DOWNLOADABLE PDF An opportunity for teachers to share activities they have done in the classroom based on The Giver.

 

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Insider's View: 
Behind-the-scenes look at the making of The Giver, with interviews and insights into the performance

October 28, 2008

Last Friday night, October 24, Asolo Rep held the first public performance of the New Stages production The Giver. New Stages is a pilot program which was designed to provide challenging material for our young audiences. Though the opening night was primarily attended by adults, the excitement carried over from the student matinees to the event, and was just as tangible.

The post show discussion was a particularly unique aspect of the evening. The audience showed great curiosity regarding how our student audiences responded to the production. Many audience members asked probing questions regarding the parallels students were drawing between our society and that of The Giver, and also seemed particularly interested in how the student groups responded to specific moments of the production.

The attention was not completely shifted away from the adult audience members, however. One actor shifted the focus back to the experience of Friday night’s audience by describing how everyone, not just young audiences, can relate to story of The Giver. Actor DeMario McGrew, who plays one of the announcers in our production, explained that while most people tend to identify with the main character of the story, Jonas, each and every person also has characteristics of the Giver as well. He explained that every time you reach out to someone to share your life experience, to share the individual memories you carry, you are acting as the Giver to someone else. The beauty of our world is our ability to both receive and share memories, to act as a Jonas and a Giver throughout our lives. In the end, the opening night performance and following discussion will hopefully make an impact outside of the theatre.
      

October 16, 2008

The lights are down during a dress rehearsal.

The production team adjusts a sound cue while an actor listens to KJ Sanchez's direction. 

The prop table is dimly light backstage, so the actors can see it - but not the audience.

The bicycles patiently wait to be ridden on stage.

 

October 14, 2008

Rehearsals for The Giver are in full swing in the Historic Asolo Theatre!

The production team sets the lighting and sound cues.

Director KJ Sanchez shows the actors how to enter and exit the stage.