I Hear America Singing

Created to honor the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence in 1776, I Hear America Singing is a uniquely conceived multimedia musical evening inspired by the words of Walt Whitman, Langston Hughes, Allison Hedge Coke, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and others. Led and performed by Nathan and Julie Gunn, with guest vocalists Adrienne Danrich, Ben Jones, Catheryn Kuhar, and narrator Lisa Dixon, the program weaves together traditional spirituals, work songs, and contemporary music by celebrated composers across genres—including Sam Cooke’s “A Change is Gonna Come,” Dolly Parton’s “Coat of Many Colors,” and Simon and Garfunkel’s “Bridge over Troubled Waters.” Stage directed by Sarah Wigley with media design by John Boesche and lighting design by Rob Perry, I Hear America Singing invites audiences to reflect, remember, and reimagine our nation’s quest to fulfill its founding ideals of freedom, unity, and hope.

Originally produced by the Peoria Riverfront Museum and Shot in the Dark Productions.