Eastlight Theatre will present it's Penguin Project production of Thoroughly Modern Millie Jr. at the East Peoria High School Auditorium beginning at 7:30 pm on Friday & Saturday and at 2 pm on Sunday. Tickets are $10 and are available online at http://tickets.eastlighttheatre.com or by calling 309-699-7469. For more information, visit www.eastlighttheatre.com

Once a year, a magical and touching celebration of the human spirit unfolds at Eastlight Theatre in East Peoria, Illinois. A group of children in a program called The Penguin Project® take to the stage to perform a modified version of a well-known Broadway musical. This production is unique, however, because all of the roles are filled by children with developmental disabilities including Down syndrome, cerebral palsy, autism, intellectual disabilities, learning disabilities, visual impairment, hearing impairment, and other neurological disorders. They are joined on stage by their "peer mentors", a group of children the same age without disabilities, who have volunteered to work with them side-by-side and guide them through 4 months of rehearsals and the final production. By creating unrestricted access to the performing arts, The Penguin Project® demonstrates that the special challenges of a disability need not handicap a child's ability to participate in life's experiences. For more information, please visit http://www.penguinproject.org