Bob Williams absolutely loved theater, Quad City Music Guild and his family – to the point where Music Guild and his family became one. In an unrelentingly awful year, which has seen the Prospect Park theater in Moline go dark for the first time since 1949, the Guild family endured another bone-crushing loss Sunday, as Williams (a veteran director) died suddenly from a massive heart attack at age 61. “We are all in shock. It will take some time for the loss to become real,” longtime Music Guild volunteer Cathy Marsoun said Sunday night. “Bob brought so much to Guild. First, his great theatrical... Read More

DAVENPORT — A 138-year-old play by the Norwegian master Henrik Ibsen holds painfully relevant lessons for our chaotic 2020 political climate. In a 2019 adaptation of “An Enemy of the People,” a battle between public health concerns and economic prosperity plays out in the public sphere between concerned citizens and leaders of the local government. The unique radio-play production, by the St. Ambrose University Theatre Department, will be presented this weekend and next on KALA 88.5 FM and online HERE. The new adaptation was written by Tom Isbell, a theater professor at University of... Read More

David Burke is the former Entertainment Editor for the Quad City Times, and generously offered to review ‘Lonely Planet’ for Anthony Natarelli, and allow us to publish his review as an Arts And Entertainment Correspondent for QuadCities.com. You can check out his most recent work as an arts writer for the Wichita Eagle here. My seat for the theater was my comfy recliner in Kansas. The proscenium was the size of my Kindle. Theater, like many other aspects of life in 2020, is slowly emerging from its pandemic-contained cocoon. It’s forced those who already creative in their vocation... Read More

With so many people working from home and so many artists left to scramble during this interminable pandemic, it makes perfect sense that Rock Island-based actor Anthony Natarelli would do a play from home. Presented under his three-year-old $1 Producer Project, the irrepressible 26-year-old is offering the haunting, elegiac “Lonely Planet” (1993) by Steven Dietz, from his apartment above the Circa ’21 Speakeasy, livestreamed in three performances this weekend. The play’s content is also depressingly appropriate for our times. And though Natarelli has directed and co-stars in the intimate... Read More

The Black Box Theatre in downtown Moline presents “Three Viewings” by Jeffrey Hatcher, opening on Thursday, September 24. “We decided to visit Jeffrey Hatcher again,” said co-founder Lora Adams. The Black Box opened the theatre four years ago with “Murderers” by Hatcher and recently produced “Turn of the Screw.” “Looking for pieces that allow us to follow safety protocols for both our actors and audience has taken some thinking and once again, Jeffrey Hatcher has provided the answer,” said Adams. “Like ‘Murderers’ this is a tryptic of monologues and they are both hilarious... 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

The staggering Covid-19 pandemic has forced most of us to lean on friends and alcohol to cope, and though we can’t (or shouldn’t) physically hug, the return of Circa ‘21’s mainstage aims to provide an emotionally comforting embrace. The historic dinner theater (1828 3rd Ave. Rock Island) opens its first main production Wednesday since theaters everywhere closed in mid-March, with the Quad-City premiere of “The Savannah Sipping Society.” Running Sept. 9 through Nov. 7, this new hilarious and heartwarming comedy is written by the team of Jones Hope Wooten, the authors of such previous... Read More

Shelley Cooper grew up glued to the Golden Age of Broadway (roughly between 1930 and 1960), and many of those shining shows were ruled by two towering female talents – Mary Martin and Ethel Merman. The lives and songs of Martin (1913-1990) — vulnerable, dainty, and lovely – and Merman (1908-1984) — brassy, unapologetic, and bold, will be highlighted in a new one-woman show by Cooper, a 34-year-old musical theater professor at Augustana College. “Mary and Ethel: How I Learned to Sing” will include new medleys arranged by Quad-City music director, Mason Moss, in two shows at 7... Read More

Less than a week after it was posted on Change.org, roughly 2,500 people have a signed a petition protesting potential removal of the theater major at St. Ambrose University, Davenport. The petition to the Board of Trustees says that due to economic concerns, the private SAU is considering eliminating the theater major and converting it to a minor. “Removing the theatre major will rob many students of opportunities to take classes that will help them to develop and hone essential skills within and outside of the theatre world,” says the page, started Aug. 28 by SAU student Erika Seabloom. Ambrose... Read More

Ballet Quad Cities’ Ballet on the Lawn was so nice, they’ve decided to do it twice. The latest show, with all new choreography, will take place at 1, 3 and 5 p.m. Sept. 20 at the Outing Club, 2109 Brady St., Davenport. Enjoy the atmosphere of the 125 year old, member–owned, private club for a unique and beautiful dance production by Ballet Quad Cities. Professional dancers will transform the lawn at The Outing Club into a magical setting! Find your picnic spot with friends and family and connect through the arts. Bring your chairs and blankets – there is plenty of room to spread... Read More