ROCK ISLAND, ILLINOIS (October 30, 2019) — World War II history buffs and supporters of the performing arts are in for a treat during author Rick Beyer's public performance at the Central DeWitt Performing Arts Center, November 9.
With co-author Elizabeth Sayles, Rick wrote the New York Times bestseller The Ghost Army of World War II, which details the fascinating story of a top-secret WWII unit that used inflatable tanks, sound effects, and illusions to fool the Germans on the battlefields of Europe.
Rick wrote and produced the PBS documentary "The Ghost Army", which premiered in 2013. It has been honored with a CINE Golden Eagle and audience awards at several film festivals. TV Guide called it "entrancing," while the LA Times referred to it as "fascinating, detailed, and oddly delightful."
The book and documentary are currently being developed as a Hollywood movie by producers Andrew Lazar and Bradley Cooper.
Rick's full-length public lecture will be Saturday, 7PM, November 9, at Central DeWitt Performing Arts Center, DeWitt. Tickets are $15 for adults, $10 for veterans and active military, and $5 for students. Tickets are available at http://www.cd-pac.org, https://www.quadcityarts.com/vas, or at the door.
Rick was selected as the sixth visiting artist-in-residence for Quad City Arts' 2019-2020 Visiting Artist Series. During his week-long visit, he will visit service clubs, community colleges, senior living-facilities, and local libraries to give presentations on the Ghost Army.
Rick has written for The Daily Beast, History Channel Magazine, Politico.com, America in WWII, the Princeton Alumni Weekly, and other publications. He has curated a Ghost Army traveling museum exhibit, several Ghost Army art exhibits, and multiple exhibits for the Lexington Historical Society.
Rick's most recent book, Rivals Unto Death, was published in 2017. It is a dual biography of Alexander Hamilton and Aaron Burr. It explores the story of their 30-year rivalry that ended in a deadly duel on the cliffs of Weekhawken, New Jersey. He is also the author of the popular Greatest Stories Never Told series of history books.
The 2019-2020 Visiting Artist Series brings 14 artists and ensembles, including a hip-hop dance ensemble, an electronic-music producer, a Mexican folk-rock group, and string quartets, to visit the Quad Cities region from September 2019 through April 2020. For more information on these artists and details of their performances, visit http://www.quadcityarts.com/vas.
About the Visiting Artist Series
Quad City Arts is a nonprofit local arts agency dedicated to enriching the quality of life in the Quad City region through the arts.
Quad City Arts receives significant support for the Visiting Artist Series from Regional Development Authority, Iowa Arts Council, Scott County Regional Authority, National Endowment of the Arts, Arts Midwest Touring Fund, Rock Island Community Foundation, The Community Foundation of Greater Muscatine, Doris and Victor Day Foundation, US Bank Foundation, Melvin McKay Trust, Mary Iva Gittens Knouse Trust, Moline Rotary, Rauch Family Foundation I, Quad City Arts PASS, and Festival of Trees.
Performance space is provided by Bucktown Revue show at Nighswander Junior Theatre in Davenport, The Bettendorf Performing Arts Center, Trinity Anglican Church in Rock Island, The Central DeWitt Performing Arts Center, First Presbyterian Church of Davenport, St Ambrose University, River Music Experience, Augustana College, The Butterworth Center, and The Putnam Museum.
Additional support comes from service fees paid by school districts, Parent Teacher Associations, service clubs, and businesses.
