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The Christmas Story Contest Play Premiers at Museum of History

The Christmas Story Contest Play Premiers at Museum of History

On Thursday, December 6, the McLean County Museum of History and Illinois Voices Theatre – Echoes will present a short play inspired by Christmas stories written by local students, “The Christmas Story Contest.” This one-night-only performance will be held in the second floor courtroom at 7:00 p.m. Tickets will be sold at the door for $5.00 per adult and $2.00 per student.

The stories that are the basis for “The Christmas Story Contest” were submitted by area students during the holiday seasons between the 1920s and 1940s as part of weekly contests held by the Junior Pantagraph, The Pantagraph’s weekly children’s section. The play’s writers, Jessie Swiech and Katherine Rohrscheib, took a selection of those essays to weave into a memory of Christmases past. The play will feature Clara Louise Kessler, long time children’s librarian at Withers Public Library, leading an ensemble cast of “students” who will read their prize winning stories. Kessler and the students will also reminisce about Christmases long since passed that were celebrated at Withers Public Library while Kessler worked there. The play is directed by Susan Thetard, artistic director for Echoes Theatre

In the spirit of this play and the historic essay contests once sponsored by The Pantagraph, we are holding a short story contest of our own and have invited area schools and home school families to participate.

Using Christmas as the theme, participants should write story about what Christmas means to them, about a profound memory of a Christmas they experienced, or a story about any number of the joyful things people experience during the holiday season. Two stories (one from grades 3-5 and one from grades 6-8) will be chosen as winners, and others will receive honorable mentions. The winning essays will be performed around the Christmas tree in the rotunda at the McLean County Museum of History as part of the Museum’s scheduled activities during the Downtown Bloomington First Friday event on December 7 from 5:00—8:00 p.m. The two winners will also receive a prize package from a local movie theatre. Winners and honorable mentions will each receive (2) tickets to attend the “Christmas Story Contest” play at the Museum on December 6.

Free parking will be available at the Lincoln Parking Deck, one block south of the Museum on Front Street. For more information or any questions, please contact the Education Department at 309-827-0428 or education@mchistory.org.

Date/Time

Thursday, December 6, 2018
7:00 pm

Cost:

Location

McLean County Museum of History 200 North Main Bloomington IL 61701 3098270428
http://www.mchistory.org

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