By Joyce Kryszak
Buffalo, NY – Have you read a great book lately? Or maybe a not so great book? If you'd like to share it and help others learn to read, Studio Arena Theatre and Literacy Volunteers are accepting donations.
Studio Arena's latest production practically cries out for a partnership to improve reading skills. "All the Great Books - Abridged" tackles 89 of the classics, in about 90 minutes more or less. It's a spoof of course.
But the book drive is a serious companion effort to the play. Patrons are invited to donate their new or gently used books on their way in to see the show. Proceeds from a spring book sale will benefit educational and literacy programs for the two organizations.
"We're having fun seeing our stacks of books," said Liz Smith, Studio Arena spokeswoman. "We're really encouraged by people who are coming into the show who are bringing in bags of books."
A storefront display window near the theatre is already showing some interesting volumes -- "Gulliver's Travels," and J.R Tolkein's "Lord of the Rings" to name a couple. But Smith says the donations truly do go from the sublime to the ridiculous.
"We had a collectors series of Dickens books -- a case that had a brand new set of 21 books," Smith said. "We've gottens some Irish limericks and even a manual to a microwave."
So, if you have a great -- or not so great -- book you'd like to donate, drop it by the theater. Donations will be accepted before show times and anytime the box office is open.