Mona MansourTheatre

The Way West

Village Theatre

Friday, May 15, through Sunday, May 24

 

The final production in New Ground Theatre's 2014-15 season is author Mona Mansour's The Way West, which runs at the Village Theatre May 15 through 24. The Chicago Tribute wrote that Mansour's 2013 play "captures how fast technology reveals the skeletons in our closet." The Windy City Times called it an exploration of how "poor judgment can squander millions in stocks or pennies in a jam jar."

New Ground director Christina Myatt, however, has her own description: "Family dysfunction, old boyfriends, bad business schemes, financial distress ... . You know, a lot of comedy." And she's not being sarcastic.

For The Way West is indeed a comedy, and one of the more acclaimed stage comedies to debut in recent years. Winner of 2013's Sky Cooper New American Play Prize and the recipient of an Edgerton Foundation New Play Award, Mansour's bleakly hilarious look at a failing family in southern California found the Chicago Sun-Times praising it as "an almost farcical, sitcom-like spin on the enduring, even self-mocking tall tales celebrating the pioneer spirit." And despite its seemingly grim narrative involving a mother facing bankruptcy and her squabbling adult daughters, Myatt says that the resulting show is "a lot of fun. And it's funny, even though some of what happens is really horrible, and you sit there and say, 'How are these people this stupid?!'"

As Myatt explains, the stupidity on display in The Way West - which is set at the peak of the 2008 recession - is primarily financial. "One character talks about how most of her money goes to pay off her credit cards, and how she has a $500 minimum payment on this card and $700 on this card ... . And we sat there at rehearsal and said, 'What must her balance be for things to be like that?' And that girl is like, 'Well, that's just normal - that's how everybody is.' Um, no-o-o-o ... .

"And the mother has this friend who talks her into giving her money for this 'magic water' business," she continues. "It's supposed to help you lose weight. They wrap you in Saran wrap and make you exercise for an hour, and then put a drop of this magic water on your forehead, and you lose inches. And the mother puts almost $13,000 into this lovely scheme.

"So their lack of understanding about finances is horrible," says Myatt. "But it's interesting, too. And watching how the family operates as a unit is fun."

As a veteran director of lavishly scaled Countryside Community Theatre productions - including last summer's Shrek: The Musical - Myatt says she's also having great fun with the far more intimate scope of The Way West and its six-person cast of Valeree Pieper, Ashley Hoskins, Sarah Baxter, Alexa Florence, Tim Cook, and Eric Reyes.

"You know that I love spectacle," says Myatt with a laugh. "But those shows involve a lot of group work, and it's lovely to have more time for individuals and in-depth character analysis. And because it's such a new play, there's a real opportunity to think outside the box a bit. We're using the [Village Theatre] space a little differently than it's been used in the past, and the set really has this open-air feel ... . And the cast is really wonderful, and has developed into this nice, cohesive group. The more work we do together, the more nuances we find."

The Way West runs at the Village Theatre (2113 East 11th Street, Davenport) on Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m., and more information and tickets are available by calling (563)326-7529 or visiting NewGroundTheatre.org.

 

 

Steel Guitars in ConcertMusic

Steel Guitars in Concert

The Rusty Nail

Friday, May 15, and Saturday, May 16

 

Local musician Tom Pickett, a member of the East Moline ensemble Midnight Riders, has been playing country music for more than a half-century. He enjoyed his first professional gig at Davenport's Col Ballroom at age 15 and has, over his long and venerated career, performed alongside country legends ranging from Jimmy Dean to Dottie West to Connie Smith.

Yet although Pickett serves as chief organizer for this year's country-music celebration Steel Guitars in Concert, taking place at Davenport's Rusty Nail on May 16, there is one element of traditional country music that Pickett says he never mastered: the pedal-steel guitar.

"It's a frustrating instrument," says Pickett, "because it's such a difficult instrument to play. You have knee levers and pedals and a double neck with 20 strings, so you have to use both feet, both knees, and both hands. Your musical ability really has to be at a certain level before you can step into it." And if you think the pedal-steel guitar might be easier to play if you have decades of practical guitar knowledge, think again. "It's never easy," Pickett says with a laugh. "If it was, I'd be playing it."

