17 Aug 2023

O Brother, What Art Thou?: The Mockingbird on Main’s “Big Rock Candy Mountain,” at the Black Box Theatre Theatre through August 20

By Alexander Richardson

The Mockingbird on Main keeps on keeping on with its newest production Big Rock Candy Mountain, now playing at the Black Box Theatre. Having been iterated around the Quad Cities several times over the last almost-decade, this production is the most recent of its renditions by writer/director Tristan Tapscott. It’s a quick and fun musical that gets the job done, as well as a pleasant trip to a time long past.

11 Aug 2023

A Soprano and Her Base: “Jenny Lind Presents P.T. Barnum,” at the Black Box Theatre through August 13

By Madeline Dudziak

Have you ever wanted to be a fly on the wall of a difficult conversation? Jenny Lind Presents P.T. Barnum gives you that delicious opportunity.

07 Aug 2023

They're Just Weird About Harry: “Puffs,” at the Spotlight Theatre through August 13

By Roger Pavey Jr.

Full disclosure: Although decently familiar with the franchise, I am not a hardcore Harry Potter fan, so a good handful of the jokes and spoofy bits in the Spotlight Theatre’s Puffs likely went over my head – but I still had fun and laughed a lot. So if you’re a Potter-head, I'm sure you'lll have a magically good time.

07 Aug 2023

Blue Ridge Mountain High: “Bright Star,” at the Timber Lake Playhouse through August 13

By Pamela Briggs

Steve Martin got famous as a stand-up comic, but in truth, he's a Renaissance man.

07 Aug 2023

A Killer Time: “Murder for Two,” at the Clinton Area Showboat Theatre through August 13

By Alexander Richardson

Murder for Two, now playing at the Clinton Area Showboat Theatre, is incredible. It’s fast, frantic, and fun, and it’s also the hardest I’ve laughed in I couldn’t tell you how long. My first draft of this review was simply “Go see this show” copied-and-pasted a few hundred times. In lieu of a lackluster Shining reference, take this instead;: A shining review.

03 Aug 2023

Benedick Shunned: The Prenzie Players’ “Much Ado About Nothing,” at the Village Theatre through August 6

By Madeline Dudziak

Don’t even read what I’m writing here if you haven’t yet made a reservation to see Much Ado About Nothing. There are only four shows left, tickets are going fast, and you do not want to miss it. If this were a text message, I’d have added about a million more explanation points. I'm serious. Secure your seat before you keep reading, or it might be too late.

31 Jul 2023

Anything but Grimm: Countryside Community Theatre’s “Into the Woods,” at North Scott High School through August 6

By Alexander Richardson

Directed by Tom Walljasper, Countryside’s Into the Woods is a lot of fun and a great excuse to get out of the crushing summer humidity.

27 Jul 2023

Ocean Breezy: “The SpongeBob Musical,” at the Clinton Area Showboat Theatre through July 30

By Roger Pavey Jr.

Based on the popular early-2000s Nickelodeon animated TV show, The SpongeBob Musical follows the title character, a sea sponge, as he, alongside his friends, stops a volcano from erupting and wiping out their town of Bikini Bottom. Helmed by Lara Tenckhoff, there is so much that's contemporary in the Clinton Area Showboat Theatre’s production.

24 Jul 2023

Hart-less: “9 to 5: The Musical,” at the Timber Lake Playhouse through July 30

By Alexander Richardson

I had no idea what to expect when I arrived at the Timber Lake Playhouse on Saturday evening. I’d never seen 9 to 5 before, be it movie or musical, and outside of “Jolene” and the show's titular song, I could not name you a single song by Dolly Parton. Yet none of this got in the way of me enjoying a perfectly fine night of theatre helmed by director Tommy Ranieri.

24 Jul 2023

The Marches of Time: “Little Women,” at the Playcrafters Barn Theatre through July 30

By Madeline Dudziak

Entering the Playcrafters Barn Theatre for Friday’s opening night of Little Women, I had a certain number of expectations. Like most people, I’m familiar with Louisa May Alcott’s story, so I was prepared for some joys, some sorrows, and the four March sisters. I wasn’t, however, anticipating Reader reviewer Roger Pavey Jr.’s scenic design to blow me out of the water before the show even began.

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