AURORA, Ill. November 2, 2006 - Aurora University's theatre department will premiere"season /for/giving," an adaptation of a Charles Dickens' short story, at 7:30 p.m. Nov. 10, 11, and Nov. 15 to 18 in Perry Theatre at the Aurora Foundation Center for Community Enrichment at 1305 Kenilworth Place in Aurora.

The production is free to the public. It is part of AU's 2006-07 Celebrating Arts and Ideas series. In conjunction with the performance, a season /for/giving fair will seek donations of food, clothing and new toys for community organizations.

The Wednesday, Nov. 15 performance, will offer a pre-show "insight" program, a discussion with director Denise Blank, AU professor of theatre.

In addition to directing, Lombard resident Blank wrote the adaptation of Dickens' /The Seven Poor Travellers/.

She said the show traces the struggles of a young soldier's journey through grief and redemption and includes messages of humanity and social justice.

The story-within-a-story format comes from the original piece written by Charles Dickens as one of many holiday stories he wrote for his magazine /All the Year Round/. It begins on Christmas Eve, as a wealthy gentleman traveling alone on foot nears the cathedral town of Rochester. He becomes acquainted with a charity hostel, set up two centuries earlier and still in operation.

Curious to see how it provides for wayward travelers, he visits the charity and is taken aback at the perfunctory and bureaucratic nature of its service. Feeling a desire to make some warmer impact on the holiday, he arranges a sumptuous supper for the indigent travelers and then entertains them with a story around the fire.

The gentleman's story tells of a young man who disgraced his family and betrayed his fiancée. The story begins as the young man, hiding his identity, joins the English army fighting Napoleon's forces in an attempt to be shot and put out of his misery.

His dissolute ways bring him to the attention of his commanding officer. Realizing the young man's potential, the officer urges him to mend his ways and try to retrieve what he has lost. The young man does; the two become friends and lead their troop through tough and mighty battles far away from home. In the course of battle, the commanding officer is lost, and the young soldier vows revenge upon a French commander.

The English soldier finds solace by taking care of his friend's mother, who also wishes for the death of the French commander. They form a family bond, which is nearly cut short by the battle of Waterloo. The young soldier is saved from the brink of death, though, by the return of his fiancée. Together, the three survivors form a new family that
begins a new life after the war.

The production is suitable for ages nine and older. Handicapped-accessible seating is available.

Cast members are:

Aurora: Donovan Gwinner, Richard Westphal

Batavia: Megan Walendzinski

Chicago: Amanda Gonzalez, Simone Remmer

Fremont: Germaine C. Vargas, III

Lombard: Denise Blank

Montgomery: Travis Winkler

Streamwood: David Blancas

St. Charles: John Curran, Jr., set and lighting design; Tavia DeFelice,
costume and prop design

Sugar Grove: Kevin Manion

Iowa: Wesley Cantrell-Paulson, Storm Lake; Ian Klink, Bettendorf

<>Call (630) 844-4896 for information.

Heep, a French officer's son, portrayed above by Kevin Manion, 11, of Sugar Grove is mortally wounded in Aurora University's production of "season forgiving" Nov. 10, 11, and 15-18. He is comforted by Capt. Taunton, left, Ian Klink of Bettendorf, Iowa, and Richard Doublerich, David Blancas of Streamwood. The AU theatre department's adaptation of a Charles Dickens' short story is free to the public at 7:30 p.m. at Perry Theatre in the Aurora Foundation Center for Community Enrichment at 1305 Kenilworth Place in Aurora. Call (630) 844-4896 for information.

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