Now in its 23rd year, the area's pedal-steel showcase Steel Guitars in Concert will shine light on this instrumental staple of country music through performances by formidable local and national talents. Among them are the Nashville-based singer Sara Simmons, who Pickett says has family ties in the Quad Cities, and headliner Russ Wever, another Nashville artist who has performed locally in Patsy Cline and Hank Williams revues at the Circa '21 Dinner Playhouse.

"It starts at 11 in the morning," says Pickett of Saturday's concert, "and every 45 minutes there'll be a different steel player. Some of them will be bringing their own bands, and if they don't have a complete band, we'll fill in with some of our musicians," which this year includes guitarist Tim Wallis from Peoria, bassist Jerome Vogel from Flagstaff, Arizona, and Pickett's son Tom Jr., percussionist for the local band North of 40. "They're all great sheet-music readers and can accompany the players in the fashion they're used to.

"And then on Friday," says Pickett of the showcase's May 15 prelude, "we have Dale Thomas out of West Branch, Iowa, playing, and he's kind of our local hero. My son has worked with him for years - anybody in the Midwest who wants to learn to play steel, they go to him.

"It's going to be a great time," says Pickett. "I was watching Paul Franklin on TV the other night - he's the top steel-guitar guru now - and he said, 'I don't think we've ever completely found everything there is to do on this instrument, because the combinations and possibilities are endless.' And I think that, too."

May 15's Dale Thomas concert begins at 5:30 p.m., May 16's Steel Guitars in Concert runs from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m., and more information on both nights at the Rusty Nail (2606 West Locust Street, Davenport) is available by calling Tom Pickett Sr. at (563)579-4790 or visiting NewRustyNail.com.

 

 

Yo-Yo MaMusic

QCSO 100th-Season Celebration featuring Yo-Yo Ma

Adler Theatre

Thursday, May 14, 7:30 p.m.

 

CELLO-BRATION

Figge Art Museum

Friday, May 29, 6 p.m.

 

Who's ready to greet the area arrival of legendary cellist Yo-Yo Ma with a rousing, "Cel-lo!"?

And who's ready for me to stop accompanying my every reference to Yo-Yo Ma with that lame joke?

As the answer to that second question is likely "All of us, Mike," you'll be happy to know that I am indeed stopping, because the wait is finally over. In recognition of the incredible milestone that is the Quad City Symphony Orchestra's 100th season, Kennedy Center honoree and 17-time Grammy winner Yo-Yo Ma will be the featured guest at the QCSO's May 14 concert at the Adler Theatre, delivering what will surely be an unforgettable take on Dvorak's Cello Concerto in B Minor, Op. 104.

The remarkable Mr. Ma's Davenport engagement will be preceded by a 5:30 p.m. pre-concert celebration in the Hotel Blackhawk, at which a dozen painted cellos from the QCSO's "100 Years, 100 Cellos" project will be sold in a live auction benefiting the symphony's music-education programs. It will be followed by a 9:30 p.m. champagne and dessert reception in the Davenport RiverCenter, where attendees can toast the QCSO's century of artistry and meet Yo-Yo Ma in person.

And on May 29, this month's cello-rific fun will conclude with the Figge Art Museum's capitalized CELLO-BRATION, which will allow guests to view all 100 of the instruments lovingly painted or decorated for "100 Years, 100 Cellos," their creators including everyone from local artist Steve Banks to symphony conductor Mark Russell Smith to singer/songwriter Lisa Loeb.

So how better to acknowledge this season of strings than with a little cello quiz, courtesy of our friends at FunTrivia.com?

 

1) How many strings does a cello have?

A) Six

B) Four

C) Two

 

2) From which language does the name "cello" originate?

A) Italian

B) Dutch

C) Latin

 

3) How many F-holes do celli have?

A) Two

B) Three

C) Four

 

4) Which cello string is the thinnest?

A) A

B) B

C) C

 

5) What is the lowest note you can play on a cello?

