Arts Features

Birthday Parties

Create a birthday party full of magic and surprises! A 2-hour party can be booked at the Arts & Recreation Center on Saturday or Sunday afternoons, with themed activities, crafts, games and costumes (on request). To schedule your party or receive more information, call Megan Mooney at 421-6648.

Other party options include a Sports Party at the DISC (429-3472), On Safari Party at Scovill Zoo (421-7435), Pool Party at Fairview Family Aquatic Center, Paul’s & Dunn’s Party, and – new this year – birthday parties at Big Creek Riding Center (864-3436), with pony rides, supervised games, treasure hunt in the straw, and more!

Support the Arts!

Children grow, learn and benefit from the arts, from recreation and from play! The Decatur Park District recognizes that financial assistance may be required for some individuals to participate in Park District activities and programs. To provide equal access to programming regardless of ability to pay, a “Fun for All” financial assistance program has been established for qualified Decatur residents. Eligibility is based upon family size and income level and is awarded without regard to race, color, religion, age, disability or national origin.

The Fun for All Scholarship program benefits from the generosity of donors who keep this program alive. If you wish to make a contribution, please mail your check to the Decatur Parks Foundation, 620 E. Riverside Ave., Decatur, IL 62521.

Information for Educators

Book a Decatur Park District artist-in-residence for professional leadership in acting or choreography. Schedule an after-school workshop or  day-long or week-long session on construction, lighing, choreography, acting, and preparing a show for your school. All programs are individualized according to school needs. Call Marie Jagger-Taylor at 421-6648 for more information and fees.

Staff Bios

The Decatur Park District believes that the arts make invaluable and unique contributions to the educational process and to the enrichment of the lives of all.

Marie Jagger-Taylor

A professional actress/dancer who has performed on Broadway, toured nationally with A Chorus Line, and appeared in countless television commercials, Marie Jagger-Taylor has developed curricula and taught musical theatre and dance in various capacities for the past 20 years. A member of the Actors’ Equity Association, Jagger-Taylor was adjunct professor of dance at Millikin University (Decatur, IL) for 8 years and served as Director of Education for the Little Theatre on the Square (Sullivan, IL) for 10 years. In this role, she was intimately involved in all aspects of the theatre, including drama/dance instruction, sets/costumes/lighting for performances, and program syllabi for all workshops, sessions, camps and classes. At the Decatur Park District, Jagger-Taylor has been instrumental in building community interest and involvement in the arts, as she leads the Greater Decatur Chorale, the Decatur Park Singers, Young Park Singers, Perform!, Best of Summer Stock camps, and year-round dance and drama classes.  She also serves as co-host of the Decatur Park District’s “Parks at 5” weekly radio show.

Marc Black is the Park District’s Technical Supervisor. He holds an A.A. in Theatre Arts from Kirkwood Community College and a B.A. in Theatre from the University of Iowa.  For the past three years, Marc has worked for Indiana University’s Opera Theatre program.  While there, he supervised the student labor for 18 operas, 9 ballets, and numerous concerts.  His other past work includes doing scenic carpentry and theatrical lighting for Cedar Rapids Opera Theatre, Cardinal Stage Company, Brown County Playhouse, and the University of Iowa Summer Repertory Theatre.    

Megan Mooney is the Cultural Arts Supervisor in charge of dance education and the Young Park Singers. Her dance training began when she was two years old at The Dance Art Academy. She also studied dance at the Y.W.C.A. School of Dance and the Illinois Ballet Company. Her expertise includes the disciplines of Tap, Jazz, Lyrical, Ballet and Pointe.  Megan has performed as a dancer at the Little Theatre On The Square and has choreographed various musical theatre groups. She has taught dance for over 12 years at the Little Theatre On The Square and the Decatur Park District. Megan loves her work at the Park District because it allows her to combine two of her passions: children and dance!