Theatre
Gashlycrumb Orphanage and Chicago Shorties
Rockridge High School
Thursday, December 17, 7 p.m.
The Center for Living Arts
Friday, December 18, 7 p.m.
Nearly every local friend I have is antsy for that eternally promised passenger-rail service to and from Chicago, and among those friends, all the ones who are also active in stage productions say variants of the same thing: "It'd make seeing Chicago theatre so-o-o much easier." Well, we still don't have that train. But the week before Christmas, we'll at least get a momentary respite from our complaining, because Chicago theatre is coming to us.
Specifically, what's coming is a pair productions courtesy of the touring company A.O. the Traveling Trunk Show composed of Windy City performers Michele Stine and Scott Ray Merchant. They'll be presenting their two-person entertainments Gashlycrumb Orphanage and Chicago Shorties at Rock Island's Center for Living Arts on December 18, with Gashlycrumb also being performed as a one-act event at Taylor Ridge's Rockridge High School on December 17. The area stops constitute something of a homecoming for Stine, as the Andalusia native was a student at both.
"Rockridge is my alma mater," says Stine during out recent phone interview, "and I was at the Center six or seven years ago. I did High School Musical there with them, and it was an amazing experience. [Co-owners] Dino and Tina Hayz are such lovely human beings, and they really know how to talk to students and educate them and inspire them to continue their education the arts."
Stine's own theatrical education is certainly continuing via A.O. (which stands for "American Odyssey"), as she and Merchant - "romantic partners as well as business partners," she says - officially began this performance-based touring endeavor only a few months ago.
"Scott and I have been together for coming up on two years," she says, "and in about March of this year, we started really brainstorming about things we wanted to do. We were going, 'What if we traveled the country? Wait, what if we got to perform and travel the country? What if we got to do all of this amazing art that we admire and respect while we perform and travel the country?'"
As Gashlycrumb and Chicago Shorties will demonstrate, the art that Stine and Merchant wanted to explore included a little bit of everything - acting, storytelling, dance, music, puppetry, pantomime, clowning, sketch comedy - blended into an immersive experience for audiences. "And we really hoped to create a cross-country conversation of theatre," says Stine. "So most of August and September was me in a coffee shop looking at the cities we knew we wanted to go, and researching what their theatre scenes were like, and trying to decide the best matches for what we had to offer. This whole project has been very do-it-yourself.
"Of course, we couldn't afford to pay rental costs," she continues. "And our goal was just to make a little bit of money to help fuel our gas tank and get us to the next city. What we hoped was that these places would do door-splits with us - and that's pretty much what we've been doing this whole time."
As Stine's and Merchant's first A.O. the Traveling Trunk Show engagement took place on September 27, they've also been doing remarkably well, considering they've thus far performed in Detroit, Philadelphia, Washington, D.C., San Antonio, Denver, and Richmond, among other major American cities. "It's a very fresh, new experience, that's for sure," says Stine. "It was one of those things that started small and kind of snowballed into this big project."
Describing their Quad Cities shows, Stine says that the 50-minute Gashlycrumb, as its title implies, "is loosely based on The Gashlycrumb Tinies by Edward Gorey," the darkly satirical 1963 book that tells of children's untimely deaths in rhyming couplets. "It was created by Chicago artists Lacy Katherine Campbell and Jeff Trainor and it's about two orphans - Rowena and Thaddeus - who've taken over their orphanage. It uses a lot of different mediums as far as puppetry and dance and poetry. It's dark, kind of Tim Burton-esque, but also high-energy and a lot of fun."
As for Chicago Shorties, "that was created by Aileen McGroddy, Scott, and myself, and it's kind of the brainchild of all the weird things we've always wanted to do on a stage while still creating a cohesive story. It follows the general trajectory of a relationship - like how you first meet, and then you're attracted to each other, and then you have your first fight, and then you know each other's kitchen routines and how to maneuver around each other ... .
"But then, while this relationship is being discovered, it's being intercepted by another relationship - the one between the characters and the audience. One of the humans really loves the audience, and the other is terrified of them. And the whole thing is done with a lot of high-octane energy and pantomime."
