🎭 Local theaters take center stage this week

Live music may be a weekly staple for this newsletter, but it’s the local theatre scene that will be stealing the show in the days ahead.

Venues in all three cities are gearing up for an unusually busy mid-August weekend, providing a unique opportunity to check out a wide range of performances — from musicals and comedies to youth productions (fitting for back-to-school week).

The playbill: Upcoming Tri-Cities shows

✔️ Poor Unfortunate Roles: a Miscast Cabaret | Steel Beam Theatre | St. Charles | Friday 8/16 & Saturday 8/17

This show flips the script on casting choices, allowing performers to take on roles outside their usual range — resulting in an entertaining evening of unexpected humor and creative interpretations.

✔️ Blithe Spirit | Playhouse 38 | Geneva | Friday 8/16 - Sunday 8/18

This popular comedy (which has experienced numerous revivals) tells the story of a man whose household is disrupted by the envious ghost of his dead wife.

✔️ The Laramie Project | Albright Community Theatre | Batavia | Friday 8/16 - Saturday 8/31

Based on real interviews with residents of a Wyoming town after a 1998 murder there, The Laramie Project is a complex exploration of anger, sorrow and the human spirit’s ability to conquer bigotry.

✔️ Descendants - The Musical | Moonlight Theatre | St. Charles | Friday 8/16 - Sunday 8/18

A musical comedy based on Disney’s famous franchise featuring its hit songs and characters — performed by young, future stars.

Final word

I grew up around here, but it took running this newsletter to open my eyes to the vibrancy of the Tri-Cities’ cultural offerings. These local theaters are a key part of the arts community and worth checking out, especially if you’re into stage performances.

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📰 News to use

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☑️ Creating a safe space: St. Charles school district officials addressed community concerns about drug use in the city’s high schools during a recent school board meeting.

☑️ Council issues: Geneva will hold a special City Council meeting tonight (8/12) to consider the 85-foot Verizon cell tower proposed for Randall Road near Eagle Brook. A period for public comments is on the agenda.

☑️ Fiery show: If the weather cooperates, there’s a chance you could see meteor showers in the dark sky tonight or tomorrow night.

☑️ Calculated investment: A Batavia committee will discuss the purchase of property at 330-338 Webster St. as a “catalyst site” for future downtown development.

☑️ Grocery anticipation: Whole Foods is inching closer to opening in St. Charles with a brand-new parking lot that’s open to the public.

🔒 The next chapter: After more than 30 years as a prosecutor and judge, Kane County Judge Clint Hull will step out of the courtroom and into retirement this week.

🏘️ In the community

☑️ Generous harvest: A Kane County volunteer garden has already produced 100+ pounds of fresh produce for the Batavia Interfaith Food Pantry this season — and it’s still going strong.

☑️ Equipped for learning: Local volunteers filled 100+ backpacks with school supplies for St. Charles children during a special event organized by Big Hearts of Fox Valley.

☑️ Batavia on display: WGN TV highlighted Batavia’s Red Hive Market in its “Weekend Break” segment, featuring an interview with owner Bridget Johnson and plenty of footage from the store.

☑️ Local restauranteur: Curt Gulbro, the 82-year-old co-owner of Foxfire and Copper Fox in Geneva, passed away on August 4 according to an announcement from his son.

☑️ Tons of impact: Kane County’s recent “Recycling Extravaganza” lived up to its name — they collected more than 40K pounds of materials! The next recycling event will be 9/28 in St. Charles.

🎸 Live music roundup

For the first time in a long while, we’ve got some MONDAY live music — thanks to D and G Brewing’s Anniversary Week celebration.

Aside from that, there’s a solid lineup of live music performances to choose from at all the usual venues.

🚀 Marketing opportunity: Are you a local performer or venue looking for more exposure? Let me know — we’ll have a live music sponsorship slot opening up soon.

🏬 Local biz

☑️️ Making it official: Overflow Batavia — a bar affiliated with Riverside Pizza that opened in May — is celebrating a ribbon cutting on Wednesday (8/14).

☑️️ Area Code Batavia: A conversation with Kirk Jansons, owner of Batavia Creamery, about creating a welcoming space, finding balance and how the community helps sustain his business.

☑️️ Stainless start: Batavia officials held a ribbon cutting celebration for CD One Price Cleaners on West Wilson Street last week. See photos here.

🗓️ Events & things to do

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☑️ Park Cookout | Tues 8/13, 5:30-7PM | Wellington Park, Geneva | Meet your neighbors and enjoy a free picnic in the park.

✳️ Trivia Under the Stars | Tues 8/13, 6:30-8:30PM | Preservation, Geneva | Gather friends, play solo or bring the kids and let them run around in the fenced-in patio. Mix in some Atlas Chicken, too!

☑️ Fundraiser for Pärla & Stockholm’s | Wed 8/14, 3-6PM | Craft Urban, Geneva | Enjoy delicious food, drinks and raffles while helping local businesses recover.

🎟️ Garden Bros Nuclear Circus | Wed 8/14, 4:30PM | Kane County Fairgrounds, STC | Global performers create an immersive, entertaining experience — and there’s a kids’ fun zone.

🎟️ Feeding Ministry Fundraiser | Thurs 8/15, 5:30-8PM | The Wine Exchange, STC | Indulge in a wine tasting, apps and raffles as you raise money for local folks in need.

☑️ Fox River Sturgis Sideshow | Thurs 8/15 - Sun 8/18 | Fox River Harley-Davidson, STC | Local live music, food trucks, carnival performers and a tent full of bike vendors.

🎟️ Blooms and Booze | Thurs 8/15, 7-9PM | The Lewis, STC | Learn to how create a locally grown flower arrangement with a tasty cocktail in hand.

🗞️ Un-classifieds

☑️ Local home sales: See recent property sales featuring three in Geneva and three in St. Charles — including this $615K home on Mark Twain Street in Campton Hills.

☑️ Local obits: During the past week, Tri-Cities funeral homes posted obituary information for several individuals in the area.

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🌖 Weather snapshot

🌦️ Today: High 77F | Low 57F | Showers possible

🌤️ Tuesday: High 81F | Low 60F | Picture perfect

🌤️ Wednesday: High 83F | Low 61F | Mmm yes

🌧️ Thursday: High 81F | Low 65F | Rainy + humid

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