PEORIA MAGAZINE April 2022

Cast members (Left to Right) Paul Arbisi, Helen Englebrecht, and Blake Stubbs rehearse their roles before a show at the Shore Acres Clubhouse.

A R T S A N D E N T E R T A I N M E N T

A PLAY WITH A PURPOSE Performance of ‘The Tin Woman’ sends a life-saving message on organ donation

BY LAURIE PILLMAN PHOTOGRAPHY BY RON JOHNSON

I t’s a cool evening in March when a woman named Joy receives a second chance at life. After waiting on a donor list, Joy is getting a new heart. Nearly 60 people have gathered to be part of this moment. Before it’s done, 240 will have shared Joy’s journey via the Chillicothe Players Theatre’s intimate andmoving production of The Tin Woman by Sean Grennan. The play, a dramedy based on a true story, uses humor andpathos toexamine human connection, grief and self-worth.

With these messages, the Chillicothe based cast and crew of 13 could improve the lives of 18,000 people through their partnership with Gift of Hope Organ and Tissue Donor Network. Gift of Hope is a not-for-profit organization that coordinates organ and tissue donation in Illinois and Northwest Indiana. That means eva luat ing donors for medica l suitability and connecting recovered organs with recipients, but it also means providing support for donors’ families, working with doctors and

30 APRIL 2022 PEORIA MAGAZINE