The outstanding “Six Dance Lessons in Six Weeks” at Playcrafters shows us the essence of excellent live theater. Just two actors – with lots of costume changes, a varied musical soundtrack and dance styles – responsible for drawing and holding our attention for an entire story of two very different, colorful, strong-willed characters. With Playcrafters veterans Stephanie Naab and Adam Cerny playing (respectively) Lily, an aging but formidable retiree, and Michael, an acerbic and blunt dance instructor, we’re in the best possible hands. And with the meticulous, energetic dances choreographed... Read More

Playcrafters Barn Theatre (4950 35th Ave., Moline) has some well-known titles planned for both its Mainstage and Barn Owl season for 2022. The Mainstage season is as follows: “The Odd Couple” by Neil Simon, performing in February. “Agatha Christie’s A Murder is Announced” by Leslie Darbon, performing in May. “A Raisin in the Sun” by Lorraine Hansberry, performing in July (pending approval from Concord Theatricals). “Sylvia” by A.R. Gurney, performing in October. “12 Angry Jurors” by Sherman Sergel, performing in November. The 2022 Barn Owl season (emphasizing more alternative,... Read More

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

Playcrafters Barn Theatre continues its Barn Owl season with The Whistleblower’s Dilemma, an original dramedy written by Jim Sederquist, Bettendorf. The show will be presented Aug. 13th through Aug. 22nd at the Barn Theatre, 4950 35th Ave., Moline. Joe loves his community and the factory that his grandfather helped build from scratch. When Joe discovers the factory’s current owner is embezzling millions of dollars from the state, and setting Joe up to take the blame, Joe decides to take an unusual route: he makes the fraud bigger. Jackie is a star fraud investigator but frustrated with... Read More

Playcrafters Barn Theatre presents the world wide premiere of… The Whistleblower’s Dilemma by Jim Sederquist Rated PG for Adult Themes Dramedy Directed by Mike Turczynski Man finds fraud in factory. Fraudster frames man. Man conspires with friend on new fraud to frame fraudster and save factory. Concurrently, investigator suspects fraud in factory. Investigator invited by friend’s sister to visit town, but investigator’s manager forbids investigator from formally inquiring about fraud at factory. Man meets investigator. Can the man and the friend forestall the investigator who can’t... Read More

Playcrafters Barn Theatre is hosting auditions for our upcoming production of “You Can’t Take It With You”, directed by Vicki Deusinger, which will run November 12-14 and 19-21. Auditions will take place August 7th from 2-4PM and August 8th from 4-6PM at Playcrafters (4950 35th Ave Moline, IL), for casting information visit bit.ly/3i6Y2gu This show is rated “PG” and will feature 7 females and 12 males, those coming out to audition should be prepared to cold read from the script and will have possible callbacks after the Sunday auditions. If you’re interested in helping out... Read More

Playcrafters Barn Theatre, 4950 35th Ave., Moline, presents the Pulitzer-winning “The Piano Lesson” this weekend. The play, by August Wilson (1945-2005) is set in the 1930s of The Great Depression. Its discordant, clashing notes resolve in peaceful harmony that carry forceful lessons for our fractious times today. Directed by Kermit Thomas of Moline, part of Wilson’s epic “American Century Cycle,” in “The Piano Lesson,” it’s 1936, and Boy Willie arrives in Pittsburgh from the South in a battered truck loaded with watermelons to sell. He has an opportunity to buy some land down... Read More

Artists in Conversation is a weekly column running Wednesdays on QuadCities.com. It features a conversation with a local creator or creators going into their artistic process, projects and more. Get to know your local arts scene and local creators better on QuadCities.com with Artists In Conversation! If you’re a local creator and would like to be featured, please email us at Sean@QuadCities.com or Tristan@QuadCities.com! Kermit Thomas is a first time director at the helm of August Wilson’s “The Piano Lesson,” winner of the 1990 Pulitzer Prize for Drama, which opens  this weekend... Read More

If you’ve ever met Don Faust you’d know he’s one of the nicest, funniest and most positive blokes on this planet. So it comes with some shock and awe that this not-quite-but-sort-of-autobiographical play dives into a not-so-cheery part of his life that under some circumstances would disavow a gleeful demeanor. Leave it to Faust to rise way, way above a troubled and rather tortured past to treat others the exact opposite. I think that’s why the play hit me the way it did. It was personal. On a few levels. I have known Don for … who knows … maybe close to 20 years now and though... Read More

The new Bettendorf-based Double Threat Studios will debut its first production, “James and the Giant Peach Jr,” this weekend in three performances at Playcrafters Barn Theatre, 4950 35th Ave., Moline. “We have been lucky enough to be able to work with several local theaters to help support through the pandemic,” Double Threat co-owner Megan Warren said this week. The cast features 13 3rd-8th graders performing the full production – and students come from Davenport, Bettendorf, Moline, and Rock Island. The show is based on Roald Dahl’s book of the same name featuring essentially... Read More