[NEohioPAL]Weathervane presents Akron Premiere of "A Lesson Before Dying"

Tue Feb 24 09:09:28 PST 2004

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WEATHERVANE PLAYHOUSE announces
Cast for "A LESSON BEFORE DYING"
Akron Premiere

Weathervane Playhouse is pleased to present the AKRON PREMIERE of "A Lesson 
Before Dying" by Romulus Linney, based on the novel by Ernest J. Gaines.  Help 
us share the lesson March 10 - 28, 2004.

The Playwright
Romulus Linney was born in Philadelphia in 1931 and raised in the Appalachian 
town of Madison, Tennessee. He was inspired to pursue theatre by his mother, 
an amateur actress, and went on to receive a B.A. from Oberlin College and a 
M.F.A. from the Yale School of Drama. He moved to New York City in 1958 and 
began his professional career, which has included directing many productions of 
his own plays. 
In 1991, after working on a production of Heathen Valley that Mr. Linney also 
directed, James Houghton was inspired to create a theatre that would honor 
one living playwright each season. His collaboration with Mr. Linney in the 
rehearsal process convinced him that living playwrights should be more involved in 
the productions of their plays than is common in the American theatre today. 
Mr. Linney became the first Playwright-in-Residence of the newly formed 
Signature Theatre Company, and, in its first season, the theatre produced five 
revivals and the world premiere of Ambrosio. 
Immediately following his Signature Season in 1992, Mr. Linney won an Obie 
for Sustained Achievement in Playwriting, and two anthologies of his plays were 
published. Mr. Linney has won many other awards including a 1980 Obie for 
Tennessee, three Hollywood Drama-Logue Awards, the Mishima Prize for Fiction, and 
the 1984 Award for Literature from the American Academy and Institute for Arts 
and Letters. He has been awarded two Fellowships from the NEA, as well as 
Guggenheim, Rockefeller, and National Foundation for the Arts grants. 

The Director
Sean McConaha, is Weathervane's Director of Education and Producer of 
Youth/Family Productions.  He holds a Master of Arts Degree in Theater from The 
University of Akron and has been a free-lance actor and director in many areas of 
northeastern Ohio.  For Weathervane, McConaha directed "The Glass Menagerie," 
the Ohio Community Theater Association award-winning production of "Romeo and 
Juliet" as well as the 1999-2000 season's Chanticleer winner for Best 
Weathervane Production, "The King of the Kosher Grocers" as well as "Hamlet," "Our 
Town" and "The Chosen."

The Cast:
Sean Derry, Akron   (Paul Bonin)
Sean was seen at Weathervane last season as Danny Saunders in "The Chosen" as 
well as in "The Laramie Project" and "The Complete Works of William 
Shakespeare (abridged)."  He studied acting at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in 
New York City and the Loft Studio and the Bobbie Chance Studios in Los 
Angeles.

Taba Aleem, Akron       (Emma Glenn)
Taba was seen as Louise in Weathervane's production of "Seven Guitars."  She 
has also been in productions at the African Community Theater at Kent State 
University as well as in productions at The University of Akron.  She holds a 
Master of Arts Degree in Secondary Education from The University of Akron and is 
a Social Services educator.

Tom C. Barnes, Akron    (Grant Wiggins)
Tom holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Mass Media Communication from The 
University of Akron.  He has been seen in Weathervane productions of "Of Mice and 
Men," "The King of the Kosher Grocers," "Little Shop of Horrors" and "The 
African Company Presents Richard III." Tom has also spent a lot of time backstage 
on sound designs for "The Chosen," "Dracula," "Communicating Doors," "Having 
Our Say" and "Sylvia."

Robert Keith, Clinton   (Sam Guidry)
Robert shares his talents with several theaters in the Akron area.  He has 
been seen at The Players Guild in "A Christmas Carol," "As You Like It" at Kent 
Stage, "Hamlet" at Weathervane, "A Child's Christmas in Wales" for Actors' 
Summit and "Poe's Midnight Dreary" for Magical Theatre.

David Lemoyne, Brunswick    (Jefferson)
David was seen in Karamu productions of "Simply Heavenly" and  "Grey 
Panthers" and at The Cleveland Play House in "Tin Pan Alley Rag."  He has been in 
several films, made commercials for Loss Prevention and Weiss Furs and is an 
acting instructor for ActorsCoach Productions.  He will direct Ken Ludwig's "Lend 
Me a Tenor" for Brunswick ACT this July.  This is his first production at 
Weathervane.