Stine adds that the productions are best suited for middle-school-aged viewers and older, which makes them ideally housed at the local schools in which she herself found early theatrical inspiration. "I just hope when audiences see the show," she says, "they realize and remember how fun it is to be inside a story and to be engaged in the storytelling. And I hope they walk away with big ol' smiles on their faces."
The A.O. the Traveling Trunk Show performances will begin at 7 p.m. for both Rockridge's December 17 Gashlycrumb Orphanage and the Center for Living Arts' December 18 two-fer of Gashlycrumb and Chicago Shorties, and more information is available by calling (309)798-6834 or visiting AOTheTrunkShow.com.
Music
DICKIE
Rozz-Tox
Thursday, December 10, 8 p.m.
Danielle Nicole
The Redstone Room
Saturday, December 19, 8 p.m.
If you checked out the Reader's recent Winter Guide edition, you may have run across an article detailing just how many holiday concerts were taking place this month - roughly 700 words worth of 'em, in fact. But if you're a music lover who's actually looking for some respite from seasonal tunes, you still have plenty of excellent area options, including two concerts by artists who released their debut albums in 2015: Rozz-Tox's December 10 engagement with the roots/pop duo of DICKIE, and the Redstone Room's December 19 booking with former Trampled Under Foot performer Danielle Nicole. Of course, you can't spell "Nicole" without "noel," and at Christmas parties, my dad has been known to occasionally wear a dickie ... .
This capitalized DICKIE, however, is composed of songwriter/guitarist Dick Prall and violinist Kristina Priceman, and the pair's self-titled CD was released in early August. Blending gorgeous instrumentals with Prall's signature storytelling technique, DICKIE - as recent reviews have underscored - is quickly becoming well-regarded for exquisitely evocative alt-pop arrangements as lyrically brilliant as they are musically satisfying. MusicExistence.com raves that DICKIE is "full of supremely crafted and masterfully executed tunes" and "one of the finest debut albums of this year," and the Chicago Sun-Times called the duo's stylings "a brand of rootsy power-pop that is smart, introspective, and filled with great hooks."
As the lead vocalist and bass player for the chart-topping soul and blues outfit Trampled Under Foot, Danielle Nicole is certainly no stranger to outstanding notices, either - nor to the awards circuit. Her tenure with the band found Nicole and her fellow musicians winning the 2008 International Blues Challenge and the "Contemporary Blues Album of the Year" category at the 2014 Blues Music Awards. And if reviews for the artist's March EP Danielle Nicole and September solo CD Wolf Den are any indication, she may have to clear wall or mantle space to make way for a few more citations. According to Blues Blast magazine, Danielle Nicole is "all top-shelf stuff" that proves the artist "one of the best blues singers out there today," while BluesRockReview.Bandcamp.com states that Wolf Den "gives Nicole a chance to showcase her soulful vocals atop an undercurrent of funky guitar."
So them's our players - how well do you know their output? Let's find out! Which of the following six songs can be found on DICKIE's self-titled debut, and which on Danielle Nicole's Wolf Den debut?
1) "Back to the Moon"
2) "Just Give Me Tonight"
3) "Pop Pop Pop"
4) "Unbelievable"
5) "In My Dreams"
6) "Didn't Do You No Good"
A) DICKIE
B) Danielle Nicole
DICKIE's December 10 show opens with a set by Dave Tamkin, and more information on the 8 p.m. concert is available by calling (309)200-0978 or visiting RozzTox.com.
Danielle Nicole's December 19 Redstone Room engagement begins with an 8 p.m. set featuring Dan Tedesco, and for more information and tickets, call (563)326-1333 or visit RiverMusicExperience.com.
Answers: 1 - A, 2 - B, 3 - A, 4 - A, 5 - B, 6 - B. That last song title was also what I was told when I asked for a raise. Actually, so was the song title before that. And the one before that.
What Else Is Happenin' ...?
MUSIC
Friday, December 11 - Denial 3: A Tribute to Trans-Siberian Orchestra. Touring progressive-rock musicians performing in their Prophecy Tour. Quad-Cities Waterfront Convention Center (2021 State Street, Bettendorf). 7:30 p.m. $25. For information, call (800)843-4753 or visit QCWCC.com.
Friday, December 11 - Bongzilla. Concert with the Madison-based stoner-metal band, with opening sets by Obsidian Sword and Morphine Dream. Rock Island Brewing Company (1815 Second Avenue, Rock Island). 9 p.m. $15 advance tickets. For information, call (309)793-1999 or visit RIBCO.com.
