Coming Soon: Winter Film Festival

Locally produced independent films will be highlighted when Harrison Hilltop Theatre holds its first-ever Winter Film Festival next month. Featured the weekend of Feb. 20-22 will be "Your Favorite Band," "The Informant" and "The Mercer Case." Here's a little more about each:

Your Favorite Band

A comedy about the Miserable Failures, a one-hit wonder '90s alt-rock band trying vainly to hit it big again in 2007. Starring Louis J. Hare, Jamie Em Johnson, Chad V and Adam Michael Lewis; written and directed by Sean Leary; produced by My Verona Films (Sean Leary, Dave Whiskeymanand Tristan Tapscott). Screening times: 7 p.m. Friday, 4:30 p.m. Saturday.

The Informant

After a police officer is shot, two detectives are on a race against time to solve the case. Starring Kurt Oberhaus, Jeff Voss, Ian Klink and Sabien Minteer; written and directed by Justin Marxen; produced by MVM Movie Productions (www.mvmmp.com) (Justin Marxen and Jo McKinney). Screening times: 2 p.m. Saturday, 3:30 p.m. Sunday.

The Mercer Case

A sexual-harassment scandal brings down an entire law firm. Starring Justin Marxen, Kurt Oberhaus, Ian Klink, Tristan Tapscott; written and directed by Justin Marxen; produced by MVM Movie Productions (Justin Marxen and Jo McKinney). Screening times: 8 p.m. Saturday, 2 p.m. Sunday.

Tickets are $5 per film, or $15 for a weekend pass. You can reserve tickets prior to the festival by calling the Hilltop at (309) 235-1654or sending an e-mail to info@harrisonhilltop.com. During the festival,tickets may be purchased at the door 30 minutes before each screening.

Season Press Release

After an electrifying season opener, Tristan Tapscott and Chris Walljasper are thrilled to announce the remainder of their 2009 season!  The year will include 3 new pieces that will make area premieres, 2 classics, and 2 major musicals!

Follolwing the successful run of TRUE WEST, the Hilltop will bring Kathleen Anderson-Culebro's new work LA LLORONA to the region for the first time.  A modern retelling of the conquest of Mexico, La Llorona is the story of an American executive assigned by his company to open an American fast food restaurant, for Mexican food, in Mexico City. He and his pregnant wife, a college art professor, relocate to Mexico City and move into the home of a Mexican architect, forced to rent his family's centuries-old mansion to make ends meet and support his own young family. The house is visited by La Llorona, a spirit, who sings her song of sadness in hopes of rescuing the two couples from danger.   The production will run March 26-April 4 with performances on Thursday, Friday and Saturday at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $15.  Rated PG-13.

Just in time for graduation, the Hilltop will bring Charles Webb's THE GRADUATE to life for the first time in the Quad Cities!  THE GRADUATE brings the inspired movie hit of the sixties vividly to life on stage. Benjamin Braddock, recent college graduate and prodigal son, returns home and promptly becomes embroiled in an affair with the wife of his father's business partner, one Mrs. Robinson, but soon finds himself falling in love with her daughter, Elaine. The production will run May 7-17 with performances on Thursday, Friday and Saturday at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday at 2:30 p.m.  Tickets are $15.  This production does feature some adult nudity. Rated R.

The Hilltop will then bring HUDDERSFIELD to the Quad Cities for the very first time! 
Having made it's U.S. premiere in Chicago in 2006, HUDDERSFIELD is a bleakly comic drama about a generation of Serbian men caught between the fall of Communism and the rise of a new Europe. A long night's drunken journey of the soul as old friends find out what unites them and what has exiled them forever from an image of the past. The production will run June 4-13 with performances on Thursday, Friday and Saturday at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $15. Rated R.

The Hilltop will then celebrate their one year anniversary by joining forces with Tyson Danner and The Green Room Theatre to bring an inventive production of Kander and Ebb's CABARET to the Davenport performance space. CABARET made audiences an offer they might want to refuse -- an invitation to Berlin's seamy, sleazy Kit Kat Klub, on the eve of Hitler's rise to power in Weimar Germany. Based on Christopher Isherwood's "Berlin Stories", the show depicted the interlocking stories of a cabaret singer, a writer from America, and the denizens of Berlin, all caught up in the swirling maelstrom of a changing society. The production will run July 16-26 with performances on Thursday, Friday and Saturday at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday at 2:30 p.m. Tickets are $15. Rated R.

Just when you think they may have had enough this year, the Hilltop will mount Harper Lee's classic tale TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD in August.  Set in 1935 Macomb, Alabama, the story follows the court trial of a wrongly accused black man amid the prejudice of a small Southern town. Atticus Finch is the compassionate and honorable attorney who defends the man. The story is told through the eyes of Finch’s young daughter, Jean Louise “Scout” Finch. Filled with rich stories and compelling characters, the play brings to life powerful examples of family, loyalty, fairness and quiet courage.  The production will run August 20-30 with performances on Thursday, Friday and Saturday at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday at 2:30 p.m. Tickets are $15. Rated PG-13.

The Hilltop will then pull a complete 360 when they team up the The Green Room Theatre to bring the long-awaited smash hit cult musical ROCKY HORROR SHOW to the Quad Cities!  Gothic meets modern bizarre in Richard O'Brien's spectacular stagecraft designed with a sexy flair. An outrageous assemblage of the most stereotyped science fiction movies, Marvel comics, Frankie Avalon/Annette Funicello outings and rock 'n' roll of every vintage. Running through the story is the sexual confusion of two middle American Ike-age kids confronted by the complications of the decadent morality of the 70¹s. The production will run October 17, 24, 30 and 31 with performance at 7:30 p.m. and 12 Midnight. Tickets are $15. Rated R.

The Hilltop will then close out their season with Eugene O'Neill's classic LONG DAY'S JOURNEY INTO NIGHT.  A dark, haunting piece which delves deeply into the wide spectrum of human emotions. This psychologically challenging play is about a family in the early years of the 1900's and their tensions, troubles, and griefs. The mother Mary is a morphine addict, the father James is a miser, the older son Jamie is a drunken bum, and the younger son Edmond is dying of turberculosis. When the play begins they are shown as a normal American family of the time, but as the story progresses each character is mentally and emotionally dissected and their faults, flaws, and problems are revealed. The production will run November 19-29 with performances on Thursday, Friday and Saturday at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday at 2:30 p.m. (Please note: No Thanksgiving Day performance).  Tickets are $15.

"We are extremely excited about the up-coming season; it has something for everyone," Tapscott said.  "It definitely has some challenges but we are ready for them," Walljasper added.  "2008 was a huge success," Tapscott continued,"and Chris and I are both so thankful for the support from the audiences and the theatre community!" Walljasper then added, "We can't wait for you to see what we have in store in the coming year!" 

Tickets can be reserved by calling 309-235-1654 or by e-mail info@harrisonhilltop.com.