# Event Details

- **Event Name**: "ROUTE 66" 2026 10-Minute Play Festival
- **Event Start and End Date**: Thu, 11 Jun, 2026 at 07:30 pm – Thu, 11 Jun, 2026 at 09:30 pm
- **Event Description**: HEARTLAND THEATRE COMPANY opens the 2026 10-Minute Play Festival with the theme “ROUTE 66”

ROUTE 66, Heartland's 25th Anniversary of the 10-Minute Play Festival, opens Thursday, May 28, with a Pay-What-You-Can Preview. Performances continue through June 13 and are sponsored by Deanna Frautschi and Alan Bedell, underwritten by Drake Zimmerman and Jan Elfline. The plays were selected from hundreds of submissions from around the world and now enjoy their world premiere on Heartland’s stage in Normal, IL. 

The eight plays are directed by Darlene Lloyd, Scott Myers, Dave Montague & Jason Vales.

About the theme and the plays: Ventura Highway, On the Road Again, Freeway of Love, I Can’t Drive 55—all great songs, but are musicians the only ones who can be inspired by life on the road? At Heartland Theatre we say “no”. In 2026, we’re devoting our annual 10-minute play festival to Route 66 as the Mother Road celebrates its 100th anniversary. Join us and you can get your kicks without having to drive to California. [General Audiences]

The winning plays and playwrights are:
THE COWBOY AT THE MIDPOINT CAFÉ - Don Salvo, Celebration FL
SQUAWKING FOR A NEW TOMORROW - Angela J. Davis, Los Angeles CA
AT THE MOTEL SAFARI - Mathew Green, Champaign IL
HALFWAY THERE - Dan Borengasser, Springdale AR
UNTIL THE ROAD ENDS - James Martin, Bloomington IL
COFFEE AT RAY’S - Harsh Hundal, Kelowna BC
MOTHER ROAD - Georgie Morvis, Chicago IL
THE SIGNS OF THEIR TIMES - W. L. Newkirk, Celebration FL

Panel June 7th: Honoring the 100th Anniversary of Route 66, there will be a special panel discussion after the matinee on June 7th.

Route 66: The Mother Road through McLean County panel discussion

Join the Museum, Heartland Theatre Company, and Sprague’s Super Service for a lively panel discussion exploring the local legacy of the Mother Road immediately following the matinee performance of Heartland Theatre Company’s 10-Minute Play Festival: Route 66 on Sunday, June 7.

When Route 66 was established in 1926, it fundamentally transformed the United States by connecting the Midwest to California. As one of the first fully paved highways in the country, it spurred the growth of small towns along its path — including right here in McLean County, where approximately 49 miles of the route runs through the heart of the region. 

But Route 66 is more than 2,400 miles of pavement. It reflects who we are as a society — told through the stories of the people who made the road come alive: roadside diner owners, tourist park operators, service station attendants, state troopers, travelers, and more. These are the stories that form the fabric of our communities and history right here in McLean County.

This program is part of the Museum’s programming commemorating the centennial of Route 66 and the semi-quincentennial of the United States. Kathleen Kirk, Heartland Theatre Board member, will moderate the panel.

The panelists are:
•	Candace Summers – Senior Director of Education at the McLean County Museum of History
•	Dr. Terri Ryburn – author, playwright, and proprietor of Ryburn Place at Sprague’s Super Service, 305 Pine Street, Normal
•	LaWanda Henry Matson – author and biographer of her father, Illinois State Trooper Lieutenant Chester Henry

Performances: May 28,29,30 & June 4,5,6 | 11,12,13 at 7:30 pm; Matinees on Sunday May 31, Sunday June 7 and Saturday June 13 at 2:00 pm. (Two shows on 6/13)

FOR RESERVATIONS, Book Online or email boxoffice@heartlandtheatre.org 

Ticket Prices: General Admission - $21, Senior and Military - $19, Students - $10, Group Rates available
Theatre Location: 1110 Douglas St, One Normal Plaza, Community Activity Center 

