Playcrafters Barn Theatre presents the world wide premiere of… The Whistleblower’s Dilemma by Jim Sederquist Rated PG for Adult Themes Dramedy Directed by Mike Turczynski Man finds fraud in factory. Fraudster frames man. Man conspires with friend on new fraud to frame fraudster and save factory. Concurrently, investigator suspects fraud in factory. Investigator invited by friend’s sister to visit town, but investigator’s manager forbids investigator from formally inquiring about fraud at factory. Man meets investigator. Can the man and the friend forestall the investigator who can’t... Read More

It’s been an especially long, hard road to reopening live theater for Geneseo’s Richmond Hill Players and company veteran Jennifer Kingry. She last directed at RHP for “The 39 Steps” in August 2019 and was in the midst of rehearsing the comedy “Becky’s New Car” in March 2020, when Covid-19 shut everything down. The Barn Theatre is finally opening their long-awaited 2021 season with John Patrick Shanley’s 2014 romantic comedy, “Outside Mullingar” – directed by Kingry – with performances Thursdays through Sundays, Aug. 5-15, in Richmond Hill Park, Geneseo, within a week of... Read More

It’s hard to go wrong with “Disney’s Newsies: The Musical.” But that doesn’t mean at all that it’s easy to get right. The glorious, massive show – given an expert, exhilarating production by Countryside Community Theatre – is a classic “underdog vs. topdog” battle. Scrappy, poor, relentlessly tenacious newspaper carriers (the newsies) go on strike after the cold, conniving, egomaniacal publishing titan Joseph Pulitzer hikes the cost they must pay to sell copies – in a bid to boost his bottom line. In the pre-broadcasting days, circa 1899, newspapers were THE king of communication... Read More

On Tuesday, Aug. 3rd, Cambridge’s College Square Park will be the site of a summer theater performance of Craig Sodaro’s “Tom ‘n’ Huck,” starting at 7:30 p.m. The play is the first performance of a summer community theater program, thanks to the support of the summer AIM Program through the Henry Stark Bureau Regional Office of Education. The AIM Program has been a part of Cambridge Schools for over five years, but this is the first public play. Admission is free to the public. The story revolves around the irrepressible Tom Sawyer, his best buddy Huck Finn, and many other beloved... Read More

Quad City Music Guild will present “Matilda: The Musical” August 6-7-8 & 12-13-14-15, with shows Thur-Fri-Sat at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday at 2:00 p.m. at Prospect Park Auditorium, Moline. Tickets are Adult $16 / Child $11. Call 309-762-6610 or visit qcmusicguild.com for reservations now! Inspired by the twisted genius of Roald Dahl, the Tony Award-winning Roald Dahl’s Matilda The Musical is the captivating masterpiece from the Royal Shakespeare Company that revels in the anarchy of childhood, the power of imagination and the inspiring story of a girl who dreams of a better life.... Read More

For Western Illinois University Dance Instructor Donald Laney, investing in the professional lives and summer performances his students are involved in this year is a trait he learned as a young child. Laney has spent much of his time this summer putting many miles on his car, traveling to watch the shows WIU students are performing in across the Midwest. The journey started after Laney spent six weeks this summer teaching at the West Virginia Governor’s School for the Arts. At about the same time, he began seeing photographs on social media of the shows his students were part of. “I... Read More

Playcrafters Barn Theatre is hosting auditions for our upcoming production of “You Can’t Take It With You”, directed by Vicki Deusinger, which will run November 12-14 and 19-21. Auditions will take place August 7th from 2-4PM and August 8th from 4-6PM at Playcrafters (4950 35th Ave Moline, IL), for casting information visit bit.ly/3i6Y2gu This show is rated “PG” and will feature 7 females and 12 males, those coming out to audition should be prepared to cold read from the script and will have possible callbacks after the Sunday auditions. If you’re interested in helping out... Read More

Join Davenport’s Mockingbird On Main September 25 for MARCELINE: A LOVE STORY, a very special evening focused on Walt Disney’s beloved boyhood hometown of Marceline. Come meet the Creative Director of the Walt Disney Hometown Museum, Peter Whitehead, as he takes us on a journey through Walt’s childhood growing up in the heart of the American mid-west. Peter will shine a spotlight on the intimate connections that link this small Missouri town to Walt’s life and his incredibly creative career. MARCELINE- A Love Story Saturday, September 25 Presentation begins at 8pm Doors... Read More

Countryside Community Theatre will continue their 39th season with the energetic and exhilarating Disney’s Newsies! Set in turn-of-the century New York City, Disney’s Newsies! is the rousing tale of Jack Kelly, a charismatic newsboy and leader of a band of teenaged “newsies.” When titans of publishing raise distribution prices at the newsboys’ expense, Jack rallies newsies from across the city to strike against the unfair conditions and fight for what’s right! Featuring a Tony Award winning score with music by the acclaimed Alan Menken (Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin, Little... Read More

One of the absolute thrilling joys of theater is not only how it brings fictional characters to life, but illuminates the intimately human struggles and triumphs of well-known, real-life icons. The Quad-Cities premiere of “The Mountaintop” – an emotional, haunting reimagining of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s last night on earth – is an extraordinary example. The 90-minute, two-person Katori Hall play debuted Thursday night at the new Mockingbird on Main, a beautiful, 40-seat cabaret at 320 N. Main St., Davenport, created by Tristan Tapscott and Savannah Bay Strandin. The mood before... Read More