[NEohioPAL]Totally Terrific ALMOST OBSCENE Comes to Beck Center

Thu Oct 13 13:01:44 PDT 2005

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

October 13, 2005

Contact: Emilie Knud-Hansen, 216-521-2540

Yvette Hanzel, 216-521-2540, ext. 225

=20

=20

Totally Terrific ALMOST OBSCENE=20

Comes to the Beck Center on November 5!

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=20

Cleveland, Ohio -- Joe Raiola, Senior Editor of Mad Magazine, will bring
his nationally acclaimed one-man show of ALMOST OBSCENE to the Beck
Center for the Arts Main Stage for a one-night only performance of a
show that is best described as a hilarious slap-in-the-face, First
Amendment wake-up call!  The performance will be at 10:00 p.m.,
Saturday, November 5, 2005.  Tickets are $17.50 each.=20

In the tradition of George Carlin and Bill Maher, Joe Raiola takes his
audience on a provocative journey that begins in the Garden of Eden, a
place that he says hardly qualifies as "paradise" because of the talking
snake and a God who is the universe's first censor. From there, Raiola
casts a cynical eye toward organized religion.  "Honestly, I'd sooner
pray to the Wizard of Oz than the God of the Bible," he says
unapologetically. "It's close, but I think the Wizard has more
integrity."

ALMOST OBSCENE is the love child of Raiola's 20+year relationship with
Mad Magazine and his lifelong observations of how censorship impacts
society.  His self-proclaimed obsession with the First Amendment propels
his energetic, rapid-fire performance in which he deliberately, and
delightfully, pushes the free speech envelope to the edge!  A New York
City theater critic calls the show a "cynical, comical, jeering, and
energetic modern day commentary of a man frustrated with our excessively
driven American way of life."

Directed by Barbara Pitcher, ALMOST OBSCENE puts the spotlight on
censorship even before the show begins, as the publicity photo shows
Raiola making a gesture that appears offensive at first glance...until
you realize it is his ring finger!  When ALMOST OBSCENE debuted at the
2003 New York City Fringe Festival, a newspaper refused to print the
publicity photo, claiming it was too close to being offensive. And with
that inspiration, and fueled by his outrage over the power of
censorship, Raiola now takes his show on the road, and alerts his
audience that it's going to be a bumpy ride. "I'm in for a surprise
myself-I feel like I'm shooting my energy into a prism and I don't know
where it's gonna come out!"

The Cleveland audience will be treated to a performance bonus, as Raiola
has agreed to spend a few extra minutes after the November 5th show for
comments and questions. Sponsors include SCENE Magazine, which will host
ALMOST OBSCENE ticket giveaways each Friday on 92.3 Extreme Radio.

For tickets, call the Beck Center box office at (216) 521-2540 or log
onto www.beckcenter.org <http://www.beckcenter.org/> . Tickets are
$17.50 each A $2 administrative fee per ticket is applied at the time
of ticket reservation. The Beck Center for the Arts is located just 10
minutes west of downtown Cleveland at 17801 Detroit Avenue in Lakewood.=20

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# # #

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Submitted by:

Fran Storch

Marketing Assistant

The Beck Center for the Arts

17801 Detroit Avenue

Lakewood, Ohio  44107

216-521-2540, ext. 244

=20

My office hours for the week of October 10 are Monday through Thursday,
9:00 am to 3:00 pm.

=20

What's Happening at the Beck Center!

In the Studio Theater:

Top Dog/Underdog

Now through October 23

Coming soon on the Main Stage,

Beck Youth Theater presents

The Phantom Tollbooth

October 28 through November 6

To reserve tickets, call 216-521-2540.

Verb Ballets Master Classes

Sunday, October 30, 1:30-4:30 pm

To register, call 216-521-2540, ext.222.

October is Music Therapy Month

For information on Creative Arts Therapies at the Beck Center,

contact Ed Gallagher at ext. 216-521-2540, ext. 246.

Register online for classes in dance, music, theater,=20

and visual arts at www.beckcenter.org.

