Comedy
Upright Citizens Brigade Touring Company
Augustana College
Saturday, January 26, 8 p.m.
On January 26, Augustana College's Centennial Hall will host an evening with members of the Upright Citizens Brigade Touring Company, and you can learn a lot about the acclaimed comedy troupe by visiting its Web site at UCBTourCo.com. For instance, you'll learn that, as the ensemble's home page states, "mainstream comedy is for jerks," and that its touring show with Brigade performer Horatio Sanz "will make you wet yourself with laughter," and its Blackout Drunk production boasts a "lack of self-control" and "an appalling lack of shame" ... .
Hey ... wait a minute ... . You don't think that calling themselves "Upright Citizens" is meant jokingly, do you ... ?
Like the quick-witted talents of this venerable organization, I kid. Formed in 1990 by veterans of Chicago's famed ImprovOlympics, Upright Citizens Brigade members currently perform smart, hysterical improv and sketch comedy to sold-out crowds in New York City and Los Angeles, with some of the funniest names in show business listed among the group's alumni. Amy Poehler, Ed Helms, Rob Corddry, and Rob Riggle are among those whose careers were jump-started through their association with the UCB, and numerous others have amassed credits on such TV series as Saturday Night Live, 30 Rock, and MadTV.
The group also had its own, self-titled series on Comedy Central from 1998 to 2000, and has earned critical raves for productions that - as with the forthcoming Augustana engagement - feature Upright comedians performing 90 minutes of long-form improvisational comedy. Entertainment Weekly called the ensemble "twisted and hilarious." The New York Post wrote, "When SNL and The Daily Show need comics, they turn to the Upright Citizens Brigade." And regarding a UCB touring production, The Onion advised, "Catch the next generation of comedy superstars before they all sell out to sh--y sitcoms and VH1 list shows." Wow. That seems like a pretty catty thing for respectable journalists to publish. I'm surprised that ... .
Hey ... wait a minute ... . You don't think The Onion is meant to be taken jokingly, do you ... ?
Tickets to January 26's performance by the Upright Citizens Brigade Touring Company are $10, and more information and tickets are available by calling (309)794-7306 or visiting Augustana.edu/tickets.
Dance
Lula Washington Dance Theatre
St. Ambrose University
Saturday, January 26, 7:30 p.m.
Famed choreographer Martha Graham was quoted as saying, "Dance is the hidden language of the soul." Famed choreographer Lula Washington - whose company performs at St. Ambrose University's Galvin Fine Arts Center on January 26 - created the animated dances for Disney's The Little Mermaid and the Na'vi dances for James Cameron's Avatar. So much for "hidden."
A Los Angeles-based repertoire ensemble lauded for its innovative, provocative choreography and startling athleticism, the Lula Washington Dance Theatre was founded in 1980, with the past three decades finding its talents touring Canada, Mexico, Spain, Germany, China, and more than 150 cities in the United States. Employing high-energy dance as a means of exploring social and humanitarian issues, primarily aspects of African-American history and culture, Washington's company has also earned massive critical acclaim, with the New York Times praising its "rousing, infectiously enthusiastic performances," and the New Jersey Recorder labeling the group's works "smart, strong, and energetic."
There are certainly additional things to mention regarding Washington and her troupe, members of whom are the latest guests in Quad City Arts' Visiting Artists series: the company's engagements in Kosovo and at Washington, D.C.'s Kennedy Center; Washington's lifetime-achievement awards from Los Angeles' Dance Fest 2000 and from the Performing Arts in Schools Association. But for a better sense of the exhilaration in store during the Lula Washington Dance Theatre's forthcoming St. Ambrose performance, I have instead attached to this article three photos of the troupe in action. Race your eyes over them top to bottom, and bottom to top, and on and on, and it'll look just like dancers in them are really moving!
That, or you'll just get really dizzy. I'm kind of afraid to try it myself.
For reservations to the Lula Washington Dance Theatre's Davenport engagement, call the St. Ambrose ticket office at (563)333-6251, and for more information on the group's area residency, visit QuadCityArts.com.
Theatre
bare: A Pop Opera
The Center for Living Arts
Friday, February 1, through Saturday, February 16
Last March, at Rock Island's Center for Living Arts, we theatre fans got the Quad Cities premiere of the Tony Award-winning musical smash Spring Awakening. This February, at the same venue, we're getting bare.
