The Penguin Project Soars Again!
Informational Meeting:
Monday August 26th, 2024, 7:00 PM
Fon du Lac Park District Administration Building
201 Veteran’s Dr. East Peoria
Come learn what The Penguin Project is all about and our 2024/2025 production of
“Something Rotten Jr.” The program is open to (ARTISTS) children ages 10 to 23
with disabilities (physical, intellectual, social/emotional, etc. and (MENTORS) “neurotypical”
peers ages 10 to 23. For additional information check out our FB page Penguin Project Peoria
or contact Stephani at sle@penguinproject.org
The Penguin Project – Peoria
Once a year, a magical and touching celebration of the human spirit unfolds at Eastlight Theatre in East Peoria, Illinois. A group of children in a program called The Penguin Project® take to the stage to perform a modified version of a well-known Broadway musical.
This production is unique, however, because all of the roles are filled by children with developmental disabilities including Down syndrome, cerebral palsy, autism, intellectual disabilities, learning disabilities, visual impairment, hearing impairment, and other neurological disorders. They are joined on stage by their “peer mentors”, a group of children the same age without disabilities, who have volunteered to work with them side-by-side and guide them through 4 months of rehearsals and the final production.
By creating unrestricted access to the performing arts, The Penguin Project® demonstrates that the special challenges of a disability need not handicap a child’s ability to participate in life’s experiences.
“Our penguins may not be able to fly, but that does not prevent their spirits from soaring.”