=20

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<p class=3DMsoNormal><b><font size=3D3 face=3D"Times New Roman"><span
style=3D'font-size:12.0pt;font-weight:bold'>FOR IMMEDIATE =
RELEASE:</span></font></b><o:p></o:p></p>

<p class=3DMsoNormal><font size=3D3 face=3D"Times New Roman"><span =
style=3D'font-size:
12.0pt'>October 13, 2005<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>

<p class=3DMsoNormal><font size=3D3 face=3D"Times New Roman"><span =
style=3D'font-size:
12.0pt'>Contact: Emilie =
Knud-Hansen, 216-521-2540<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>

<p class=3DMsoNormal><font size=3D3 face=3D"Times New Roman"><span =
style=3D'font-size:
12.0pt'>Yvette Hanzel, 216-521-2540, ext. =
225<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>

<p class=3DMsoNormal align=3Dcenter style=3D'text-align:center'><font =
size=3D3
face=3D"Times New Roman"><span =
style=3D'font-size:12.0pt'> <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>

<p class=3DMsoNormal align=3Dcenter style=3D'text-align:center'><font =
size=3D3
face=3D"Times New Roman"><span =
style=3D'font-size:12.0pt'> <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>

<p class=3DMsoNormal align=3Dcenter style=3D'text-align:center'><b><font =
size=3D4
face=3D"Times New Roman"><span =
style=3D'font-size:14.0pt;font-weight:bold'>Totally Terrific
<i><span style=3D'font-style:italic'>ALMOST OBSCENE</span></i> =
</span></font></b><font
size=3D4><span style=3D'font-size:14.0pt'><o:p></o:p></span></font></p>

<p class=3DMsoNormal align=3Dcenter style=3D'text-align:center'><b><font =
size=3D4
face=3D"Times New Roman"><span =
style=3D'font-size:14.0pt;font-weight:bold'>Comes to
the <st1:place w:st=3D"on"><st1:PlaceName =
w:st=3D"on">Beck</st1:PlaceName> <st1:PlaceType
 w:st=3D"on">Center</st1:PlaceType></st1:place> on November =
5!</span></font></b><font
size=3D4><span style=3D'font-size:14.0pt'><o:p></o:p></span></font></p>

<p class=3DMsoNormal align=3Dcenter style=3D'text-align:center'><font =
size=3D3
face=3D"Times New Roman"><span =
style=3D'font-size:12.0pt'> <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>

<p class=3DMsoNormal align=3Dcenter style=3D'text-align:center'><font =
size=3D3
face=3D"Times New Roman"><span =
style=3D'font-size:12.0pt'> <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>

Cleveland, Ohio -- Joe Raiola, =
Senior
Editor of Mad Magazine, =
will
bring his nationally acclaimed one-man show of ALMOST OBSCENE to the Beck Center for the Arts Main =
Stage for
a one-night only performance of a show that is best described as a =
hilarious
slap-in-the-face, First Amendment wake-up call!  The =
performance will
be at 10:00 p.m., Saturday, November 5, 2005.  Tickets are $17.50 =
each. <o:p></o:p>

In the
tradition of George Carlin and Bill Maher, Joe Raiola takes his audience =
on a
provocative journey that begins in the Garden of Eden, a place that he =
says
hardly qualifies as ”paradise” because of the talking snake =
and a
God who is the universe’s first censor. From there, Raiola casts a
cynical eye toward organized religion.  “Honestly, I’d =
sooner
pray to the Wizard of Oz than the God of the Bible,” he says
unapologetically. “It’s close, but I think the Wizard has =
more
integrity.”<o:p></o:p>

ALMOST OBSCENE is the love child of
Raiola’s 20+year relationship with Mad
Magazine and his lifelong observations of how censorship =
impacts
society.  His self-proclaimed obsession with the First Amendment =
propels
his energetic, rapid-fire performance in which he deliberately, and
delightfully, pushes the free speech envelope to the edge!  A =
<st1:City
w:st=3D"on"><st1:place w:st=3D"on">New York City</st1:place></st1:City> =
theater
critic calls the show a “cynical, comical, jeering, and energetic =
modern
day commentary of a man frustrated with our excessively driven American =
way of
life.”<o:p></o:p>