Tina Thompkins, Shaker Heights  (Vivian Baptiste)
Tina has a degree in accounting from The University of Akron.  She has 
appeared in productions at Strongsville Little Theatre, Cleveland Shakespeare, Kent 
State University, The Cleveland Play House, Tri-C West, Karamu and Weathervane 
Playhouse.  At Weathervane, she appeared in "Seven Guitars," "The Odd Couple 
(female version)," "Working" and "The Piano Lesson."

Myron J. Lewis, Akron   (Rev. Ambrose)
Myron is an adolescent chemical dependency counselor for the Akron Health 
Department. He recently performed a premier of "Mr. Lewis Rules, Stories of the 
Juvenile Justice System."  He appeared in several Weathervane productions 
including "The Piano Lesson," "Seven Guitars" and "The Laramie Project."

Help us share the lesson.  See A LESSON BEFORE DYING, at Weathervane March 10 
- 28, 2004.  Low-cost preview performances on Wednesday and Thursday, March 
10 & 11 at 7:30 p.m. with official opening on Friday, March 12 at 8:00 p.m.  
Other performances are Thursdays at 7:30 p.m., Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m. 
and Sundays at 2:30 p.m. Charge by phone at Weathervane's Ticket Office at 
330-836-2626.  Call between 10 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. Tuesday through Friday.  
Tickets: $18 ($2 discount on Thursdays and Sundays for Senior Citizens & Students).

A LESSON BEFORE DYING is a Project STAGE production.
Teacher and student study guides are available and in-class discussions can 
be arranged.  Daytime performances are at 10 a.m. Tuesdays March 16 & 23.
Reduced ticket prices are available for the daytime shows.
Project STAGE is funded in part by the Sisler-McFawn Foundation, OMNOVA 
Solutions Foundation and Target stores.

The Ohio Arts Council helped fund this program with state tax dollars to 
encourage economic growth,
education excellence and cultural enrichment for all Ohioans.
Additional Season Sponsors: WKSU, PAX-TV

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<HTML>WEATHERVANE PLAYHOUSE announces
 Cast for "A LESSON BEFORE DYING"
 Akron Premiere
 
 Weathervane Playhouse is pleased to present the AKRON PREMIERE of "A Les=
son Before Dying" by Romulus Linney, based on the novel by Ernest J. Gaines.=
  Help us share the lesson March 10 - 28, 2004.
 
 The Playwright
 Romulus Linney was born in Philadelphia in 1931 and raised in the=
 Appalachian town of Madison, Tennessee. He was inspired to pursue theatre b=
y his mother, an amateur actress, and went on to receive a B.A. from Oberlin=
 College and a M.F.A. from the Yale School of Drama. He moved to New York Ci=
ty in 1958 and began his professional career, which has included directing m=
any productions of his own plays.=20
 In 1991, after working on a production of Heathen Valley that Mr. Linney=
 also directed, James Houghton was inspired to create a theatre that would h=
onor one living playwright each season. His collaboration with Mr. Linney in=
 the rehearsal process convinced him that living playwrights should be more=20=
involved in the productions of their plays than is common in the American th=
eatre today. Mr. Linney became the first Playwright-in-Residence of the newl=
y formed Signature Theatre Company, and, in its first season, the theatre pr=
oduced five revivals and the world premiere of Ambrosio.=20
 Immediately following his Signature Season in 1992, Mr. Linney won an Ob=
ie for Sustained Achievement in Playwriting, and two anthologies of his play=
s were published. Mr. Linney has won many other awards including a 1980 Obie=
 for Tennessee, three Hollywood Drama-Logue Awards, the Mishima Prize for Fi=
ction, and the 1984 Award for Literature from the American Academy and Insti=
tute for Arts and Letters. He has been awarded two Fellowships from the NEA,=
 as well as Guggenheim, Rockefeller, and National Foundation for the Arts gr=
ants.=20
 
 The Director
 Sean McConaha, is Weathervane's Director of Education and Produce=
r of Youth/Family Productions.  He holds a Master of Arts Degree in The=
ater from The University of Akron and has been a free-lance actor and direct=
or in many areas of northeastern Ohio.  For Weathervane, McConaha direc=
ted "The Glass Menagerie," the Ohio Community Theater Association award-winn=
ing production of "Romeo and Juliet" as well as the 1999-2000 season's Chant=
icleer winner for Best Weathervane Production, "The King of the Kosher Groce=
rs" as well as "Hamlet," "Our Town" and "The Chosen."
 
