05 Aug 2019

To Project and Serve: “The Best of the Bootleggers,” at the Circa '21 Dinner Playhouse through August 29

By Rochelle Arnold

The Circa '21 Dinner Playhouse Bootleggers have a cult following of enthusiastic fans that are very passionate about, and dedicated to, these talented performers who also double as the theatre's efficient wait staff, and Thursday's opening-night presentation of the group's mainstage show The Best of the Bootleggers certainly did not disappoint. There was a lot of clapping and singing along as 12 of the most talented Booties I've ever seen delivered a variety of musical numbers that left our audience longing for more.

29 Jul 2019

Pinball Wizardry: “The Who's Tommy,” at the Clinton Area Showboat Theatre through August 4

By Rochelle Arnold

There's a British invasion going on at the Clinton Area Showboat Theatre, and Friday's performance of The Who's Tommy was in your face, intense, and powerful, a rock opera that cranked up the volume on the phenomenal music of one of the most influential groups of the 20th century: English rock band The Who.

21 Jul 2019

Dancing Queens: Countryside Community Theatre's “Mamma Mia!”, at the North Scott High School Fine Arts Auditorium through July 28

By Rochelle Arnold

Although it was sweltering outside on Friday night, it was cool and comfortable inside the North Scott High School Fine Arts Auditorium. Nonetheless, a heat wave of talented artists stormed the stage as Countryside Community Theatre and Lancer Productions put on a sizzling opening-night performance of the jukebox musical Mamma Mia!

15 Jul 2019

Marry Which Man Today? : “Missing Link,” at the Richmond Hill Barn Theatre through July 21

By Rochelle Arnold

Whenever I visit Geneseo's Richmond Hill Barn Theatre, I'm reminded of how wholesome, welcoming, and beautiful this location in the Midwest is, and how this unique venue is truly a lovely place to take in a show. The players’ latest production, author Jack Sharkey's Missing Link, is a marital comedy full of all kinds of twists and turns, mistaken identities, and romantic conundrums, and it gives patrons a lighthearted look at the things we do for love.

08 Jul 2019

A Mile-Wide Grimm: “Into the Woods,” at the Timber Lake Playhouse through July 14

By Rochelle Arnold

What a magical Saturday afternoon I had at the Timber Lake Playhouse enjoying the company's latest summer production of Into the Woods, a storybook brought to life with fabulous fables and folk tales including those of Jack and the Beanstalk, Cinderella, Rapunzel, and Little Red Riding Hood.

24 Jun 2019

These Doors Are Made for Slamming, and That's Just What They'll Do: “Noises Off,” at the Timber Lake Playhouse through June 30

By Rochelle Arnold

Noises Off, by English playwright Michael Frayn, is a 1982 comedic farce of epic proportions, and you will likely either love this show or hate it. The guy sitting next to me, for instance, did not come back after intermission. The lady in front of me laughed hysterically. And an older fellow in the front row seemed to be dozing off. So there was definitely a wide range of audience reactions to this gag-filled production.

17 Jun 2019

Grin and Barracks: The Mississippi Bend Players' “Biloxi Blues,” at Augustana College through June 23

By Rochelle Arnold

The Mississippi Bend Players' third season opened on Friday with Neil Simon's Biloxi Blues, a tribute to our military veterans and all the brave men and women who currently serve this great country. This second installment in Simon's semi-autobiographical comedic trilogy – one that begins with Brighton Beach Memoirs and concludes with Broadway Bound – had me rifling through my purse to find a tissue to dry my eyes, given that they were watering so much from laughter. Director and St. Ambrose University theatre professor Cory Johnson, who also gave us MBP's Brighton Beach in 2017, delivered a hilarious show that was not only extremely funny, but touched on some very serious subject matter.

10 Jun 2019

Seasons of Love Songs: "Holiday Inn," at the Circa '21 Dinner Playhouse through July 20

By Rochelle Arnold

Paraphrasing from the latest presentation at the Circa '21 Dinner Playhouse, “If you need musical medication, the Holiday Inn fills the prescription." And June 7's opening night for this Irving Berlin spectacle was certainly therapeutic, delivering a fantastic, high-energy, fast-paced, never-a-dull-moment performance. With its seasoned dancers and strong vocals, you'll thoroughly enjoy this production. It does not disappoint.

03 Jun 2019

Bubbles, Bubbles, Tail, and Troubles: "The Little Mermaid," at the Timber Lake Playhouse through June 16

By Rochelle Arnold

Mermaids seem to be popular with the kids nowadays. There are local advertisements for actual swim lessons in which children wear mermaid tails and are instructed on how to navigate the water. And Saturday’s matinée-under-the sea-performance of Disney's The Little Mermaid at the Timber Lake Playhouse had tiny-tyke patrons all dressed up in their mermaid tails and crowns just so they could be like their favorite princess Ariel. What a fun way to kick off the inaugural show in the theatre’s 2019 summer season!

13 Apr 2019

Ode to Joy: “Marie & Rosetta,” at the Playcrafters Barn Theatre through April 14

By Rochelle Arnold

I had the pleasure of attending Wednesday night's rehearsal of Marie & Rosetta at Moline's Playcrafters Barn Theatre, and it was so refreshing to experience a true gospel music production.

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