A) A

B) B

C) C

 

 

For information of all of the events in the Quad City Symphony Orchestra's 100th-season celebration - including May 14's concert with Yo-Yo Ma and May 29's CELLO-BRATION - visit QCSO.org.

 

 

Answers: 1 - B, 2 - A, 3 - A, 4 - A, 5 - C. Apparently, though, you can tune the note to dive below C-level. Hey, I said I'd stop with the lame cello jokes, not lame jokes altogether.

 

 

What Else Is Happenin' ...?

 

MUSIC

Thursday, May 14 - Mike Zito. Roots and blues musician in concert, with an opening set by The Steepwater Band. The Redstone Room (129 Main Street, Davenport). 7:30 p.m. $19-22. For tickets and information, call (563)326-1333 or visit RiverMusicExperience.org.

Friday, May 15 - U.S. Army Soldier Show: We Serve. Musical production showcasing the talents of soldiers throughout the active-duty, Reserve, and National Guard armies. Adler Theatre (136 East Third Street, Davenport). 7 p.m. Free. For information, call (563)326-8500 or visit AdlerTheatre.com.

Friday, May 15, and Saturday, May 16 - Ernest Worthing. Opera@Augustana presents John Biggs' chamber opera based on Oscar Wilde's The Importance of Being Earnest, directed by Michelle Crouch. Augustana College's Wallenberg Hall (3520 Seventh Avenue, Rock Island). 8 p.m. $8-14. For tickets and information, call (309)794-7306 or visit Augustana.edu/arts.

Friday, May 15 - Bucktown Revue. Season-ending celebration of Mississippi River Valley culture through music, storytelling, poetry, and humor, with emcee Scott Tunnicliff and special guests. Nighswander Theatre (2822 Eastern Avenue, Davenport). 7 p.m. $12 at the door. For information, call (563)940-0508 or visit BucktownRevue.com.

Friday, May 15 - Camp Euforia Quad City Showcase. Concert competition featuring sets with Have Your Cake, Frank F. Sydney's Western Bandit Volunteers, and Earth Ascending, with the victors winning a spot in this year's Camp Euforia Festival in Lone Tree, Iowa. The Redstone Room (129 Main Street, Davenport). 9 p.m. Free. For information, call (563)326-1333 or visit RiverMusicExperience.org.

Friday, May 15 - Inti-Illimati. Chilean musicians perform on more than 30 instruments, in a Hancher Auditorium Visiting Artists presentation. Iowa City Ped Mall (14 South Clinton Street, Iowa City). 6:30 p.m. Free. For information, call (319)335-1160 or visit Hancher.UIowa.edu.

Saturday, May 16 - Shining Star. Earth, Wind & Fire tribute musicians in concert. Ohnward Fine Arts Center (1215 East Platt Street, Maquoketa). 7 p.m. $13-25. For tickets and information, call (563)652-9815 or visit OhnwardFineArtsCenter.com.

Saturday, May 16 - The King in Concert. Elvis Presley tribute artist Jay Dupuis and guests in an evening of music and reminiscences. Adler Theatre (136 East Third Street, Davenport). 7:30 p.m. $32-62. For tickets, call (800)745-3000 or visit AdlerTheatre.com.

Saturday, May 16 - Maks the Fox. Chicago-based alternative-folk band in concert, with an opening set by Chew Toy. Rozz-Tox (2108 Third Avenue, Rock Island). 8 p.m. $5-10. For tickets and information, call (309)200-0978 or visit RozzTox.com.

Sunday, May 17 - The Edgar Crockett Quintet. The local jazz musician and his ensemble lead a 3 p.m. workshop ($5 adults, free for kids) and perform a 6 p.m. concert ($10-15) in Polyrhythms' Third Sunday Jazz Series. The Redstone Room (129 Main Street, Davenport). For information, call (309)373-0790 or visit RiverMusicExperience.org or Polyrhythms.org.

Monday, May 18 - Jesse Marchant, Tom Brosseau, and Brandon De La Cruz. Independent singers/songwriters in a "Moeller Mondays Presents" concert. Rozz-Tox (2108 Third Avenue, Rock Island). 8 p.m. $10-15. For tickets and information, call (309)200-0978 or visit RozzTox.com.

