About Prairie Folklore Theater
Storyteller Brian "Fox" Ellis and Singer/Songwriter Barry Cloyd created Prairie Folklore Theatre to entertain and to educate the curious about the rich layers of history found in the Midwestern prairie, spinning stories and songs together to create musical theatre.
Prairie Folklore Theatre is bringing something unique to the heartland of Illinois. Weaving traditional ballads and tales with original songs and poetry, each performance celebrates one of the diverse strands in the tapestry of regional history. From Lincoln Lore to the tales of the American Indians, from the stories of Irish Immigrants to the Songs of the Voyagers, each performance is both an insider's view on a specific time and distillation of wisdom that is timeless.
Both founders of PFT are avid students of history. Their goals include entertaining an audience and something more; namely, drawing them into an intimate experience that teaches about regional history and ecology while stirring in them a longing to sing their own song and tell their own tale! The mission is two-fold: Initially, it is to celebrate the diverse history of the Prairie States that has been so vitally important in the development of the United States; and to awaken in the audience the undeniable connections with their family history and their past, which has brought them to their present lives. Whether it is children in a classroom setting or a family audience at a full theatrical performance, PFT engages the crowd in a hand-clapping, foot-stomping good time.
Prairie Folklore Theatre * P.O. Box 10800, Peoria, IL 61612 * 309-689-8000 * Contact Us
“Where history comes to life with a healthy scoop of good ol’ American humor.”