Playcrafters Barn Theatre’s first production in 15 months, the new drama “Princeton’s Rage,” is deeply personal for both its Quad-Cities playwright and director. In the Don Faust play (rated R for language and adult content), Princeton Yale left his hometown of Chicago over 30 years ago, turning his back on an abusive past at the hands of his high school classmates and never looking back. But through a series of happenstances, Princeton’s past comes to pay him a visit, in the form of one of his former tormentors, Reece “Rage” Johnson, and more than just talk about “the... Read More

To say Rock Island made a colossal error in wasting $15 million to woo Walmart to 11th Street is a stunning understatement. But what’s perhaps saddest and most pathetic about it is its irony. Rock Island, like thousands of other cities across the country, will, at least once a year, pay lip service and throw promotional money at “small business weeks” and hollow pitches to “shop local.” City officials should’ve heeded their own advice in this matter. Aside from the property owners who were able to hit a stunning jackpot on selling their failed and crumbling 11th Street businesses at... Read More

Tristan Tapscott has always welcomed new creative ventures into his life, and with last week’s closing of District Theater after nine seasons, the former artistic director of that venue is sentimental about the past and proud of his accomplishments at that bastion while looking forward to the future. Recently, Tapscott sat down to talk about the District Theater, his performing and producing career, upcoming paths and more. Q: What was it like when you closed the theater? A: It was a very surreal moment for me. I spent the last nine years sacrificing everything for that place. I can’t yet... Read More

District Theater’s “Behanding in Spokane” is an absolute joy to experience, a dark, wonderful array of literary and theatrical twists and turns that’s exhilarating and fun. I very highly recommend it. Martin McDonagh is one of the most original voices in theater to emerge over the last 15 years. The closest comparison overall is Quentin Tarantino, in that McDonagh has a brilliant talent for dark, often violently dark, comedy and breaking barriers in regard to aggressive language in a way that’s both primal and intellectual. McDonagh’s closest comparison  stage-wise is David Mamet,... Read More

Is it Shop Small Business Week? I never pay attention. Because for me, and thousands of other Quad-Citians, every week is shop small business week. And honestly, that should always be the case. Local businesses aren’t just the economic and entrepreneurial life blood of an area, they offer you a world of new adventures you’re never going to find anywhere else. And if variety is the spice of life, the Quad-Cities offers you a pretty ample spice rack that’s full of delicious flavors for you to enjoy. Yeah, yeah, yeah, I know. I see your eyes rolling, “ANOTHER damn patronizing editorial about... Read More

The latest sketch comedy show in the Quad-Cities, “The Lunchbox: Live,” opens up its bag of goodies this weekend, offering short hits of comedic takes on various subjects from superheroes to politics to vaping – although perhaps all three could be included in one sketch if you see Hillary in a cape dipping to vape. You never know. You’ll have to show up to find out! “The Lunchbox: Live,” was created by local actor and comedian Anthony Natarelli. Natarelli has been a regular on The District Theatre and Speakeasy stages. He was last seen there as the transgender rocker, Hedwig, in “Hedwig... Read More

Their last offering may have offered a Woolf, but this one’s going to really have some sharp teeth. After rolling out a well-executed and stylish take on a classic, “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?”, the District Theater is offering a local debut by a notoriously darkly hilarious theatrical genius. “A Behanding in Spokane,” offered next up by the Rock Island hot spot from May 13-21 is by the award-winning Irish playwright Martin McDonagh, author of such masterworks as “The Pillowman,” which the District did a fantastic job producing, and “In Bruges,” which was made into a successful... Read More

We begin. Circa ’21 Dinner Playhouse. Quad City Music Guild. Playcrafters Barn Theatre. QC Theatre Workshop. New Ground Theatre. Prenzie Players. Genesius Guild. Center for Living. Richmond Hill Players. Opera Quad Cities. Ballet Quad Cities. Bottoms Up Burlesque. Countryside Community Theatre. The After Hour. Circa ’21 Speakeasy. The Blacklist. Backroom Comedy Theatre. My Verona Productions. Comedy Sportz. Establishment Theatre. Curtainbox Theatre Company. The District Theatre. …and on and on and on… To quote one of the most brilliant musicals of all time, Hamilton, “Look... Read More

One of the best parts about watching a bad movie is making snide, snarky comments about how awful it is. It’s even better when you’re with hilarious friends making those comments. The experience was successfully replicated and popularized by the TV show “Mystery Science Theater 3000,” and now local comedian and actor Anthony Natarelli has replicated it on the stage with his “Tony Goes To The Movies” gig, which returns this weekend for the fourth time to its lovely home at Rock Island’s District Theater, which looks amazingly like the old Rock Island Argus building, right down to the... Read More

District Theater’s “Moon Over Buffalo” is a charming trifle, a comedy of errors and misunderstandings and ensuing hijinks made most entertaining by the goofy performances of its cast, particularly its leads. It’s infectious fun, a “Three’s Company” episode writ large, fluffy and ephemeral but a sweet escapism. Written by Ken Ludwig, “Moon” rises with the setting suns of two fading stars of stage, Charlotte (Nancy Sheesley Teerlinck) and George (Michael Kelly), who are attempting to keep up with the rising medium of film and failing miserably. Distressed and salty over being passed... Read More