The downtown Moline Black Box Theatre presents Lauren Gunderson’s play “Natural Shocks.” Based on Hamlet’s “To be or not to be,” Natural Shocks is one act, tour-de-force that bursts to life when we meet a woman waiting out an imminent tornado in her basement. Angela, our fast-talking heroine, overflows with quirks, stories, and a final secret that puts the reality of guns in America in your very lap. The play is part confessional, part stand up, and part reckoning. The play deals with a difficult topic, and is not recommended for young children. The play’s production team includes:... Read More

The Black Box Theatre, 1623 5th Avenue, Moline, is holding auditions for Natural Shocks by Lauren Gunderson December 28 – 6:00-7:30 pm or by video submission. Show is directed by Roger Pavey Jr. About the play: “Angela is trapped in her basement, waiting out an approaching tornado. Though a self-proclaimed unreliable narrator, she begins to reflect on a lifetime of trauma, illuminating the truth behind her endangerment. Based on Hamlet’s famous “To be or not to be “soliloquy, NATURAL SHOCKS is a damning condemnation of violence, abuse, and firearms in America.” – Dramatists... Read More

The Black Box Theatre in downtown Moline rolls out the baby carriage for “Motherhood: The Musical,” because having a baby is just the beginning…motherhood is for life. In the original play written by Sue Fabisch, four women share their insights, challenges and pleasures at a baby shower. In 90 minutes of fun, you’ll get a peek into the powerful friendship of Amy, a soon-to-be first-time mom; Brooke, a hard-working lawyer; Barb, a stressed-out mother of five; and Tina, a single mom seeking to balance work, her family and her divorce. Motherhood is a funny, yet loving look at being a mom... Read More

Another round of auditions for the Black Box Theatre’s production of All Is Calm is scheduled for September 17 from 1:00 to 2:30. The all accapella sung musical is written by Peter Rothstein with vocal arrangements by Erick Lichte and Timothy C. Takach and tells the story of The Western Front in World War I, Christmas, 1914. Out of the violence a silence, then a song. A German soldier steps into No Man’s Land singing “Stille Nacht.” Thus begins an extraordinary night of camaraderie, music, peace. A remarkable true story, told in the words and songs of the men who lived it. All Is Calm... Read More

The Black Box Theatre is producing My Brother’s Gift as a part of the Out of Darkness: Holocaust Messages for Today  (outofdarknessqc.com) Designed and directed by Black Box co-founder Lora Adams. The production features Patti Flaherty as Adult Eva. Wrigley Mancha as young Eva, Charles Thomas Budan as Heinz, Jennifer Cook Gregory as Mutti, Mischa Hooker as Pappy, Ben Bergthold as Herman, Paige Jackson as Sanna and Lily Critchfield as Mrs. Jansen. This production will be taped and air on WQPT in November 2023. “One of the challenges in directing this play for stage knowing that it... Read More

Shakespeared returns to The Black Box Theatre TONIGHT at 7:30 pm.  The improvisational comedy show features a cast who create a long-lost Shakespearean play using suggestions from the audience. Tickets are $10 and available through theblackboxtheatre.com or at the door.      Read More

The Black Box Theatre is excited to bring two premiere’s to the area. Auditions for Ride the Cyclone and All Is Calm will take place in May. Ride the Cyclone is a musical with music, lyrics and book by Jacob Richmond and Brooke Maxwell, and tells the story of the members of the St. Cassian High School chamber choir of Uranium City, Saskatchewan, who perish on a faulty rollercoaster called “The Cyclone”. Each tells a story to win the reward of a mechanical fortune teller — the chance to return to life.  The BBT production will be directed and choreographed by Shelley Cooper. Auditions take... Read More

The Black Box Theatre is excited to bring two premiere’s to the area. Auditions for Ride the Cyclone and All Is Calm will take place in May. Ride the Cyclone is a musical with music, lyrics and book by Jacob Richmond and Brooke Maxwell, and tells the story of the members of the St. Cassian High School chamber choir of Uranium City, Saskatchewan, who perish on a faulty rollercoaster called “The Cyclone”. Each tells a story to win the reward of a mechanical fortune teller — the chance to return to life.  The BBT production will be directed and choreographed by Shelley Cooper. Auditions... Read More

The Black Box Theatre located in downtown Moline features the thriller, Veronica’s Room by Ira Levin on Friday and Saturday night. “Most people know Ira Levin for ‘Rosemary’s Baby’ and ‘Veronica’s Room’ is just as thrilling,” said director Lora Adams. The synopsis for the play states “This chilling mystery thriller by the author of Rosemary’s Baby explores the thin line between fantasy and reality, madness and murder. Students Susan and Larry find themselves as guests enticed to the Brabissant mansion by its dissolute caretakers the lonely Mackeys. Struck by Susan’s strong... Read More

The latest production at Moline’s intimate Black Box Theatre isn’t one necessarily to be enjoyed, but is a terrifying thriller – tailor-made for fans of suspense, mystery and horror. The whiplash-inducing, psychological roller-coaster “Veronica’s Room” (1973) truly puts the “black” in Black Box. Director and co-founder Lora Adams warns as much in her brief introduction to the exhilarating, hard-to-watch four-actor play by the demented genius Ira Levin (1929-2007) — author of “Rosemary’s Baby,” “Deathtrap,” “The Stepford Wives” and “The Boys From Brazil.” “I... Read More