Whoops. I mean we're getting bare.
Whoops. I mean we're getting the off-Broadway musical bare: A Pop Opera. I don't mean ... .
Well, this sure got awkward in a hurry.
Then again, awkwardness is one of many themes explored in this earnest, emotional exploration of teen life that debuted in Los Angeles in 2000, and that's currently enjoying a hit revival in New York. Set in a co-ed Catholic boarding school and focused primarily on the struggles of two gay roommates forced to keep their romance, and even their sexuality, a secret, bare: A Pop Opera is hardly your standard musical-theatre entertainment. However, in its depictions of bigotry, parental pressure, sexual experimentation, recreational drug use, the joys and heartbreaks of first loves, and even the comedic clumsiness of a miscast high-school production of Romeo & Juliet, it will likely prove a most memorable entertainment, boasting direction by the Center's Dino Hayz and a vibrant pop-rock score by composers Damon Intrabartolo and Jon Hartmere Jr.
Called "touching and tender" by the New York Times and described by Variety magazine as "winning" and "burning with youthful passion," this latest presentation in the newly remodeled Center for Living should inspire laughs, tears, and plenty of conversation fodder for the ride home. So make plans for a forthcoming evening of theatre in Rock Island, and hopefully, soon, I'll be seeing you all bare!
Um ... that is ... I'll be seeing you all at bare. (Damned typos making things even more awkward... .)
bare: A Pop Opera runs Fridays and Saturdays at 7 p.m., tickets are $10 at the door, and more information on the production is available by calling (309)788-5433 or visiting Center4Living.com.
Music
The Andreas Kapsalis & Goran Ivanovic Guitar Duo
RME Community Stage
Friday, February 1, 8 p.m.
You've likely heard, or maybe just heard of, the tune "Dueling Banjos," right? Well, during the River Music Experience's February 1 concert with the lauded touring musicians Andrea Kapsalis and Goran Ivanovic, dueling banjos are exactly what you'll be treated to. Except instead of banjos, they're guitars. And instead of dueling, the guitars are more accurately blending. Otherwise, same thing.
Appearing in Davenport as the Andreas Kapsalis & Goran Ivanovic Guitar Duo, these master musicians have, for years, been acclaimed for their exceptional gifts at both playing and composition. But when the men teamed up for their self-titled 2009 CD, the plaudits flew particularly fast and furious. Guitar Player magazine, for example, described the pair's "tasty experimental dish" as "a stew seasoned with with multi-finger attacks, percussive beats, and heavy Serbian and Greek influences," while Jazziz magazine called the release "heady stuff that's technically dazzling yet accessible," adding that Kapsalis and Ivanovic "and their instruments intermingle beautifully together."
But intermingling is one thing. How well do you know the guitarists individually? As a way of prepping for the RME concert, and as a way of telling the two apart, try your hand at this "Is it Andreas or is it Goran?" quiz.
1) was raised in Chicago by first-generation Greek parents
2) was a child prodigy in his hometown of Osijek, Croatia
3) received raves for his guitar version of the jazz-piano tune "Blue Rondo à la Turk"
4) received raves for his debut CD Solo Guitar
5) studied under guitar masters Eliot Fisk and Joaquín Clerch
6) composed scores for the films Mulberry Street, Mexican Sunrise, and Retaliation
7) featured on a CD of Pablo Neruda poems titled The Poet
8) nearly ended his career by accidentally severing a tendon in his left hand
A) Andreas Kapsalis
B) Goran Ivanovic
Tickets to the Andreas Kapsalis & Goran Ivanovic Duo concert are $10, and more information on the night is available by calling (563)326-1333 or visiting RiverMusicExperience.org.
Answers: 1 - A, 2 - B, 3 - A , 4 - B, 5 - B, 6 - A, 7 - B, 8 - A. Of course, you could've also known which guitarist was which just by looking at the photo caption, but thanks for participating!
What Else Is Happenin'... ?
MUSIC
Saturday, January 26 - The Avey Brothers and The Mercury Brothers. Concert with the Iowa- and Georgia-based blues musicians. The Redstone Room (129 Main Street, Davenport). 8 p.m. $8-10. For tickets and information, call (563)326-1333 or visit RiverMusicExperience.org.
