Shedd Aquarium Hosts Young Performers from The Goodman Theatre for Festive Caroling

CHICAGO – Shedd Aquarium welcomed young performers from Goodman Theatre last week for a festive collaboration that blended art, nature and nearly a century of Chicago cultural tradition. The performers—all cast members of A Christmas Carol—visited the aquarium to share holiday cheer with Shedd’s animals and guests. As The Goodman celebrates its 100th anniversary season and Shedd marks 95 years, the surprise partnership underscored the ongoing impact of two of Chicago’s most beloved institutions, both of which have been educating, inspiring and delighting families of all ages for generations. Together, they offered a joyful reminder of the many places Chicagoans can gather to celebrate the holidays while escaping the winter cold.

Before the aquarium opened, seven cast members came to the aquarium and performed familiar Christmas classics like “We Wish You a Merry Christmas” in front of some of the animals in Shedd’s Abbott Oceanarium, including beluga whales and two species of penguins. The performers were met with both splashes and sounds from the animals, making for a delightful morning.

“Both the belugas and penguins are naturally curious animals, and both use sound in unique ways, so we were eager to see how they might react to the carolers,” said Charlie Jacobsma, director of animal behavior and training at Shedd Aquarium. “This partnership is a festive example of how we are always finding ways to create novelty for the animals – new sounds, sights and experiences to investigate that keep them active and add to their overall wellbeing.”

Later that morning, the performers gathered in Shedd’s atrium to sing to guests as they entered out of the snow and into the aquarium.

Goodman Theatre’s production of A Christmas Carol is happening now through the end of December. Tickets are available online here.

Anyone interested in escaping the cold can visit Shedd and experience nature from around the world. Plan a visit to Shedd by clicking here.

VISUALS: Find high-resolution photos and broadcast quality video of the collaboration here:

https://personal.filesanywhere.com/guest/fs?v=8e706b896061707b6eac&C=50

Photo Credit: ©Shedd Aquarium/Rachel Mittelstaedt

Video Credit: ©Shedd Aquarium/Emma Hajny