Theatre
Mr. Marmalade
Village Theatre
Thursday, March 22, through Sunday, April 1
Mr. Marmalade, which Davenport's New Ground Theatre will stage from March 22 through April 1, is a comedy about a four-year-old girl named Lucy and her imaginary playmate of the show's title. A businessman with bipolar disorder, a porn addiction, and a considerable cocaine problem, Mr. Marmalade tends to ignore Lucy as much as her one-night-stand-seeking single mother does, frequently leaving Lucy alone to contend with her suicidal five-year-old friend and ... .
A-a-a-and I've just lost at least half of you, haven't I?
Well, don't say you weren't warned. In this decidedly adult comedy by playwright Noah Haidle, Lucy's childhood may be a nightmare, but it's a nightmare with an underlying message about the perils of parental neglect - as well as a nightmare that, maybe against your better judgment, might just make you cackle. With TalkinBroadway.com calling it "a very funny play" that "moves so swiftly that you'll probably be laughing too hard to think about [the material's] troubling aspects," Mr. Marmalade broaches such subjects as murder, pregnancy, drug addiction, and abuse with its tongue firmly in its cheek, offering its actors the chance to go to town with wild, oftentimes disturbing characters.
And, in terms of New Ground's latest presentation, what actors they are! Performing under the direction of area favorite Patti Flaherty, Mr. Marmalade's cast features such notable talents as Barb Engstrom, Mike King, Stephanie Moeller, Dana Moss-Peterson, Susan Perrin-Sallak, Tom Taylor, Al Whitemore, and Paul Workman. Portraying what must stand as the worst imaginary playmate ever, Patti's husband Pat Flaherty enacts Mr. Marmalade. And the show's damaged-but-resilient four-year-old heroine is being played by Jessica Denney, whose most recent area stage role was in the Curtainbox Theatre Company's Time Stands Still, in which she played my sweet, funny, unbelievably adorable bride. So if I walk onstage during a Mr. Marmalade production and punch Pat Flaherty straight in the face, at least you'll understand why.
Performances of Mr. Marmalade will be held at the Village of East Davenport's Village Theatre (2113 East 11th Street), and more information and tickets are available by calling (563)326-7529 or visiting NewGroundTheatre.org.
Music
Gerome Durham and Harper
The Muddy Waters
Friday, March 23, and Thursday, March 15
According to his online biography at GeromeDurham.com, Milwaukee-based musician Gerome Durham spent his boyhood picking cotton and plowing fields in rural Mississippi, after which, at age 17, he moved to North Carolina and worked in a tobacco field. All things considered, then, it's hardly surprising that the man wound up pursuing a career in disco.
Okay, you caught me - that would be surprising. Instead, Gerome Durham went on to become an acclaimed and terrifically popular blues singer, as audiences will discover when Durham and his All-Star Band play the Bettendorf blues venue The Muddy Waters on March 23. With a career spanning more than 20 years and four CDs under his belt, Durham's soulful blues stylings and rich baritone have made him a much-in-demand touring artist throughout the Midwest and South. And with songs such as "Let Me Love You Baby," "Lost Your Happy Home," and "Steppin' Out Tonight" earning much critical praise, Durham's talents inspired ExpressMilwaukee.com to rave about his "grown-up, slice-of-life narratives," his "party-ready, tasty guitar licks," and his "compelling and lived-in" vocals.
Meanwhile, eight days prior, The Muddy Waters will host an evening with the gifted singer/songwriter/instrumentalist Harper, who will perform a special area concert on March 15. A harmonica virtuoso born in the United Kingdom, raised in Australia, and one of a very, very select few blues artists to employ the didgeridoo in his repertoire, Harper has played stages in Canada, Germany, Austria, Italy, and France, and has earned plaudits from the All Music Guide for his "unique roots sound that walks the line between being comfortable and familiar while simultaneously veering off into some eerie territory." Of course, Harper does admit to drawing inspiration from some of the most notable names in the blues, saying in his online bio (at Harper.biz) that he "really dug Sonny Boy Williamson II," and that "Muddy Waters really hit me hard." Well, look at that! Now the venue can repay the favor!
