With gifted vocalist and ensemble leader Donovan Tea currently celebrating his astonishing 41st year with the group, the beloved pop vocalists of the Lettermen make their long-awaited return to the Circa '21 Dinner Playhouse on May 12, their ever-popular springtime engagements overflowing with timeless hits such as “When I Fall in Love,” “Put Your Head on My Shoulder,” “Hurt So Bad,” and “Shangri-La.”

An eagerly awaited springtime touring event rides, jumps, and spins into the Vibrant Arena at the MARK on May 10 and 11 as the Moline venue hosts Monster Jam 2025, the amphitheater event that brings a new level of high-flying, four-wheel excitement to the entire family with racing, two-wheel skills, donuts, and freestyle competitions.

His credits including touring events with the likes of the Impractical Jokers, comedian Greg Hahn, and two-time Emmy Award winner Jennifer Coolidge, standup hypnotist Doug Thompson brings his touring sensation The DougT Hypnosis Show to East Moline venue The Rust Belt on May 9. Potential stage participants, however, shouldn't worry about doing anything they'll regret in the morning, as Thompson prides himself on delivering a raucously fun evening that doesn’t come at the cost of compromised dignity.

The recipient of a MacArthur “Genius” Fellowship who, in 2016, was also named one of Politico's “50 people across the country who are most influencing the national political debate," a Pulitzer Prize winner engages in virtual conversation with a Chicago-based journalist in Poverty – A Discussion with Matthew Desmond, the May 13 event with Desmond and Natalie Moore presented by Illinois Libraries Present and the Rock Island and Silvis Public Libraries.

A special presentation by the Genesius Theatre Guild of the Quad Cities in preparation for its summer season at Rock Island's Lincoln Park, the Shakespearean celebration Songs & Sweet Airs will enjoy a live presentation at the Rock Island Public Library's Watts-Midtown Branch on May 13, this reader's-theatre performance a supercut of some of the Bard's greatest writing that boasts scenes and monologues from many of his plays.

An eagerly awaited springtime event taking place over Mother's Day weekend in Davenport's spacious Mississippi Valley Fairgrounds, the Beaux Arts 2025 Spring Fair will treat visitors to an outdoor celebration of visual arts and fine crafts on May 10 and 11, with the annual event featuring food, live music, children's activities, and works for sale by dozens of artists and Midwestern vendors.

Highlighting the importance of sustainability in the arts and encouraging their audience to see the beauty of Earth’s resources and ecosystem, a trio of Illinois and Iowa talents enjoy a collective exhibition at the Quad City Arts International Airport Gallery through June 30, Olson, Stampfli, & Sunderman showcasing a beautiful assemblage of quilted art by Lindsay Olson and Jessie Stampfli and sculpture by Robert Sunderman.

K: Taking pleasure in the ridiculous is key to making this show work, and Zach Ulmer was clearly having a great time. The audience couldn’t help but follow suit!

M: Absolutely. I’d agree that Ulmer was the highlight of the show’s comedy, including some fun ad-libbed asides – and he has a strong singing voice, to boot.

As you likely know by now, a federal jury deadlocked last week on all three corruption charges against Senator Emil Jones III (D-Chicago). U.S. District Judge Andrea Wood declared a mistrial after polling individual jurors and arriving at the conclusion that they could not possibly reach a verdict.