​There is one word to describe Mr. Dan Waggoner: inspiring. A Quincy native, Waggoner is well known in Adams County. He is as an artist, a Vietnam veteran who served in the U.S. Marine Corps and now a college student.   
At age 70, Waggoner is attending John Wood Community College and has graciously donated an oil painting portrait of Illinois Governor John Wood, the college’s namesake. He completed the portrait for a recent speech class demonstration. Michael Elbe, JWCC president said, “We are honored to receive this wonderful gift from Mr. Waggoner. Dan personifies our College’s core value of lifelong learning.”

​When you think of classical music, you might list off some famous, long-dead composers like Bach, Mozart and Beethoven, but there are many talented modern composers creating works for ensembles of all kinds, too! Arts Quincy is spotlighting one such composer, Stephanie Berg, from St. Louis, MO, and peeking behind the curtain to reveal the art and science of being a modern composer. Berg wrote a symphonic work called, “Ignite,” for the Quincy Symphony Orchestra in 2018, and the piece was rebroadcast this year on WGEM. She also recently composed a brass quintet titled, “This Uncommon,” which will be world-premiered in Quincy in 2021. She has had work performed by the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra, Arkansas Symphony Orchestra and the 9th Street Philharmonic, among others. Look for her SoundCloud recordings at stephaniejberg.com. 

QUINCY, ILLINOIS, January 11, 2021 – Quincy Community Theatre is excited to announce its next production, Miss Nelson is Missing! The production will be done entirely virtually and presented March 4-7, 2021. Based on the book of the same name, Miss Nelson can't catch a break from her crazy, misbehaved class. But when she mysteriously goes missing, and, worst of all, is replaced by the vile Miss Viola Swamp, this cast of colorful classmates bands together to get to the bottom of this "elementary" mystery.
 
“As educators have moved mountains to get students safely back to school last semester, it feels appropriate to kick off our 2021 season with a student theatre production that, at its heart, pays homage to the great teachers out there and reminds us never to take them for granted,” said Brenda Shea, head of education and student theatre director.
 
Auditions for Miss Nelson is Missing! will take place virtually on Sunday, January 24 and Monday, January 25. The cast calls for three female students, four male students, one female adult, and one male adult. Performers in grade 4 through 8, of all experience levels, are welcome to audition for the student roles. Adult performers 18 and up, of all experience levels, are welcome to audition for the adult roles. For more information and to sign up to audition, visit www.1qct.org.
 
This is QCT’s second fully virtual student theatre production. She Kills Monsters: Virtual Realms was produced in the fall of 2020. QCT remains committed to its mission to provide quality entertainment and education opportunities in the performing arts despite the current challenges due to the pandemic. Thousands across the country have tuned in to view #QCTatHome productions which have included the Virtual Playwrights Festival, The Ghost Light Concert, A Christmas Carol, and more.
 
About Quincy Community TheatreQuincy Community Theatre (QCT) is a major theatrical resource for the Tri-State area, offering five major productions, three student productions, various touring performances, and a variety of workshops and classes each year. Showcasing local performers from the entire Tri-State Region since 1923, QCT uses the combined talents and resources of the community to celebrate, promote, and perform the dramatic arts in its first-rate facility. QCT is a member of Arts Quincy, the Illinois Theatre Association, and the American Association of Community Theatre. QCT is a 501(c)3 nonprofit. QCT
programming is supported in part by a grant from the Illinois Arts Council. QCT’s 2020 Media Sponsors are the Herald- Whig, KHQA, STARadio, and WGEM. For information about upcoming shows and classes or to purchase tickets, please visit www.1qct.org or call the Box Office at 217.222.3209.

​The Quincy University Music Program is adapting to making music during the pandemic. While rehearsal spaces and ensembles might look different, students are still making music and performing. Fine Arts and Communication Division Chair, Dr. Christine Damm stated, “Music is a huge part of the lives and well-being of many students. We really missed performing music together last spring, so it was imperative that the music faculty research safe ways to rehearse and perform music.” The Quincy University Symphonic Band, Jazz Band, and Choirs are following spacing guidelines set forth in national research studies.  

It happens every year, you find yourself stuck on what to get "that person." You know, the one who already has everything? Or maybe it's someone who is working on downsizing. This year consider giving experience gifts. Not only are they naturally clutter-free but they create memories the recipient will cherish for years to come. It's time to think outside the gift box and look into the gift of experience. 

​Quincy Community Theatre continues to reimagine live theater productions. Originally prepared for a live audience, the production of A Christmas Carol has been adapted and filmed for audiences to stream from the comfort of home from December 17-20. This will be QCT’s first fully staged production to be presented virtually. 

“We approached this project knowing we had to make some adjustments and modifications based on the pandemic,” said  Brandon Thomsen, Artistic Director. “While these changes have added challenges and barriers, a filmed version of the show allows our story to be seen by even more people. It is filmed in a way that will give the viewer a sense of being at QCT and quite literally on the stage alongside the actors. It’s truly a unique experience” 

​Imagine it is Sunday afternoon and you have tickets to a performance of the Quincy Symphony Orchestra. You arrive at Morrison Theater early, settle into your favorite seat, and peruse the program for information about today’s repertoire. Soon the conductor takes the stage and the music begins. You are transported to different worlds on the streams of beautiful melodies. At the conclusion you are happy because there is plenty of time to get to your favorite restaurant before the dinner rush. Your companions discuss the music and someone wonders how much rehearsal time a concert requires. That sets you on conversation about all facets of putting on a concert and even though you don’t know for sure, it’s fun to consider.
Now imagine if the two happy hours you spent enjoying the concert are rewinding at fast speed. You and your companions are able to get a “behind the scenes” glimpse of how this beautiful event came to be. You’ve been given a front row seat for the challenges and triumphs of producing a live music event. Just imagine, it’s no longer February, but the previous May.

​Hi everyone! My name is Ryan McElroy and I’m the new Programs Manager here at Arts Quincy. I’m originally from Quincy and I just graduated from the University of Iowa in May. There, I majored in theatre arts with a focus in design. Also, while there I was involved in the Hawkeye Marching Band where I got to travel to places like Florida and New York to play for the football and basketball teams. I loved my time at the University of Iowa. A little more about myself is that I love watching sports, especially the Denver Broncos and the Iowa Hawkeyes. Theatre is something I try to do as much as I can. You might have seen my lighting design in Mama Mia! or Bye Bye Birdie!  both at QCT. I’ve been back in Quincy since March and I’ve been working at Arts Quincy for a little over a month now and I really enjoy it so far. The biggest strength I bring to Arts Quincy is being the comedic relief of the office and being able to work through problems with a new set of eyes because I’m fairly new to the world of art councils. Arts councils are something I’ve been interested in for a long time now. This is a great place for me to be, having just graduated I get to see so many different organizations at work and how people can support them. Working here is also incredibly helpful because with all that is happening in the world, working in an arts field is not an easy thing to come by right now. Staying in the world of the arts while also getting to support all of the things that mean a lot to me is the best of both worlds. I’ve been learning a lot since I’ve been here and I’m very much looking forward to working here in the future! 

​This week’s STEAM Star is Wade Scheuermann! He visited Kesler Park and decided to replicate the Mississippi River Flood Markers in this project. Wade is nine-years-old and will be entering 4th grade at Thomas S. Baldwin Elementary School. Thank you Wade for sharing your idea!
This STEAM project is an original project idea from nine-year-old Wade Scheuermann of Quincy. He visited Kessler Park on the riverfront with his family and decided to recreate the flood markers using recyclable materials. He drew pictures, took notes, and snapped photos for reference before he got started.