The Muddy Waters is located 1708 State Street in Bettendorf, and for more information on the Harper and Gerome Durham concerts, call (563)355-0655 or visit TheMuddyWaters.com.
Music
Faster Pussycat
Rock Island Brewing Company
Friday, March 16, 9 p.m.
In 1987, the famed hard-rock and glam-metal band Faster Pussycat appeared on the cover of Screamer magazine's debut issue, and for understandable reason, Screamer publisher David Castagano has since been quoted as saying, "Faster Pussycat will always hold a special place in my heart." With the musicians' hit songs including "House of Pain," "Where There's a Whip There's a Way," "Gonna Walk," and "Bottle in Front of Me," they obviously hold special places in the hearts of the Reader staff, too.
Pop by the Rock Island Brewing Company on March 16, though, and you'll likely be surrounded by big fans of Faster Pussycat, the Los Angeles-based sensation that made a huge splash with its self-titled debut album in 1987, and struck gold with the sales of 1989's Wake Me When It's Over. Appearing at RIBCO as part of the band's 25th-anniversary tour, Faster Pussycast - the name taken from the first two words of a legendary cult film by Russ Meyer - will rock the Rock Island house with its signature, no-holds-barred energy, and with the rock-star showmanship that resulted in touring gigs alongside the likes of Alice Cooper, David Lee Roth, Motörhead, Mötley Crüe, and Kiss.
As a test of your Faster Pussycat knowledge prior to the musicians' RIBCO engagement, try your hand at this quiz: Which of the following is not an original or cover recorded by Faster Pussycat?
1) "Body Thief"
2) "Jack the Bastard"
3) "Nervous Shakedown"
4) "Out with a Bang"
5) "Smash Alley"
6) "You're So Vain"
Faster Pussycat performs at RIBCO with an opening set by Lustalots, and more information on the night is available by calling (309)793-4060 or visiting RIBCO.com.
Answer: 3. I bet you thought you had that one in the bag. Well, you know what Carly Simon would say about that kind of confidence, don't you? Don't you? Don't you?
Event
Kelly's St. Patrick's Day Party
Kelly's Irish Pub & Eatery
Saturday, March 17
Top o' the mornin' to ya! I'm Séamus the Shamrock, an' I'm here to tell ya of a bleedin' deadly craic takin' place in Davenport on March 17: the annual St. Patrick's Day Party at Kelly's Irish Pub an' Eatery! With 15,000 cutties, buckos, an' buzzies expected to show, it's gonna be a grand, jammers hooley o' powerful proportions!
If ya've got a mouth an' throat on ya, ya'll be screamin' "Shut up!" at the massive quantities o' corned beef an' cabbage - a whole ton of it as a gift to the gobsmacked masses! There'll be 200 kegs o' green beer an' Guinness fer all the mangled lookin' to get fluthered, stocious, an' bolloxed, plus a snack buffet to keep ya from gettin' petrified an' off yer face before the free shuttle service homeward!
An' have ya heard about the entertainment Kelly's has lined up fer all ya fine things an' flahs? Beyond the sound Celtic performances by the Mullane Healy Godfrey Irish Dancers an' bagpiper Rich Wyatt, there'll be business music by the likes o' Jason Carl, the Myers Brothers, Wicked Liz an' the Bellyswirls, Tronicity, Cosmic, Third Rail, an' Spatterdash, with added shenanigans courtesy o' juggler Dean Franken an' prestidigitator Mark Yaeger!
All this, plus bold an' rapid blarney with ROCK 104.9's Dave an' Darren at 11 a.m., an' the 4 p.m. arrival o' the skydiving leprechauns! Oh, an' have I mentioned that admission on Saturday is free?!? Ya may be sayin', "Go on outta that!", but it's the God's honest!
So fer more information on Kelly's St. Patrick's Day Party at 2222 East 53rd Street, call 'em up at (563)344-0000, or prepare to get on the pig's back by visitin' KellysIrishPubAndEatery.com. Thanks fer listenin' to me blather, an' when yer suckin' diesel on Saturday, be sure an' tell 'em Séamus sent ya - that party's gonna be the master!
