MOLINE, Ill. — A local business donated about 70% of its proceeds from a theatrical performance to two organizations assisting in the recovery efforts from the May 28 Davenport apartments partial collapse.
Haus on Ruckus Co-Artistic Director Calvin Vo told News 8's Collin Riviello that originally, they were supposed to perform 'Funkeology Unplugged"- an original play- at the Mockingbird on Main in Davenport on June 11.
However, the building collapse forced city officials to condemn the building and surrounding businesses which included the theater that sat next to the Davenport apartments.
"We had costumes, the full set built," said Vo. "We had power tools around, we had props, all that kind of stuff and all of that is still in the building and we cannot access it because of the structural integrity of the building."
Vo said the lack of props forced him and his staff to create new props from cardboard. It also meant some of the actors had to wear black clothing instead of the intricate costumes that were prepared beforehand.
But Vo said that the last-minute prop substitutes didn't take too much away from the original message of the play which is an action-adventure and comedy.
"In producing it this way, I think it lends itself in a more tongue and cheek way," Vo said. "It's a little bit more funny, it's a little bit more over the top.
And besides creating new props, the production company also had to find a new venue, and did at the Black Box Theater in Moline. There the play went on but with another purpose than originally intended.
"There's this realization that this is bigger than the theater," Vo said. "And this is bigger than what we had in the theater."
That purpose was to help out the victims from the collapse. Attendees were asked to donate what they could in lieu of a flat admission fee.
"We can lose those costumes and the set and drive home and go to bed, Vo said. "And there are people that can't drive home and go to bed now and because of that I think this is something that we want to do."
The two organizations that are receiving the proceeds are the Quad Cities Disaster Recoveries Fund and the American Red Cross.
To find out where and how you can support victims from the collapse, click/tap here.
Watch more coverage of the collapse on News 8's YouTube channel