Mockingbird, Black Hawk College, Moline, announce new theater collaboration

Black Hawk College and The Mockingbird have announced a new, ongoing partnership dedicated to producing professional-caliber theater that is accessible, educational and deeply connected to the community, a news release says..

This collaboration brings together Black Hawk College’s commitment to student opportunity and learning with The Mockingbird’s mission to create bold, meaningful storytelling rooted in both classic and contemporary works. The partnership will offer students, emerging artists and community members hands-on theatrical experiences both onstage and behind the scenes, while expanding access to live theater in the Quad-Cities region.

Black Hawk College and The Mockingbird previously collaborated on “The Glass Menagerie” in 2023 after the building the theater was housed in collapsed in downtown Davenport

The partnership will launch with its inaugural production, “Death of a Salesman,” the Pulitzer Prize-winning and Tony Award-winning play by Arthur Miller. Performances will be in the Black Hawk College Theatre at 7:30 p.m. Aug. 20-22 and Aug. 27-29.

The production will be directed by Black Hawk College alum Tristan Tapscott, co-founder of The Mockingbird, with Black Hawk College alum and professor Traci Davis serving as executive producer.

In the spirit of accessibility and inclusion, the production will use a pay-what-you-can ticket model, ensuring that theater remains affordable for everyone, especially students at Black Hawk College. Auditions for “Death of a Salesman” will be 7 p.m. Thursday, June 25, in the Black Hawk College Theatre, 6600 34th Ave., Moline, Building 1, Room 308.

No preparation is required for auditions. Participants are encouraged to simply arrive ready to read from the script. Those unable to attend in person may request alternate arrangements here.

All roles are open and members of the community and students from Black Hawk College alike are encouraged to audition. The organizations seek artisans for behind the scenes as well. Rehearsals will begin Monday, July 20, and the schedule will be set once the show is cast.

Community effort

“We want this to be a true community effort. It’s the essence of what Black Hawk College is – a community college for everyone – and we want this to be a theater for everyone,” Davis said.

“In the Quad Cities, the arts don’t just reflect the community – they are the community: where neighbors become audiences, audiences become collaborators,” Tapscott said.

“We hope this partnership can offer yet another opportunity to work together and inspire the next generation,” he said.

This inaugural production marks the beginning of a long-term collaboration designed to strengthen the local arts community, support student learning, and make powerful theater available to all.

“When education and artistry meet, the arts don’t just exist they grow,” Tapscott said. “And together with Black Hawk, we can ensure that they thrive.”

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