Friday, December 11 - An Ambrosian Christmas. Holiday concert featuring the St. Ambrose University Chorale and Chamber Singers, featuring the premiere of a new composition by William Campbell. St. Ambrose University's Galvin Fine Arts Center (2101 North Gaines Street, Davenport). 7:30 p.m. Free. For information, call (563)333-6251 or visit SAU.edu/galvin.
Friday, December 11 - Celebrate the Holidays. Seasonal concert with the local barbershop chorus the Davenport Chordbusters, plus additional performances by the Bend of the River Chorus, Hersong, Riverbend Bronze, Crimson River, Schrader Duet, Jonathan Turner, the Quad City Music Guild Youth Chorus, and Laila Haley. Heritage Church (4801 44th Street, Rock Island). 7 p.m. Free. For information, call (309)788-2030 or visit HeritageQC.com.
Friday, December 11, and December 12 - Christmas with the Quad City Singers. Local vocal ensemble performs arrangements of "Jingle Bells," "Up on the Housetop," and other festive favorites under the direction of Lori Potts. Lavender Crest Winery (5401 U.S. Highway 6, Colona). 6 p.m. cocktail hour, 7 p.m. dinner and concert. $45. For tickets and information, call (309)781-7266 or visit QuadCitySingers.org.
Friday, December 11 - The Ellis Marsalis Quartet. Concert with New Orleans' premier modern jazz pianist and his ensemble, in a Hancher Auditorium Visiting Artists presentation. Englert Theatre (221 East Washington Street, Iowa City). 7:30 p.m. $10-37. For tickets and information, call (319)335-1160 or visit Hancher.UIowa.edu.
Saturday, December 12 - Sonny Knight & the Lakers. R&B and soul musicians in concert. Englert Theatre (221 East Washington Street, Iowa City). 8 p.m. $15. For tickets and information, call (319)688-2653 or visit Englert.org.
Saturday, December 12 - Under the Streetlamp. Holiday songs and classic hits with the group composed of leading actors from Broadway productions of Jersey Boys. Riverside Casino Event Center (3184 Highway 22, Riverside). 8 p.m. $10-45. For tickets and information, call (877)677-3456 or visit RiversideCasinoAndResort.com.
Saturday, December 12, and Sunday, December 13 - A Christmas Messiah. Annual presentation of Handel's holiday masterpiece by the Handel Oratorio Society, with solos by soprano Jamie Rose Guarrine, mezzo soprano Amanda Crider, tenor Tyler Nelson, and baritone Corey Crider. Augustana College's Centennial Hall (3703 Seventh Avenue, Rock Island). Saturday 8 p.m., Sunday 2 p.m. $10-20. For tickets and information, call (309)794-7306 or visit Augustana.edu/arts.
Saturday, December 12 - Sara Gazarek. Concert with the jazz vocalist, faculty member at the University of Southern California, and Quad City Arts visiting artist. Central Performing Arts Center (519 East 11th Street, DeWitt). 7 p.m. Donations encouraged. For information, call (309)793-1213 or visit QuadCityArts.com.
Sunday, December 13 - Quad City Wind Ensemble. Area musicians perform in their annual holiday concert, conducted by Brian L. Hughes, and featuring a performance by the Big River Brass Band. St. Ambrose University's Galvin Fine Arts Center (2101 North Gaines Street, Davenport). 3 p.m. Free. For information, visit QCWindEnsemble.org.
Thursday, December 17 - Frank Sinatra Jr.: Sinatra Sings Sinatra. Multimedia experience in which Frank Jr. delivers recollections of life on- and off-stage with his iconic father, in a Broadway at the Adler presentation. Adler Theatre (136 East Third Street, Davenport). 7:30 p.m. $37-62. For tickets, call (800)745-3000 or visit AdlerTheatre.com.
Thursday, December 17 - Moeller's Holiday Mystery Show. Daytrotter's Sean Moeller hosts some of his favorite independent musicians in a pre-holiday celebration. Village Theatre (2113 East 11th Street, Davenport). 8 p.m. $12-15. For information, visit Facebook.com/MoellerMondays.
