Yellowknife (Mar 21/03) - A simple yet special story was told last week in some Delta schools when a drama company toured their award-winning play through area schools.

Something From Nothing is a story about the family unit, laced with lessons of life and sprinkled with faith and hope.

It stars Toronto actors Jerry Silverberg as Zeta, Daniel Krolik as Joseph and Kathryn Morris as the mother.

Silverberg said the play is based on the book of the same name by Phoebe Gilman.

"We adapted the book in 1995 and it's been touring about three to four weeks every year," Silverman said.

He said the play won an award in Toronto for outstanding production.

The company toured the play through the Delta in 1997 and returned two years ago, when they toured another play titled "Adventures at the Second Hand Shop."

They were delighted to bring Something From Nothing back to perform to a brand-new audience.

"All the kids had sort of cleared out through the system and Shane (Brewster) really liked this play and the community really liked it, so they invited us to come back," he said. "Some of the Grade 6 students even remember and say, 'Weren't you here a really long time ago?' "

He said the play has many elements that deal with the family unit, culture and even recycling. He find it appeals to a wider audience than just children.

"The story is cross-generational," Silverberg said. "Teachers take away a lot from it too and it's a very joyous and a fun production."

There are songs and jokes throughout that keep the youngsters interested and also features three puppet mice who often steal the show.

"They love the puppets; we sometimes feel like we're playing second fiddle to the mice," he said.

The play is likely the first exposure many children here have to the Jewish faith.

"I speak Hebrew and Yiddish in the play and the kids haven't asked about it and I wonder if it's because they are used to hearing native languages and other languages not their own," Silverberg said. "We do a quick English translation so they always know what's going on."

"It is cultural and it's nice to see that kind of warmth that comes from the Jewish religion," he said. "It's like saying 'We're proud of this and you should be proud of what you do too.'"

The company also went to Aklavik and Tsiigehtchic, but never made it to Tuk because of the blizzard.

"Those communities are fabulous," he said. "They are so receptive to the show."