[NEohioPAL]GLTF Board Extends Artistic Director's Contract

[Todd Krispinsky]

For Immediate Release:
May 23, 2005

Great Lakes Theater Festival=20
Board of Trustees Awards=20
Five-Year Contract Extension to=20
Producing Artistic Director, Charles Fee
Board cites leader=92s artistic excellence,=20
compelling, entrepreneurial vision for company=92s future=20
and fiscal responsibility as chief reasons for vote of confidence.

(Cleveland) In a demonstrative vote of confidence, Great Lakes Theater
Festival=92s (GLTF) Board of Trustees awarded Producing Artistic =
Director,
Charles Fee, a five-year contract extension earlier this week to lead
Cleveland=92s forty-four year old classic theater company through the =
year
2010.  Fee joined the Festival in 2002 as its head.  According to terms =
of
the new GLTF agreement which begins in July, he will also continue his =
joint
artistic directorship responsibilities with Boise=92s Idaho Shakespeare
Festival, which he has lead for the past 14 seasons.  Mr. Fee is =
GLTF=92s
sixth Artistic Director, following in the footsteps of Arthur Lithgow,
Lawrence Carra, Vincent Dowling, Gerald Freedman and James Bundy. =20
=93There=92s no doubt about it.  Artistically and fiscally, Charlie has =
been the
catalyst for the amazing progress that we have made as an institution =
over
the past three seasons,=94 said GLTF Board President Carolyn Dickson of =
the
Festival=92s Producing Artistic Director during a recent interview.  =
=93As a
Board, as audience members and as proud Clevelanders, we look forward =
with
great anticipation and confidence to what the future holds for this =
company
with Charlie at the helm.  It=92s a very exciting time for Great Lakes =
Theater
Festival.=94
Charles Fee echoed Dickson=92s enthusiasm.  =93The opportunity that has =
been
given to me by the Boards of Trustees in Cleveland and in Boise, to =
continue
to develop a radical new model for the way that we produce the =
classics, is
an extraordinary gift,=94 said Fee regarding the five-year contract =
extension.
He continued, =93Over the past three years at Great Lakes Theater =
Festival, we
have re-energized the artistic vision of this company by renewing our
historic commitment to Shakespeare and the classics, upheld the proud
tradition of quality for which the Festival is renowned, maintained our
standards of educational excellence and assembled a resident company of =
the
finest artists that this community and industry have to offer.  And =
I=92m
proud to say that all of our accomplishments have been marked with =
fiscal
responsibility.  This new contract affirms all these ideas and affords =
us as
a company the chance to see the work that we=92ve begun through to =
successful
fruition.=94
Bob Taylor, Great Lakes Theater Festival Executive Director, =
corroborated
Fee=92s statements.  =93The Festival=92s operations have been in the =
black in each
of the last three seasons,=94 remarked Taylor about GLTF=92s finances =
under
Fee=92s leadership.  =93When Charlie arrived in 2002, our net assets =
were
-$294,000.  Today, the company=92s net assets are +$602,000.  That =
represents
a positive net swing of almost $900,000 in just three seasons.  It is
extraordinary to contemplate how far we=92ve come in so short a time.
Charlie=92s leadership in developing a revolutionary, sustainable =
business
model for Great Lakes Theater Festival and tireless commitment to =
secure the
financial future of this company ensures that the Festival will be =
better
able to serve our community and the artists we work with for years to =
come.=94
	GLTF Board president, Carolyn Dickson, attributes much of Festival=92s
recent success to collaboration.  =93Charlie=92s commitment to =
collaboration has
been a real key to our renaissance over the past three seasons.  =
Deepened
partnerships with Playhouse Square Center, with Idaho Shakespeare =
Festival,
with Cleveland artists, with our neighbor theaters and with our =
community in
general have yielded a wealth of success.  I believe that Great Lakes
Theater Festival is a wonderful example of what can happen when =
creative
people and positive energies come together in Cleveland.  The =
possibilities
are endless.  And the truly exciting part is that we=92ve only just =
begun.=94
Fee is confident about the Festival=92s future.  =93This company is =
once again
in a position of strength and has a clear vision for the future.  We =
now
have the wherewithal and the support from our audience and our =
community to
truly become one of the nation's standard bearers for the classics.  If =
you
thought the last three seasons were fun, then hold on to your seats.  =
You
ain=92t seen nothin=92 yet!=94=20

#  #  #


Media Contact:

Todd Krispinsky
Marketing and Public Relations Director
Great Lakes Theater Festival
1501 Euclid Avenue, Suite 300
Cleveland, Ohio  44115
(216) 241-5490 x317
(216) 241-6315 Fax
www.greatlakestheater.org

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