It feels like a broken record, but it’s a broken record that keeps playing on the jukebox of 2020 and into 2021 – we NEED some good news! With everything negative happening in the world right now, we need positive news more than ever! That’s why, every month, we give you What’s The Good News? a look around the Quad-Cities at the positive things happening in our community. We run the column here on QuadCities.com, and in conjunction with our media partners at KWQC-TV6’s “Paula Sands Live,” I go on PSL to chat about some of the awesome things we list here. So, need some good news? We’ve... Read More

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

It’s time for our look back at the year that was in arts and entertainment, 2020. Every day between now and New Year’s Eve, Dec. 31, we’ll be posting a story painting the big picture on the year, a couple months each day. We hope you enjoy the look back, and let’s all hope for a happy new year and a much, much, much, much better 2021! Here’s today’s installment, where we look at the longest month of the year, and probably the decade, that being MARCH OF 2020. I think if there’s a time during the year that encapsulates 2020, it’s this time. March was complete and... Read More

Saturday In The Arts is a weekly look at a personality, place, trend or topic of interest to the Quad-Cities. It runs every Saturday morning on your site for fun, free, local entertainment and features, QuadCities.com. Tom Vaccaro is seven years older than the beloved TV/film actor Michael J. Fox, but it was just a year ago that the Davenporter was diagnosed with the disease that’s long affected Fox – Parkinson’s. The veteran actor-musician-illustrator (who was featured in the Black Box Theatre’s radio play in August) thinks he had symptoms of Parkinson’s disease (PD) before he was diagnosed... Read More

Playcrafters Barn Theater has announced they’ll be cancelling the rest of their 2020 season due to covid-19 complications and concerns. The Moline theater released the following statement on their website today: We at Playcrafters Barn Theatre must sadly announce that we are officially postponing the remainder of our 2020 season. The health and safety of our volunteers and patrons must always come first, and after much deliberation, we have concluded that it will not be possible for us to safely rehearse and perform the rest of this season’s shows while the coronavirus pandemic continues... Read More

Many people have gotten used to working from home during the seemingly endless period of quarantine. Anthony Natarelli is even bringing theater and improv comedy to his home. The irrepressible 26-year-old Rock Islander, who lives in an apartment above the Circa ’21 Speakeasy, 1818 3rd Ave., livestreamed an improv show there June 27, and later this month will act in a two-man play to be shown online as part of his $1 Producer Project. “We’re keeping it small casts,” Natarelli said recently. “The highest number of people that will ever be in here will be five people in the entire apartment.... Read More

Are you a local performer, theatrical actor, theater, or arts organization? We’re looking to provide you a virtual stage on the QuadCities.com site and social media! With covid rampaging, we know it’s a crazy time and we want to showcase your organization. No one can come to you but that doesn’t mean you can’t come to them. Along those lines, we’re producing a Virtual Cabaret called The Show Must Go On(line) and we want you to be part of it! The “live” event will air on our Facebook page on Friday, August 14 at 7 p.m. Submissions are due Friday, August 7 by 7 p.m. Use WeTransfer... Read More

Joining Music Guild, Countryside, Genesius Guild and a number of others, Playcrafters Barn Theatre in Moline has canceled their summer shows due to concerns over coronavirus. The pandemic has now nearly wiped clean the local theater slate for the summer, with only Moline’s Black Box Theater not having announced cancellations, and Circa ’21 holding out any hope of salvaging shows, hoping to still be able to stage “Saturday Night Fever” at some point. Playcrafters announced the following on their Facebook page today: Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and for the safety... Read More

It is that time of year again for the Playcrafters Barn Theatre Bazaar! This year’s Annual Bazaar! Kid’s Carnival will take place this Sunday Aug 25 from 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. at Playcrafters Barn Theatre (4950 35th Avenue Moline). Bring the entire family out for craft vendors, carnival games, raffles, bake sale, lemonade stand, a bounce house and a DUNK TANK! New this year is a Pie Eating Contest, as well! Signs ups will take place prior to the contest. Tickets will be sold at the event for the all attractions and games and there will be a small entry fee for the pie eating contest. For more... Read More

The controversial and risqué romantic drama and dark comedy “Some Girls,” by provocative author Neil LaBute, will be performed at 7:30 Thursday through Saturday, May 24-26 at Playcrafters Barn Theater, 4950 35th Ave. The show, Starring Adam Cerny, Sydney Dexter, Alex Richardson, Pamela Crouch and Alice Guzman, involves a writer whose career is blossoming, who is celebrating as his beautiful, young fiancée is waiting to get married and rush off to Cancún by his side, who gets nervous and starts calling up old girlfriends. And so begins a single man’s odyssey through four hotel rooms,... Read More