Eckerd Theater Company presents A Thousand Cranes

There is a legend that says that any person who folds a thousand paper cranes will be granted a wish. Sadako Sasaki was two years old. Her mother held her in her arms and sang a lullaby. In the house, her grandmother was making tea. Suddenly, a flash of light cut across the sky.

Ten years later, in 1955, when Sadako was a happy 12 year old school girl in Hiroshima, the radiation sickness came. Sadako began to fold cranes, wishing to be well again, wishing that an atom bomb like the one that took her grandmother would never be dropped again.

Before her death, Sadako folded six hundred and forty-four cranes. Her friends and classmates folded three hundred fifty-six more to make one thousand. Three years later, in Hiroshima Peace Park, they unveiled a statue of Sadako holding a golden crane in her outstretched arms with this inscription: "This is our cry. This is our prayer. Peace in the world." Every year since then, children have sent thousands of cranes to be placed at the foot of her monument.

This play tells the true story of Sadako and of how her spirit of hope and strength continues to inspire young people the world over to work for peace.

Category:

Entertainment

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• a thousand cranes
• eckerd theater company
• ruth eckerd hall
• clearwater florida