary in 2021, the quirky café has been closed for renovations for the past couple of months. It will reopen with its dazzlingly diverse lineup, Asian-inspired menu, and offbeat charm on Feb. 11. During a traditionally slow time of year anyway, the remodel will make the place feel smaller and more intimate, Rozz-Tox owner/manager Ben Fawks said recently. “I think it’s going to feel a little more comfortable, a little more cozy,” Fawks said, noting there will be fewer live shows. “We’re... Read More

Saturday in the Arts is a weekly feature covering a trend, subject, event or personality of local interest. It runs every Saturday morning on your site for the best entertainment and arts coverage in the area, QuadCities.com! This past week has been another major one for the Putnam Museum & Science Center, 1717 W. 12th St., Davenport. On Jan. 17 (Martin Luther King, Jr. Day), Putnam CEO Rachael Mullins attended an exciting announcement from the Friends of MLK, Inc. The Quad Cities non-profit announced Monday that a new $1-million park will be built to honor Dr. King, outside its building... Read More