MOLINE, Ill. — Just over the hill from our WQAD studios sits a piece of Quad City history.
For three quarters of a century, the Quad City Music Guild has been one of the standard bearers for local musical theatre. Known as 'Broadway in the Park,' the guild has been a beacon for actors, musicians, technicians and audience members since June 22, 1949.
The theatre's 75th season kicked off with a spring showing of Jonathan Larson's "Rent" - a show about struggling young artists fighting to survive in Lower Manhattan's East Village as the HIV/AID epidemic rages on around them.
To help celebrate, WQAD spent seven weeks shadowing the cast and crew for a behind-the-scenes-look at the secret to 75 years of success.
More Than A Musical
When it comes to musical theatre, everything relies on the count. Counting the breaths, counting the notes and counting down to opening night.
As the first rehearsal of "Rent" began, actors shuffled into the lobby of the guild - some donning work scrubs; others sporting character-inspired makeup; but all with lyric books in hand.
Jonathan Turner, the production's pianist, plucked away at one-handed melodies and offhanded scales while the actors sized up their fellow castmates: all together for the very first time.
Perched next to the piano, music director Mitch Carter busily assigned harmony parts, pointed out often-misheard-lyrics and powered through warmups.
"If you're worried about the range, these are not very range-y parts," Carter assured. Altos, sopranos, tenors and basses all split into sections, he began with some of the musical's trickiest chords. "This is the part that nobody ever sings! We all jam out to this in the car but nobody ever sings the 'oooos!'"
Underneath the belted high notes and softer croons was an understanding that for the next seven weeks: this was their second family.
To prepare a show such as "Rent," the cast would have less than two months to learn more than 40 songs and 2.5 hours of blocking and dancing. Rehearsals would need to be five nights a week, from 6:30 p.m. until 9:30 p.m. or later.
"Rent is one of those bucket list shows. It doesn't come around very often, because it's a very difficult show to do, but it's such a beloved show," said director Jeff Ashcraft.
It would be Ashcraft's second time directing at the guild, but also a debut of sorts. His first production, "The Secret Garden," was all set to open in March of 2020 until Covid shut everything down.
A veteran theatre buff, Ashcraft has been involved in the Quad City arts scene for 30 years, directing about 40 shows at other venues. He knew when it came to "Rent," he wanted to challenge his cast on what the show really meant to them.
"To be able to tell a story about a group of modern day lepers that find community and love in each other that they might not have found anyplace else in a very unique point in history of the United States," Ashcraft said. "It means that there's an opportunity for us to heal through coming together in a community of people who might feel alone or outcast or even their own mortality."
Back at the first rehearsal, Carter took a moment to address his actors.
"Love, I would argue, is the main character," he said, voice dropping to a softer tone. "It's an ensemble cast but everybody's secondary to the notion of love. So think about that. Let it sink in."
Artists All Around
Of course, it takes more than a cast to put on a show.
As the actors dedicated hours to singing, dancing and memorizing, another army of volunteers, family members and local creatives spent early mornings, evenings and weekends prepping the rest of the production.
On a sunny Saturday in February, Crista Ashcraft was deep in the theatre's bowels, hammering away at a stack of wooden pallets which would be carefully constructed into a lofted platform at the back of the stage. Behind it, a floor-to-ceiling mural also displayed her work: hand-painted bricks, a city skyline and a glimmering moon.
The wife of Jeff Ashcraft, Crista's work was impossible to miss, touching every scene in the production.
Over on the side of the stage, her assistant, Austin Pyrtle, clamored up and down a ladder to construct a two-story tall Christmas tree hodgepodge of lights, signs and knickknacks.
Nearby, other workers spray painted metal folding chairs all different primary colors while a half-finished 'memory wall' lay waiting for its turn to become a finalized set piece.
"There's probably 45 to 50 people involved with bringing this thing to life," Jeff Ashcraft noted. "The whole team of people who've come together have just been fantastic to work with. And I probably couldn't have asked for a better team."
As the show dates crept closer, Sound Designer Gio Macias made sure to check his microphones before each rehearsal.
"We have 22 mics this show. Each one goes into a pack in a belt and the actors strap it around their body. They route the cable through their costume, so you don't see it, and mic tape secures it to their face," he explained.
Macias dutifully opened each mic pack as we spoke, checking the battery level and examining the cords. He first began working on sound in high school and says it was an instant love.
"I like the thrill of doing things live. It's become a passion for me," Macias said. "It tells stories of people's lives and a story really comes true if you can incorporate real life into it."