What Else Is Happenin'...?
MUSIC
Friday, March 16 - WhiteWater Ramble. Noted bluegrass and rock musicians in concert. The Redstone Room (129 Main Street, Davenport). 8 p.m. $10. For tickets and information, call (563)326-1333 or visit RiverMusicExperience.org.
Saturday, March 17 - 17th-Annual Red Cross Country Concert. Benefit concert with performances by Bill Haley's Comets, Aaron Elvis Presley Jr., and Tommy Vale & the Torpedoes. Orpheum Theatre (56 South Kellogg Street, Galesburg). 6:30 p.m. $26.75-36.75. For tickets and information, call (309)344-1623 or visit TheOrpheum.org.
Sunday, March 18 - Trans-Siberian Orchestra's Beethoven's Last Night. Multimedia musical stage presentation. i wireless Center (1201 River Drive, Moline). 7:30 p.m. $37-57. For tickets, call (800)745-3000 or visit iwirelessCenter.com.
Sunday, March 18 - The Lynne Arriale Trio. Jazz pianist and her ensemble in an event in Polyrhythms' Third Sunday Matinée & Workshop Series. The Redstone Room (129 Main Street, Davenport). 3 p.m. all-ages jazz workshop - $5/adult, children free; 6 p.m. concert - $10-15. For tickets and information, call (309)373-0790 or visit Polyrhythms.org or RiverMusicExperience.org.
Thursday, March 22 - Mac Lethal. Kansas City-based rapper in concert. The Redstone Room (129 Main Street, Davenport). 9 p.m. $10-12. For tickets and information, call (563)326-1333 or visit RiverMusicExperience.org.
Friday, March 23 - Casting Crowns. Contemporary Christian rockers in concert, with special guests Matthew West, Royal Tailor, and Lindsay McCaul. i wireless Center (1201 River Drive, Moline). 7:30 p.m. $26.50-77.50. For tickets, call (800)745-3000 or visit iwirelessCenter.com.
Friday, March 23 - Lake Street Dive and Joy Kills Sorrow. Indie-pop and folk musicians in concert. RME Community Stage (131 West Second Street, Davenport). 7:30 p.m. $5. For tickets and information, call (563)326-1333 or visit RiverMusicExperience.org.
Saturday, March 24 - Ragaman. A CD-release show with the world-fusion ensemble, with opener Sam Rae. The Redstone Room (129 Main Street, Davenport). 9 p.m. $5. For tickets and information, call (563)326-1333 or visit RiverMusicExperience.org.
Saturday, March 24 - Boyz II Men. Grammy Award-winning pop artists of "When I Fall In Love" and "Time After Time" in concert. Quad-Cities Waterfront Convention Center (1777 Isle Parkway, Bettendorf). 7:30 p.m. $30-40. For information, call (800)724-5825 or visit Bettendorf.IsleOfCapriCasinos.com.
Saturday, March 24 - George Thorogood & the Destroyers. Legendary musicians in a concert in the venue's annual Blues Weekend. Riverside Casino & Event Center (3184 Highway 22, Riverside). 8 p.m. $38-48. For tickets and information, call (877)677-3456 or visit RiversideCasinoAndResort.com.
Saturday, March 24 - The Glenn Miller Orchestra. Legendary big-band musicians in concert. Ohnward Fine Arts Center (1215 East Platt Street, Maquoketa). 7 p.m. $25-30. For tickets and information, call (563)652-9815 or visit OhnwardFineArtsCenter.com.
Sunday, March 25 - Jimmie Vaughan. Legendary guitarist in a concert in the venue's annual Blues Weekend. Riverside Casino & Event Center (3184 Highway 22, Riverside). 5 p.m. $38-48. For tickets and information, call (877)677-3456 or visit RiversideCasinoAndResort.com.
Tuesday, March 27 - Kimya Dawson. Concert with the independent musician and former member of The Moldy Peaches, with an opening set by Your Heart Breaks. Rozz-Tox (2108 Third Avenue, Rock Island). 8:30 p.m. $10. For tickets and information, e-mail info@rozztox.com or visit RozzTox.com.
