Celebrating 10 years of Penguin Project
at Lincoln Community Playhouse!
Registration for 2025's production of Lion King JR will be January, 2025.
The Penguin Project production is performed by youth with special needs (Artists) with peer partners during our regular season.
All participants and a parent/guardian (regardless of past participation) are REQUIRED to attend the registration meeting, typically in late January/early February. Penguin Project's regular schedule runs from February to performances in June each year.
Registration Meeting is open to students ages 10 years to 22 years old. Potential Artists and Mentors must be at least 10 years old or still be 22 years old by the first rehearsal. Due to the high level of interest, the age limits do not allow for exceptions.
Interested Artists and Mentors should be aware of the expectations regarding time commitment to producing this production.
Rehearsal schedule starts with two days a week (Tuesday, Thursday) for approximately the first two months. Wednesdays are added next and then Mondays. Rehearsals (until Tech) are 6:30-7:45 p.m. Tech Sunday is 12-5 p.m. Dress rehearsals are 6-9 p.m.
LCP regularly works around conflicts until the stated No Conflict Zone. After this, added conflicts are no longer accepted (except in cases of emergency, illness).
Attending all dress rehearsals and performances is a basic expectation of theatre participation and therefore, no conflicts during that time will be accommodated (except in cases of emergency, illness).
While Penguin Project has happily grown in the last eight years, LCP must cap the size of the company at 33 Artists and 33 Mentors. LCP is committed to maintaining a quality experience and a safe environment for Penguins and will not be able to have every interested child in the program.
The Directing Team takes into careful consideration many factors including, but not limited to, schedules, ages, engagement with others and demonstration of enthusiasm for the rehearsal and performance process. The Directors reserve the right to recast if conflicts are added after the deadline. Please weigh carefully whether or not you’re willing to make the time commitment needed for this production, as it could potentially deny someone else a spot in the company.
The Penguin Project was implemented at the Playhouse in 2014 from Peoria, Illinois. Past productions include Annie JR., Disney’s The Little Mermaid JR., Disney’s Beauty and the Beast JR., Disney’s High School Musical JR., The Music Man JR., The Wizard of Oz: Young Performer’s Edition, Elf JR, Newsies JR., and most recently, Annie JR celebrating 10 years.
Learn more about Penguin Project from our former Director of Choreography Focus, Rachel Danay, at TEDxLincoln in 2018.
