Baseball stories star in seventh Walkabout: Theater on Your Feet

Janus Theater Company will load the bases when it presents this year's Walkabout: Theater on Your Feet. The theme for this year's event will be about America's national pastime.

"Walkabout 2014: Bases Loaded" will run in downtown Elgin Friday through Sunday, Aug. 8-10. This year will continue to feature evening and matinee performances throughout the weekend.

Tour guides will lead groups of people to downtown locations where they will see the plays performed. The event is sponsored by the Janus Theater Company along with Elgin Public House, Side Studio Arts, Al's Café and Blue Box Café.

All of the plays will have a common theme - baseball.

"It's the year of hot dogs, peanuts and baseball," said Walkabout creator and Janus Theater Artistic Director Sean Hargadon in a news release. "All the plays feature the theme of baseball; its nostalgia, controversy, comedy and power to bring people together."

This year's Walkabout will feature one new location: Blue Box Café.

"Blue Box is new to the Elgin eatery scene and features a décor that is reminiscent of the television show 'Doctor Who,'" said Hargadon. "Each location on the Walkabout will be adapted to fit the play."

Another innovation that will continue from last year is the addition of evening performances on Friday and Saturday night.

The Janus Theater Company will perform all of the plays at the various spaces throughout downtown Elgin this year. "Each piece is a comedy but all have a different tone," said Hargadon. "Some are nostalgic, controversial, and heartfelt. This selection of plays explores in a fun way how baseball is part of our everyday lives in a variety of situations."

Elgin Public House will be Walkabout Headquarters and act as the starting spot for all tours. Al's Café will be the final destination of Walkabout this year, and it will once again provide complimentary mini-malts, which have become an annual Walkabout tradition. There will also be a very limited amount of free Walkabout T-shirts available to people who attend the event. Free water will be available as well.

Evening tours run Friday and Saturday, Aug. 8 and 9, starting at 7 p.m. (tours approximately every 15 minutes until 8 p.m.). Day tours run Saturday and Sunday, Aug. 9 and 10 at 2 p.m. (tours approximately every 15 minutes until 3 p.m.). Purchase tickets at elginwalkabout.com or elginwalkabout2014.eventbrite.com.