[NEohioPAL]Y-Haven and Cleveland Public Theatre present UP THE MOUNTAIN

[Dan Kilbane]

CLEVELAND PUBLIC THEATRE PRESENTS
THE Y-HAVEN PROJECT:
Up the Mountain
Written and performed in collaboration with
CPT artists and the residents of Y-Haven
September 18 - 21, 2003

CLEVELAND, OH - Executive Director James A. Levin and Artistic Director
Randy Rollison are proud to announce the fourth annual Y-Haven Project, an
original collaborative work written and performed by the residents of
Y-Haven, a comprehensive transitional housing program designed to serve
formerly homeless men who are in recovery from drug and alcohol addiction.
This year’s production, Up the Mountain, is a modern re-imiagining of the
myth of Sisyphus. Sisyphus has become obsessed with the car of his dreams.
The car separates him from his life and his loved ones, leading him to a
place of desolation.  Sisyphus must push this car out of desolation and back
to the world, but along the way he encounters challenges that force him to
re-evaluate the worth of the car and the power it exerts over his life,
until Sisyphus must choose between life in the world or life with the car.
Up the Mountain explores the nature of addiction and recovery as only the
collaboration between Y-Haven and Cleveland Public theatre can, and is
presented at 8:00 p.m. on Thursday, September 18 through Saturday, September
20 2003 with a matinee at 3:00 p.m. on Sunday, September 21, 2003 at
Cleveland Public Theatre, 6415 Detroit Avenue at W. 65th.   Admission is
free and open to the public ($5.00 suggested donation). Call 216.631.2727
for more information and to make reservations.   On Thursday, September 18,
the Y-Haven will sponsor a benefit for the program.  Tickets are $75.00 per
person.  Please call 216-431-2018 for tickets.

The Y-Haven Project partners CPT artists with formerly homeless men, all of
whom are in recovery from alcohol and drug addiction, in a one-of-a-kind
program where artist and addict create an original collaborative theatrical
presentation based on the life experiences of the participants.
Participants in the program elect to pursue drama as part of their recovery
treatment. Each participant is required to sign a letter of commitment
affirming his or her dedication to the process of creating an original work
of art, as well as to his or her recovery process. CPT artists Jeffery
Allen, Jerrell Anderson, Y Haven veteran and graduate Anton Tolliver and
Executive Director James Levin, commit to providing a structured rehearsal
environment where exploration and risk-taking are encouraged and mistakes
are viewed as an effective learning tool. Story ideas for the piece are
discussed in the early weeks. The subject matter, characters and theme of
the play emerge from a series of acting exercises over months of intensive
work.  The piece is then rehearsed and nurtured into the final work. Past
season’s productions, such as the 2001 production Buried, featured a touring
component that allowed the work to be produced at area detention centers,
hospitals, recovery programs and churches. Up the Mountain is scheduled to
tour this fall.

Y-Haven, with its two locations on the east side and west side, offers a
continuum of care beginning with primary treatment for drug/alcohol
dependency. When residents graduate from the primary counseling phase, case
managers focus their treatment plan on continuing care, relapse prevention
and appropriate education and employment programs. When residents complete
the necessary training they are placed in jobs or sheltered workshops. The
final phase of the treatment plan is finding suitable permanent housing for
the residents. Y-Haven is unique in that residents can stay for up to two
years. Many of the residents have experienced such severe physical, mental
and spiritual trauma that they need adequate time to heal. To be considered
for admission into the Y-Haven program, candidates must be homeless males,
18 years or older who agree to participate in primary treatment as well as
mental health treatment if deemed necessary.
* * * * * *

The Y-Haven Project opens on Thursday, September 18 and runs through Sunday,
September 21, 2003 at Cleveland Public Theatre located at 6415 Detroit
Avenue. Performance times are at 8:00 pm Thursday and Saturday with a 3:00
pm matinee on Sunday. Call 216.631.2727 for tickets and more information.
Admission is free ($5.00 suggessted donation) except for Thursday September
18, 2003. A unique benefit to support Y-Haven and Cleveland Public Theatre
will be held on Thursday September 18, 2003 beginning at 6:00 pm. Tickets
are $75.00 per person.  For tickets, please call Chip Joseph at
216-431-2018.

The Y-Haven Project is made possible with the generous support of The Wolf
Family Foundation, The Ohio Arts Council, The George Gund Foundation, The
National Endowment for the Arts, Theatre Communications, Group/Pew
Charitable Trust, and the Cleveland Foundation/BASICS program. Cleveland
Public Theatre is one of 14 arts organizations participating in BASICs; a
five-year program of the Cleveland Foundation. BASICs organizations receive
operating support, customized technical assistance and grants to help build
capacity to manage the necessary risk-taking of their art forms.
Performance Dates and Times
Benefit				Thursday, September 18, 2003		6:00 pm
Opening			Friday, September 19, 2003		8:00pm
			Saturday, September 20, 2003		8:00pm
Closing				Sunday, September 21, 2003		3:00pm


Admission is free and open to the public ($5.00 suggested donation)

Touring scheduled TBA.