Saturday In The Arts is a comprehensive weekly feature looking at a trend, personality, or major subject involving the Quad-Cities arts and entertainment scene. No doubt, the last year was a crushing one for the arts and entertainment scene — both locally and nationally. But while it’s been an excruciating time in the short term, it could end up being a good thing, in the long run. Entertainment needed to die a little so it could be reinvented, and in forcing it to adapt, it’s creating something new and exciting. I’m not saying I’m thankful for this horrific pandemic but... Read More

Actor, director, writer, raconteur, mojito enthusiast and general man-about-town Tristan Tapscott has tackled the “Tiger King” phenomenon in the latest episode in his new comedy series of short videos, “Oh Geez, It’s Tristan Again…” for QuadCities.com. Watch and enjoy, as Tristan proves himself a multiple-threat, taking on the roles of Joe, Carole, and, yes, MORE, in this hilarious video, and stay tuned for more episodes of “Oh Geez, It’s Tristan Again…” on your site for fun, free, local entertainment and features, QuadCities.com! Oh,... Read More

“Hey, have you ever heard the one . . .” And that’s how it would usually begin. With a mischievous grin, a conspiratorial wink, and then that little aside, voiced down as if imparting some ribald secret, which, let’s face it, he usually was. That’s how Ed “Jonesy” Jones would greet me pretty much every time I walked in to Circa ’21 Dinner Playhouse in downtown Rock Island. Jonesy shuffled off to that spotlight in the sky on Tuesday, at age 92. He’d been retired from Circa for a few years, since 2014, although he was sorely missed. Jonesy was always one of my favorite elements... Read More

In March 2018, national film writer Connie Corcoran Wilson had the opportunity to interview former Quad-Cities filmmakers Scott Beck and Bryan Woods for her blog, http://www.weeklywilson.com. Connie currently regularly contributes to QuadCities.com and has offered us the chance to run her interview with them here. Two Q-C natives, Scott Beck and Bryan Woods, won over the SXSW Festival in Austin, Texas, this weekend as the film they wrote, “A Quiet Place,” opened the festival and wowed audiences. The duo began making films as teenagers in Bettendorf, moved on to create a number of short films... Read More

Two Q-C natives, Scott Beck and Bryan Woods, won over the SXSW Festival in Austin, Texas, this weekend as the film they wrote, “A Quiet Place,” opened the festival and wowed audiences. The duo began making films as teenagers in Bettendorf, moved on to create a number of short films that won regional acclaim and worked on a number of projects around the area (including short films with QuadCities.com co-owner Sean Leary and columnist Tristan Tapscott) before heading to Hollywood. After a decade on the coast, things have started to break in a huge way for them, and we were happy to meet up with... 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

“A straight line may be the shortest distance between two points, but it is by no means the most interesting.” –  Jon Pertwee Hey! Good to see you again! I’m happy to meet you, and me, actually. I hope you’re saying the same. After all, it’s been almost eight years since my last column. The previous one was published in the first week of 2009 and I’ve been on sabbatical ever since. Thanks, Obama. Actually, believe it or not, the president had very little to do with my leave of absence. I would’ve easily been able to sneak in my duties as a special ops secret agent guarding Air... Read More