"I love Heartland because of its high quality of plays, directing, acting and production values, not to mention the fact that every now and then they let me act in one, which has nothing to do with why I support it financially ... Really ... No, I'm not kidding ... Really. And I'm pretty sure Mary Anne agrees with me."

"Heartland Theatre
is refreshing and unique.

We appreciate the opportunity to help support such a
wonderful cultural addition
to our community.

We have chosen to help sponsor the 10-Minute Plays the past four years because these slices of creativity around a central theme spotlight an array of emerging and eclectic talent."

"It seems like yesterday that Heartland Theatre Company came to our community.
During the past twenty years
we have been entertained by professional actors in plays
that one might find performed
in Chicago, New York,
or Los Angeles.

Here we are in Bloomington-Normal with a theatrical treasure which time seems to enhance. The selections of the plays are brilliant. The casting of the actors is wonderfully matched to the demands of the roles.

We are honored to sponsor The Drawer Boy by Canadian playwright Michael Healey and we congratulate the Heartland Theatre Company
on their 20th Anniversary. Way to go! "

"What a gift to our whole area Heartland Theatre is!We've been driving in from Pontiac for years to enjoy the intimate atmosphere and thoughtful performances.

The experience is so rich that after each one we talk and talk, sometimes for days, about all aspects of the production.

It's great that Heartland is willing to jump in and take a chance on newer and challenging plays and then carry them off with such grace.

We feel privileged to join the adventure."

"I am pleased to help bring The Trestle at Popelick Creek to Heartland Theatre. Against a backdrop of The Great Depression, this play brings to our senses the timeless conflict between hope and despair. It gives Heartland Theatre another opportunity to do what it does best: transforming a script into a live experience that leaves the audience challenged and changed."

"Heartland Theatre performs on a professional level. They offer a variety of subjects that dare to explore your emotions and touch your heart. We are pleased to have discovered this piece of art."

"We appreciate this wonderful opportunity to support both the good work of Heartland Theater and our special friend Sharmon Hilfinger. Sharmon, a former student of Darlene's, has found the perfect venue for her play in Heartland Theater Company. Sharmon's Bootstrap Foundation in the Bay Area of California and Heartland Theatre Company here in Illinois have much in common in their passion to produce thought-provoking theater for audiences and meaningful experience for artists."

"We enjoy theater that pushes the boundaries. Heartland continually performs this role in our theater community."

"We have been supporters of Heartland Theatre ever since Phil Shaw announced some twenty years ago that a new theatre was being created in Bloomington-Normal. The first offering of that fledgling theatre was an original play developed in the Playwright's Cooperative, an outgrowth of John's playwriting class at ISU. Held at the McLean County Arts Center, this initial production drew a small crowd of playgoers, happy to support a new endeavor in the arts. Since that time we've watched Heartland Theatre blossom into a bustling enterprise, well-served by a staff whose professionalism and devotion consistently attract enthusiastic participants and audiences to a rich and varied theatre season. We wish Heartland Theatre continued success and growth."

"We believe that grass-roots artistic expression should be encouraged and supported. Locally, Heartland Theatre provides a community resource through which actors, directors, and production crews can develop their skills, and audiences can experience original, enjoyable, thought-provoking drama. We are impressed at Heartland Theatre's encouragement of new playwriting talent, and willingness to take risks by presenting unusual, experimental, challenging, and perhaps controversial work.
We are happy, through our support, to be part of this effort. "

"We first became aware of what is now Heartland Theatre Company when Paul, as Mayor of Normal, met with Rita Kohn and Carol Reitan to discuss the formation of a theatre group to present staged readings of new plays. Since that time, through the Town of Normal Harmon Arts Grants, Sandra’s many years of service on the board of directors, attendance at plays, and personal financial support, we have remained boosters of this unique theatre within our community. Heartland makes professional caliber theatre available to Central Illinois. For this we are most appreciative."