Tuesday, March 27 - Soweto Gospel Choir. Concert with the Grammy Award-winning, 52-member ensemble from South Africa, in a Hancher Auditorium presentation. Riverside Casino & Event Center (3184 Highway 22, Riverside). 7:30 p.m. $16-37. For tickets and information, call (319)335-1160 or visit http://www.Hancher.UIowa.edu.
Wednesday, March 28 - The Magnetic Fields. Acclaimed indie-pop musicians perform in a Mission Creek Festival presentation, with opener Kelly Hogan. Englert Theatre (221 East Washington Street, Iowa City). 8 p.m. $30-32. For tickets and information, call (319)688-2653 or visit Englert.org.
THEATRE
Thursday, March 22, through Saturday, March 24 - Reasons to Be Pretty. Neil LaBute's caustic relationship comedy, directed by student Grace Allen. St. Ambrose University's Galvin Fine Arts Center Studio Theatre (2101 Gaines Street, Davenport). Thursday and Friday 7:30 p.m., Saturday 3 p.m. $6. For tickets and information, call (563)333-6251 or visit SAU.edu/galvin.
Friday, March 23 - Damn Yankees. Touring production of the Tony Award-winning musical-comedy classic, in a Broadway at the Adler presentation. Adler Theatre (136 East Third Street, Davenport). 7:30 p.m. $29.50-49.50. For tickets, call (800)745-3000 or visit AdlerTheatre.com.
Friday, March 23, through Saturday, April 7 - Spring Awakening. Tony Award-winning young-adult rock musical, for mature audiences. The Center for Living Arts (2008 Fourth Avenue, Rock Island). Friday and Saturday 7 p.m.; March 31 and April 7 2 p.m. $10. For tickets and information, call (309)788-5433 or visit Center4Living.com. For an interview with director Dino Hayz, visit RCReader.com/y/awakening.
Saturday, March 24, and Sunday, March 25 - The Sound of Music. Full staging of the Rodgers & Hammerstein musical classic. First Presbyterian Church of Davenport (1702 Iowa Street, Davenport). Saturday 7:30 p.m., Sunday 4 p.m. $8-12. For information, call (563)326-1691 or visit FPCDavenport.org.
DANCE
Saturday, March 17 - Galumpha. Choreography, acrobatics, and physical comedy with the touring ensemble. Augustana College's Centennial Hall (3703 Seventh Avenue, Rock Island). 8 p.m. $8. For tickets and information, call (309)794-7306 or visit Augustana.edu.
LITERATURE
Saturday, March 24 - Pen-in-Hand Mini-Conference: It's a Novel Thing. A day of fiction-writing workshops led by Ann Boaden, Rebecca McKanna, Kelly Daniels, Mike McCarthy, and Mark McLaughlin. Midwest Writing Center (225 East Second Street, Suite 303). 9:15 a.m.-5:15 p.m. $25-30/workshop, $75-90/all four workshops. For information and to register, call (563)324-1410 or visit MidwestWritingCenter.org.
MOVIES
Saturday, March 17 - Environmental Film Festival. Screenings of the documentaries Vanishing of the Bees, Burning the Future, White Water, Black Gold, Death of a Forest, and YERT - Your Environmental Road Trip, with healthy snacks and beverages provided. Augustana College's Olin Center Auditorium (733 35th Street, Rock Island). 11 a.m.-5:15 p.m. Free admission. For information, visit Augustana.edu/x12049.xml.
EVENTS
Saturday, March 17 - 2012 St. Patrick's Day Grand Parade. Annual parade begins at 23rd Street and Fourth Avenue in Rock Island, and crosses the Mississippi River into downtown Davenport. 11:30 a.m. Free. For information, call (309)788-6311 or visit RIDistrict.com.
Friday, March 23 - Ballet Quad Cities' Tutu Fabulous. Fundraiser for Ballet Quad Cities' health and wellness programs benefiting area children, featuring wine and hors d'oeuvres, a fashion show, a silent auction, and a performance with the company's dancers. Hotel Blackhawk (200 East Third Street, Davenport). 6:30 p.m. $45-50. For tickets and information, call (309)786-3379 or visit BalletQuadCities.com.
