The Journey of Books

by Heather Oberlander and Janine Sobeck, dramaturgs

Do you love to read? Is your home or office full of books? In a world where books can be delivered instantly to your e-reader, it's hard to imagine a time when reading a book was a rare privilege. And yet, throughout the history of time, the wondrous stories and important information contained within the pages of books have not been always available to everyone. To see how far we have come, check out our brief look into the journey of books.

1200 B.C.

It is around this time that the Phoenicians created the first known alphabet.

The first known use of writing was in Sumeria. People used clay tablets to record information about mining and crops.

1154 B.C.

It’s not known exactly when scrolls began to be used, but it was sometime around 1154 B.C. Scrolls were made out of stretched animal skin called parchment.

The next form of the book was the codex. It was 2 pieces of wood bound together and covered in wax. The writing would be scratched in to the wax. The Codex was so important that it is still the official name of a bound book.

1 A.D.

Paper was invented in China around 1 A.D. They folded it in to books accordion style. It took quite a while for this discovery to reach the rest of the world.

7 A.D.

Eventually people started putting parchment pages in to codexes. People start making copies of books called manuscripts. These copies are made by hand, usually by monks. It can take weeks or months to copy one book.

1439 A.D.

Johannes Gutenberg invented moveable type print. Now after a page of a book is created it can be “stamped” onto paper multiple times.

1605 A.D.

Don Quixote is considered the first western novel.

1754 A.D.

Benjamin Franklin created the first editorial comic urging the colonies to fight together.

1837 A.D.

The Adventures of Mr. Obadiah Oldbuck, considered the first comic book, was published in North America.

1935 A.D.

IBM creates the first commercially successful typewriter.

1971 A.D.

The creator of e-books sends everyone on the internet a copy of the Declaration of Independence. It is the first known example of a computer virus!

1995 A.D.

Amazon.com is launched as an online bookstore.

2004 A.D.

Sony releases the first e-reader to use electronic paper technology.

2005 A.D

Princess Academy by Shannon Hale is published.

2015 A.D.

What does the future hold?

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Princess Academy

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by Janine Sobeck, dramaturg Tech week is one of the most exciting moments in any show. It's the time when we get to leave our rehearsal room, move onto stage, and add all of the production elements. To help the actors adapt to all the changes we usually make a gradual transition. Pre-tech: While still in the rehearsal room, actors are given certain rehearsal props and costumes to help them in the creation of their characters. In the case of Princess Academy, all the girls were given rehearsal skirts and all the characters were given rehearsal books and and other items (such as the miri flower). We also added all of the instruments used in the show. Tech day 1: The first day of tech included adding the set and sound. One of the biggest changes for our actors is the ramps on our stage. They finally had the opportunity to climb the mountain! Tech day 2: It's time to add the props! In order to support Director Megan Sanborn Jones' vision of the show, prop designer Scott Jackson made all of the props out of paper, letters, and books. Tech days 3-4: This is what we call an "All Tech." The final elements of the show (lights, costumes, and make-up) are added into the mix. Day 3 is spent working through all the cues in act 1 and day 4 is spent working through act 2. Tech days 5-7: The time has come to run the show! These are our dress rehearsals, where the goal is to do the show exactly as if it was a real performance. This means starting at our normal curtain time and trying to never stop. The director, playwright, dramaturgs, and designers sit in the audience making notes about what is working and what still needs to change. At the end of the nights, the actors and designers are given feedback and we rehearse any moments that need some extra attention. Tech day 8: Which is today! Tonight is the time when we finally get to add the final element of the show: the audience! Our final day of tech is known as the "preview performance." Friends, families, and students are invited to see the show before we officially open. While we always reserve the right to stop the show if necessary (it is, after all, still a rehearsal), we hope that everything will go smoothly!

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