Chicago Children's Theatre's WALKIE TALKIES Podcast Drops Five Chicago Neighborhood Walking Tours for kids & Families

Pop in your ear buds, lace up your kicks, and get ready to explore Chicago's neighborhoods, because Chicago Children's Theatre has released five, all-new Walkie Talkies audio adventure tours.

Logan Square, Grant Park, Palmer Square, Chinatown, and Chicago Children's Theatre's own neighborhood, the West Loop, are the newest Walkie Talkies destinations. In CCT's popular podcast series, every neighborhood becomes a unique adventure hosted by a local theater artist, encouraging kids and families to get outside and explore Chicago's diverse communities.

Each pod is an original story creatively fused with a traditional neighborhood tour meant to engage kids' imaginations as it points out Chicago landmarks, historical figures and top destinations along the way.

This summer's five new episodes brings the total number of Walkie Talkies to 12, joining family walking tours of South Shore, Bronzeville, Little Village, Humboldt Park, North Pond and Horner Park.

Thanks to new support from the Chicago Park District's Night Out in the Parks and the Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events, more pods will be released this fall, meaning more than 20 neighborhoods will have their own Walkie Talkie by year's end.

Each pod runs under one hour, and comes with a downloadable map, photos of tour highlights, vocabulary keys, and fun resources like reading and song lists.

Visit chicagochildrenstheatre.org/event/walkie-talkies for more information and to download episodes. Or, log onto your favorite podcast service, including Apple Podcasts and Spotify, search "Chicago Children's Theatre Walkie Talkies," and smash the subscribe button.

Chicago Children's Theatre, celebrating its 18th birthday in 2022-23, is Chicago's largest professional theater devoted to children and young families.

Here's more about the company's five newest Walkie Talkies episodes:

(Editor's note: click any badge to link to that podcast and to download the walking map and resource guide. Or, click "excerpt" to hear short audio clips from the new Logan Square, Palmer Square and West Loop Walkie Talkies.

Logan Learnin'

Excerpt

After reluctantly taking a trip with her mother to Unity Park in Logan Square, Harper befriends an eccentric tree keeper who teaches her the history of the area, while simultaneously leading her on an adventure of the imagination. The Unity Park gazebo becomes a jellyfish, the playground morphs into a dense jungle, and the tree keeper is revealed to be much more than she seems. Join as the group explores the rich and vibrant history of Unity Park, and learn about its place in Logan Square. Enjoy side trips to the Illinois Centennial Monument, and bustling Milwaukee Avenue, which, according to Harper, brims with alien life.

Logan Learnin' was written by Lomai, a Chicago based writer/director with a growing list of short films, videos and independent features, including his debut film, the sci-fi/fake documentary Proven. Lomai has also written (under his real name, Tommy Sigmon) the screenplay for the thriller Sin Verite, and the sci-fi fantasy adventure The Kid-Verse Adventures. The cast features Claire "Fluff" Llewellyn as Lynn, the tree keeper; Celia Valerie as Harper; and Jessica Ridenour as Mom.

MJ's Palmer Square Picnic Adventure

Excerpt

This foodie-focused pod explores Palmer Square, with visits to local favorites TropiCuba for sandwiches and empanadas, and Mikos and The Freeze for sweet, frozen treats.

It's all part of ten-year-old Wisconsin-native Mary Jane's first adventure in Chicago, where MJ and her adoptive parents have traveled to visit her favorite cousin, and meet his new girlfriend. Listeners are introduced to Chicago's historic boulevard park system with a walk around the neighborhood, observing nature, art, even Chicago bike etiquette.

Meanwhile, MJ, who is Black, is keeping score if her cousin's new girlfriend, who is also Black, might be his perfect match. In MJ's Palmer Square Picnic Adventure, listeners experience not only the hustle and bustle of Chicago, but are invited to slow down to enjoy shared history and each other's company.

MJ's Palmer Square Picnic Adventure, written and voiced by actor, filmmaker, musician, teaching artist, writer, and producer Leslie Ann Shepherd, is based on an autobiographical story. She's an avid urban biker, and a veteran performer on virtually all of Chicago's top stages, including Chicago Children's Theatre's The Very Hungry Caterpillar Show, Leo Lionni's Frederick, Jabari Dreams of Freedom and The Hundred Dresses. She's also an avid urban biker.

Sonic Love Experiment #312

After the isolation of the last few years, Javid Music Party, aka GQ of Chicago's hip-hop theater ensemble, the Q Brothers, has created the perfect pod to shake out your sillies in the middle of Chicago's Grant Park. GQ's dance music-infused audio tour gives families an upbeat, original EDM soundtrack to explore Grant Park however they like, with open minds and willing hearts, guided by sounds, frequencies and rhythms.

Javid Music Party is the electro identity of Chicago's own GQ, one of the award-winning and internationally acclaimed theater artists, the Q Brothers. Famous for their hit production The Bomb-itty of Errors and Q Brothers Christmas Carol at Chicago Shakespeare Theater, the Q Brothers create original work fusing hip hop and theater, adapting classic stories to a wholly original, entertaining and fast-paced style of comedic performance.
While Walkie Talkies are usually created by local theater artists, two of this newest batch of episodes are the brainchild of two very enterprising Chicago kids:


Walk Through Food Chinatown

Eat your way around Chinatown under the expert guidance of 18-year-old Gaby Yuen-Morales. Starting in Chinatown Square, Gaby tells the history of Chinese immigration and cuisine in Chicago while visiting three delicious restaurants for dim sum, bubble tea and more, ending with a walk by the river in historic Ping Tom Memorial Park. Along the way, you'll also hear stories from Gaby's interviews with her own expert in Chinese food and history: her mom!

Yuen-Morales is an incoming freshman at the DePaul University College of Communication. Her family has been a part of Chicago's Chinese community for more than 75 years, and generations of families have come through their restaurants. "I like to think that we, especially my Gong Gong, have made a really positive, nostalgic impact on people through our food."

You Say Olympus, I Say West Loop

Excerpt

The Greek Goddess Artemis, who has been stuck in the Elysian Field for eternity, finally meets nine-year-old Sophia, who has offered to show her around the West Loop. The only problem is that Artemis, impressed by the West Loop's grandeur, keeps confusing the West Loop with the Wondrous City of Olympus.

Together Sophia and Artemis explore the West Loop, from Greektown to Mary Bartelme Park, Skinner Park to Chicago Children's Theater, WNDR Museum to West Loop Public Library, Restaurant Row to the Time Out Market. As listeners loop around the West Loop they are also encouraged to appreciate the community's vibrant murals.

You Say Olympus, I Say West Loop is written, directed and performed by Sophia Mohammad, a 9-year-old West Loop resident, veteran student artist in Chicago Children's Theatre's education program, and the youngest Walkie Talkies creator to date. Kay Kron is co-producer and plays Artemis.