Savannah Stage Company Brings THE GIVER to Tybee Post Theater
Public performances will take place on Friday, September 13 and Saturday, September 14, 2025.
By: Emmy Rice Aug. 30, 2025
Savannah Stage Company will present Lois Lowry's groundbreaking novel The Giver at the historic Tybee Post Theater, with public performances on Friday, September 13 and Saturday, September 14, 2025. This production invites audiences into the world of Jonas, a young boy chosen to bear the memories of his community, as he discovers the true cost of a society built on control and sameness.
Directed by longtime Savannah Stage Company actor, educator, and director, Ashley Cook, the production features a skilled ensemble including SSC Company Members Brandon Adams (Jonas), Johnny Scott (Old Man), and Gabriella Haddock (Asher), and SSC newcomers Beau Cayton (Father), Sheila Berg (Mother), Emma Huennekens Reardon (Lily/Fiona/Rosemary), with SCAD alum Emma Wilcox serving as Rehearsal Swing and Understudy. The creative team includes SSC Associate Artistic Director Lexi Balaoing (Choreographer), Michelle Negley (Production Manager), Molly Japenga (Stage Manager), Geena Denton-Alvarez (Props Designer), Maggie Franz (Costume Designer), Jane Marie Price (Sound Designer), and Jayme Tinti (Set Designer). Together, this company of artists brings Lowry's world to vivid life with heart, imagination, and ambition.
At the center of Ashley Cook's vision is the idea of sense memory, that memories are not only stories but lived experiences felt in the body. By blending sound, movement, and sensory design, this production creates an immersive atmosphere where both students and public audiences can feel the weight of Jonas's discoveries. From moments of silence that echo absence to bursts of color and sound that signal emotional awakening, the staging invites viewers to share in Jonas's journey of memory, empathy, and choice. Cook's approach ensures that the performance is more than a play, it is a communal act of remembering, designed to linger with audiences long after they leave the theater.
In addition to the public performances, Savannah Stage Company is launching an ambitious field trip initiative to connect The Giver with Georgia Studies curriculum for middle school students across the state from September through February 2026's Georgia Day! Through live performance, study guides, and Q&As with actors, students will explore the intersections of literature, history, government, geography, and economics, making The Giver: Georgia Social Studies Experience one of the company's most impactful educational projects to date.
ABOUT SAVANNAH STAGE COMPANY
Savannah Stage Company is a professional theatre company based in Savannah, GA, dedicated to serving as a haven where audiences and artists engage in unique, meaningful, theatre experiences to gain insight and grow through exploration and connection. Since 2012, the company has produced imaginative performances and delivered over a decade of impactful arts programs, including camps, classes, and top notch live performances. They exist to engage audiences and nurture artists in and around Savannah with authentic, imaginative theatre experiences centered around collaboration and process-based experimentation.
ABOUT TYBEE POST THEATER
The Tybee Post Theater, built in 1930 as a movie house for soldiers at Fort Screven, served as a cultural hub for the military community. After the fort's closure, it became a public cinema before falling into disrepair and sitting vacant for decades. Thanks to dedicated preservation efforts, it was restored and reopened in 2015 as a vibrant performing arts venue, celebrating Tybee Island's history and culture.
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