[NEohioPAL]Greater Tuna Preview Night at Beck Center to Benefit Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS

Mon Nov 13 11:57:05 PST 2006

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

November 13, 2006

Direct questions to: (216) 521-2540

Yvette Hanzel, extension 225

Scott Spence, extension 239

=20

Beck Center for the Arts=20

Preview Night of

Greater Tuna

To Benefit

Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS

Thursday, November 16 at 8:00 p.m.

=20

Lakewood, OH - A special preview night of Greater Tuna to benefit =
Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS will be held on Thursday, November 16 =
at 8:00 p.m. in the Studio Theater at the Beck Center for the Arts.  =
Audience members are encouraged to contribute a $5 donation.

The Beck Center  is excited to begin our holiday season with this 1997 =
revival of Greater Tuna featuring Nick Koesters and Kevin Joseph Kelly =
who also appeared in the original smash hit production.  Directed by =
Scott Spence, Greater Tuna opens November 17 and runs through December =
17 in the Studio Theater.

The first story in the Tuna trilogy, Greater Tuna is the hilarious =
comedy about Texas' third smallest town, where the Lion's Club is too =
liberal and Patsy Cline never dies. The eclectic band of citizens that =
make up this town are portrayed by only two performers, making this =
satire on life in rural America even more delightful as they depict all =
of the inhabitants of Tuna, Texas -- men, women, children, and animals.

The popularity of Greater Tuna has even extended to the most =
distinguished home in the country, with command performances at the =
White House upon the invitation of President and Mrs. Bush in 1990 and =
again in 1991.

The demand for a sequel then became so great that writers Jaston =
Williams, Joe Sears and Ed Howard created A Tuna Christmas, in which the =
much beloved citizens of Tuna contribute their special brand of humor to =
that holiday for their appreciative audiences nationwide.  To complete =
the Tuna trilogy, the creators have written the final installment =
entitled Red, White and Tuna, which is now touring nationally.

Cast members Nick Koesters and Kevin Joseph Kelly have equally eclectic =
pasts.  Nick has been a professional actor in Cleveland since 1994 and =
has performed with Actor's Summit, Playhouse Square, The Cleveland Play =
House, Charenton, Bad Epitaph, Willoughby Fine Arts, and Great Lakes =
Theatre Festival in way too many shows to name here.  Most recently, he =
was seen as Horatio in Hamlet at the Beck Center, as Nathan in Sarah =
Morton's Night Bloomers at Dobama and in Lyric Opera's swan-song =
production Das Barbecu as Siegfried, Alberecht and others.  Nick has =
also been seen and heard in numerous TV and radio commercials, locally.  =
Actor Kevin Joseph Kelly has spent the last several years at The =
Cleveland Play House performing in the Children's Theatre Series, most =
recently in The Wind in the Willows directed by Seth Gordon and their =
Club Cabaret Series, most recently in Walkin' My Baby Back Home directed =
by William Hoffmann.  As a teacher, he has taught at the Beck Center for =
the Arts, Cassidy Theatre and The Cleveland Play House.  As a director, =
Kevin has directed at several area theaters including the Beck Center =
for the Arts, Weathervane Playhouse, Cassidy Theatre, Clague Playhouse, =
and Rocky River Community Theater.  His future directing projects =
include Cabaret and Smokey Joe's Caf=E9 and in March, he will direct the =
Beck Center Children's Theater production of HONK!

             "It is a thrill to be directing this piece again," says =
Director Spence.  "Greater Tuna has stood the test of time, at least in =
the 20 plus years since its conception, as one of the most hilarious =
stage comedies out there.  And 'out there' is a pretty good way to =
phrase it!  It has two amazing elements working in its favor.  First, =
it's a class 'A' parody of all things Texas and who doesn't love that?  =
Secondly, it's a tour-de-theatre for two strong comic actors, who get to =
play over 30 different characters throughout the evening, visiting much =
gender bending along the way.  Beck is blessed with two of Cleveland's =
most sought after funnymen, Kevin Joseph Kelly and Nick Koesters.  If =
you missed this virtuoso duo six seasons ago in our intimate Studio =
Theater, make sure you don't make that same mistake again!  Greater Tuna =
runs for 5 weekends, November 17 through December 17.  'It does? It =
does. It does. It does!!!'"

