PeoriaStory

Restoring the Madison

PEORIA, IL -- The Madison Theater in downtown Peoria is slated for a $35 million renovation, thanks to an energetic group. On Aug. 28 and before, they held open houses to show the public their plans.

They need to raise $10 million, with the rest coming from grants and tax credits, according to Cody Giebelhausen,a leader of the group, 

The theater now has a leaking roof.  It's good that it's not raining today, he said. It has horsehair plaster and many other items that must be repaired, but its structure is intact, even after a fire a decade ago, he said.

Plans call for a restaurant associated with the theater, so patrons can enjoy a dinner and show in the same place, he said. The group's timetable for opening night is 2024.

The group has formed an Illinois not-for-profit which will buy the adjacent stores from the owners, who then will give the theater to the group for a tax write-off. 

Here are some photos of the theater today:
 

    It needs work, as you can see.

Here's a photo of the opening night program:

This is a great idea for downtown Peoria. Let's hope it works.

 -- Elaine Hopkins

A weird musical

PEORIA, IL -- A very weird musical opened this week at the Corn Stock Summer playhouse, "The Musical of Musicals (The Musical!)."  It runs through Sept. 5, and is worth seeing.

It consists of parodies of the works of five composers, with the best by far the section on Stephen Sondheim, a hilarious mashup of his songs and scenes, 'A Little Complex.' 

Others were parodies of "Oklahoma," set in Illinois; a mashup of Andrew Lloyd Weber's works, 'Aspects of Junita,' which included a cat mask; a "Cabaret" parody set in Chicago;  and 'Dear Abby,' a mix of "Hello Dolly" and other shows.

The original music resembles the originals, and I kept wishing to hear the familiar music as the songs rolled by. 

The plot, if it can be called a plot, for each section and the show as a whole is someone who can't pay the rent. Ironically there's nary a line from the great musical "Rent" in this show. 

The actors performed well, and all are fine singers.  This is quite an elaborate production, with scenes, costumes, props -- the works.

Is it a musical?  Well, sort of. Here's a review of another production.

 -- Elaine Hopkins

Glen Oak Park questions

PEORIA, IL -- With more than $2 million slated for improvements to Glen Oak Park, the Peoria Park District asked citizens what they wanted, at an August 16 meeting in the park.

They got an earful.

At least 100 people showed up, 99 percent white in a neighborhood with many Black residents. As the meeting turned to public comments, it became obvious that most want the band shell in the amphitheater saved, not demolished as park officials have suggested.

They are OK with tearing down the fence around the amphitheater, and no one spoke up to defend the playground, a wonderful rugged place that children were enjoying as the meeting continued.

The rationale is that  handicapped children cannot use it, so it should be replaced and made accessible. That will be a loss to ordinary children. Our four grandchildren loved that playground. It should be retained (and no, it doesn't seem to be falling apart) and another accessible playground built nearby.

As for the band shell, without a roof many bands will not play there, park district CEO Emily Cahill said.  Someone in the crowd said "build a roof" over the existing space. "Upgrade the band shell," someone else said, to applause.

"We love it. We want something nice," another said, to applause.

A man noted that the park's historic foot bridges and trails badly need repairs.

Whether to install basketball courts drew debates, with some saying they have been destroyed at schools, so would need supervision. Where to build them was discussed, and someone said a gravel parking lot could be paved for tournaments.

This gravel parking lot could host a basketball tournament. The signs on the hills say 'Save our Amphitheater in Glen Oak Park ." 

Some spoke of the park as a "gem" in the city, important to the East Bluff, and walkable for many in a time now and in the future when people will drive less.

It will be interesting to see what happens when the park board meets on Glen Oak.

 -- Elaine Hopkins

Save Donovan Park

UPDATE OCT 6, 2021 -- The pavilion proposal has been withdrawn for now.  Here's the PJS story. 

PEORIA, IL -- Should a fourth of Donovan Park be sacrificed for a Ravinia-style pavilion?  No.

Here's what I found on a half hour walk through the park, where the pavilion and its parking lot would be built: Monarch butterflies, bees, wild flowers, hundreds of beautiful mature trees, oaks and evergreens, prairie grasses, a lovely wild feeling except for the traffic sounds from Knoxville (and what would the musicians in the park do about that?). Bees and Monarchs are facing possible extinction and desperately need habitat and nectar.

Here are some photos:

Monarchs on a wildflower. Notice the many trees in the background, and the prairie grasses.

One of many beautiful oak trees. 

This park is a piece of the wild in the middle of Peoria. It's in use all year, for hikes and cross country skiing, while providing habitat for wild creatures.  

There are plenty of venues in Peoria, now and proposed, that don't affect this beautiful, wild park.  Leave it alone, pavilion backers, and find another location for your project.

 -- Elaine Hopkins