A MUSEUM+ Program
Friday, March 27, 2026 and Saturday, March 28, 2026 | Performances at 7 p.m.
Experience “I Hear America Singing” – A Musical Journey Through 250 Years of Liberty Presented by Shot in the Dark Productions | A Signature America 250 Event
FRIDAY TICKETS | SATURDAY TICKETS
As part of the Peoria Riverfront Museum’s commemoration of America 250, we are proud to present I Hear America Singing, an original performance created in partnership with Shot in the Dark Productions. This two-performance celebration brings America’s story to life through the power of song—honoring 250 years since the signing of the Declaration of Independence. This is the inaugural performance of a show that will go on to travel as a gift to the nation to celebrate 250 years of America, and share our music with the next generation.
This pioneering performance adds the voices of Americans from various walks of life to a reading of the Declaration of Independence, then combined with the performance itself.
Presented in conjunction with the centerpiece of the Peoria Riverfront Museum's celebration of America 250, The Promise of Liberty, guest curated by acclaimed documentarian Ken Burns, this performance also complements a landmark exhibition featuring the largest assemblage of American historical documents ever shown on this scale. Visitors will encounter extraordinary artifacts, including a 1776 copy of the Declaration of Independence, an Emancipation Proclamation signed by Abraham Lincoln, and the manuscript of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s iconic “I Have a Dream” speech.
Inspired by Walt Whitman’s famous poem, I Hear America Singing weaves together a dynamic collection of music that reflects the nation’s evolving pursuit of liberty and the promises set forth in 1776. From traditional spirituals and work songs like “Deep River” and “Bound for the Promised Land,” to the works of celebrated composers and songwriters such as Paul Simon, Charles Ives, Jason Robert Brown, and Stephen Schwartz, this performance traces the American journey toward freedom, unity, and hope.
Echoing the voices of Whitman, Lincoln, Langston Hughes, Dr. King, and generations of Americans striving toward a more perfect union, this musical evening invites audiences to reflect, remember, and reimagine the nation’s ongoing quest to fulfill the ideals of its founding.
This signature performance will also be accompanied by Deep Rivers | Long Roads: The Journey of America . This special two month-long exhibition of Americana celebrates the nation’s path toward its own “promised land”—a vision carried forward not only by those who came before us, but by those who will follow.
This performance is made possible through the generous support of Linda Beth and Ed Sutkowski, whose sponsorship powers the museum’s MUSEUM+ initiative—a bold commitment to expanding performance, arts, and cultural experiences for the people of central Illinois.
Join us for two unforgettable performances where history, music, and hope converge—and hear America singing anew.
Sponsored by Linda Beth and Ed Sutkowski, America 250 donors, Visionary Society, Friends of Performance.