Thursday, December 17 - Lessons & Carols. Annual presentations in which the Augustana Chamber Singers and Campus Ministries present the story of Christ's birth in readings and song. Augustana College's Ascension Chapel (3701 Seventh Avenue, Rock Island). 4 and 8 p.m. Free. For information, call (309)794-7306 or visit Augustana.edu/arts.
Friday, December 18, and Saturday, December 19 - A Nova Christmas. The professional vocal ensemble the Nova Singers performs familiar carols in traditional and debuting arrangements under the direction of Laura Lane. Friday: St. Paul Lutheran Church of Davenport (2136 Brady Street). Saturday: First Lutheran Church of Galesburg (364 East Water Street). 7:30 p.m. $15-18. For information and tickets, call (309)341-7038 or visit NovaSingers.com.
Friday, December 18 - The Bucktown Revue Hometown Christmas Show. Holiday celebration of Mississippi River Valley culture through music, storytelling, poetry and humor, featuring emcee Scott Tunnicliff and special guests Mary Alyce, Frankie Joe Wilderman, and Sophia Pike. Nighswander Theatre (2822 Eastern Avenue, Davenport). 7 p.m. $13 at the door. For information, call (563)940-0508 or visit BucktownRevue.com.
Friday, December 18 - Euforquestra: Home for the Holidays. Seasonal cconcert with the funk musicians, performing with guests Tallgrass and Jack Lion. Englert Theatre (221 East Washington Street, Iowa City). 8 p.m. $15-20. For tickets and information, call (319)688-2653 or visit Englert.org.
Saturday, December 19 - The Fez. Pop, rock, and soul concert with the Steely Dan tribute musicians. Englert Theatre (221 East Washington Street, Davenport). 8 p.m. $12-15. For tickets and information, call (319)688-2653 or visit Englert.org.
Sunday, December 20 -Third Sunday Jazz: The Spirit of Christmas w/ Tony Sconyers & the Good News Singers Chorale. A 6 p.m. holiday concert with the Quad Cities musicians, preceded by a 3 p.m. "Music Demystifying" workshop. Redstone Room (129 Main Street, Davenport). $10-15 concert, $5 workshop (free for kids). For information, call 309-373-0790 or visit Polyrhythms.org.
Saturday, January 2 - Man in Black: The Music of Johnny Cash. Concert tribute to the country legend with impersonator Robert Shaw and his band. Circa '21 Dinner Playhouse (1828 Third Avenue, Rock Island). 7 p.m. $20-25. For tickets and information, call (309)786-7733 extension 2 or visit Circa21.com.
THEATRE
Thursday, December 10, through Sunday, December 20 - A Christmas Carol. Annual presentation of Tristan Tapscott's and Danny White's musical based on Charles Dickens' holiday classic, directed by James Fairchild. District Theatre (1724 Fourth Avenue, Rock Island). Thursday through Saturday and December 9 and 20: 8 p.m. Sunday: 2 p.m. $20. For tickets and information, call (309)235-1654 or visit DistrictTheatre.com.
Friday, December 11, through Sunday, December 13 - Miracle on 34th Street: A Live Radio Show. The holiday film classic re-imagined as a radio play. Orpheum Theatre (57 South Kellogg Street, Galesburg). Friday and Saturday 7:30 p.m., Sunday 2 p.m. $8-15. For tickets and information, call (309)342-2299 or visit TheOrpheum.org.
Friday, December 11, through Sunday, December 20 - Oliver! City Circle Acting Company presents the musical classic based on Charles Dickens' Oliver Twist, directed by Elizabeth Tracey. Coralville Center for the Performing Arts (1301 Fifth Street, Coralville). Friday and Saturday 7:30 p.m., Sunday 2 p.m. $12-27. For tickets and information, call (319)248-9370 or visit CoralvilleArts.org.
Saturday, December 12, and Sunday, December 13 - Trifles. Susan Glaspell's one-act drama based on an early-20th-Century murder, directed by Augustana junior Jacob Kilburg. Augustana College Black Box Theatre (Bergendoff Hall of Fine Arts, 3701 Seventh Avenue, Rock Island). Saturday 7:30 p.m., Sunday 1:30 p.m. $3-5. For tickets and information, call (309)794-7306 or visit Augustana.edu.
