Walking Plays

Experience a live outdoor play performed among beautiful trees and scenic landscapes during the Walking Plays series at the Arboretum.

Walking Plays are full-length plays, adapted exclusively for The Morton Arboretum and performed by local professional actors. A walk leader guides the audience to each scene, which takes place at several natural backdrop locations, along a one- to two-mile hiking route. Audiences are encouraged to bring water, portable chairs or blankets for seating, and bug spray.

Walking Plays take place on select Saturdays and Sundays, July through October, 2024. Performances begin at the Thornhill Shelter on the West Side and last approximately two hours.

Performance start times vary by month. July and August performances (House at Pooh Corner) begin at 4:00 p.m.; September and October performances (The Grimmest of Tales) begin at 6:00 p.m. See Performance Schedule for details.

2024 Performance Dates

July 13, 14, 20, 21, 27, and 28
August 3, 4, 10, 11, 17, 18, 24, and 25
September 28 and 29
October 5, 6, 12, 13, 19, 20, 26, and 27

Ticket Details

Members
Infant (younger than 2): $0
Child (2 through 17): $10
Adult (18 and older): $15

Guests
Infant (younger than 2): $0
Child (2 through 17): $15
Adult (18 and older): $25

Your ticket purchase helps support the Arboretum’s vision of a greener, healthier, more beautiful world where people and trees thrive together.

The Morton Arboretum acknowledges support from the Illinois Arts Council.

2024 Performance Schedule

For all performances, attendees will meet at the Thornhill Shelter on the Arboretum’s West Side. Each performance will last for approximately two hours.

House at Pooh Corner

Each performance of House at Pooh Corner begins at 4:00 p.m. and lasts approximately two hours.

Saturday, July 13
Sunday, July 14
Saturday, July 20
Sunday, July 21
Saturday, July 27
Sunday, July 28*
Saturday, August 3
Sunday, August 4
Saturday, August 10
Sunday, August 11
Saturday, August 17
Sunday, August 18*
Saturday, August 24
Sunday, August 25

The Grimmest of Tales

Each performance of The Grimmest of Tales begins at 6:00 p.m. and lasts approximately two hours.

Saturday, September 28
Sunday, September 29
Saturday, October 5
Sunday, October 6
Saturday, October 12
Sunday, October 13
Saturday, October 19
Sunday, October 20*
Saturday, October 26
Sunday, October 27

*Indicates a low impact experience
**Indicates the availability of an American Sign Language interpreter

The Morton Arboretum acknowledges support from the Illinois Arts Council Agency.

Accessibility

Each month the Arboretum will offer a low-impact hike, designed for guests with lower mobility. These hikes cover a shorter distance (approximately half a mile) at a slower pace and stay near paved paths wherever possible to avoid chipped trails and grassy areas. Additionally, select Walking Play performances will offer American Sign Language interpretation.

Low-impact hike dates and ASL interpreter dates will be available closer to the start of the 2024 season.

View the Accessibility Guide for more detailed information.

Rebooking Information

To rebook your tickets for any 2024 performance, please contact tickets@mortonarb.org with the following information:

Order number
New requested booking date for any 2024 Walking Plays
Phone number and your name in case we need to contact you

There will be a $5 surcharge per order. We require at least 24 hours’ notice to allow us time to update your order and send new tickets. Rebooking is based on availability. If an event date is sold out, we are not able to move your tickets to that date. Sending your request by email helps us process requests in a timely manner.

If the event is canceled by The Morton Arboretum due to inclement weather, all ticket holders for that date will be emailed with specific instructions on how to rebook their performance.

How early should I arrive?

Fall and summer weekends are popular days for visitation. Please allow up to 30 minutes to park and get to where the hike commences (Thornhill Shelter, Parking Lot 21).
Where will the restrooms be located?

Restrooms will be located at the Thornhill Shelter, where event check-in is to take place.
If I don’t bring a chair can I borrow or rent one?

No, we do not offer any chair rentals for this event. For a more enjoyable hike, we recommend you bring a portable chair or blanket, a water bottle, sunscreen, and insect repellant.
If it rains is this event canceled or moved indoors?

The Arboretum will do its best to hold this event rain or shine. However, there may be times when a potentially dangerous weather forecast or unsafe ground conditions prevent us from moving forward with the event. The event will not move indoors.
In the event of inclement weather in the forecast, how can I find out if the event is still taking place?

All weather-related event updates will be communicated through the Arboretum Facebook page, website, and email. All of these will be updated approximately three hours prior to the show start time.

Select weekends in July, August, September, and October
July and August
Performances start at 4:00 p.m. September and October
Performances start at 6:00 p.m.
Approximately two hours
Plays begin at the Thornhill Shelter on the West Side
Members
Infant (younger than 2): $0
Child (2 through 17): $10
Adult (18 and older): $15
Guests
Infant (younger than 2): $0
Child (2 through 17): $15
Adult (18 and older): $25
Print this page