Homestead Play Preview
Prairie Arts Center
Sunday, September 13, 2026
24 Park Avenue East
Princeton, Illinois 61356
September Bears will be performed in a free preview (no reservations necessary) on Sunday, September 13 at 10:00 a.m. at the Prairie Arts Center, 24 Park Avenue East in Princeton. Ticketed performances are September 13 at 2:00 p.m., September 18 and 19 at 7:30 p.m., and September 19 and 20 at 2:00 p.m. Tickets are $10 for General Admission. Audiences 18 and under are free. Reservations are encouraged.
Call 815-875-2787 for more information. This program is supported in part by grants from the Illinois Arts Council and The Princeton Closet.
September Bears Overview
September 2026, is the 25th anniversary of 9/11, a dark day in American history. September 11, 2001, also revealed America’s turn toward unity and hope. That true story of hope is told in the hour-long play September Bears, written by Princeton area author Jeff Barker. Barker is an award-winning playwright whose work has been produced Off-Broadway and on national tours.
September Bears tells the story of New York school teacher Sue Lucarelli. Along with her grade school students, Sue collected thousands upon thousands of Teddy Bears for distribution to school children in the wake of the terrible tragedy. The Bears provided real assistance, and Sue’s class created a national movement (Hugs Across America) that continues to this day. The play is appropriate for all ages.
September Bears is a joint production of Eastcheap Theatre Collection and Prairie Arts Council. Actors include Bureau County residents Karen Barker, Ken Bohm, and Kathy Bohm, alongside Chicago actors Cornelia Hayes, Harry Reed, and Gabriel Franken, as well as Betsie Swartz (Rochelle) and Jordan Dornbierer (Sioux Center).