Local Troupe Brings Street Theater to Urbana

by Sehvilla Mann

A local performance troupe will bring theater, games, and local merchants to the streets of downtown Urbana in August.

The Prompting Theater, a group comprised of adults with developmental disabilities who write and perform original shows, is hosting a "Street Theater Festival" on Saturday, August 4, to raise funds and to "show off the enormous talent for theater in this town," according to Brian Hagy, the troupe's director. The festival will feature types of performance that have traditionally been performed in the streets, such as vaudeville and commedia, and will also include local chefs, artists, and craftspersons. There will be accessible, theatrical games that are fun for all ages, and a raffle for tickets and passes to local theaters and cinemas.

The events will take place on Main Street between Race and Broadway. Merchants' booths will open at 10 am; performances will last from noon until 5 pm. The festival is designed to be entertaining for people of all ages and abilities.

For more information about the Prompting Theater, contact the troupe's director, Brian Hagy, at 356-9176 or bhagy@dsc-illinois.org .