ROCK ISLAND – Yenework Munson has come a long way in her short life so far. Just shy of 7, the Rock Island girl was adopted by Tony and Lindsey Munson from the African nation of Ethiopia in 2013. But she’s made an even bigger journey – within herself – in the past 18 months. Lindsey feels that difference in Yene’s life has been provided mostly by the Center for Living Arts, at 220 19th St., and its owners, Dino and Tina Hayz. Yene (along with dozens of other area kids) were looking forward to putting on “High School Musical, Jr.,” with three separate casts, but the spring show has... Read More

Moline’s Spotlight Theatre is putting the spotlight on a live online chat with Mara Davi today! At noon Friday, April 3rd, Artistic Director Sara Tubbs sits down (virtually) With Mara Davi and takes your questions live on the Spotlight Facebook page! Mara played the role of Maggie in the Broadway revival of A Chorus Line, in 2006. She joined The Drowsy Chaperone on Broadway in 2007 succeeding Sutton Foster in the lead role of Janet van de Graaff. In 2008, she was featured in the premiere of the musical stage version of The Band Wagon at the Old Globe Theatre in San Diego. She was in New York’s... Read More

Circa ’21 is returning! Well, online at least. The Rock Island dinner theater will return at 7 p.m. Sunday with a virtual cabaret on the Circa ’21 Facebook page. Circa posted the following today: Who’s missed us?! We’ve certainly missed you! We know you can’t go anywhere but that doesn’t mean the entertainment has to stop! Tune in on Sunday to see some of the super talented Bootleggers and other performers belting out some show tunes, playing some classic rock and everything in between in our virtual cabaret! It’s all going to be right here on Facebook! See you Sunday night... Read More

Another area theater has been sunk by the coronavirus. The 2020 season for the Clinton Area Showboat Theater 2020 season has been completely cancelled, theater officials announced Sunday in an e-mail. The theater’s season included “Big River, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn,”  “The Addams Family,” “Barefoot in the Park,” “Always… Patsy Cline” and “Greater Tuna.” “The decision was made Saturday morning, March 28, 2020, after a lengthy discussion about shortening the season or canceling it totally,” said Showboat President Neil Luker. “The... Read More

“I don’t know what I’m going to do.” His voice, usually brash and loud, is quiet and cracked. “I mean, I’m depressed. Obviously, it sucks, because the money is a big thing. It’s not just me playing out. My wife is a waitress and bartender, and I’m a bartender a couple nights a week. That’s just extra. But we need it.” They have a couple of kids. They have five jobs between them. Or, well, they used to. Now they have one. His. His “day job,” he used to call it. Now it’s their only lifeline to an income that was way too small for them all to live on, but which now has to... Read More

Spotlight Theater is putting the spotlight on actor/comedian Hal Lublin for an online chat 1:30 p.m. Friday. Producing Director Brent Tubbs sits down (on the internet) with Actor/ Comedian Hal Lublin for an hour-long conversation. One of the hosts of “Good Morning Night Vale”, “We Got This with Mark and Hal” and “Tights and Fights” on the Maximum Fun Network, Hal Lublin is an accomplished actor and improviser. Best known for his work as one of the core WorkJuice players in “The Thrilling Adventure Hour” and Steve Carlsberg on “Welcome to Night... Read More

T.S. Eliot had it all wrong. In “The Waste Land,” the poet wrote “April is the cruelest month.” Well, five days before we can kick it into the dustbin of history, it’s safe to say that dishonor now belongs to March. At least March 2020, which has seen one bone-crushing loss after another for many around the world, me especially. Just one of the latest is from our beloved Quad-Cities theater community – of which I’ve been honored to share as longtime arts reporter for the Dispatch/Argus (and later Quad City Times), as well as piano accompanist and occasional stage performer. The singular... Read More

Ballet Quad Cities School of Dance is offering a variety of dance and yoga classes using the app Zoom beginning March 24th.  Additional information about the faculty is on the web site Ballet Quad Cities, click on the school link.  For more information on how to register please call 309 786 2677 SCHEDULE FOR MARCH 24-31 Monday: 3:30-4:30 Yoga/Barre All Levels- Families welcome!!! Everyone in the household can join in 4:45-6:15 Ballet 5/6 (10-13 years old) 6:30-8:00 Ballet 7 (13-18 years old) Tuesday: 3:00-3:45 Tap 3/4 (7-9 years old) 4:00 -5:15 Ballet 4 (8 and 9 years old) 5:30-6:30 Ballet 3... Read More

Get ready for even more streaming and Blu Rays. The Moline movie theater is shutting down due to the coronavirus. According to an e-mail release sent out tonight, Regal Cinemas, which operates 543 locations in the United States, will be shutting down all of its movie theaters starting Tuesday due to the coronavirus pandemic. The release from the company states the following: “Starting Tuesday, March 17, 2020, all Regal theatres will remain closed until further notice as a precaution amid the current circumstances. It’s our goal to provide a safe and healthy environment for our employees... Read More

Jonathan Turner lives in Bettendorf and was a longtime reporter for The Dispatch and Rock Island Argus. He holds degrees in music from Oberlin College and Indiana University, and served as assistant music director for Music Guild’s production of “The Secret Garden.” Jonathan recently joined the QuadCities.com team and will review theater and performance and offer commentary and reporting on the local arts scene. His first story for our site details his experience with “The Secret Garden,” which was among the many local arts offerings devastated by the cancellations due to the... Read More