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…