Hundreds of Quad-Cities arts, entertainment and leisure businesses and similar businesses statewide — including Rust Belt, Ballet Quad-Cities, RIBCO, Playcrafters, Black Box Theater and more — were given a helping hand today as Governor J.B. Pritzker announced more than $275 million for hard hit businesses across Illinois. Over 9,000 emergency assistance grants have been made to small businesses in over 600 cities and towns statewide through the Business Interruption Grants (BIG) program, according to the  Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO), making it the... Read More

Bethany Sanders is only 24 years old, but already has 21 years of dance experience  and is quickly gaining a reputation as a passionate teacher and choreographer. The Pleasant Valley High alum started taking tap and ballet lessons when she was 3 and hasn’t stopped moving since. “I absolutely loved it, and added theater to the game when I was 11,” Sanders said in a recent interview. After 5th grade, she started doing theater at Center for Living Arts in Rock Island, and her first musical was “Grease” in 2008, when she was 11, and she performed with Center for Living Arts through junior... Read More

Welcome back to our look back at the strange and apocalyptic journey that was the arts and entertainment scene of 2020. It was a year unlike any other, that’s for sure, and we at QuadCities.com are recapping it this year in a series of stories through Dec. 31, and then we’re going to have the entire series of stories sent to a licensed shaman, a priest, an exorcist, and Oprah, in the hope that they’ll bless the coming 2021 and put this year behind us. If you want to check out our recap of January and February (the “normal” months), click here; if you want to read about... Read More

Starting a new business is always a risky, challenging proposition. Starting one during a pandemic and a holiday season adds another level of worry. But best friends Steph DeLacy and Megan Warren are fearless and super enthused. Seven months after launching their weekly “Double Threat” podcast about musical theater, DeLacy (a 33-year-old choreographer/dance teacher) and Warren (a 26-year-old music director/vocal coach) are extending their brand to the new Double Threat Studios. The performing arts studio at 882 Middle Rd., Duck Creek Plaza, in Bettendorf, will open in early January, aiming... Read More

Seven months after launching their weekly “Double Threat” podcast about musical theater, choreographer/dance teacher Steph DeLacy and music director/vocal coach Megan Warren are extending their brand to the new Double Threat Studios. The performing arts studio at 882 Middle Rd., Duck Creek Plaza, in Bettendorf, will open in January, aiming to provide high-quality, comprehensive musical theater instruction for young performers in grades 3rd-12th. “We aim to encourage boldness, confidence, creativity, and community through performance,” the women posted Friday morning on Facebook. “Our... Read More

Many of us feel powerless during the relentless, unending onslaught of Covid-19, but Brent Tubbs is not taking it laying down. The co-owner of Moline’s Spotlight Theatre (with his wife Sara), Tubbs recently filmed and edited a special music video highlighting several Quad-Cities theaters – including his – that have been shuttered again due to the pandemic. Available at thespotlighttheatreqc.com, the three-minute video – set to the inspiring “From Now On” from “The Greatest Showman” — features many masked performers dancing outside local theaters. It is meant to be shared with... 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. If there was any doubt that Steph DeLacy and Megan Warren freaking love musical theater, just listen to one episode of their passionate, dishy “Double Threat: The Podcast.” You can immediately tell that DeLacy (a 33-year-old choreographer) and Warren (a 26-year-old vocal coach and music director) are best buds; have a sweeping, deep knowledge of Broadway history, and definite... Read More

EXCLUSIVE — Illinois Quad-Cities businesses have been notified by the state to begin preparing for a shutdown and covid mitigation procedures beginning Wednesday, multiple sources who asked not to be identified told QuadCities.com today. The sources are all local small business owners, and were notified last night so they could begin preparing. An official announcement from Illinois Governor JB Pritzker will be forthcoming Monday. According to the sources, there will be a number of mitigation actions put in place, including no indoor dining, limits to the number of people gathered in any... Read More

Make plans to experience the Spooky Spotlight Spectacular: A Halloween Cabaret, this Thursday Oct 29 and Friday Oct 30 at The Spotlight Theatre (1800 7th Avenue Moline). Doors open at 6 p.m. and the fun begins at 7 p.m. Featuring performances by local singers, this fun filled night of Spooky Songs will be the perfect night to get you into the mood of Halloween! Come in costume to be entered to win various prizes! Cost: $20 in advance / $25 at the door Bar and concession stand will be open! Seating is limited to 50 people and masks must be worn upon enter. Visit https://www.thespotlighttheatreqc.com/... Read More

This weekend, YouTube and the National Independent Venue Association are doing an awesome thing for local music venues nationwide, and I’m sure many of you have heard about the star-studded Save Our Stages Fest. It’s the kind of huge, publicity-grabbing event that gets a ton of attention with people in markets across the country. Which is a good thing, because it’s for a good cause, and it needs to get in front of a large group of people to make that positive impact. I do not begrudge that at all, and I wholeheartedly encourage people to check it out, and any other event of that... Read More