Tuesday, December 15 - An Evening to Remember: A Celebration for Dianne Dye. Fundraiser to help off-set medical bills for the long-time SAU theatre costume designer whose husband passed away in October, with performances by Daniel Sheridan, Phil McKinley, Aaron Randolph III, Kimberly Furness, Michael Kennedy, Jim Hesselman, and more than a dozen others. St. Ambrose University's Galvin Fine Arts Center (2101 North Gaines Street, Davenport). 5:30 p.m. cash bar, appetizers, and silent auction; 7 p.m. performance. $25. For tickets and information, call (563)333-6251 or visit SAU.edu/galvin.
Friday, December 18 - Lightwire Theater: A Very Electric Christmas. The electro-luminescent touring artists perform a holiday tale set to familiar pop-music favorites. Adler Theatre (136 East Third Street, Davenport). 7:30 p.m. $21-38. For tickets, call (800)745-3000 or visit AdlerTheatre.com.
Friday, December 25, and Saturday, December 26 - The Santaland Diaries. Joe Mantello's stage adaptation of David Sedaris' comedic holiday tale, directed by Tristan Tapscott. District Theatre (1724 Fourth Avenue, Rock Island). 8 p.m. $10. For tickets and information, call (309)235-1654 or visit DistrictTheatre.com.
DANCE
Saturday, December 12, and Sunday, December 13 - The Nutcracker. Ballet Quad Cities' annual presentation of Tchaikovsky's holiday classic, with live music by Orchestra Iowa and guest appearances by the Quad City Symphony's Children's Choir. Adler Theatre (136 East Third Street, Davenport). Saturday 1:30 and 7:30 p.m., Sunday 1:30 p.m. $10.50-36. For tickets, call (800)745-3000 or visit AdlerTheatre.com.
Friday, December 18 - 'Twas the Night Before Christmas. Two-act holiday ballet performed by members of Dancers' Studio. Orphem Theatre (57 South Kellogg Street, Galesburg). 7 p.m. $15. For tickets and information, call (309)342-2299 or visit TheOrpheum.org.
COMEDY
Friday, December 11 - The After Hour. Andrew King hosts a live, late-night talk show with guests Travis Bails, Dan Bush, and Donnie Bobb. Circa '21 Speakeasy (1818 Third Avenue, Rock Island). 10:30 p.m. $8-10. For tickets and information, call (309)786-7733 extension 2 or visit TheCirca21Speakeasy.com.
Saturday, December 19 - Show Us Your Pokeballs. Celebration of nerd culture with comedians Nikki Gillette and Joshua Kahn. Circa '21 Speakeasy (1818 Third Avenue, Rock Island). 8 p.m. $10-12. For tickets and information, call (309)786-7733 extension 2 or visit TheCirca21Speakeasy.com.
EXHIBITS
Friday, December 18, through Friday, February 5 - Jessica Sheridan and Tri Ngo. Exhibit of Sheridan's photographic series documenting scars, and Ngo's exploration of identity via images drawn with fingerprints. Quad City Arts Center (1715 Second Avenue, Rock Island). Tuesday thru Friday 10 a.m. - 5 p.m., Saturday 11 a.m. - 5 p.m. Free. For information, call (309)793-1213 or visit QuadCityArts.com.
EVENTS
Friday, December 11 - Gallery Hop! Demonstrations, performances, works for sale, and more with local artists at a variety of different downtown venues, co-presented by Midcoast Fine Arts. The District of Rock Island. 6-10 p.m. Free. For information, call (563)424-1210 or visit Midcoast.org.
Tuesday, December 22 - Winter Solstice featuring Dixon's Violin. Celebrate the solstice with breakout sessions including Reiki self-healing with Lars Rehnberg, music therapy with EmJay, "The Shamanic Journey" with Kathleen Collins, and music by Dixon's Violin. The Redstone Room (129 Main Street, Davenport). 6:30 p.m. $20. For tickets and information, call (563)326-1333 or visit RiverMusicExperience.org.
Thursday, December 31 - Bottom's Up Quad City Burlesque: Best of Show. New Year's Eve performance featuring the area burlesque artists' and comedians' greatest hits. Circa '21 Speakeasy (1818 Third Avenue, Rock Island). 10 p.m. $25. For tickets and information, call (309)786-7733 extension 2 or visit TheCirca21Speakeasy.com.
