20 Jun 2006

Bootie Call: "The Bootleggers On Broadway," at Circa '21 June 21 Through 24

By Mike Schulz

The Bootleggers Murder. Madness. Cannibalism. Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the wonderful world of Broadway musicals!

Or rather, welcome to The Bootleggers "On Broadway," the new, full-length production showcasing the talents of the Circa '21 Dinner Playhouse's performing wait staff. (The show runs at Circa '21 June 21 through 24.)

23 May 2006

The Pretender: Things You Should Know About - and From - the Area's Best Actor, Tom Walljasper

By Mike Schulz

"I think my forte is storytelling. I just like to pretend. And any experience that I have where I believe the actor or actors are as close to pretending as possible? That's what gets me off, man. To me, that's what acting's all about." -- Tom Walljasper

10 May 2006

That Old Barn Magic: Moline's Barn Theatre Presents Its First Musical in Nearly a Decade

By Mike Schulz

Over the past 10 months, the stage space at the Playcrafters Barn Theatre in Moline has been transformed into a ballpark (for the venue's production of Rounding Third), an Italian villa (for Enchanted April), and the entire town of Bedford Falls (for It's a Wonderful Life).

But these days, after climbing the stairs to the second level of the Barn, the first thing you notice about the set for Sweet & Hot: The Songs of Harold Arlen (running through May 21) is something more unexpected than anything found on those previous sets: a piano.

 

 

25 Apr 2006

Comic Depth Perceptions: Augustana College's "The Real Inspector Hound" and "Black Comedy"

By Mike Schulz

In the realm of educational theatre, the rehearsal process for a main-stage show generally lasts several weeks, if not months. It can

be hard work. Yet if the selected material gives actors and directors enough to work with, what could be a laborious process is, for its participants, more often a joy.

18 Apr 2006

Spiking Your Own Drink: St. Ambrose University's Corinne Johnson

By Mike Schulz
"There's something about being in a live theatre," says St. Ambrose University Professor of Theatre Corinne Johnson, "and experiencing that moment with the actors and, maybe more importantly, with the audience.
28 Mar 2006

Many Ways to Skin a "Cats": Dennis Hitchcock Discusses Circa '21's Latest Musical

By Mike Schulz
Author's note: Prior to my full-time tenure at the Reader, I worked at the Circa '21 Dinner Playhouse, and for Dennis Hitchcock, for 11 years. This was one of those rare interviews that didn't start with a handshake, but rather a hug.
21 Mar 2006

You're Not Just for Kids, "Charlie Brown": Music Guild Takes On Charles M. Schulz

By Mike Schulz
The comic-strip world of Charles M. Schulz's "Peanuts" characters has long delighted children, and the original, 1967 production of the musical You're A Good Man, Charlie Brown - with its cheerful tunes and hummable score - has long been a staple for young performers, having been consistently produced in high schools, middle schools, and even elementary schools across the country.
21 Mar 2006

The Not-So-Final Curtain: Iowa City's Dreamwell Theatre

By Audra Beals

After the most successful nine-month run that Iowa City's Dreamwell Theatre has ever seen, this sm

all company - which has long performed on borrowed stages and only recently secured a space of its own - is homeless once more.

28 Feb 2006

The Power of the Witness

By Mike Schulz
The idea started with a traffic jam. "This was two years ago," says local poet and storyteller Shellie Moore Guy, regarding the origin of her domestic-abuse performance piece Healing Waters: I Will Carry My Sister's Pain.
14 Feb 2006

Communications Expert: Dave Bonde Directs "A Lie of the Mind" for St. Ambrose

By Mike Schulz

Like many who wind up pursuing a life in the theatre, Camanche, Iowa, native Dave Bonde never intended to; his plan was to secure a B.A. in Mass Communication. Yet after appearing in his first theatrical production at St. Ambrose University in 1991, Bonde found himself hooked by the allure of the stage, partly because of its connection to his own field of study.

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