Directed
by Barbara Pitcher, ALMOST OBSCENE =
puts
the spotlight on censorship even before the show begins, as the =
publicity photo
shows Raiola making a gesture that appears offensive at first
glance…until you realize it is his ring finger!  When =
ALMOST OBSCENE debuted at the 2003 =
New York
City Fringe Festival, a newspaper refused to print the publicity photo,
claiming it was too =
close to
being offensive. And with that inspiration, and fueled by his outrage =
over the
power of censorship, Raiola now takes his show on the road, and alerts =
his
audience that it’s going to be a bumpy ride. “I’m in =
for a
surprise myself—I feel like I’m shooting my energy into a =
prism and
I don’t know where it’s gonna come =
out!”<o:p></o:p>

The <st1:City
w:st=3D"on"><st1:place w:st=3D"on">Cleveland</st1:place></st1:City> =
audience will
be treated to a performance bonus, as Raiola has agreed to spend a few =
extra
minutes after the November 5th show for comments and =
questions.
Sponsors include SCENE =
Magazine,
which will host  ALMOST =
OBSCENE
ticket giveaways each Friday on 92.3 Extreme =
Radio.<o:p></o:p>

For
tickets, call the <st1:place w:st=3D"on"><st1:PlaceName =
w:st=3D"on">Beck</st1:PlaceName>
 <st1:PlaceType w:st=3D"on">Center</st1:PlaceType></st1:place> box =
office at
(216) 521-2540 or log onto <a
href=3D"http://www.beckcenter.org/" =
title=3D"http://www.beckcenter.org/">www.beckcenter.org</a><=
/font>.  
Tickets are $17.50 each   A $2 administrative fee per ticket =
is
applied at the time of ticket reservation.  The <st1:PlaceName =
w:st=3D"on">Beck</st1:PlaceName>
<st1:PlaceType w:st=3D"on">Center</st1:PlaceType> for the Arts is =
located just 10
minutes west of downtown <st1:City w:st=3D"on">Cleveland</st1:City> at =
<st1:Street
w:st=3D"on"><st1:address w:st=3D"on">17801 Detroit =
Avenue</st1:address></st1:Street>
in <st1:City w:st=3D"on"><st1:place =
w:st=3D"on">Lakewood</st1:place></st1:City>. =
<o:p></o:p>

<p class=3DMsoNormal><font size=3D3 face=3D"Times New Roman"><span =
style=3D'font-size:
12.0pt'> <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>

<p class=3DMsoNormal align=3Dcenter style=3D'text-align:center'><font =
size=3D3
face=3D"Times New Roman"><span style=3D'font-size:12.0pt'># # =
#<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>

<p class=3DMsoNormal><font size=3D2 face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>

<p class=3DMsoNormal><font size=3D2 face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>

<p class=3DMsoAutoSig><font size=3D2 color=3Dnavy face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'>Submitted =
by:<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>

<p class=3DMsoAutoSig><font size=3D2 color=3Dnavy face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'>Fran =
Storch<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>

<p class=3DMsoAutoSig><font size=3D2 color=3Dnavy face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'>Marketing =
Assistant<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>

<p class=3DMsoAutoSig><font size=3D2 color=3Dnavy face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'>The <st1:place =
w:st=3D"on"><st1:PlaceName
 w:st=3D"on">Beck</st1:PlaceName> <st1:PlaceType =
w:st=3D"on">Center</st1:PlaceType></st1:place>
for the Arts<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>

<p class=3DMsoAutoSig><st1:Street w:st=3D"on"><st1:address =
w:st=3D"on"><font size=3D2
  color=3Dnavy face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial;
  color:navy'>17801 Detroit =
Avenue</span></font></st1:address></st1:Street><font
size=3D2 color=3Dnavy face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial;
color:navy'><o:p></o:p></span></font></p>

<p class=3DMsoAutoSig><st1:place w:st=3D"on"><st1:City w:st=3D"on"><font =
size=3D2
  color=3Dnavy face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial;
  color:navy'>Lakewood</span></font></st1:City><font size=3D2 =
color=3Dnavy
 face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'>, <st1:State
 w:st=3D"on">Ohio</st1:State>  <st1:PostalCode =
w:st=3D"on">44107</st1:PostalCode></span></font></st1:place><font
size=3D2 color=3Dnavy face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial;
color:navy'><o:p></o:p></span></font></p>