Tuesday, May 19 - Godsmack. Multi-platinum-selling rockers in concert, featuring opening sets by Papa Roach and In This Moment. i wireless Center (1201 River Drive, Moline). 7:30 p.m. $39-44. For tickets, call (800)745-3000 or visit iwirelessCenter.com.

Wednesday, May 20 - Summer Camp Music Festival Pre-Party. Concert with the Melbourne-based musicians of Jakubi and the Davenport natives of Fire Sale. The Redstone Room (129 Main Street, Davenport). 8 p.m. Free. For information, call (563)326-1333 or visit RiverMusicExperience.org.

Friday, May 22 - Salt-N-Pepa. Grammy-winning female hip-hop artists in concert. Quad-Cities Waterfront Convention Center (2021 State Street, Bettendorf). 7:30 p.m. $35. For information, call (800)724-5825 or visit Bettendorf.IsleOfCapriCasinos.com.

Friday, May 22 - Communion Daytrotter. All-ages concert with indie musicians The Lonely Wild, Beasthead, and Trevor Sensor. Codfish Hollow Barn (5013 288th Avenue, Maquoketa). 7:30 p.m. $10-15. For tickets and information, visit CodfishHollowBarnstormers.com.

Friday, May 22 - The Bros. Landreth. Roots and rock musicians in concert, with an opening set by Iron Orchard. The Redstone Room (129 Main Street, Davenport). 8:30 p.m. $10-12. For information, call (563)326-1333 or visit RiverMusicExperience.org.

Friday, May 22 - Jack Lion. Iowa-based jazz musicians in concert, with opening sets by Ronin and Dog Hairs. Rozz-Tox (2108 Third Avenue, Rock Island). 8 p.m. $5-10. For tickets and information, call (309)200-0978 or visit RozzTox.com.

Saturday, May 23, and Sunday, May 24 - The Travoltas. Annual outdoor concerts with the touring disco-pop performers, with opening sets by 10 of Soul on Saturday and the Premium Sellouts on Sunday. Rock Island Brewing Company (1815 Second Avenue, Rock Island). 6 p.m. gates, 8 p.m. opening acts, 10 p.m. Travoltas performances. $12. For information, call (309)793-1999 or visit RIBCO.com.

 

THEATRE

Thursday, May 14 - National Theatre Live: The Hard Problem. An HD movie screening of the Tom Stoppard play, directed by Nicholas Hytner. Englert Theatre (221 East Washington Street, Iowa City). 7 p.m. $15-18. For tickets and information, call (319)688-2653 or visit Englert.org.

Friday, May 15, through Sunday, May 17 - Love, Loss, & What I Wore. Nora and Delia Ephron's comedy presented in a reader's-theatre fundraiser with Dress for Success Quad Cities, directed by Lora Adams. QC Theatre Workshop (1730 Wilkes Avenue, Davenport). Friday and Saturday 7:30 p.m. reception, 8 p.m. show; Sunday 3 p.m. reception, 3:30 p.m. show. $25 suggested donation. For tickets and information, call (563)650-2396 or visit QCTheatreWorkshop.org.

Sunday, May 17 - 16th-Annual Quad Cities Playwrights Festival. Staged readings of 10-minute works by five local authors, followed by a reception and talk-back with the actors, directors, and playwrights. Augustana College's Black Box Theatre (3701 Seventh Avenue, Rock Island). 3 p.m. Free. For information, call (309)794-7306 or visit Augustana.edu.

Wednesday, May 20, through Saturday, July 25 - The Sound of Music. Rodgers & Hammerstein's Tony-winning musical classic, directed by Jim Hesselman. Circa '21 Dinner Playhouse (1828 Third Avenue, Rock Island). Fridays, Saturdays, Wednesdays, and May 20 and 21: 6-7 p.m. buffet, 7:15 p.m. pre-show, 7:45 p.m. show. Sundays: 4-5 p.m. buffet, 5:15 p.m. pre-show, 5:45 p.m. show. Wednesdays: 11:45 a.m.-12:45 p.m. plated lunch, 1 p.m. pre-show, 1:30 p.m. show. $44.41-50.16. For tickets and information, call (309)786-7733 extension 2 or visit Circa21.com.

