Chicago's The Connecting Routes Project Travels on Amtrak to Bloomington-Normal to Bring Free Theater for the Very Young

Presented in partnership with The Connecting Routes Project and Illinois Art Station, Kerfuffle's The Conductors will tour on Amtrak from Chicago to present two free performances and a creative drama workshop at organizations across Bloomington-Normal on June 4, 2024.

Co-produced with Kerfuffle (www.kerfuffletvy.com), a theatre and dance company that brings high quality, playful, and emotionally interesting plays to very young audiences, The Conductors features original music and celebrates themes of community, friendship and new experiences - while exploring everywhere a train may take you and everyone it may connect you with. A perfect first theater experience for the very young, this whimsical show encourages audiences to "find their treasure" in everyday adventures, whether it be in blanket forts with grandma or meeting new friends in outer space.

As "America's railway touring theater company," The Connecting Routes Project tours nationwide by train from Chicago, offering free and accessible performances directly to audiences in libraries, parks and community gathering spaces. The original 2021 production of The Conductors toured with The Connecting Routes Project to five outdoor spaces at Chicagoland museums and libraries via the regional Metra railways. Since its initial tour, Kerfuffle has continued sharing The Conductors with hundreds of audiences through Chicago's Night Out in the Parks festival in 2022 and 2023 and at the 2024 Odyssey Festival in Lincolnshire, IL.

On June 3-4, The Connecting Routes Project will bring The Conductors to Bloomington-Normal by train, for the first time on Amtrak. Founding Artistic Director Josh Bernaski says, "Traveling on Amtrak is a monumental step for us, as it introduces our organization to the nation's expansive cross-country railway network, bringing us further in fulfilling our mission of connecting with audiences and communities beyond our own. We're thrilled to partner with Illinois Art Station for this exciting journey!"

On June 4, Illinois Art Station will present a series of free events throughout the community. Illinois Art Station provides young artists and families from all neighborhoods and backgrounds with transformative experiences in the visual arts, striving to reach artists who may have the least access otherwise. "As a neighbor of the former Illinois Central railway (now known lovingly as Constitution Trail) and as an organization dedicated to the transformative capacity of the creative arts, Illinois Art Station couldn't be better positioned for a partnership with The Connecting Routes Project and Kerfuffle," said Hannah Johnson, executive director of Illinois Art Station. "We are so excited to introduce our new Chicago friends and their theatrical missions to the young artists and families of Bloomington-Normal!"

Through this wonderfully collaborative partnership, Illinois Art Station has organized the following events for The Connecting Routes Project across Bloomington-Normal on June 4, 2024:

• 10:00am outdoor performance of The Conductors at the Connie Link Amphitheatre (621 S. Linden St, Normal, IL) as part of their Terrific Tuesdays series. Audience members are encouraged to bring their own blankets or chairs. In the case of inclement weather, this performance will be held indoors at Illinois Art Station.

• 11:30am Creative Drama Workshop at Illinois Art Station (101 E. Vernon Ave, Normal, IL). A one-hour workshop for children ages 2-6 and their adults, led by Kerfuffle's Artistic Director Ashley Laverty in the Itsy Studio at Illinois Art Station. This workshop has limited capacity, register at bit.ly/ConductorsDramaWorkshop.

• 2:00pm indoor performance of The Conductors at the Bloomington Public Library (205 E. Olive St, Bloomington, IL).

As always with The Connecting Routes Project, admission is FREE for all events!

The play runs 45 minutes with an art activity starting 15 minutes before the play begins and an opportunity for children to meet the actors after the play.

The Conductors is directed by Ashley Laverty, performed by Madison Hill, Shea Lee, and Samie Jo Johnson, and designed by Mariah Bennett. Josh Bernaski serves as the tour manager.

This program is supported by a grant from the Illinois Arts Council, an agency of the State of Illinois, the McLean County Arts Center, and the National Endowment for the Arts.

If you would like to support The Connecting Routes Project's mission of touring free theater to communities across America's railway network, please consider a tax-deductible donation at www.donorbox.org/connectingroutes!

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