In its first complete mainstage production in a whole year, the Spotlight Theatre, 1800 7th Ave., Moline, will perform the madcap “Complete Works of William Shakespeare (abridged)” through March 28. “This abridged cast of Jeremy Mahr, Amelia Fischer, and Brent Tubbs are sure to give the audiences a much needed laugh,” the Spotlight posted on its Facebook page, noting its first full production was from the Reduced Shakespeare Company “abridged” repertoire in 2018, so “we thought this would be the perfect show to bring us back.” The rapid-fire Shakespeare riffs on all 37 of the... Read More

Black Box Theater in Moline is back with  “La Divina: The Last Interview of Maria Callas,” starring Shelley Cooper, for just three performances — March 26-28. The show, inspired by the life and work of the dramatic 20th-century opera singer Maria Callas (1923-1977), contains stories of Callas’ life and famous iconic arias that she was known for singing. Cooper – an assistant professor of theatre arts at Augustana College — “La Divina: The Last Interview of Maria Callas” at Augustana and at the Retzhof Castle near Graz, Austria, as a part of the International Global Theatre Experience. That... Read More

Shelley Cooper is a great admirer of legendary opera singer Maria Callas (1923-1977), who truly had an epic, operatic life. The multi-talented, 35-year-old Augustana assistant professor of theatre arts is bringing her one-woman, one-hour tribute to Callas this weekend to Moline’s Black Box Theatre. “La Divina: The Last Interview of Maria Callas” will be performed at 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and 2 p.m. Sunday, at 1623 5th Ave., Moline. Audiences will be limited to 30 patrons; temperatures checked at the door, and Cooper will wear a clear plastic face shield while performing. She credited... Read More

Returning with the venue’s first mainstage production since area theaters closed in November, Circa ’21 Dinner Playhouse is ready to bring audiences lots of deserved laughs and warmth in the local debut of The Church Basement Ladies in “You Smell Barn.” Running through May 15, the latest encounter with everyone’s favorite group of singing and joking Minnesotans is sure to put a smile on your face and a song in your heart. With all shows at the beloved Rock Island dinner theatre, this new musical comedy is being presented by an outstanding company of professional actors. The Church Basement... Read More

Happiness is…opening your first main show in over a year; starting a new jazz duo in a new intimate bar, planning for your first musical in far too long, and a new film series in the soaring theater space… The super talented husband-and-wife pair of Sara and Brent Tubbs – who own Moline’s Spotlight Theatre are pretty giddy at their recent good fortune. Last month, Sara (a veteran singer and actress) brought her new jazz lounge act with pianist/singer Mason Moss to christen the opening of the new Blueprint Bar and Lounge, in a previously unused (and totally renovated) room off the Spotlight... Read More

Due to Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker relaxing Covid-19 restrictions for indoor theaters, Quad City Music Guild will return to in-person audiences for its musicals starting in July with “Mamma Mia!” In its online Covid update at www.qcmusicguild.com, the Moline-based nonprofit theater said that “Mamma Mia” and “Matilda” will return to the Prospect Park theater (1584 34th Ave.) as scheduled for July and August. The state of Illinois is allowing indoor theaters with over 200 seats to have 25-percent capacity audiences, meaning a maximum of 133 people per performance at Music Guild. Theaters... Read More

Former Quad City Times David Burke reporter once referred to the cast of my production of Company as being “the cool kids lunch table” and if he were still reviewing shows in this area, he’d say the same and MORE about this cast. This is the new “cool kids lunch table.” James Driscoll. Jenny Winn. Sara Wegener. Tom Vaccaro. Matt Walsh. Mark Ruebling. Doug Kutzli. It’s like producers Lora Adams and David Miller broke into my brain and picked one of my dream team casts and put them on stage for the new Black Box Theater production of “Dick Tracy.” Unfortunately, they... Read More

There’s a sarcastic meme going around on TikTok in which a guy brags about making a million dollars in the “stonk” market. After a show of bluster and ego, he begins going into details on how he did it. He starts by showing off his portfolio of one million, and then says, “I started when my Dad loaned me two million, and a month later, after all my investments, I’ve got a million dollars!” It’s funny, but it’s also true. And it’s often overlooked when we’re considering people that the media tells us to regard as massive successes in the... Read More

What’s going on this weekend? Going out tonight and seeking some entertainment? Looking for a good time in the Quad-Cities this weekend? Every week we give you our podcast, Weekend in 2 Minutes, which may be a little longer than two minutes, but offers a quick listen for you to hear all about some of the awesome things going on in and around the area! Give it a listen below, and check it out every week, here on QuadCities.com… Quad Cities Weekend In 2 Minutes – March 18th, 2021  Read More

Playcrafters Barn Theatre is still searching for its happy ending. The 107-year-old former dairy barn (4950 35th Ave., Moline), used as a theater since 1960, has been shuttered for a year now due to Covid-19. Plans for a 2021 reopening were thrown out of whack with a Valentine’s Day disaster, as pipes froze and a valve ruptured during February’s spell of bitterly cold temperatures, flooding the entire first floor of the building and causing about $35,000 in property damage. “My wife and I were going out to late lunch, and I got a text from a board member,” Playcrafters board president Bruce... Read More