Meanwhile, Light Designer Bill Peiffer spent his rehearsal hours high atop the empty theatre, tucked away in the lighting booth.
Each spotlight, colored filter and overhead bulb was carefully programed for each scene. Using a state-of-the-art control board, Peiffer made sure each actor was illuminated at just the right time and with just the right intensity.
"There's the Christmas tree," he smiled, flicking a knob and watching as Pyrtle's towering monstrosity began to twinkle with tiny, multi-colored bulbs.
Downstairs, Karen Dubberke and the rest of the costume team spent hours navigating the guild's sprawling outfit collection.
"It's a little bit of everything," Dubberke laughed, showing News 8 a seemingly never-ending supply of clothes.
Thousands of shirts, shoes, jewelry, jackets, hats and more have to be carefully catalogued and considered. Each outfit must not only match the time period and socioeconomic status, but also the character's personality and quirks.
"Rent is in the 90s in New York City, so I googled what people wore back then. Even down to what police officers wore, since we have policemen in this show," Dubberke said. She pointed out a laminated packet hanging from a rack, laughing, "There's a nice little locator listing, which has helped me before!"
Countdown To Curtains
By dress rehearsal week, it was as though a time bomb went off in the dressing rooms. Doc Martens, colorful scarves, slip dresses and flannel shirts littered the actors' cubbies, remnants of the '90s scenes their characters were pulled from.
At the makeup mirror, Gary Mayfield was busy applying foundation and blush, transforming into the character "Angel."
"I really connect with her story of just being herself authentically, no matter what situation she's in," Mayfield said.
He didn't mind the long nights and longer practices, saying all that time was worth it for the end result.
"And it's really amazing that (the guild) has gone on for so long, with different generations continuing - even families being involved - and just bringing everyone together."
Nearby, ensemble member Adrienne Evans had a similar take.
"I think it's just so beautiful that the 75th season kicks off with ("Rent"). We're still strong, we're still present in the community, we really still have so much to offer," Evans said. "So I do believe that the 75th season will be one of the best."
She recalled coming to that same theatre with her great-grandmother. As a child, she saw "Wizard of Oz" at the guild and can remember the monkeys running out into the audience. Decades later, Evans pinpoints it as the moment she wanted to be on the stage herself.
"These people are creating something! It's beautiful, it's so fun, it's whimsical. It's art," Evans smiled.
When asked about his cast after so many weeks spent together, Ashcraft got choked up.
"You're making me emotional! I love this cast," he said. "They put themselves out there very transparently in a way that I've only seen one other time in my career as a director. They're very special. Very special to my heart."
The countdown to opening night was a symphony of last-minute cast meetings and tune-ups in the pit.
"Just shift through those harmonic cycles," Carter suggested to the band nestled just below the front of the stage. Three guitars, a piano and a drum provided all of the music for the production; hours of songs, dutifully practiced and vital to keeping the cast rocking and audience engaged.
Backstage, Stage Manager Kelsey Walljasper ducked and weaved through a flurry of cast and crew, calling out a warning ("Five minutes please, five minutes to show!") and readying the production.
And out front, guild volunteers welcomed in audience members by checking tickets, passing out programs and selling concessions.
"I love it here! This is childhood," said Marsha Boldt. "My first memory is it was outside. The productions were outside."
These days, Boldt donates her time back to the guild by verifying tickets and guiding patrons to their awaiting seats. In turn, she gets to see a free show and continue the history of the guild's building and stage.
As the final patrons trickled in, the lights in the theatre dimmed and then cut. A silence fell over the audience as cast members took their places on the dark stage.
Finally, after seven long weeks of practicing, memorizing, building, designing, creating and volunteering, "Rent" was ready to open to the Quad Cities. And the guild was ready to begin a new, but all-too-familiar chapter.
"(The guild) has been so committed to making sure that good quality theatre has been produced right here in the Quad Cities for season after season after season," Ashcraft said.
75 seasons, to be exact.
Or, as "Rent" would put it - 75 seasons of love. And that's something bigger than any number.
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The guild will perform four more shows this season:
- "Singin' in the Rain" -- June 9, 10, 11, 15, 16, 17, 18
- "The Wizard of Oz" -- July 7, 8, 9, 13, 14, 15, 16
- "Pippin" -- August 4, 5, 6, 10, 11, 12, 13
- "Sweeney Todd" -- November 10, 11, 12, 17, 18, 19
You can purchase tickets for each musical here.
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