Embezzlement, fraud investigation, and misuse of state research and development reimbursements wouldn’t seem at first glance to make fertile ground for comedy and romantic sparks. But they say write what you know, right? Jim Sederquist, a 39-year-old accountant who lives in Bettendorf and loves to write, adds up his years of number-crunching in supremely suspenseful, entertaining fashion in his first full-length play, “The Whistleblower’s Dilemma,” given a top-notch production at Playcrafters Barn Theatre as part of its original Barn Owl season. “New work is an incredibly important part... Read More

Whenever a Saturday Night Live cast sketch gets adapted into a full length movie, seldom is it the case where a critic doesn’t make the remark “what was a successful fifteen minute sketch ran thin in this 2 hour movie.” In-Laws, Outlaws, and Other People That Should Be Shot played like a fifteen minute Saturday Night Live sketch that got stretched into a two hour play. And it worked. It was brilliant. The premise; the Douglas family is celebrating Christmas. The dad, Tom (Don Faust) has to run around finishing the whole meal while awaiting his wife’s return from Vermont. His feisty emo... Read More

One of the great pleasures about seeing a show at Quad City Music Guild, or any theatre for that matter, is the chestnuts. The easter eggs. The little chocolate nuggets. The moments that happen upstage, behind a group of people, that you notice because you’re like Bill Marsoun or me and you’re watching everybody up there. A Christmas Carol, produced by Music Guild and going up at Prospect Park Auditorium, is just that show. The show, which only had a one-weekend run Dec. 1-4, was a great echo of the perennial holiday classic, full of great inside moments. Tom Naab (Peter Pan, A Christmas Survival... Read More

I thought of The Notebook, Away From Her, and Still Alice while watching Flowers for Algernon at Richmond Hill Theatre. Directed by Dana Moss-Peterson, this production evoked memories of those three movies, all Directed by Dana Moss-Peterson, this production evoked memories of those three movies, all about Alzheimer’s patients and their respective spouses making the slow goodbye. Jonathan Grafft plays Charlie Gordon, a mentally challenged man of about 42 years age. He gets bullied at his job, in a bakery kitchen. But the meanness of the remarks sails over his head. He takes night classes. His... Read More