Lauded by the New York Times as a "big bearhug of a musical" in which "even the most stalwart cynics may have trouble staying dry-eyed," the Tony Award-winning Come from Away makes its debut at Rock Island's Circa '21 Dinner Playhouse with its September 10 through November 1 run, this deeply moving 2017 entertainment also hailed by Broadway World as "inspiring, funny, and kick-ass beautiful.”

A 1957 film classic currently ranked by Internet Movie Database voters as the fifth-greatest movie of all time, Sidney Lumet's riveting 12 Angry Men will, from September 5 through 14, be given a fresh spin via Circle's Edge, an offshoot of City Circle Theatre Company.

The Timber Lake Playhouse tries something new with its world-premiere musical Glü. Directed by Tommy Ranieri, and with a book and lyrics by Jake Lockwood and music and lyrics by Alexander Sage Oyen, this heartwarming tale gives audiences a chance to see something local, and possibly even familiar.

Treating audiences to a number of enthralling, one-person performances over the course of Labor Day Weekend, Moline's Black Box Theatre will host its inaugural Solo Fringe Fest from August 29 through 31, this celebration of music, drama, comedy, dance, and storytelling boasting stellar talents whose work has taken them throughout the Midwest, across the country, and overseas.

Kitty: Full disclosure: We once dressed as Mary Poppins and Bert for Halloween. We’re very serious about our Poppins lore.

Mischa: But we promise to be absolutely objective in our reactions to this show.

Local Theatre Auditions/Calls for Entry

Updated: Monday, August 25

Reviews by Rochelle Arnold, Jeff Ashcraft, Patricia Baugh-Riechers, Audra Beals, Pamela Briggs, Dee Canfield, Madeline Dudziak, Kim Eastland, Emily Heninger, Heather Herkelman, Kitty (née Israel) Hooker, Mischa Hooker, Paula Jolly, Victoria Navarro, Roger Pavey Jr., Alexander Richardson, Mark Ruebling, Mike Schulz, Joy Thompson, Oz Torres, Brent Tubbs, Jill Pearson Walsh, and Thom White.

Jordan Harrison's Marjorie Prime script is both dramatic and funny, and Jennifer Kingry's cast of four excels at being both.

With the theatre's latest production, Mt. Carroll's Timber Lake Playhouse will be treating audiences to a world premiere, a family dilemma, and an umlaut with the venue's debut of Glü, a brand-new musical comedy running August 22 through 31, and presented as the first presentation in the venue's Andy Bro New Works Program.

K: Dolly Parton famously said, “It takes a lot of money to look this cheap.” Likewise, it takes many hours of rehearsal to make a show look humorously under-rehearsed.

M: Ironically, it’s necessary to play a bad actor well.

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