Walkabout 2016: Shakes, Beer, Shots
Friday, August 5, 2016 to Sunday, August 7, 2016
Elgin Public House, 219 E. Chicago Street, Elgin, IL, 60120
Janus Theatre Company will bring back Walkabout: Theater on Your Feet for its eighth season this year when it presents a Shakespeare-inspired lineup. The theme for this year’s event will feature short scenes from Shakespeare’s Italian comedies and is part of the Elgin 400 Shakespeare Festival. Walkabout 2016: Shakes, Beer, Shots will run in downtown Elgin on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, August 5, 6, and 7.
This year will feature evening and matinee performances throughout the weekend. Tour guides will lead groups of people to downtown locations where they will see the plays performed. The event is sponsored by the Janus Theatre Company, Elgin Cultural Arts Commission, Elgin Art Showcase and the Elgin Public House, Side Studio Arts, Al’s Café and Blue Box Café. For more information, go to www.janusplays.com.
WHAT’S NEW THIS YEAR?
“All the short scenes for this year’s Walkabout come from Shakespeare Italian comedies and are quite famous,” said Walkabout creator and Janus Theatre Artistic Director Sean Hargadon. “Some of the plays represented are Taming of the Shrew, Merchant of Venice and Two Gentlemen of Verona. And as the title suggests, we’re encouraging people to grab a malted at Al’s Cafe, have a beer at Elgin Public House and down a shot – that’s a shot of expresso from Blue Box Cafe,” added Hargadon.
What’s coming back this year?
Janus Theatre Company will perform all of the plays at the various spaces this year. Elgin Public House will be Walkabout Headquarters, acting as the starting spot for all tours with beers of all kinds will on sale. Al’s Café will be the final destination of Walkabout this year, where they will once again provide complimentary mini-malts, which has become an annual Walkabout tradition. Blue Box Café will serve as an in between spot offering complimentary expresso shots to Walkabout patrons. There will also be a very limited amount of Walkabout t-shirts for purchase to people who attend the event. Free water will be available as well.
WHEN AND WHERE
Walkabout: Shakes, Beer, Shots evening tours run Friday and Saturday, August 5 and 6, starting at 7pm (tours approximately every 15 minutes until 8pm). Daylight tours will run Saturday and Sunday, August 6 and 7, starting at 2pm (tours approximately every 15 minutes until 8pm). Tickets are $16 and can be purchased online at www.janusplays.com orwww.elginealkabout2016.eve
This production is part of Janus Theatre’s Elgin 400 Shakespeare Festival and is generously sponsored by the Elgin Cultural Arts Commission, City of Elgin and Elgin Art Showcase.