Looking for orphan train riders, kin
In its 20th season, Children's Theatre of Elgin and Fox Valley Theatre Company's founders, David and Peter Akemann, created a story that will entertain and educate its audience on an important part of U.S. history.
The Akemanns asked Christine Tosun to write a script, and world-renowned composer and former Elginite Daniel Brewbaker to compose a musical score. The team will premiere the new musical "Placing Out" at Hemmens Cultural Center, April 11-13.
"Placing Out" was inspired by actual stories from the orphan train movement from 1852 to 1929.
It is about orphaned and homeless children in New York City who were gathered by the Children's Aid Society and put on trains headed west to be "placed out" with families along the way.
Of the more than 200,000 children involved in this program, Illinois welcomed over 9,000, second only to New York.
As an important part of this 20th anniversary event, we are trying to locate orphan train participants or their descendants to gather their personal stories and possibly introduce them to some of the school groups attending the show.
If you know of anyone from the orphan train movement, or would like more information about the show, call (847) 214-7550.
Susan Heaton
Children's Theatre of Elgin Fox Valley Theatre Company
Elgin