The Genesius Guild provides a unique theatre experience to audiences of all ages right in the heart of the Quad City area. Located in the center of Rock Island's Lincoln Park, our performances are staged outdoors in between a half-circle of Greek columns and an elegant Bedford stone building that marks a former wading pool. This unique, natural setting beneath the trees and stars provides the perfect atmosphere for us to stage classic Greek and Shakespearean theatre.

Since performing Antigone in 1956, the Genesius Guild has remained focused on staging ancient Greek and Shakespearean comedies and tragedies. Our Greek comedies are carefully rewritten to maintain the flavor of the original script while updating the jokes to be relevant in today's society.

The Guild also focuses on serving as a resource for young actors, actresses, and technical crew members to gain invaluable experience. We welcome middle school, high school, and college students to try out for our shows and to work backstage so that they have the chance to hone their craft while working with seasoned cast members, directors, and technical staff who bring decades of theatre experience.

The best part of the Genesius Guild is that our shows are completely free. Instead of charging admission, we rely on donations from the general public and on support from foundations. These donations and grants are incredibly important to the continuing operation of the Genesius Guild as they allow us to continue offering these performances free of charge - doing our part to keep the classics truly accessible to all.

In summary, the Genesius Guild theatre is:

• Free for all audience members
• Family friendly
• Open-air (on an outdoor stage in Lincoln Park, Rock Island)
• Open to any area resident who would like to participate
• Devoted to a range of productions you won't usually find anywhere else in the country:
  • Greek tragedy in mask
  • Shakespearean comedies and tragedies
  • Greek comedy in contemporary re-writes