Aristophanes’ classic comedy “Ecclesiazusae” will close the Genesius Guild’s 2019 season with performances at 8 p.m. on July 27 & 28 and August 3 & 4 at the Don Wooten Stage in Lincoln Park, Rock Island. Ecclesiazusae is a perfect example of Aristophanes’ sharp wit and political commentary, with the jokes updated to cover modern-day themes. Performances are free. Aristophanes was a familiar and upsetting figure in classical Athens with his knack for writing plays that needled local authority figures. In “Ecclesiazusae,” Aristophanes turns the local... Read More

The Genesius Guild will present The Tempest by Shakespeare on June 15, 16, 22, and 23. Performances start at 8:00 p.m. at the Lincoln Park Classic Theatre in Rock Island. Admission is free. The Tempest is thought to be one of the last plays that Shakespeare wrote without collaborating with other authors. Beneath the comic themes about a ship crew stranded on the enchanted island, the show explores themes of family, betrayal, and forgiveness. Many scholars believe that Shakespeare wrote himself into this work. Prospero, the magician at the center of the show, engineers events to create the world... Read More

The Genesius Guild will present “The Merchant of Venice,” opening on Saturday, July 14 at 8 p.m. in Lincoln Park, Rock Island, IL. The production will also be performed Sunday, July 15 and the following weekend, July 21 and July 22 at 8 p.m. All performances are free and open to the public. “The Merchant of Venice” is a play often studied in high school and college, but rarely performed onstage in the United States. The script includes some challenging content, but its powerful message about how humans treat people from different backgrounds remains highly relevant today. While... Read More

It’s not summer without Genesius Guild, and the venerable local theater company begins its latest round of theater in the park shows this weekend after debuting its performance schedule with Ballet Quad Cities’ Ballet Under the Stars in Rock Island’s Lincoln Park last weekend. The 2018 summer series includes nineteen performances of five productions, including ballet, Shakespeare, and classic Greek drama. All performances are offered free of charge in Lincoln Park, Rock Island. It is the only community program of its kind in the country (www.genesius.org). Shows always begin at 8 p.m. This... Read More