Enabling visitors to explore the remarkable ways in which animals across 500 million years have adapted armor for survival, and how these adaptations continue to inspire human innovation, the traveling exhibition Animal Armor takes residence in Davenport's Putnam Museum & Science Center through February 15, the fascinating exhibit exploring the evolutionary battle between protection and predation.
This spring, Iowa will host one of the world’s most recognized Holocaust-era cultural exhibitions as Violins of Hope launches a rare, two-month residency spanning multiple Iowa communities, an opening event for the program taking place at Davenport's Putnam Museum & Science Center on February 17.
On February 18, patrons of Galesburg's Orpheum Theatre are invited to discover a prehistoric world of astonishing and remarkably lifelike creatures of the past in the touring sensation Dinosaur World Live, with the astonishing sights on display including a Triceratops, Giraffatitan, Microraptor, Segnosaurus, and every child's favorite flesh-eating giant, the Tyrannosaurus Rex,
As Valentine's Month options go, Shakespeare's tale of thwarted love between a teenage Montague and Capulet is certainly devastatingly romantic. Those aware of its ending know it's also devastating, full stop. Yet as choreographer and Ballet Quad Cities Artistic Director Courtney Lyon understands, feeling bad about doomed love can, in this context, feel awfully darned good.
Presented by the Scottish-American Society of the Quad Cities, an eagerly anticipated evening of traditional pageantry and heritage returns to the Quad Cities in the 48th Robert Burns Night, the February 21 event at Bettendorf's Isle Casino Hotel boasting live music, delicious food, and a celebration of the 225-year-old Scottish tradition honoring Celtic legend Robert Burns.
Governor JB Pritzker announced a plan last week to “manage Illinois pension commitments through a set of proposals designed to build on the state’s recent fiscal progress and further reduce long-term risk for taxpayers and retirees.” The price tag, however, is already giving one legislative leader pause. And “fiscal progress” is not the reality when factoring in federal funds.
On January 22, 2026, the Scott and Muscatine GOP county parties co-hosted a 2026 Gubernatorial Primary Candidate Forum live in Eldridge, Iowa. The event was the first of its kind in Iowa's history and the first time any substantive questions were presented to Republican want to be governor candidates in a primary race in more than 20 years.
The ACLU's 63-page report released last month is a very valuable and exhaustive work product that every elected official who has an oath of office to uphold the state and federal constitution, and protect the governed who consented to have their rights protected, should read.
The top three Democratic U.S. Senate candidates faced off twice last week. The first debate wasn’t televised, so the live audience was quite small. The second debate was televised, so the audience was bigger. However, these debates don’t attract even a smidgen of the audience of presidential debates, when half the country often tunes in.
Illinois House Democrats were told last week that a state capital projects plan designed to assist Arlington Height’s bid to lure the Chicago Bears away from their Indiana stadium gambit would cost up to $895 million. None of the money would be used to directly build the new Bears stadium or the surrounding commercial district envisioned by the team’s ownership.
Kitty: In keeping with the feminist theme, the women were the ones driving this show.
Mischa: The three main actresses are all blessed with tremendous singing voices, and each one alternately becomes the center of attention in a series of impressive numbers.
With Barely There Theatre's latest presentation landing, as its company originator and playwright says, "just in time to be late for Valentine's Day," busy area-theatre participant (and Reader theatre reviewer) Alexander Richardson brings the world premiere of his first-ever script, word play, to Moline's Black Box Theatre February 19 through 28.
Director/choreographer Ashley Becher and musical director Ethan Hayward, alongside their wonderful crew and energetic, talented crème de la crème cast, elevate the solid script and score into the realm of delight.
Reviews by Rochelle Arnold, Jeff Ashcraft, Patricia Baugh-Riechers, Audra Beals, Pamela Briggs, Dee Canfield, Madeline Dudziak, Kim Eastland, Emily Heninger, Heather Herkelman, Kitty (née Israel) Hooker, Mischa Hooker, Paula Jolly, Victoria Navarro, Roger Pavey Jr., Alexander Richardson, Mark Ruebling, Mike Schulz, Joy Thompson, Oz Torres, Brent Tubbs, Jill Pearson Walsh, and Thom White.
A high-energy ensemble boasting some of the sharpest musical talents the area has to offer, 10 of Soul headlines a February 13 engagement in the Rust Belt's "Winter Jam 2026" concert series, their East Moline set sure to boast classic tunes from the genres of soul, funk, and blues, as well as a few funky arrangements of their own.
Performing locally as a Valentine's Day gift for fans of blues and roots music, the Massachusetts-based talents of GA-20 plats a February 14 concert at Rock Island's recently reopened RIBCO, the Blues Music Award nominees also recipients of the Boston Music Awards' "Blues Artist of the Year" citation every year from 2021 to 2025.
