Happiness is…getting back to doing a major musical at the Spotlight Theatre after far too long. Nearly 16 months after staging its last musical, “The Wedding Singer,” the Spotlight (1800 7th Ave., Moline) will open the beloved “You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown” on Friday, June 4. It’s especially meaningful for Ian Sodawasser – who premiered in Spotlight’s first show, in October 2018, “The Hunchback of Notre Dame,” and directed his first show with “Wedding Singer” in February 2020. “It’s a dream role,” he said Monday of playing Snoopy for the Peanuts musical, who... Read More

Playcrafters Barn Theatre’s first production in 15 months, the new drama “Princeton’s Rage,” is deeply personal for both its Quad-Cities playwright and director. In the Don Faust play (rated R for language and adult content), Princeton Yale left his hometown of Chicago over 30 years ago, turning his back on an abusive past at the hands of his high school classmates and never looking back. But through a series of happenstances, Princeton’s past comes to pay him a visit, in the form of one of his former tormentors, Reece “Rage” Johnson, and more than just talk about “the... Read More

The Black Box Theatre in downtown Moline will be presenting the comedy “Hate Mail” by Bill Corbett and Kira Obolensky from June 3 to 12. Performances begin at 7:30 pm except Sundays, which begin at 2:00 pm “Hate Mail” follows Preston Dennis, Jr. who writes a furious letter to a store demanding a refund for a broken snow globe. In his increasingly heated exchanges with the assistant manager Dahlia, who gives as good as she gets, he gets her fired – and finds a vengeful epistolary match. These two begin an epic, often acrimonious correspondence as their lives intertwine. ”Whether... Read More

Quad-City Music Guild is seeking staff applicants for their production of Irving Berlin’s Holiday Inn, to be staged December 1 st through the 5 th , 2021. The rehearsal period for the holiday production typically begins in early to mid-October. Positions to fill include Book Director, Music Director, Asst. Book Director/Stage Manager, Asst Music Director/Accompanist, Choreographer, Scenic Designer, Costume Designer, Light Designer, Sound Designer and Props Chair. Applicants may apply individually or assemble a team for a joint application. An application is required for each position of a team.... Read More

Ballet Quad Cities and the Quad City Symphony Orchestra’s Trio will co-headline a performance at the Adler Theatre on Saturday, May 29, 2021 at 8:00 p.m. Special guest is Aaron Fullan, an actor, composer and social media influencer from Clinton, Iowa. Ballet Quad Cities will feature audience favorites such as, the fun baseball themed “Players,” the jazzy and sophisticated “Sugar Rum Fairy,” the sunny and chill “Dream a Little Dream,” Meghan Phillips’ “Where Ever the Wind Takes Us,” and more. Three superb Quad City Symphony Orchestra musicians, associate concertmaster Emily Nash,... Read More

BEEHIVE The ’60s Musical is buzzing in to Rock Island‘s Circa ’21 through July 10! A fun, frothy flashback to the fabulous females who unmistakably left their mark on ’60s pop music. Matching big voices with big hairdos, Beehive features nonstop hits from early decade bubble gum classics to the explosive late ‘60s soul sound. Paying tribute to performers such as Brenda Lee, The Supremes, Connie Francis, Janis Joplin, Tina Turner and Aretha Franklin, this irresistible revue will fly you back in time to experience firsthand the music that thrilled a generation. Come rock out with “Respect,”... Read More

More than 17 months after they danced “The Nutcracker” at Davenport’s Adler Theatre, Ballet Quad Cities is finally getting to return to its traditional home, in a varied 40-minute program Saturday, May 29. The professional ballet company is part of a triple bill, starting at 8 p.m., to kick off an Adler Theatre Foundation series of five shows. BQC – which had to be postponed from an originally scheduled May 8 date – will feature audience favorites such as the fun baseball-themed “Players,” the jazzy and sophisticated “Sugar Rum Fairy,” the sunny and chill “Dream a Little Dream”... Read More

G.I.T. Improv and The Black Box Theatre of the Quad Cities are excited to announce the long-awaited return of the The Late Nite Shows – a popular line-up of original, uncensored comedy performances – to The Black Box Theatre stage, located at 1623 5th Avenue in downtown Moline, beginning Saturday, May 22nd at 7:30PM. “To say we are more-than-ready to get back on stage and make the Quad Cities laugh again would be a massive understatement,” said Jeff Adamson, owner of G.I.T Improv. “We have maintained great communication with the Black Box over the past year and are approaching... Read More

Artists in Conversation is a weekly column running Wednesdays on QuadCities.com. It features a conversation with a local creator going into their artistic process, projects and more. Get to know your local arts scene and local creators better on QuadCities.com with Artists In Conversation! If you’re a local creator and would like to be featured, please email us at Sean@QuadCities.com or Tristan@QuadCities.com! THIS WEEK: Educator, director and performance artist Shelley Cooper who is at the helm of Circa ‘21’s BEEHIVE! What attracted you to BEEHIVE? Beehive is a 60’s concert to celebrate... Read More

If there was a labor of love – after a devastating last 14 months – it is Circa ’21 Dinner Playhouse’s new production, “Beehive: The ‘60s Musical,” which opens in previews Wednesday night. Running through July 10, this infectiously entertaining salute to female pop, rock and soul singers was praised by DC Metro Theater Arts as “a big-hearted, well-accomplished, utterly tuneful joy.” A colorful flashback to the fabulous females who unmistakably left their mark on 1960s pop music, and a spectacle that matches big voices with big hairdos, “Beehive” features nonstop hits from... Read More