[NEohioPAL]Actors' Equity Members -- Help the Marilyn Bianchi Kids' Fest!

[Marjorie Preston, PR/Marketing Director]

Dobama Theatre in Cleveland Heights will present the 25th Annual Marilyn
Bianchi Kids’ Playwriting Festival, June 5th through June 8th, 2003. The
festival was conceived in 1979 as a living tribute to the memory of Marilyn
Bianchi, educator and co-founder of Dobama Theatre. The Playwriting Festival
has provided more than 11,000 Cuyahoga County students in 1st through 12th
grades the opportunity to explore the world of theatre and craft of writing.
The Marilyn Bianchi Kids' Fest is the FIRST festival of its kind in the
country (!) and has earned both national and regional recognition and
honors. There is a $25 Benefit Performance on Thursday night which is
followed by nine free performances on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

For many years, hundreds of artists: actors, technicians, costume and
properties people, and other friends of Dobama, have donated the time they
spend working on the Festival to the memory of Donald and Marilyn Bianchi.
Twenty to thirty preliminary judges each read scripts and write encouraging
notes to the young entrants. The Festival uses a cast of 25-30 actors and
8-9 directors in mounting of ten to thirteen plays each year.

This year, Actors’ Equity Association has generously granted permission to
any of its membership to take part in the "on stage" aspects of the
Festival! Other opportunities exist for Actors Equity members as well:
setting up for the opening night party, painting, sewing costumes, reading
plays, building sets, ushering, working concessions, working in the box
office, assisting with props and other duties as needed. We would be happy
to discuss donations, whether they are food for our opening night party,
savings bonds for the winners, or donations to cover general operating
costs. Call Joyce Casey at (216) 932-6838 to get involved!

An Open Call for Actors is this Sunday, May 4th!  Auditions for kids ages 6
to 14 are from 3:30 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.  Auditions for actors 15 and up will
begin at 7 p.m.  Actors will be asked to do a cold reading from a script and
must come prepared with a written list of all scheduling conflicts between
May 5th and May 31st.

Actors will need to be available for several rehearsals in May, as well as
all day Sunday, June 1st and Sunday, June 8th, and the evenings of Monday
through Saturday, June 2nd-7th.  Additional rehearsal schedules will depend
on the number of plays in which actors are cast.

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Dobama Theatre is proud to present:
THE 25th ANNUAL MARILYN BIANCHI KIDS' PLAYWRITING FESTIVAL
$25 Benefit Night June 5
FREE Performances June 6-8

2003/2004 SEASON SCHEDULE TO BE ANNOUNCED THIS SUMMER!

Dobama Theatre is located at 1846 Coventry Road in Cleveland Heights.  For
reservations, call Dobama's box office line: (216) 932-3396.