The sun will come out . . . in November. At Music Guild. Quad City Music Guild is proud to announce the addition of the musical “Annie” to its 2017 Season. “Annie” will fill the slot of the Holiday show with performances beginning on November 29 running thru December 3rd. The Holiday show usually runs Thursday thru Sunday only, so please note the addition of a Wednesday evening performance on November 29th. “Annie” is the winner of 7 Tony Awards including Best Musical. It is based upon the popular Harold Gray comic strip Little Orphan Annie. Annie is taken from... Read More

The Augustana College Department of Theatre will be postponing their Black Box student-directed production of Stop Kiss until next season. This postponed performance was previously scheduled to run this weekend, April 6-9. The band She/Her will no longer be performing as part of the Stop Kiss production. More details on updated showtimes and further performance details will be forthcoming. The department’s next production will be Titanic: the Musical, playing April 28-30 and May 5-7. Directed by Erin Platt with music direction by Ron May, this production will include the talents of current... Read More

Circa ‘21’s “The Music Man” is a triumphant success. It’s a magnificent show, brilliant on so many levels, and is easily the best show I’ve seen in 2017… so far. Now, anyone who has followed me over the years knows that I’m not especially a fan of some of the “classic” musicals. They tend to be anachronistic and ridiculous in parts and borderline offensive in others if you actually look beyond the catchy tunes and pay attention to what’s going on. “The Music Man” is a notable exception to this. It’s got its racist and sexist elements that are certainly of its time, and... Read More

If you are a fan of Shakespere, Ancient Rome, or stage combat, Prenzie Players “Coriolanus” is a play you will definitely not want to miss. One of my professors at Augustana College is a performer in this production and he was able to give me a summary of the play, what role(s) he is cast in, and why people should come see it. “The story revolves around the proud noble (patrician) Roman Coriolanus, who is a courageous and skilled war leader, but also hates the common people (plebeians). It is the early Republic, with civic unrest and intense social conflict between rich and poor. Opposition... Read More

Now into it’s third week at Circa ’21 Dinner Playhouse in downtown Rock Island, THE MUSIC MAN is charming audiences and critics alike!  “We’ve had wonderful response to the show” said Brett Hitchcock – Director of Audience Development. Local critics have also enjoyed this delightful musical with such comments as “Music Man was Terrific” River Cities Reader; “The Music Man is a thrilling ride on board a veritable American (and Iowan) classic” Dispatch/Argus; and “Circa ‘21’s The Music Man is a triumphant success” quadcities.com. The... Read More

After 36 years, Davenport Junior Theatre’s Mary Fluhrer-Nighswander Theatre once again seeks key renovations. “We are replacing the theatre seating, installing new carpet, repainting the interior, repairing subflooring and more,” said DJT’s Artistic Director and alum, Daniel Sheridan. “We’ve made great use of this space over the last few decades. We pride ourselves in making our resources last. The time has come to ensure the theatre is in good working order for future generations of students.” Founded in 1951, Davenport Junior Theatre is the nation’s second-oldest children’s... Read More

Those familiar with the iconic stage and screen show, THE MUSIC MAN, may remember that the very first song performed in the show is titled “Rock Island.” It’s consequently fitting that this Tony-winning classic can be found in Illinois’ actual Rock Island when THE MUSIC MAN runs at the Circa ’21 Dinner Playhouse now through May 13.  An endearing musical romance that has charmed generations of fans, this timeless hit boasts numerous songs that have become cherished favorites, and is being brought to life by a spectacular cast of returning talents and Circa ’21 newcomers. THE... Read More

Circa ’21 Dinner Playhouse is pleased to announce auditions for their Spring 2017 children’s musical, Big Nate, The Musical. This new musical is based on the popular character created by Lincoln Pierce and will be a Quad Cities premier. Following a recent production in Washington, D.C., the critic from DC Theatre Scene noted that [Big Nate] is “bursting with energy and fun music, great lyrics and true to life comic strip characters. Big Nate, based on the familiar comic strip, is a rocking fresh bundle of raucous fun.” Auditions will be held Sunday, March 12th at 10 a.m. at the... Read More

Once a year, a magical and touching celebration of the human spirit unfolds at numerous theatres across the country, when children in The Penguin Project take to the stage to perform a modified version of a well-known Broadway musical. The Penguin Project of the Quad Cities will present its inaugural production, Annie Jr., March 3-5 in the Kim and Donna Brunner Main Stage Theatre at Augustana College. In The Penguin Project performances, roles are filled by young artists with developmental disabilities, including Down syndrome, cerebral palsy, autism and other neurological disorders. They are joined... Read More

Since 1951, Davenport Junior Theatre (DJT) has been making theatre “For Kids, By Kids.”  Ramona Quimby is the second show of DJT’s 65th season. Ramona Quimby, based on the classic children’s book series by Beverly Cleary, is a show about sisterhood and family.  For most families, life does not always go as planned; For the Quimby family it is no different. The story stretches over the course of one year, as everyone tries to balance school, life, work and family.  In the end, Beezus and Ramona come to learn that being sisters and being a family is pretty special. The show features a... Read More