In an effort to bring awareness to the need for organ donation, Palestine Community Theatre (PCT) will present Sean Grennan’s “The Tin Woman” at the historic Texas Theatre, 213 W. Crawford in downtown Palestine, October 6 through 8 and 13 through 15.

There will be a complimentary reception opening night at 6:30 PM. Friday and Saturday performances begin at 7:30 PM and Sunday shows at 2:00 PM.

Tickets for adults are $15, and students ages 4-18 are $10 and can be purchased online at www.thetexastheater.com, at the door, or at local ticket vendors: Palestine Area Chamber of Commerce, Palestine Visitor Center, Blake Furniture-Palestine, and Discount Pools in Elkhart.

Director Carol Moore chose “the Tin Woman” with the desire to inform members of our community and surrounding communities about organ donation. She felt the story of this production would give that opportunity.

Come visit with Donate Life Texas (www.donatelifetexas.org) and find out how you can help by registering to be a donor. Did you know there are organs and tissue you can donate while living (a kidney for instance, a lobe of your liver, a lung, or part of your pancreas or intestines)?

There are currently 9,914,977 registered donors yet 8,000 people die each year because the organ(s) they need are not donated in time.

In this production, Joy, played by PCT veteran Kathrine Newton, suffers an illness and needs a new heart, but her second chance at life comes at a great cost to her donor, Jack’s, family who’ve lost a son and brother.

Joy struggles with survivor’s guilt and whether she truly has a purpose in life. She asks herself why she is saved while Jack lost his life.

On the other hand, Jack’s parents, played by Dr. Jan Sikes and Jim Vincill, and his sister, played by Shannon Smith, each deal with their loss differently.

Mr. Grennan uses humor to highlight some of the differences we see between generations as each character walks their own path of acceptance.

Through her donor agency, Joy begins communicating with Jack’s family, and they eventually meet, BUT does this meeting bring closure for any of them? Does Joy find her purpose? Come see the show and find out.

We will share personal stories of loss and life from local and area donor families, including a member of our cast, and organ recipients and will be visited by, among others, two recipients, one from Nacogdoches and one from the Dallas Area.

Please join us for this heartfelt play based on a true story and learn more about the ultimate gift of life.