"In 1985 when we helped Phil Shaw, Rita Kohn, and Carol Reitan incorporate Heartland Prouctions, Inc, we shared their desire to 'encourage the development and nurturing of emerging playwrights'.

"For twenty years, Heartland Theatre has met and exceeded that goal. It nurtures and encourages not only playwrights, but actors, directors, designers and most importantly, audiences. It does hard plays - it does them well.

"As a reslult, we are pleased to continue to help Heartland Theatre 'nurture and encourage' the arts in our community."

"Heartland Theatre is a precious jewel in our community. It is unique, splendid and priceless. We support Heartland Theatre because we have watched it grow from a barebones operation into a small but powerful contributor to the artistic growth of McLean County. It provides a desirable venue for actors, directors, designers, costumers and producers in our area. The quality of Heartland Theatre's work speaks for itself."

"Heartland Theatre Company fills a special niche in Bloomington-Normal, where local talent can practice their crafts and where audiences can participate in exceptional drama. We enjoy the serious theatre that we would not see on other community stages, as well as the comedies, and new plays never before seen on any stage. We are proud to support Heartland in its goal of bringing theatre to the community that both entertains and makes us think."

George and Carol Churukian

"Surviving has been the main focus of Armenians for centuries. Once a large territory, the Armenian nation, first to embrace Christianity, was reduced to a small geographical area due to the hostility of peoples who wanted the land for their own purposes.

Peter Churukian

Atrocities committed in the late 19th century and into the first quarter of the twentieth century by Ottoman Turks, have never been acknowledged by the Turkish Government. The Genocide of over one and a half million Armenians by starvation, forced marches into the desert, or by outright killing, is not commonly known. But we know these tragedies did occur. George and Peter's great grandfather was left to die in the desert during a forced march; one grandmother met the same fate. Carol's grandmother, fearing that invasion was imminent, sent her teenaged son to Egypt to avoid being conscripted into the Turkish Army or killed. Her maternal grandparents escaped under the cover of darkness to Bulgaria where they established a school and church for 50 orphans and 12 adults who had previously lost family members.

Richard Kalinoski, in his play Beast on the Moon deals with the issue of survival by describing one man's determination to continue the Armenian bloodline. He marries a young picture bride, an orphan, who had experienced starvation in her earlier years. She demonstrates her desire to assimilate into American life quickly, and shows compassion for others.

We are pleased to sponsor this production because it awakens awareness that the Genocide did occur, that Armenians have survived and have become productive members of societies throughout the world."

Vladimir-Canterbury
Sister City
Association
of
Bloomington-Normal

"We are continually impressed by the uniqueness of the Heartland Theatre plays selected and the quality of the acting represented on the small, intimate Heartland stage. It's like finding a rare stone in the cultural geography of our rich agricultural area."

"Chicago's not the only place where great theater is happening in the Midwest. I've been lucky enough to see several productions from Normal's Heartland Theater and have always been impressed--with their selections, their execution, and some remarkable performances."

"We are pleased to share this evening of live drama with new friends and long-time patrons of Heartland Theatre. We have found Heartland productions to be among the finest in Illinois."

"The Advocacy Council for Human Rights is proud to collaborate with Heartland Theatre Company to bring "Stop Kiss" to Bloomington/Normal theatergoers.

The play tells a powerful story of the love between two women and the hate that can divide humankind.

We hope it will raise awareness and encourage further discussion of diversity in our community. We thank the board of Heartland Theatre Company for bringing this and other thought-provoking productions to Central Illinois.

Dixie Mills and Pat Grogg are longtime friends who have enjoyed many performances at Heartland Theatre. They have found these theatre evenings stimulating, thought provoking, and just simply wonderful theatre. They are delighted to be sharing this find with friends in the community.

"What a remarkable pool of dramatic talent is available in our community! We especially cherish the mix when high-quality entertainment engages significant social issues. This is one of the valued traditions at Heartland’s intimate theatre."