Patty Duke will perform the featured role in a theatrical reading of "The Giver" this summer at the Bing Crosby Theatre in Spokane.

Tickets are on sale now for two July 17 performances, at 2 and 7 p.m., with a question-and-answer period following each show.

"The Giver" is being presented by Laura Little Productions.

Little said she read the award-winning book by Lois Lowry and loved it, so she asked Duke to read it and said the Academy and Emmy Award-winning actress was equally enthralled.

Lowry's story presents a world that eliminates personal challenges through the practice of "sameness," and focuses on a young boy's struggle with the idea and its consequences.

"I loved the challenge of thinking about what decisions would people make in that situation," Little said.

It comes down to choosing whether to live life with no emotional bumps or chaos - with no ups or downs -or to live fully, experiencing the full spectrum of feelings.

"It's so relevant in my life, and I think for others," she said.

If you go:

'The Giver,' featuring Patty Duke

Where: Bing Crosby Theatre, 901 W. Sprague Ave., Spokane

When: July 17, 2 p.m. and 7 p.m.

Tickets: $15/adults; $12.50/seniors, 65-plus; $10/students under 12

For tickets and information: 800-935-SEAT, 208-391-6010, www.lauralittletheatricals.com