Returning to Moline with two spectacular Saturday-evening performances, the live, multi-sensory musical experience known as the Candlelight Concerts series enjoys its latest Quad Cities engagements at the city's First Congregational Church, the February 14 events boasting Tribute to Queen & More at 6:30 p.m. and Valentine's Day Special at 8:30 p.m.
Delivering a musical celebration of love under the baton of conductor Dr. Rossana Cauti, the Knox-Galesburg Symphony will present their ode to romance in A Symphonic Valentine, a night of iconic composers and unforgettable compositions taking place at Galesburg's Orpheum Theatre, appropriately, on February 14.
An evening of classic '80s rock is promised at Maquoketa's Ohnward Fine Arts Center on February 14 when the venue treats fans to a night with Bad Medicine, the exhilarating touring musicians who will deliver a first act of Bon Jovi hits and a second act of "Non Jovi" smashes, featuring favorites by the hard-rocking likes of Poison, Van Halen, and Guns N' Roses.
I had so much fun at Luc Besson's garish vampire yarn that I can easily imagine watching it again, this time with more than the one friend who joined me, and with all of us preferably looped out of our minds. That way, we'd at least come close to approximating Besson's vibe.
Going to the cineplex or staying in and streaming this weekend? Every Thursday morning at 8:15 a.m. you can listen to Mike Schulz dish on recent movie releases & talk smack about Hollywood celebs on Planet 93.9 FM with the fabulous Dave & Darren in the Morning team of Dave Levora and Darren Pitra. The morning crew previews upcoming releases, too. Or you can check the Reader Web site and listen to their latest conversation by the warm glow of your electronic device. Never miss a pithy comment from these three scintillating pundits again
Thursday, February 12: Discussion of Dracula, The Strangers: Chapter 3, The Alabama Solution, and The Wrecking Crew, and previews of "Wuthering Heights," GOAT, Crime 101, Good Luck Have Fun Don't Die, The Moment, and the 2016 Emilia Clarke rom-com Me Before You, playing this weekend at the Voy 61 Drive In Theatre. Yes: The drive-in is open. In February. Blame global warming.
Sam Raimi's latest is the ultimate “revenge on a horrible boss” comedy, one far nastier than Horrible Bosses itself, and like 9 to 5's empowered kidnappers, Rachel McAdams' marginalized, fed-up office drone is eminently worth cheering. Ma-a-aybe not when holding a knife dangerously close to her paralyzed employer's privates, but … . Oh, who am I kidding? Especially then.
With River Action sponsoring a rare double feature in its QC Environmental Film Series, the fascinating program for February at St. Ambrose University's Galvin Fine Arts Center features a pair of short documentaries: Kelp!, the Jury Award winner of the 2024 Wild & Scenic Film Festival, and The Green Buffalo, which details how the biggest strides in hempcrete construction are going down on one of the smallest Native American reservations.
Now playing at area theaters.
Boasting a vibrant collection of visual narratives from University of Dubuque students in the ART 367 Digital Photography course, the exhibition Mosaic Moments: Storytelling by Students will be on display in the university's Bisignano Art Gallery through February 13, each image designed to act as a distinct tile in a larger mosaic of storytelling.
Telling the story of Raven, an important trickster figure in Tlingit culture who transformed the world by bringing light to people via the stars, moon, and sun, Preston Singletary: Raven and the Box of Daylight will be viewable at Davenport's Figge Art Museum from February 14 through August 2, with the tale of Raven releasing or "stealing" the daylight one of the most iconic stories of the Tlingit people of Southeast Alaska.
Works by a gifted area artist and educator will, through February 20, be on display in the Morrisey Gallery of Davenport's St. Ambrose University, the exhibition 50 Years and Counting: Paintings by Brad Bisbey showcasing the talents of the 1976 St. Ambrose graduate who is a signature member of the National Society of Painters and teaches acrylic painting at Davenport's Figge Art Museum.
Taking as its inspiration a beloved television series starring Lynda Carter, visual artist Dara Birnbaum's Technology/Transformation: Wonder Woman will be on view in Davenport's Figge Art Museum from February 21 through August 16, the video one of the best-known creations from the talent who borrowed imagery and sound to compose powerful, politically charged video works.
With the artist exploring art's role as a record of his own humanity and his fascination with how discarded material can tell the story of one’s life, John Hunting Hansen's exhibition Toil is on display through February 27 at St. Ambrose University's Catich Gallery.
You'll get both the current official narrative challenge and What's Happenin' in the Quad Cities.
(Did you know we publish a new Real Astrology and RCR Crossword every week?)
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