High drama in Elgin at third 'Walkabout: Theater on your Feet'

There was a whole lot of drama in downtown Elgin Saturday afternoon.

The Elgin Cultural Arts Commission held its third annual "Walkabout: Theater on your Feet," a 90-minute tour that took walkers through downtown Elgin's forgotten corners and alleys,

Along the way, actors from five local theater groups performed skits either inside businesses or within the tucked away spaces of yore - the true silent stars of the skits.

Between skits, a tour guide gave walkers the scoop about the area, old businesses that are long gone and new ones that have taken their place.

The commission's goals with the tour are to redefine the way people think about attending the theater and to highlight downtown Elgin in a cool, interesting way, said Sean Hargadon, the commission's chairman and founder of Janus Theater.

"It's a fun way to showcase the history," Hargadon said. "We're trying to bring people down here with a different approach."

It worked.

The walk was so popular Saturday that organizers added an extra tour to accommodate the 150 people who showed up, Hargadon said.

Guests were treated to skits they said were edgy and completely out of the ordinary.

The skits, among other things, focused on a sexy mother and daughter trying to kill each other, a bizarre love triangle/murder that took place in a "creepy, hidden, sinister corridor" and two police officers from different agencies who love to hate each other.

"You can't take a guess as to what you're going to see next," said Joyce Hasselberger of Elgin, who has been on the tour each year.

Other walkers said the tour is a great way for them to keep tabs on what's happening in Elgin.

Lisa Czepiel of Elk Grove Village marveled at the history lessons and the new spots she had never seen before.

"Every year something is changing in the downtown," she said.

"Walkabout" runs one last time next Saturday.

For details, visit elginwalkabout.blogspot.com