This past weekend, in all its masked glory, Genesius Guild’s Hippolytus featured gorgeous face coverings designed by Daitlyn Duffy and fitted by Bob Hanske, and these were certainly not your typical COVID-era face masks, either; they were works of art that amazingly kept mouths uncovered. When paired with Sara Wegner’s absolutely beautiful costumes, I was swept up in the story before anyone said a single word.

Even within the subset of meritorious solo or duo shows, author Lauren Gunderson's I & You is a particularly outstanding and imaginative two-person play unlike any I've seen in the Quad Cities, and one to which the Black Box Theatre did full justice. I attended opening night as one member of an equally appreciative crowd.

Once Mamma Mia!'s overture started and the curtains opened – my my – it was nothing short of theatre magic.

Many questions were raised this last Fourth-of-July weekend, such as: Do you prefer hot dogs or hamburgers? Which summertime dessert should you bring to the barbeque? Most importantly: How much do you really know about Shakespeare? While the first two questions are a mere matter of opinion, Genesius Guild looks forward to helping you better answer that third question with the company's latest production Shakespeare’s Life in His Works.