The McLean County Museum of History has been a strong supporter of the arts and live theater for many years. And in turn, the arts community has reciprocated that strong support of the Museum and our educational programs, helping us bring to life our vibrant and diverse local history through live performances and dramatic readings.
At a time when box offices are shuttered, stages and seats remain uncharacteristically empty, and bright lights of marquees across the country and the world remain dark, the Museum feels compelled to highlight the rich partnerships it has had over the years with local theaters such as Heartland Theatre Company, Community Players Theatre, and Illinois Voices Theatre.
Without these partnerships, the Museum would not be able to put on its longest running educational program, the Evergreen Cemetery Walk. Over the past 25 years, Illinois Voices Theatre--Echoes and the Museum have brought to life 183 different people from McLean County, and shared those stories with over 81,000 patrons, the majority of whom are students who receive this program free of charge.
To highlight the importance of the arts and illustrate the impact theater has on the field of history, the Museum is pleased to bring back performances from past Evergreen Cemetery Walks. Whether you have attended the Walk in person, or never had the chance before, now you can watch selected performances in the comfort and safety of your own home. We are pleased to continue this long-standing partnership with our theater community to present these clips so that anyone can enjoy them.
The Museum will continue to support our theatrical community through programs like this, and we encourage all of you to do the same--now more than ever as we look to the arts to comfort and challenge us as we #shelterinplace and work to #flattenthecurve. Our arts community needs us, just as much as we need them.
All videos can be viewed on our YouTube Channel, here: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLeoTL4N-ea-S1AplubZI9Lq0Ox__SZVU8
