Spirited ghost tales to benefit Books for Africa
Largely Literary Theater Company co-founders Sara Showman and Mark Dawidziak will present a spirited program of ghost stories at the Books for Africa Library Project’s annual fundraising dinner. The event begins at 6 p.m. Saturday, July 16, in the St. Bernard Church Social Hall.
The church is in downtown Akron, at the intersection of Broadway and State Streets. Parking is available at the University of Akron lot opposite the church.
The Books for Africa Library Project is a non-profit organization that helps communities set up libraries in rural Africa. The project has established libraries in Ghana and Liberia.
The special two-part program prepared by the Largely Literary Theater Company will open with Showman telling a romantic ghost tale and a not-so-romantic ghost tale – two looks at relationships from a supernatural point of view.
Dawidziak, the company’s artistic director, then will shift the spooky mood a bit with stories about spirits connected to Akron-area locations.
The July 16 dinner and performance are free, but donations will be collected. This is the fourth consecutive year the Largely Literary Theater Company has appeared at the annual Books for Africa Library Project dinner at the landmark downtown Akron church.
The benefit will begin with dinner at 6 p.m. and traditional string music provided by Touch of Spring. That will be followed by an 18-miunte video presented by Books for Africa’s Kirt and Hilda Bromley, who will describe their recent four-and-a-half month mission in Ghana, where they set up three new libraries in rural farming regions of Brong Ahafo and the upper west (an area historically neglected in terms of education and government services).
The Bromleys also were able to renovate the second floor of the town council building in Hilda Bromley’s home town and move the books from their original library in the town to this more central location. And they passed out over 300 pairs of donated eyeglasses and organized a conference on alcoholism at the regional hospital.
“It’s always such an honor to be part of this special evening,’’ Dawidziak said. “The mission of our theater is to encourage reading, so we’re literally on the same page with the Books for Africa Library Project. And the work they do is nothing short of inspiring.”
For bookings, contact Dawidziak and Showman at the Largely Literary Theater Company: 330-923-8350 or at hlgrouch@sbcglobal.net
For information about Books for Africa Library Project, visit www.forafricalibrary.org.