<p class=3DMsoAutoSig><font size=3D2 color=3Dnavy face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'>216-521-2540, ext. =
244<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>

<p class=3DMsoAutoSig><font size=3D2 color=3Dnavy face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>

<p class=3DMsoAutoSig><font size=3D2 color=3Dnavy face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'>My office hours for the week of =
October 10
are Monday through Thursday, 9:00 am to 3:00 =
pm.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>

<p class=3DMsoNormal><b><font size=3D2 color=3Dred face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:red;font-weight:bold'><o:p> </o:p></s=
pan></font></b></p>

<p class=3DMsoNormal><b><font size=3D2 color=3Dred face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:red;font-weight:bold'>What's Happening at =
the <st1:place
w:st=3D"on"><st1:PlaceName w:st=3D"on">Beck</st1:PlaceName> =
<st1:PlaceType =
w:st=3D"on">Center</st1:PlaceType></st1:place>!<o:p></o:p></span></font><=
/b></p>

<p class=3DMsoNormal><font size=3D2 color=3Dblack face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:black'>In the Studio =
Theater:<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>

<p class=3DMsoNormal><b><i><font size=3D2 color=3Dred face=3DArial><span
style=3D'font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:red;font-weight:bold;
font-style:italic'>Top Dog/Underdog</span></font></i></b><font size=3D2
color=3Dred face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial;
color:red'><o:p></o:p></span></font></p>

<p class=3DMsoNormal><font size=3D2 color=3Dblack face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:black'>Now through October =
23<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>

<p class=3DMsoNormal><font size=3D2 color=3Dblack face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:black'>Coming soon on the Main =
Stage,<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>

<p class=3DMsoNormal><font size=3D2 color=3Dblack face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:black'>Beck Youth Theater =
presents<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>

<p class=3DMsoNormal><b><i><font size=3D2 color=3Dred face=3DArial><span
style=3D'font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:red;font-weight:bold;
font-style:italic'>The Phantom =
Tollbooth<o:p></o:p></span></font></i></b></p>

<p class=3DMsoNormal><font size=3D2 color=3Dblack face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:black'>October 28 through November =
6<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>

<p class=3DMsoNormal><font size=3D2 color=3Dblack face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:black'>To reserve tickets, call =
216-521-2540.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>

<p class=3DMsoNormal><b><font size=3D2 color=3Dred face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:red;font-weight:bold'>Verb Ballets Master
Classes<o:p></o:p></span></font></b></p>

<p class=3DMsoNormal><font size=3D2 color=3Dblack face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:black'>Sunday, October 30, 1:30-4:30 =
pm<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>

<p class=3DMsoNormal><font size=3D2 color=3Dblack face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:black'>To register, call 216-521-2540, =
ext.222.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>

<p class=3DMsoNormal><b><font size=3D2 color=3Dred face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:red;font-weight:bold'>October is Music =
Therapy
Month<o:p></o:p></span></font></b></p>

<p class=3DMsoNormal><font size=3D2 color=3Dblack face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:black'>For information on Creative Arts =
Therapies
at the <st1:place w:st=3D"on"><st1:PlaceName =
w:st=3D"on">Beck</st1:PlaceName> <st1:PlaceType
 =
w:st=3D"on">Center</st1:PlaceType></st1:place>,<o:p></o:p></span></font><=
/p>

contact Ed Gallagher at ext.
216-521-2540, ext. 246.<o:p></o:p>

<p class=3DMsoNormal><b><font size=3D2 color=3Dred face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:red;font-weight:bold'>Register online for
classes</span></font></b><font size=3D2 color=3Dblack face=3DArial><span
style=3D'font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:black'> in dance, =
music,
theater, <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>

<p class=3DMsoNormal><font size=3D2 color=3Dblack face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:black'>and visual arts at =
www.beckcenter.org.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>

<p class=3DMsoNormal><font size=3D3 face=3D"Times New Roman"><span =
style=3D'font-size:
12.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>

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