Play about Gabby Giffords shooting to be staged at ECC
Elgin Community College Theatre’s production of “That Day in Tucson,” a drama about the mass shooting that critically injured U.S. Rep. Gabby Giffords, will be staged this weekend and next at the SecondSpace Theatre at the ECC Arts Center.
Written by Guillermo Reyes, the play tells the story of Daniel Hernandez Jr., the intern who helped save the Giffornd’s life during a 2011 shooting in a grocery store parking lot in Tucson, according to a news release. The shooter killed six people that morning and severely injured 13 others, including Giffords.
“The play addresses a serious and painful event, and it brings the issue of gun violence to the forefront, something that remains deeply relevant today,” production director Susan Robinson said in the release. “But it’s also a story about hope, family, perseverance and what we can accomplish when we work together for a better world.”
Performances are scheduled for at 7:30 p.m. April 25-26 and May 2-3 and 3 p.m. April 27 and May 3. Tickets are $14 for adults, $12 for seniors and free for ECC students. An American Sign Language interpreter will be at the May 3 show.
For more information and tickets, go to eccartscenter.org.
‘Glass on the Cutting Edge’ presentation at the Elgin library
Author Don Quant will speak about “Glass on the Cutting Edge” and the history of the cut glass industry at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, April 24, at the Gail Borden Public Library, 270 N. Grove Ave., Elgin.
Quant’s program will put a special focus on Edward J. Koch, who started making cut glass in Chicago in 1899 and moved his factory to Elgin in 1911, according to the library’s website. How Koch made his glass, where it was sold and how the people who operated the Elgin factory worked and lived will be discussed.
There also will be examples of Koch cut glass. Quant’s book on cut glass will be available for sale, the site post said.
“512: The Selena Experience” will be presented Friday night at The Hemmens Cultural Center in Elgin. (512: The Selena Experience)
‘512: The Selena Experience’ to be presented at the Hemmens
“512: The Selena Experience,” a tribute to singer Selena Quintanilla-Pérez, will be held at 7:30 p.m. Friday, April 25, at The Hemmens Cultural Center in Elgin.
The production has been has performed at venues across the United States, at a Chicago Bulls game and for U.S. Marine Corps members serving in Okinawa, Japan, according to the Hemmens website. The band will perform Selena’s hits including “Como La Flor,” “Amor Prohibido,”, “Si Una Vez” and “Bidi Bidi Bom Bom.”
Tickets range from $35 to $54. They are available at the Hemmens box office, by phone at 847-931-5900 or online at hemm.na.ticketsearch.com/sales/sales.
Gifford Park Association holding neighborhood cleanup Saturday
The Gifford Park Association is holding a neighborhood cleanup starting at 10 a.m. Saturday, April 26, in the parking lot at St. Mary’s Catholic School, 103 S. Gifford St., Elgin.
Open to all volunteers, the city of Elgin will provide trash grabbers, trash bags and buckets, according to the association’s website. Participants need to bring their own gloves.
Organizers will divide up the neighborhood, allowing volunteers to work at their own pace. Refreshments will be served.
Everyone who participates can enter a raffle for a magnolia tree. For more information, go to gpaelgin.org or email info@gpaelgin.org.
PADS of Elgin holding Home Run 5K walk/run Saturday
PADS of Elgin will hold its second annual Home Run 5K walk and run Saturday, April 26, starting in the parking lot of the Gail Borden Public Library, 270 N. Grove Ave., Elgin.
Packet are to be picked up from 7 to 8 a.m. with walk/run starting at 8:30 a.m., organizers said. The race route is through Elgin’s northeast side.
Proceeds will assist PADS in its mission of assisting people and families who are in need of housing by offering shelter, services and professional guidance, according to the event’s website.
The entry fee is $50 for anyone over the age of 12 and $25 for those 12 and younger. For more information, go to padsofelgin.org/events/4-26-2025-the-home-run-5k, call 847-608-9744 or email info@padsofelgin.org.