 

DANCE

Saturday, May 16 - Bolshoi Ballet: Ivan the Terrible. Big-screen broadcast of the Sergei Prokofiev ballet. Englert Theatre (221 East Washington Street, Iowa City). 2 p.m. $15-18. For tickets and information, call (319)688-2653 or visit Englert.org.

 

SPORTS

Monday, May 25 - Quad Cities Criterium. The 50th-anniversary racing celebration presented by the Quad Cities Bicycle Club, featuring more than 650 cyclists from the U.S., Canada, and Europe, with 12 Criterium bicycle races, children's activities, and more. Village of East Davenport. 8:30 a.m.-6 p.m. Free. For information, visit QuadCitiesCriterium.com.

 

VISUAL ARTS

Friday, May 15, through Friday, July 3 - Nahant Marsh: Almost an Island. Exhibit of pastels by Audrey Brown and photographs by Randy Richmond. Quad City Arts Center Gallery (1715 Second Avenue, Rock Island). Tuesdays through Fridays 10 a.m.-5 p.m., Saturdays 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Free. For information, call (309)793-1213 or visit QuadCityArts.com.

Friday, May 15, and Saturday, May 16 - Mini Metro Makers Sale & Expo. Scale-model and dollhouse exhibits, vendors, presentations, and more. Davenport RiverCenter (136 East Third Street, Davenport). Friday 4-8 p.m., Saturday 10 a.m.-4 p.m. $5, ages 12 and under free. For information, call (309)738-9564 or visit RiverCtr.com.

Saturday, May 16, through Sunday, May 24 - Young Artists at the Figge: Geneseo. Exhibit of works by elementary art students. Figge Art Museum (225 West Second Street, Davenport). Tuesdays through Saturdays 10 a.m.-5 p.m., Thursdays 10 a.m.-9 p.m., Sundays noon-5 p.m. Free with $4-7 museum admission. For information, call (563)326-7804 or visit FiggeArtMuseum.org.

Saturday, May 23 - Dirty Art. Interactive art event featuring the marshmallow-confection sculpture contest "The Peepshow." The District of Rock Island. Noon-6 p.m. Free. For information, call (309)788-6311 or visit RIDistrict.com.

Sunday, May 24 - ArtWork Expo. Chalk-mural contest in which area high-schoolers compete for prize money for their high schools' art-supply budgets, with the murals on display through June. Bucktown Center for the Arts (225 East Second Street, Davenport). 10 a.m. For information, call (563)424-1210 or visit Midcoast.org.

 

EVENTS

Saturday, May 16, and Sunday, May 17 - Monster Jam. The monster-truck touring show featuring Grave Digger, Monster Mutt Dalmatian, Backwards Bob, Captain's Curse, Monster Energy, Soldier Fortune, Scooby-Doo, and Team Hot Wheels Firestorm. i wireless Center (1201 River Drive, Moline). Saturday 7 p.m., Sunday 2 p.m. $22.50-47.50, $5-10 pit-party tickets. For tickets, call (800)745-3000 or visit iwirelessCenter.com.

Saturday, May 16 - St. Ambrose University Wine Festival Wine Tasting. Annual front-lawn fundraiser for student scholarships, featuring samples of 150 wines from around the world and culinary highlights from Quad Cities restaurants. St. Ambrose University (518 West Locust Street, Davenport). 3-6 p.m. $45-50. For tickets and information, visit SAU.edu/winefest.

Saturday, May 23, through Monday, May 25 - Iowa Renaissance Festival. Annual event featuring 200 costumed characters, 55 artisan merchants, five stages of entertainment, three living-history encampments, demonstrations, hands-on activities, an equestrian jousting tournament, and more. Middle Amana Community Park (27th Avenue, Amana). 11 a.m.-6 p.m. $6-10. For tickets and information, call (641)357-5177 or visit IowaRenFest.com.

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