The Penguin Project's “All Shook Up,” January 24 through February 2

Friday, January 24, through Sunday, February 2

Augustana College's Brunner Theatre Center, 3750 Seventh Avenue, Rock Island IL

From January 24 through February 2, the Center for Living Arts, the Penguin Project of the Quad Cities, and Augustana College's theatre department will team up to help turn adolescents and adults with special needs into stage stars for the eagerly awaited All Shook Up, the Elvis-meets-Shakespeare musical comedy described by the New York Theatre Guide as “a terrifically entertaining time” and “a great big Broadway show that never loses its mind or its light touch."

Inspired by William Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night, All Shook Up concerns a small Midwestern community that is thrown into a frenzy with the arrival of Chad, a good-looking, motorcycle-riding roustabout who rides from town to town with a guitar on his back, blue suede shoes on his feet, and a song in his heart. Repressed by their conservative mayor, the town begins to come alive once more under Chad’s influence. Lovers meet, woo, pursue, and more, all in one zany night that will change the town forever. A rocking, heartwarming tale about following dreams, opening up to love, and the power of music, All Shook Up is one of the most upbeat and riotous musicals of the last 30 years and features more than 20 hit songs immortalized by Elvis Presley, among them such iconic classics as “Heartbreak Hotel,” “It's Now or Never,” “Hound Dog.” “Jailhouse Rock,” “Love Me Tender,” “Can't Help Falling in Love,” and the unforgettable title tune.

In directors Dino and Tina Hayz's and producer Jeff Coussens' staging of All Shook Up, all of the show's beloved characters are portrayed by area artists with developmental disabilities. They are joined on-stage by peer mentors who have volunteered to work side by side with the cast through rehearsals and the final performances, resulting in an inspiring, magical theatrical experience for participants and audiences alike. Previous Penguin Project entertainments held in Augustana College's Brunner Theatre Center have included one-act versions of such beloved musicals as The Little Mermaid, Beauty & the Beast, and Seussical.

Designed to provide children with special needs with creative skills related to theatre arts, the Penguin Project has evolved into a national program, with replication sites throughout the United States. The program provides a supporting environment for children with disabilities to explore their creative talents, and has demonstrated that participation in the performing arts has therapeutic value by enhancing social interacting, communication skills, self-confidence, and self-esteem. Founded by Dr. Andrew Morgan in Peoria, Illinois, in 2003, and with Augustana College's theatre professor Jeff Coussens serving as Executive Director of the Quad Cities Penguin Project chapter, the Penguin Project is a national non-profit organization with the vision of creating unrestricted access for children with special needs to the performing arts. This is accomplished with the assistance of multiple replications across the U.S. that produce modified versions of well-known Broadway musicals.

All Shook Up will be staged at Augustana's Brunner Theatre Center January 24 through February 2, with performances at 7:30 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays and 1:30 p.m. on Sundays. The show's first weekend on January 24 through 26 performances will feature the Penguin Projects adolescent company, while the second weekend of January 31 through February 2 will boast adult performers. Admission is $15, and more information and tickets are available by calling (309)794-7306 and visiting Augustana.edu/tickets.