The Big Read: To Kill A Mockingbird

FOR
IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Stage
Aurora Theatrical Company Awarded Big Read Grant from the NEA

Jacksonville,
FL—Stage Aurora Theatrical Company, theatre that enlightens, is one of 76
organizations nationwide to receive a grant as part of The Big Read project of
the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA).

The Big
Read provides communities nationwide with the opportunity to read, discuss and
celebrate one of 31 selections from U.S. and world literature. The grant will
support our book of choice Harper Lee‘s TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD.

Stage
Aurora Theatrical Company is excited to present the NEA BIG READ/ TO KILL A
MOCKINGBIRD February 4 –March 4, 2012. This month-long celebration will offer
an array of creative and unique activities including but not limited to
readings, panel discussions, Southern food tastings, prize giveaways, music,
film screenings, and culminating in a remount of our very successful 2010
theatrical production of the stage play TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD by Christopher
Sergel. Most activities will take place at Stage Aurora Theatrical Company
(5188 Norwood Avenue) will partner with the Jacksonville Public Library to
bring the Big Read to every community throughout the City of Jacksonville.

―The Big
Read is in direct correlation with our slogan ‗theatre that enlightens‘. I had
to give it a shot, the shot paid off. We hit the bullseye in receiving this
award. This is a great opportunity to make an even more outstanding impact in
the City of Jacksonville‖, stated Executive and Big Read Director Darryl Reuben
Hall.

The Big
Read is an initiative of the NEA designed to restore reading to the center of
American culture. The NEA presents The Big Read in cooperation with Arts
Midwest. Each community‘s Big Read includes activities devoted specifically to
its Big Read book or poet.

Stage
Aurora and other grant recipients will receive high-quality, free-of-charge
educational materials to supplement each title, such as Reader‘s Guides that
include author biographies, historical context for the book, and discussion
questions. Teacher‘s Guides are developed with the National Council of Teachers
of English and State Language Arts standards in mind and include lesson plans,
essay topics and classroom handouts.

For more
information about Stage Aurora‘s The Big Read please call (904) 765-7372 or
visit www.stageaurora.org or www.neabigread.org.