For the first time since 1949, the sweet sound of music will not play in Prospect Park. Quad City Music Guild became the latest arts organization to cancel its summer 2020 season, due to the Covid-19 pandemic, it announced Wednesday. Following a March 13 decision to cancel the planned spring show, “The Secret Garden,” at Music Guild’s April 21 board meeting, they decided to cancel the three summer productions (all already cast) – “Spamalot,” “Mamma Mia!,” and “Matilda.” “Our hope is to bring you these three shows, along with our previously canceled spring production, ‘The... Read More

Joining the chorus of Covid-related theater closings, Rock Island-based Genesius Guild on Tuesday afternoon announced it is canceling its planned 2020 season.  “This is a decision that none of us took lightly – we have not canceled a season since the Genesius Guild started in 1956 – but we feel that it is the right call,” the nonprofit posted on Facebook.  “This decision protects the health of our audience, our cast who would begin rehearsing together in the next month, and our crew, who would have needed to begin working in the upcoming weeks to get the stage ready for the season to... 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