A Thousand Cranes

by Nebraska Theater Caravan

Tuesday, March 4, 2003

10 a.m.

Kathryn Schultz Miller’s extraordinary play tells the moving story of Sadako Sasaki who was only two when the bomb fell on Hiroshima. When, years later, she developed leukemia, she refused to give up hope and found strength in a Japanese folk tale. If a person folds one thousand origami cranes, it is said the gods will grant her health, happiness and long life. Sadako wished for health and peace, and continued to fold cranes until her death. After she died, friends finished the task and buried the cranes with her. Inspired by Sadako’s optimism and faith, her classmates had a monument erected in memory of all the children killed by the atom bomb.

Recommended for grades 4-12

Curriculum connections: history, cultural diversity, science, Asian culture

Length of performance: 40 minutes plus 15 minute Question & Answer session

Teachers bringing classes to this production are requested to solicit questions from their students well in advance of the performance. Submit questions to ??????, in writing, at least two weeks before the show.

Question forms will be distributed to attending classes so that questions may be selected to reflect a balance of topics. Please make sure your questions are labeled with name of student, teacher and school. The Q & A session will be conducted from the stage following the show.