Ronald McDonald House of Dallas Launches New Choo-Choo Tales Storytelling Experience at The Trains at NorthPark
Free Performances of "Flora and the Train" Begin This December
BY PC Studios //
From December 2 through Christmas Eve, free performances of the inaugural tale, “Flora and the Train,” will be presented at NorthPark Center at 11 am on Tuesdays.
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This holiday season, Ronald McDonald House of Dallas (RMHD) will expand beyond the tracks and into the world of theater with the debut of Choo-Choo Tales, a live storytelling experience created in collaboration with the Dallas Children’s Theater and Booker T. Washington High School for the Performing and Visual Arts’ Theatre Conservatory.
From December 2 through Christmas Eve, free performances of the inaugural tale, Flora and the Train, will be presented at NorthPark Center at 11 am on Tuesdays. A special preview performance will take place Saturday, November 15, on opening day for The Trains at NorthPark sponsors and RMHD families.
Written by recent Booker T. Washington graduate and emerging playwright Esau Price (now a freshman English Major at Howard University in Washington, D.C.), the story follows Flora, a sick bear traveling by train to Dallas during Christmastime for critical medical care.
The piece, directed by Dallas Children’s Theater Artistic Director Emily Ernst, will feature both student and professional actors, bringing warmth, empathy, and the holiday spirit to audiences while raising awareness of RMHD’s mission to keep families close while facing a medical crisis.
“Finding audiences for young voices is a particular passion of mine, and I am so honored to work with Esau in bringing his vision to life,” says Price.
Choo-Choo Tales marks the first collaboration of its kind not only for RMHD but Dallas Children’s Theater and Booker T. Washington.
Choo-Choo tales marks the first collaboration of its kind not only for RMHD but Dallas Children’s Theater and Booker T.
“We have high hopes for this project to become a tradition, building on the rich, three-decade tradition that already exists through Trains at NorthPark, our signature fundraising effort, presented by Bank of Texas,” says Jill Cumnock, CEO of Ronald McDonald House of Dallas. “This unique collaboration between a social service non-profit, school, and arts organization, beautifully connects art, empathy, and our mission in a way that will hopefully inspire the holiday spirit in all who experience it and our community to do good, together.”
According to Esau, working alongside RMHD and Dallas Children’s Theater has deeply connected him to his community and his own humanity. Flora and the Train will serve as an entertaining, educational, and heartwarming offering to remind everyone who patronizes The Trains at NorthPark about the cause and “mission” behind this beloved holiday tradition. The annual event raises awareness and big dollars for RMHD, with this year’s goal of $1.1 million.
In addition to Choo-Choo Tales, The Trains at NorthPark will continue to offer experiences for all visitors, including sensory-friendly viewing hours (presented by Children’s Health) on select Wednesdays and Sundays. The special hours provide a calm, inclusive environment for those who benefit from reduced sensory input.
This year, RMHD also introduces Art on the Rails, a one-of-a-kind auction of a full train painted by renowned Dallas artist JD Miller of Samuel Lynne Galleries, celebrating creativity and the spirit of giving that drives The Trains at NorthPark each year.
From meticulously crafted cityscapes to live theater and exclusive art, The Trains at NorthPark remains a Dallas holiday tradition that delights families while supporting the vital mission of Ronald McDonald House of Dallas.