FOR MORE INFORMATION:  www.heartlandtheatre.org
- **Event URL**: https://allevents.in/normal/route-66-2026-10-minute-play-festival/200030202646558
- **Event Categories**: Art, Theatre, Festivals, Business, literary-art, Music, Entertainment
- **Interested Audience**: 
  - total_interested_count: 0

## Ticket Details


## Event venue details

- **city**: Normal
- **state**: IL
- **country**: United States
- **location**: 1110 Douglas St - One Normal Plaza, Normal, IL, United States, Illinois 61761
- **lat**: 40.52181
- **long**: -88.97605
- **full address**: 1110 Douglas St - One Normal Plaza, Normal, IL, United States, Illinois 61761

## Event gallery

- **Alt text**: "ROUTE 66" 2026 10-Minute Play Festival
  - **Image URL**: https://cdn-az.allevents.in/events8/banners/b24dea77c4d67dacd1d478e3fb6e47df1b466e87b2ea518e7e84ff67fb5e4985-rimg-w1200-h857-dcffffff-gmir?v=1780872418

## FAQs

- **Q**: When and where is "ROUTE 66" 2026 10-Minute Play Festival being held?
  - **A:** "ROUTE 66" 2026 10-Minute Play Festival takes place on Thu, 11 Jun, 2026 at 07:30 pm to Thu, 11 Jun, 2026 at 09:30 pm at 1110 Douglas St - One Normal Plaza, Normal, IL, United States, Illinois 61761.
- **Q**: Who is organizing "ROUTE 66" 2026 10-Minute Play Festival?
  - **A:** "ROUTE 66" 2026 10-Minute Play Festival is organized by Heartland Theatre Company.
- **Q**: Who is this event for? Is it right for me?
  - **A:** "ROUTE 66" 2026 10-Minute Play Festival is ideal for festival lovers, culture enthusiasts, and anyone looking for a vibrant, immersive community experience. Whether you're a first-time attendee or a longtime enthusiast in Normal, this event is thoughtfully curated to deliver a standout experience worth every moment. If "ROUTE 66" 2026 10-Minute Play Festival sounds like your kind of event, don't wait - spots fill up fast.

## Structured Data (JSON-LD)

```json
[
    {
        "@context": "https://schema.org",
        "@type": "Event",
        "name": ""ROUTE 66" 2026 10-Minute Play Festival",
        "image": "https://cdn-az.allevents.in/events8/banners/b24dea77c4d67dacd1d478e3fb6e47df1b466e87b2ea518e7e84ff67fb5e4985-rimg-w1200-h857-dcffffff-gmir?v=1780872418",
        "startDate": "2026-06-11",
        "endDate": "2026-06-11",
        "url": "https://allevents.in/normal/route-66-2026-10-minute-play-festival/200030202646558",
        "location": {
            "@type": "Place",
            "name": "1110 Douglas St - One Normal Plaza, Normal, IL, United States, Illinois 61761",
            "address": {
                "@type": "PostalAddress",
                "streetAddress": "1110 Douglas St, Normal, IL 61761-6410, United States",
                "addressLocality": "Normal",
                "addressRegion": "IL",
                "addressCountry": "US"
            },
            "geo": {
                "@type": "GeoCoordinates",
                "latitude": "40.52181",
                "longitude": "-88.97605"
            }
        },
        "eventAttendanceMode": "https://schema.org/OfflineEventAttendanceMode",
        "description": "HEARTLAND THEATRE COMPANY opens the 2026 10-Minute Play Festival with the theme “ROUTE 66”\n\nROUTE 66, Heartland's 25th Anniversary of the 10-Minute Play Festival, opens Thursday, May 28, with a Pay-What-You-Can Preview. Performances continue through June 13 and are sponsored by Deanna Frautschi and",
        "organizer": [
            {
                "@type": "Organization",
                "name": "Heartland Theatre Company",
                "url": "https://allevents.in/org/heartland-theatre-company/11350147",
                "description": "Heartland Theatre Company is a non-profit, professional-quality intimate theatre where the action is “in your face.”"
            }
        ]
    }
]
```