Comedy
Jennifer Coolidge
Penguin's Comedy Club
Friday, February 19, and Saturday, February 20
My guess is that you saw the photo accompanying this piece and immediately thought one of three things: (1) "Oh ... it's Jennifer Coolidge! I love her!" (2) "Oh ... it's that actress from Legally Blonde and those Christopher Guest movies! I love her!" (3) "Holy crap! Stifler's mom! I freakin' love her!!!"
No matter your response, you're right ... though if you leaned toward response three, you really should get to the cineplex more often. Since her iconic turn as American Pie's modern-day Mrs. Robinson, Coolidge has been one of Hollywood's most in-demand and adored comic actresses, contributing to 33 movies (plus 18 TV series) since 2000. Yet as a former member of the Los Angeles-based comedy troupe the Groundlings, she's also an accomplished stand-up performer, which local audiences will quickly glean during Coolidge's February 19 and 20 sets at Penguin's Comedy Club.
Still, you just know some audience member is going to welcome her to the Davenport stage with a hearty "Stifler's mom!!!" So to avoid being That Guy, match these Jennifer Coolidge films with her roles in them, and counter that inevitable Penguin's greeting with a more original one.
1) Legally Blonde
2) Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans
3) Date Movie
4) Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events
5) A Cinderella Story
6) Best in Show
7) A Mighty Wind
A) Genevieve McDonagh
B) Amber Cole
C) Fiona Montgomery
D) Paulette Bonafonté
E) Sherri Ann Ward Cabot
F) White-Faced Women
G) Roz Fockyerdoder
Jennifer Coolidge performs at Penguin's on Friday at 8 p.m., and on Saturday at 7:30 and 10 p.m., and tickets are available by calling (563)324-5233 or visiting QCFreightHouse.com/penguinsComedyClub.upcoming.php.
Answers: 1 - D, 2 - A, 3 - G, 4 - F, 5 - C, 6 - E, 7 - B. And if you had no clue about either of those last two, I'm afraid we're no longer on speaking terms. Sorry, Mother.
Music
Rascal Flatts and Darius Rucker
i wireless Center
Saturday, February 20, 8 p.m.
Bryan Adams
The Capitol Theatre
Tuesday, February 23, 8 p.m.
"Tell me about the first dream, Mike."
"This was a strange one, doctor. It was just me and my gang in Mayberry, talkin' about fast cars and freedom and prayin' for daylight. I felt unstoppable here. But my wish was to be a winner at a losing game, bless the broken road, and embrace this everyday love. I shouted, 'What hurts the most is that while you loved me, I'm movin' on these days! Why?!'"
"Let me stop you, Mike. I think you were dreaming about the multi-platinum-selling country band Rascal Flatts. You just referenced 15 of the group's hit songs."
"But then, a man walked up to me, making sounds like an owl and holding a blowfish. I gave him a strange look, and he said, 'Don't think I don't think about it. But it's alright. It won't be like this for long. It's actually history in the making, and ... .'"
"I'm going to stop you again, since you just mentioned four hit singles by Hootie & the Blowfish frontman Darius Rucker. Obviously, you're thinking about writing a piece on February 20's country-music spectacular at Moline's i wireless Center - the Unstoppable Tour 2010 - where Rucker is opening for Rascal Flatts. I understand that the show starts at 8 p.m., and that tickets are available by calling (800)745-3000 or visiting iwirelessCenter.com."
"Wow ... that makes perfect sense!"
"So what was your other dream, Mike?"
"This one was even weirder, doc. I was dreaming that it was a few days from now - February 23, I think - and I was at Davenport's Capitol Theatre. It was about 8 p.m., and the lights dimmed, and then Grammy- and Oscar-nominated rocker Bryan Adams appeared on stage! It was nuts! He sang all of his hits: 'Cuts Like a Knife' and 'Summer of '69' and '(Everything I Do) I Do It for You' and 'Open Road' and 'Can't Stop This Thing We Started' and a whole bunch more. Then he yelled to the crowd, 'For tickets to shows at the Capitol Theatre, call (563)326-8820 or visit TheCapDavenport.com!' And then I woke up. What do you think that one means?"
"I honestly have no idea."
Theatre
The Glass Menagerie
Galvin Fine Arts Center - St. Ambrose University
Friday, February 19 through Sunday, February 21
"Where are you going, Tom?"
