This month will be a busy one for Moline’s Black Box Theatre, which is showing three very different productions, for very limited runs. They are:
- “Jenny Lind Presents P.T. Barnum,” Aug. 11-13
A one-woman show by Black Box favorite Shelley Cooper, it reveals the story of the soprano Jenny Lind, who came to America in 1850, to tour with “The Greatest Showman,” P.T. Barnum. She embarked on a headline-grabbing tour that shared the spotlight with a political maelstrom, according to a synopsis.
This one-hour opera show fact-checks The Greatest Showman, and the real reason that Lind (also known as the “Swedish Nightingale”) quit the tour. She was uncomfortable with Barnum’s relentless marketing of her and his questionable moral compass, or lack thereof. Eavesdrop on Jenny’s final, brave confrontation of Barnum and enjoy some operatic gems from Jenny Lind’s concert tour.
This show (premiered this past February at Whitefire Theatre in Los Angeles, an official selection for Solofest) was made possible by an Augustana College Wallenberg Grant. Cooper is an associate professor of theatre arts at the Rock Island private school.
This production was also an official selection for the International University Global Theatre Experience 20th-anniversary event at the 13th-century Laubegg Castle in Austria (July 2023) and an official selection for the Fort Worth Fringe Festival (September 2023). The Moline version is directed by Michelle Crouch with accompanist Luke Tyler.
Performances will be 7:30 p.m. Friday, Aug. 11 and Saturday, Aug. 12, and 2 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 13. Tickets are $16.
- “Big Rock Candy Mountain,” Aug. 17-20
After its downtown Davenport building collapsed May 28 and was later demolished, Mockingbird on Main has been a band on the run.
It will bring back its old-fashioned musical revue “Big Rock Candy Mountain” to the Black Box, for fans of the film “O Brother Where Art Thou” and the Circa ‘21 favorite “Southern Crossroads.”
A merry band of misfits sneak into a theater hoping to stay out of trouble, but instead find themselves front and center in this story about the power of music and second chances, according to a synopsis.
Add a down on her luck theater owner and her wacky assistant, a clueless town mayor, his scheming wife and bumbling sheriff and you’ve got yourself an evening of music and fun.
The story was dreamt up by Mockingbird co-owner Tristan Tapscott (who wrote the book) and Danny White (who arranged the music) with additional arrangements by Doug Kutzli.
The new production features Doug Kutzli (King), Don Salting (Hank), J.T. Tegeler (Walt), Robert Gregory (Levi), Jennifer Gregory (Georgia), Ellerie Hurley (Claudia), Shelley Cooper (Velda), CJ Parker (Mayor Teddy), and Thayne Lamb (Sheriff Willie).
It will be directed by Tristan Tapscott and produced by The Black Box Theatre and The Mockingbird On Main.
“Big Rock Candy Mountain” debuted in 2014 at the former District Theatre in Rock Island and enjoyed runs at The Circa ’21 Speakeasy and various locations across the bi-state region. A film version was released by Circa ’21 during the pandemic.
Black Box shows will be on Aug. 17, 18 and 19 at 8 p.m., and Sunday, Aug. 20 at 2 p.m. All tickets are $16. Reservations can be made by visiting the Mockingbird website HERE or the Black Box site HERE.
- Haus of Ruckus, Aug. 25 and 26
The Haus Of Ruckus is going to the Elgin Fringe Festival (outside Chicago, most events Sept. 7-10), and they’re taking their first play, “Jacques-alope.”
Come see their special send-off limited run at the Black Box Theatre Aug. 25th and 26th at 7:34 p.m. Haus of Ruckus (headed by T Green and Calvin Vo) will be presenting a newer edited version with a couple new lines and cast members.
In Reno, Nevada lurks a terrifying antlered rabbit of unbelievable skill, and fur, according to a synopsis. “Jacques-alope!” is a surreal comedy about two slackers, a French Cryptid and their quest to make it to Burning Man on time. This irreverent production uses cartoonish characters, live music, and puppets.
Tickets are $10 at the door, 1623 5th Ave., Moline. For tickets and more information, visit the Black Box website HERE.
