Between December 1 and 10, Timber Lake Playhouse audiences are invited to spend some seasonal time with music icons Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis, Carl Perkins, and Elvin Presley when the Mt. Carroll venue presents its run of Million Dollar Quartet Christmas, a yuletide-themed sequel to the Tony-winning Broadway smash Million Dollar Quartet boasting seasonal perennials such as “Jingle Bell Rock” and “Run Run Rudolph” alongside classics including “Don't Be Cruel” and “Ring of Fire.”

In the eagerly awaited return of a seasonal Quad Cities tradition, visitors can experience the wonders of a classic Victorian holiday season in Moline's unique Deere-family homes through 19th Century Christmas, the Butterworth Center's and Deere-Wiman House's annually beloved December 3 event boasting litany of yuletide treats including live music performances, interactive tours, make-and-take activities, refreshments, and, of course, a special visit by Santa Claus.

Presenting a pair of exhibitions that seamlessly marry classical painting styles with a contemporary edge, Dubuque's Voices Studio, through January 28, will showcase the works of two remarkably talented artists, with the arresting pieces by Timothy Rees of Maquoketa and Evan Ventris of Dubuque embodying an evocative blend of traditional techniques with a touch of modern sophistication.

Delivering a live performance of iconic country and folk tunes blended with seasonal favorites, Los Angeles' Rick Schuler brings his touring tribute act Rocky Mountain High Experience: A John Denver Christmas to Davenport's Adler Theatre on December 3, presenting a salute to the music legend that will boast unforgettable songs from Denver's Grammy-winning repertoire alongside heartwarming inspirational carols and holiday classics from his memorable TV specials and Christmas albums.

On December 1, yule-minded audiences are invited to listen to carols from around the world and experience a beloved University of Dubuque tradition in Christmas at Heritage Center: All the Souls on Earth Shall Sing!, a concert event celebrating the spiritual meaning of the Christmas season presented part of the 11th-annual Live at Heritage Center Performing Arts Series.

I don’t know whether or not the legislative Democratic leadership would’ve allowed a vote, but it is puzzling to me that the people behind the extension of the state’s Invest in Kids Act program didn’t at least try to run a bill that would’ve wound the program down over a period of years.

Augustana College’s latest production, directed and choreographed by multi-hyphenate Shelley Cooper, is an area debut and a pleasant surprise. While I knew nothing about Nine before the musical's Tuesday-night dress rehearsal, the show offers a slew of treats for anyone who chooses to attend, regardless of one's familiarity with the material.

Between November 24 and 26, a beloved animated special will come to delightful stage life in Countryside Community Theatre's A Charlie Brown Christmas, an hour-long theatrical entertainment being presented at Davenport's Lincoln Community Center, and one filled with all the memorable characters, crises, and music that made the Emmy-winning TV version a cherished holiday perennial.

Hailed by Newsday as “a lusciously written, strangely poignant, dizzyingly modern spin on life,” and by Time Out New York as “utterly spellbinding,” playwright Will Eno's Middletown enjoys a November 30 through December 3 run in Scott Community College's Black Box Theatre, this expansive series of vignettes also lauded by the New York Times as a “delicate, moving, piercing, tart, funny, gorgeous” play that “glimmers from start to finish.”