"I'm going to the movies, Mother."
"That's right, now that you've had us make such fools of ourselves! Go to the movies! Go! Don't let anything interfere with your selfish pleasure!"
"The more you shout about my selfishness to me, the quicker I'll go! And I won't go to the movies!"
"Go, then! Go to the moon, you selfish dreamer!"
"I didn't go to the moon. I went much further. I went to St. Ambrose University, where the school's theatre department was staging The Glass Menagerie. I went to Tennessee Williams' classic memory play about an overbearing mother and a frustrated son, and a damaged daughter named Laura who collected figurines made of glass. I walked into the Galvin Fine Arts Center and watched Corinne Johnson's direction of students Katie McCormack, Nathan Scheetz, Monique Vos, and Dan Hernandez. I listened as they delivered some of the most beautiful and memorable lines in American theatre. I laughed and I cried and I thought of my family, and for a brief moment I was the recipient of truth in the pleasant disguise of illusion, and the world was lit by lightning. So blow out your candles, Laura - and so goodbye ... ." *
The Glass Menagerie will be performed February 19 and 20 at 7:30 p.m. and February 21 at 3 p.m., and tickets are available by calling (563)333-6251 or visiting http://Web.SAU.edu/galvin.
* With apologies to Mr. Williams, who would've made something far more poetic out of this piece.
JUST FER KIDS!
Hey, everybody! Guess who's coming to Davenport? (Here's a hint: Her name is in blue and red letters right next to her picture there.)
That's right! It's everyone's favorite grade-school troublemaker, Ramona Quimby! You're probably familiar with the character from Beverly Cleary's popular children's books, but now you can see her live on stage in a brand-new show produced by Davenport Junior Theatre!
Based on several stories in the author's series, Ramona Quimby finds our third-grade heroine getting into all sorts of trouble - fighting with her sister, Beezus, aggravating her teacher, disrupting a wedding, and much more! But while her adventures are funny, Ramona also learns important lessons about family and friendship, and realizes that while siblings may not always agree, they sure can be good to have around!
Junior Theatre's one-act presentation promises to be loads of fun, and you'll not only get a ticket for your $5 admission price; you'll also get a book - every child who attends will receive a copy of one of Cleary's Romona Quimby tales to take home with them!
To prepare for this exciting family entertainment, try to find the names of 12 of the show's characters in this Ramona Quimby word-search. The answers can be found here ... but no cheating!
Ramona Quimby runs February 20 through 28, with performances at 2 and 7 p.m. on Saturdays and 2 p.m. on Sundays. For more information, call (563)326-7862 or visit DavenportJuniorTheatre.com.
What Else Is Happenin'... ?
MUSIC
Friday, February 19 - Artimus Pyle. Legendary Lynyrd Skynyrd drummer in concert. Quad-Cities Waterfront Convention Center (1777 Isle Parkway, Bettendorf). 7:30 p.m. $10-$15. For tickets and information, call (800)843-4753 or visit Bettendorf.IsleOfCapriCasinos.com.
Friday, February 19, and Saturday, February 20 - Great River Show Choir Invitational. Presented by the music departments of Davenport Central and Davenport West, 12 regional high schools and seven middle schools deliver dazzling dancing, costumes, music, and family entertainment. Adler Theatre (136 East Third Street, Davenport). Friday: middle-school competition 5 p.m. Saturday: high-school competition 8 a.m., awards 6:50 p.m., finals 7:30 p.m., Grand Champion announcement 11 p.m. $5-$16. For information, call (563)322-3660 or visit GreatRiverOnline.com.
Saturday, February 20, and Sunday, February 21 - Morning Light & Evening Rest. Concert with the Nova Singers, featuring Brahms' "Warum ist das Licht gegeben" and Ligeti's "Morning & Night," and a performance by saxophonist Kevin Malle. Saturday - Galesburg's First Lutheran Church (364 East Water Street, Galesburg). Sunday - Moline's First Congregational Church (2201 Seventh Avenue, Moline). Saturday 7:30 p.m., Sunday 4 p.m. $10-$15, students free. For tickets and information, call (309)341-7038 or visit http://deptorg.knox.edu/novasingers.
