Consider this a "prom-vitation" to enjoy Quad City Music Guild's tuneful, touching, terrifically funny The Prom, its music by Matthew Sklar, lyrics by Chad Beguelin, and book by Beguelin and Bob Martin.

M: The comedy relies a lot on broad stereotypes, if you know what I mean.

K: (rolls eyes)

Alexander Richardson calls this "a love letter to community theatre," and if you've ever been in a show, played on a team, had a job, been part of a family, or met at least one other person in your life, you may recognize at least some of these situations.

Reviews by Rochelle Arnold, Jeff Ashcraft, Patricia Baugh-Riechers, Audra Beals, Pamela Briggs, Dee Canfield, Madeline Dudziak, Kim Eastland, Emily Heninger, Heather Herkelman, Mischa Hooker, Kitty Israel, 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.

Kitty: I just want to start by saying that Harmoni Eiland is such a strong lead.

Mischa: Absolutely!

I now know how the Grinch felt when his heart grew three sizes, because I surprisingly, actually, thoroughly enjoyed the Clinton Area Showboat Theatre's and director/choreographer Jenna Schoppe’s production of Joseph & the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. Which will be a shock to anyone who knows me, because they also know how much I hate(d) Joseph. But Clinton’s latest has made me a believer.

There are three main villains from childhood fiction that still occasionally haunt my nightmares – my terror trifecta, if you will: the Child Catcher from Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, Barnaby from Babes in Toyland, and Miss Viola Swamp from Miss Nelson Is Missing! So naturally, I was both excited and terrified when I took my seat at the Playcrafters Barn Theatre.

T Green's and Calvin Vo's production hooked me from the start – the performers are lively, fully present, and engaged in their scenes, and usually moved and spoke naturally, with excellent projection and diction.

If it’s got over-ze-top German accents, banging rock music, and more questionable wigs than you can shake a Spirit Halloween store at, it must be Rock of Ages, now playing at the Timber Lake Playhouse. Directed with aplomb by James Beaudry, Timber Lake’s latest takes us back to a yester-decade when rock music was the culture and not something confined to specific frequencies of FM radio.

If you don't think opera can be frivolous and fun, Opera Quad Cities will prove otherwise, with a big dollop of flair and abundant thrills for the ear and eye.

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