13 Aug 2018

Family Matters: “Next to Normal” at the Black Box Theatre through August 18

By Madeline Dudziak

Every once in a while, you see a show in which all the pieces click and it becomes greater than the sum of its parts. In the case of Next to Normal, currently running at the Black Box Theatre, the intimacy of the venue was reflected in the intimacy of the material, and as such, director Kyle Schneider’s dark musical was extremely moving.

06 Aug 2018

The Trouble with Harry/Harold: The Mississippi Bend Players’ “Beginner’s Luck,” at Augustana College through August 12

By Madeline Dudziak

When you see a show and your biggest “complaint” was that the wine was too purple, you know you’ve seen something special. The Mississippi Bend Players have brought their A-game to the stage with the world premiere of Beginner’s Luck, a comedy that's not afraid to ask the big question “What do you want from life?” and manages to be completely satisfying without actually delivering a resolution.

30 Jul 2018

Whines, Women, and Songs: Genesius Guild’s “Thesmophoriazusae,” at Lincoln Park through August 5

By Madeline Dudziak

Saturday night's performance of Thesmophoriazusae was a bit like the talent show at the end of summer camp. Featuring a lot of inside jokes, jabs at society as a whole, and many familiar faces, director Bob Hanske’s production serves as the wacky capstone to Genesius Guild’s summer of entertainment in Lincoln Park.

23 Jul 2018

ABBAcadabra! : “Mamma Mia!”, at the Circa '21 Dinner Playhouse through September 15

By Madeline Dudziak

I grew up listening to ABBA's Gold: Greatest Hits (thanks, Mom!), so I felt right at home at Friday’s opening-night performance of Mamma Mia! at the Circa '21 Dinner Playhouse. But loving the iconic ABBA is not a prerequisite to enjoying director/choreographer Michael Matthew Ferrell’s fun-filled production.

17 Jul 2018

Loan Survivors: Genesius Guild’s “The Merchant of Venice,” at Lincoln Park through July 22

By Madeline Dudziak

A real-life confession: I typically spend Sunday evenings at home watching Netflix, so spending it in Lincoln Park with Genesius Guild's production of The Merchant of Venice was a refreshing change. While it is known as one of William Shakespeare’s “problem plays,” and I would agree with that assessment, this performance was still a great way to forget thinking about Monday.

16 Jul 2018

Raisin D'être: “Clybourne Park,” at the Playcrafters Barn Theatre through July 22

By Madeline Dudziak

It’s not often that I walk away from a show thinking about who I am as a person and how I can do better. Yet that is exactly what happened Friday night after the Playcrafters Barn Theatre's production of Clybourne Park, and director Alexander Richardson should be proud of his thought-provoking, darkly comedic production that demands more of its audience than the usual area-stage fare.

09 Jul 2018

A Thrilling Combination: Quad City Music Guild’s “A Chorus Line,” at the Prospect Park Auditorium through July 15

By Madeline Dudziak

If you’ve never been privy to the theatre-audition process, you may not realize how intense and cut-throat an experience it can be, and as A Chorus Line – currently being presented at Quad City Music Guild’s Prospect Park Auditorium – teaches us, it’s not always about how talented you are; sometimes it’s merely who you know. But while that bias can be an unfortunate reality, Music Guild’s vast display of on-stage talent dazzles you into momentarily forgetting the injustice.

02 Jul 2018

Firestarter: Genesius Guild's “Prometheus Bound,” at Lincoln Park through July 8

By Madeline Dudziak

Heat-advisory warning notwithstanding, Genesius Guild's staging of Prometheus Bound in Rock Island’s Lincoln Park was an experience not to be missed. As with most Greek tragedies, there is a moral dilemma that can give audiences insight into their lives, and director Michael Callahan staged a meaningful production that remains relevant 2,500 years after it was was written. (Who would have guessed we’d still be battling tyrants?)

25 Jun 2018

Rockin' Role: “Hedwig & the Angry Inch,” at the Circa '21 Speakeasy through June 30

By Madeline Dudziak

There’s a new band in town – and they’re only around for two more nights. It’s Hedwig & the Angry Inch, and the Circa '21 Speakeasy is the perfect venue for a show that is simply a rock concert. With just enough Quad City references thrown in to make it seem like an actual tour, Hedwig (Anthony Natarelli) and her band (Kyle Jecklin on bass, Peter Letendre on drums, and Ben Kays on guitar) take you on a captivating musical recollection of the headliner's life.

25 Jun 2018

Ms. Dawn Goes to Washington: “Born Yesterday,” at the Timber Lake Playhouse through June 30

By Madeline Dudziak

Garson Kanin’s Born Yesterday was a Broadway hit in 1946, and while the subject matter holds up 72 years later, it isn’t strictly necessary that it does. While there are some parallels to be drawn from the Timber Lake Playhouse’s production and today’s society, the audience at Friday night’s performance didn’t seem to dwell on them, as director Chuck Smith put forth a straightforward comedy that elicited some chuckles but probably not intense political discussions.

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