Sunday, February 21 - YL Male Voice Choir. A Hancher Auditorium presentation, featuring the noted 65-voice ensemble in concert. Iowa City West High School (2901 Melrose Avenue, Iowa City). 2 p.m. $21-$35. For tickets and information, call (319)335-1160 or visit http://www.Hancher.UIowa.edu.
Wednesday, February 24 - Lotus. Instrumental rockers in concert, with an opening set by Family Groove Company. The Capitol Theatre (330 West Third Street, Davenport). 7 p.m. $15-$18. For tickets and information, call (563)326-8820 or visit TheCapDavenport.com.
Thursday, February 25 - Let's Rock: Decades of Rock 'n' Roll. Cabaret concert featuring performances by the theatre's performing wait staff, the Bootleggers, and cast members from the current Joseph & the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, and 2008's production of Buddy: The Buddy Holly Story. Circa '21 Dinner Playhouse (1828 Third Avenue, Rock Island). 7 p.m. $10-$12. For tickets and information, call (309)786-7733 extension 2, or visit Circa21.com.
Friday, February 26 - The Spinners. Concert starring the beloved Motown singers of "I'll Be Around," and "Could It Be I'm Falling In Love." Quad-Cities Waterfront Convention Center (1777 Isle Parkway, Bettendorf). 7:30 p.m. $20-$25. For tickets and information, call (800)843-4753 or visit Bettendorf.IsleOfCapriCasinos.com.
Saturday, February 27 - Spend a Night with Ray: A Tribute to Ray Charles. Concert featuring internationally-acclaimed musician Ray Blue and his New York Band. Quad-Cities Waterfront Convention Center (1777 Isle Parkway, Bettendorf). 7:30 p.m. $20-$50. For tickets and information, call (800)843-4753 or visit Bettendorf.IsleOfCapriCasinos.com.
Saturday, February 27 - Flatfoot 56. Chicago-based musicians performing Celtic punk and folk-tinged hardcore. The Redstone Room (129 Main Street, Davenport). 7:30 p.m. $10. For tickets and information, call (877)326-1333 or visit RedstoneRoom.com.
THEATRE
Thursday, February 25, through Saturday, March 6 - Tired American Dream. Workshop performance of David Childs' debuting rock musical, directed by Tristan Tapscott. Harrison Hilltop Theatre (1601 Harrison Street, Davenport). Thursday-Saturday 8 p.m., Sunday 2 p.m. $10. For tickets and information, call 563-449-6371 or visit HarrisonHilltop.com.
EXHIBIT
Saturday, February 27, through Monday, May 31 - Visions of Iowa: Arthur Geisert, Country Road ABC. Exhibit featuring sketches and drawings form the award-winning author and illustrator of 22 children's books. Figge Art Museum (225 West Second Street, Davenport). Tuesday-Saturday 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; Thurdsday 10 a.m.-9 p.m.; Sunday noon-5 p.m. Free with museum admission. For information, call (563)326-7804 or visit FiggeArt.org.
EVENTS
Thursday, February 18, through Sunday, February 21 - 2010 Outdoor Show. Four-day event for fishing professionals and lovers of the outdoors, showcasing boats, tackle, decoys, gear, and more. QCCA Expo Center (2621 Fourth Avenue, Rock Island). Thursday 4-9 p.m.; Friday noon-8 p.m.; Saturday 9 a.m.-8 p.m.; Sunday 10 a.m.-4 p.m. $1-$6. For information, call (309)788-5912 or visit QCCAExpoCenter.com.
Friday, February 26, and Saturday, February 27 - Gravity Slashers Freestyle Motocross Tour. Stunt show featuring aerial acrobatics including Cliffhangers, Sterilizers, Tsunamis, Hart Attacks, and many more. i wireless Center (1201 River Drive, Moline). 7:30 p.m. $15-$30. For tickets, call (800)745-3000 or visit iwirelessCenter.com.
Saturday, February 27 - Hope for Haiti Benefit Concert & Art Auction. Disaster-relief fundraiser featuring a silent art auction and musical performances by local artists including Lord Green, Centaur Noir, and Chad Gooch. For ages 21 and older. The Blackhawk Room (417 15th Street, Moline). 6 p.m. $5. For information, call Nick Mielke at (309)507-1140 or Jon Burns at (309)912-5024.