 The Cast:
 Sean Derry, Akron (Paul Bonin)
 Sean was seen at Weathervane last season as Danny Saunders in "The Chose=
n" as well as in "The Laramie Project" and "The Complete Works of William Sh=
akespeare (abridged)."  He studied acting at the American Academy of Dr=
amatic Arts in New York City and the Loft Studio and the Bobbie Chance Studi=
os in Los Angeles.
 
 Taba Aleem, Akron (Emma Glenn)
 Taba was seen as Louise in Weathervane's production of "Seven Guitars."=20=
 She has also been in productions at the African Community Theater at K=
ent State University as well as in productions at The University of Akron. &=
nbsp;She holds a Master of Arts Degree in Secondary Education from The Unive=
rsity of Akron and is a Social Services educator.
 
 Tom C. Barnes, Akron (Grant Wiggins)
 Tom holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Mass Media Communication from The=
 University of Akron.  He has been seen in Weathervane productions of "=
Of Mice and Men," "The King of the Kosher Grocers," "Little Shop of Horrors"=
 and "The African Company Presents Richard III." Tom has also spent a lot of=
 time backstage on sound designs for "The Chosen," "Dracula," "Communicating=
 Doors," "Having Our Say" and "Sylvia."
 
 Robert Keith, Clinton (Sam Guidry)
 Robert shares his talents with several theaters in the Akron area. &nbsp=
;He has been seen at The Players Guild in "A Christmas Carol," "As You Like=20=
It" at Kent Stage, "Hamlet" at Weathervane, "A Child's Christmas in Wales" f=
or Actors' Summit and "Poe's Midnight Dreary" for Magical Theatre.
 
 David Lemoyne, Brunswick (Jefferson)
 David was seen in Karamu productions of "Simply Heavenly" and  "Gre=
y Panthers" and at The Cleveland Play House in "Tin Pan Alley Rag."  He=
 has been in several films, made commercials for Loss Prevention and Weiss F=
urs and is an acting instructor for ActorsCoach Productions.  He will d=
irect Ken Ludwig's "Lend Me a Tenor" for Brunswick ACT this July.  This=
 is his first production at Weathervane.
 
 Tina Thompkins, Shaker Heights (Vivian Baptiste)
 Tina has a degree in accounting from The University of Akron.  She=20=
has appeared in productions at Strongsville Little Theatre, Cleveland Shakes=
peare, Kent State University, The Cleveland Play House, Tri-C West, Karamu a=
nd Weathervane Playhouse.  At Weathervane, she appeared in "Seven Guita=
rs," "The Odd Couple (female version)," "Working" and "The Piano Lesson."
 
 Myron J. Lewis, Akron (Rev. Ambrose)
 Myron is an adolescent chemical dependency counselor for the Akron Healt=
h Department. He recently performed a premier of "Mr. Lewis Rules, Stories o=
f the Juvenile Justice System."  He appeared in several Weathervane pro=
ductions including "The Piano Lesson," "Seven Guitars" and "The Laramie Proj=
ect."
 
 Help us share the lesson.  See A LESSON BEFORE DYING, at Weathervan=
e March 10 - 28, 2004.  Low-cost preview performances on Wednesday and=20=
Thursday, March 10 & 11 at 7:30 p.m. with official opening on Friday, Ma=
rch 12 at 8:00 p.m.  Other performances are Thursdays at 7:30 p.m., Fri=
days and Saturdays at 8 p.m. and Sundays at 2:30 p.m. Charge by phone at Wea=
thervane's Ticket Office at 330-836-2626.  Call between 10 a.m. and 5:3=
0 p.m. Tuesday through Friday.  Tickets: $18 ($2 discount on Thursdays=20=
and Sundays for Senior Citizens & Students).
 
 A LESSON BEFORE DYING is a Project STAGE production=
.
 Teacher and student study guides are available and in-class discussions=20=
can be arranged.  Daytime performances are at 10 a.m. Tuesdays March 16=
 & 23.
 Reduced ticket prices are available for the daytime shows.
 Project STAGE is funded in part by the Sisler-McFawn Foundation, OMNOVA=20=
Solutions Foundation and Target stores.
 
 The Ohio Arts Council helped fund this program with state tax dollars=
 to encourage economic growth,
 education excellence and cultural enrichment for all Ohioans.
 Additional Season Sponsors: WKSU, PAX-TV</HTML>

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