'Give' Until It Hurts

NWACC’s production brings children’s classic to stage

Here's what "The Giver" gives audiences: a message about hope and the power of diversity.

At least that's what Mary Moore, professor of theater and communication for NorthWest Arkansas Community College, hopes to evoke during the school's upcoming production of the stage adaptation of the children's classic.

FAQ

‘The Giver’

WHEN — 7 p.m. today, Saturday, Thursday and May 2-3; 2 p.m. Sunday

WHERE — White Auditorium, NorthWest Arkansas Community College campus in Bentonville

COST — $6 for students, faculty and staff; $8 for the general public. Those who bring a nonperishable food item will receive $1 off the ticket price.

INFO — All tickets are sold at the door; email [email protected]

"I want to make sure we focus on celebrating our differences," Moore says.

Differences fall in direct contrast to the concept of "sameness" that dominates the source material in "The Giver." Playwright Eric Coble adapted the stage work from the much-beloved and much-discussed book by Lois Lowry. Following its 1993 debut, the book earned a Newbery Medal -- given annually to the most significant contribution to children's literature -- and many other awards. The story follows Jonas as he prepares to attend the Ceremony of Twelve. During this event, members of the society are given an adult career as they turn 12 years old. He takes on the title of "Receiver of Memories," meaning he is to hold onto the emotions and history that society leaders have filtered away from everyone else. Void of emotion, memories or knowledge of the past, the society lives in a state of sameness.

Jonas accepts the job and and meets The Giver, who will transfer the knowledge to him. Only then does Jonas realize the problems with sameness in society. He and The Giver devise a plan to thwart the system.

Similarities exist between Lowry's book and more recent examples of youth dystopian fiction, among them "The Hunger Games" and "Divergent" series. There's a reason such works are popular, Moore says. As our own society homogenizes, we seek respite from the sameness, she says.

"We rely on someone else, and we need that (change). Most of us don't have the courage or the resources," she says.

Moore says the play mirrors the book in many significant ways. It offers a speedy take on the story, which will also be told in movie form this summer in a vehicle starring Jeff Bridges and Meryl Streep.

NWACC's production features student Brandon Ferguson in the role of Jonas and faculty member Curtis Harrell as "The Giver." Moore says the local production will also have special effects in the way of lighting and video projections.

NAN What's Up on 04/25/2014

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