Saturday, January 26 - Nikki Hill. The touring R&B performer in concert, with an opening set by 3 on the Tree. Rock Island Brewing Company (1815 Second Avenue, Rock Island). 9 p.m. $6. For information, call (309)793-4060 or visit RIBCO.com.
Saturday, January 26 - Kenny Wayne Shepherd. Chart-topping blues rocker in concert. Riverside Casino Event Center (3184 Highway 22, Riverside). 9 p.m. $25-37. For tickets and information, call (877)677-3456 or visit RiversideCasinoAndResort.com.
Friday, February 1 - Shinedown and Three Days Grace. Concert with the multi-platinum-selling rockers, with an opening set by P.O.D. i wireless Center (1201 River Drive, Moline). 7 p.m. $25-40.50. For tickets, call (800)745-3000 or visit iwirelessCenter.com.
Wednesday, February 6 - Journey, Pet Benatar, and Loverboy. Multi-platinum-selling pop and rock superstars in concert. i wireless Center (1201 River Drive, Moline). 7 p.m. $39.50-125. For tickets, call (800)745-3000 or visit iwirelessCenter.com.
Wednesday, February 6 - eighth blackbird. Grammy Award-winning classical musicians in a Hancher Auditorium presentation. Englert Theatre (221 East Washington Street, Iowa City). 7:30 p.m. $10-40. For tickets and information, call (319)335-1160 or visit http://www.hancher.uiowa.edu.
THEATRE
Friday, January 25, through Sunday, February 3 - The Bock Eye. Tommy Smith's postmodern adaptation of the Greek tragedy The Bacchae, directed by Saffron Henke. Augustana College's Potter Theatre (Bergendoff Hall of Fine Arts, 3701 Seventh Avenue, Rock Island). Fridays and Saturdays 7:30 p.m., Sundays 1:30 p.m. $9-11. For tickets and information, call (309)794-7306 or visit Augustana.edu/tickets.
Friday, January 25, through Sunday, February 17 - The Exit Interview. A National New Play Network rolling world premiere of William Missouri Downs' raucous comedy. Riverside Theatre (213 North Gilbert Street, Iowa City). Thursdays-Saturdays 7:30 p.m., Sundays 2 p.m. $15-28. For tickets and information, call (319)338-7672 or visit RiversideTheatre.org.
Friday, January 25, through Sunday, February 3 - 12 Angry Men. Reginald Rose's classic jury-room drama. Iowa City Community Theatre. (4265 Oak Crest Hill Road, Iowa City). Fridays and Saturdays 7:30 p.m., Sundays 2 p.m. $8-16. For tickets and information, call (319)338-0443 or visit IowaCityCommunityTheatre.com.
Thursday, January 31, through Sunday, February 24 - Rent. Jonathan Larson's Pulitzer Prize- and Tony Award-winning rock musical. District Theatre (1611 Second Avenue, Rock Island). Wednesdays-Saturdays 8 p.m., Sundays 2 p.m. $20. For tickets and information, call (309)235-1654 or visit DistrictTheatre.com.
Friday, February 1, through Sunday, February 10 - Crimes of the Heart. New Ground Theatre's production of Beth Henley's Pulitzer Prize-winning Southern comedy, directed by Chris Jansen. Village Theatre (2113 East 11th Street, Village of East Davenport). Fridays and Saturdays 7:30 p.m., Sundays 2 p.m. $15-18. For tickets and information, call (563)326-7529 or visit NewGroundTheatre.org.
Friday, February 1, through Sunday, February 10 - Urinetown. The City Circle Acting Company of Coralville's production of the Tony Award-winning "number one" musical comedy. Coralville Center for the Performing Arts (1301 Fifth Street, Coralville). Fridays and Saturdays 7:30 p.m., Sundays 2 p.m. $12-27. For tickets and information, call (319)541-2980 or visit CityCircle.org.
Wednesday, February 6 - Of Mice & Men. The Acting Company's production of the stage drama based on John Steinbeck's classic novel. Orpheum Theatre (57 South Kellogg Street, Galesburg). 7:30 p.m. $15-35. For tickets and information, call (309)343-2299 or visit TheOrpheum.org.
COMEDY
Saturday, January 26 - Pimprov. Touring production of the long-running, Chicago-based improv show. Circa '21 Speakeasy (1818 Third Avenue, Rock Island). 7 and 9:30 p.m. $12-15. For tickets and information, call (309)786-7733 extension 2 or visit Circa21.com.
EXHIBITS
Friday, January 25, through Friday, February 22 - Augustana Sights & Sounds. Sixth-annual exhibit of photography by students from Augustana College and Quad Cities high schools, also featuring video narratives by the Augustana Video Bureau. Bucktown Center for the Arts (225 East Second Street, Davenport). Wednesdays-Saturdays 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Free admission. For information, call (309)794-7632 or visit Augustana.edu.
Saturday, January 26, through Sunday, June 2 - Destination: Space. Exhibit on space exploration, featuring authentic space artifacts and pieces on loan from NASA. Putnam Museum (1717 West 12th Street, Davenport). Mondays-Saturdays 10 a.m.-5 p.m., Sundays noon-5 p.m. Free with $5-7 museum admission. For tickets and information, call (563)324-1933 or visit Putnam.org.
EVENTS
Friday, January 25 - Champagne on the Rocks. WQPT's 12th-annual fundraising event featuring dinner, diamonds, live and silent auctions, and musical entertainment with the Westbrook Singers. Hotel Blackhawk (200 East Third Street, Davenport). 6 p.m. $100. For tickets and information, call (309)764-2400 or visit WQPT.org/champagne.
Friday, January 25, and Saturday, January 26 - World's Toughest Rodeo. Cowboys, cowgirls, and bucking broncos in the nationally touring event. i wireless Center (1201 River Drive, Moline). 7 p.m. $18-35. For tickets, call (800)745-3000 or visit iwirelessCenter.com.
Friday, January 25 - Extreme Challenge MMA Event. Competitions between pro and amateur mixed-martial-arts fighters. Quad-Cities Waterfront Convention Center (1777 Isle Parkway, Bettendorf). 7 p.m. $25-50. For information, call (800)724-5825 or visit TheIsleBettendorf.com.
Friday, January 25, through Sunday, January 27 - Eagles & Ivories Weekend. The 19th-annual celebration of birding and music held at numerous venues, featuring a Saturday eagle watch, ragtime concerts, the Ragtime Brunch, a soup supper, and more. Downtown Muscatine. Friday 11:30 a.m.-midnight, Saturday 9 a.m.-midnight, Sunday 10:45 a.m.-2 p.m. $15 evening concerts, $10 afternoon concerts, free eagle watch. For information, call (563)263-8895 or (563)263-9978, or visit MuscatineArtsCouncil.org.
Saturday, January 26 - Robert Burns Dinner. The 36th-annual celebration of Scottish culture featuring music by the Barley House Band and the Blackhawk Pipers, vendors, a silent auction, and more. Radisson Quad City Plaza Hotel (421 West River Drive, Davenport). 5:30 p.m. $37-40. For tickets and information, call (563)332-2421 or e-mail royaleng@mchsi.com.
Sunday, January 27 - Ice Stravaganza. Day-long family event in downtown Davenport, featuring an outdoor skating rink (weather permitting), ice sculptures and exhibition, outdoor children's activities, interactive ice-science displays at the Putnam Museum, Handmade City items for sale on the Skybridge, live music and storytelling in the RME cafe, art activities at the Figge Art Museum, and more. Free admission. For information, visit DowntownDavenport.com.
Sunday, January 27 - Pastry, Chocolate, Chili, & Centerpiece Competition. View and enjoy unique creations by chefs and ice-sculpture artists throughout Iowa. Isle of Capri (1777 Isle Parkway, Bettendorf). 1-5 p.m. Free admission. For information, call (563)359-7280 or (800)724-5825 or visit TheIsleBettendorf.com.
Friday, February 1 - The Most Offensive Show on Earth. A Funhouse Freakshow presentation featuring host Wayne Lyter, Heather Nobiling on ukulele, comedians Tim Chickenbone, Stevie PS Mo, Douglas Hernandez, James Draper, and Joshua Kahn, and Oklahoma City-based sideshow performers the Amazing Boobzilla, Rock Robster, and Chuckles T. Clown. Rozz-Tox (2108 Third Avenue, Rock Island). 7 p.m. For information, call (309)200-0978 or visit RozzTox.com.