Greater Tuna is sponsored by Cox Communications, WCPN 90.3 ideastream, =
Cleveland Free Times, and the Ohio Arts Council.  Programming at the =
Beck Center is made possible through the generous support of The =
Cleveland Foundation, the George Gund Foundation, The John P. Murphy =
Foundation, and the Kulas Foundation.

Show times are Fridays and Saturdays at 8:00 p.m. and Sundays at 3:00 =
p.m. Tickets are $28 for adults, $25 for seniors (65 and older), and =
$17 for students (22 and under with ID). For tickets, call the Beck =
Center box office at (216) 521-2540 or log onto www.beckcenter.org =
<http://www.beckcenter.org/> . Rush tickets for students (22 and under =
with I.D.) are offered for $10 each on Sundays only, 30 minutes prior to =
curtain, based on availability. Group discounts are available for =
parties of 12 or more. The Beck Center for the Arts is located just 10 =
minutes west of downtown Cleveland at 17801 Detroit Avenue in Lakewood =
(convenient on-site parking).=20

=20

* Nicholas Koesters appears courtesy of the Actor's Equity Association, =
the union of actors and stage managers.

=20

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<h3 align=3Dleft style=3D'text-align:left'><b><font size=3D2 =
face=3DArial><span
style=3D'font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial'>FOR IMMEDIATE =
RELEASE:<o:p></o:p></span></font></b></h3>

<p class=3DMsoNormal><b><font size=3D2 face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial;font-weight:bold'>November 13, =
2006<o:p></o:p></span></font></b></p>

<p class=3DMsoNormal><b><font size=3D2 face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial;font-weight:bold'>Direct questions to: (216) =
521-2540</span></font></b><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'>Yvette Hanzel, extension =
225<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>

<p class=3DMsoBodyText><font size=3D2 face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'>Scott Spence, extension =
239<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>

<p class=3DMsoNormal align=3Dcenter =
style=3D'text-align:center'><st1:place w:st=3D"on"><st1:PlaceName
 w:st=3D"on"><b><font size=3D3 face=3D"Times New Roman"><span =
style=3D'font-size:12.0pt;
  font-weight:bold'>Beck</span></font></b></st1:PlaceName><b><span
 style=3D'font-weight:bold'> <st1:PlaceType =
w:st=3D"on">Center</st1:PlaceType></span></b></st1:place><b><span
style=3D'font-weight:bold'> for the Arts <o:p></o:p></span></b></p>

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

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

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

<p class=3DMsoNormal align=3Dcenter style=3D'text-align:center'><b><font =
size=3D3
face=3D"Times New Roman"><span =
style=3D'font-size:12.0pt;font-weight:bold'>Broadway
Cares/Equity Fights AIDS<o:p></o:p></span></font></b></p>

<p class=3DMsoNormal align=3Dcenter style=3D'text-align:center'><b><font =
size=3D3
face=3D"Times New Roman"><span =
style=3D'font-size:12.0pt;font-weight:bold'>Thursday,
November 16 at 8:00 p.m.<o:p></o:p></span></font></b></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>

<st1:City =
w:st=3D"on">Lakewood</st1:City>, <st1:State w:st=3D"on">OH</st1:State> =
–
A special preview night of Greater =
Tuna
to benefit Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS will be held on Thursday, =
November
16 at 8:00 p.m. in the Studio Theater 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>
for the Arts. =A0Audience members are encouraged to contribute a $5 =
donation.<o:p></o:p>

<p class=3DMsoNormal style=3D'text-indent:.5in;line-height:200%'><font =
size=3D3
face=3D"Times New Roman"><span =
style=3D'font-size:12.0pt;line-height:200%'>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>
=A0is excited to begin our holiday season with this 1997 revival of =
<i><span
style=3D'font-style:italic'>Greater Tuna</span></i> featuring =
<st1:PersonName
w:st=3D"on">Nick Koesters</st1:PersonName> and Kevin Joseph Kelly who =
also
appeared in the original smash hit production.=A0 Directed by =
<st1:PersonName
w:st=3D"on">Scott Spence</st1:PersonName>, <i><span =
style=3D'font-style:italic'>Greater
Tuna</span></i> opens November 17 and runs through December 17 in the =
Studio
Theater.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>

The first story in the Tuna trilogy, Greater =
Tuna is
the hilarious comedy about <st1:place w:st=3D"on"><st1:State =
w:st=3D"on">Texas</st1:State></st1:place>'
third smallest town, where the Lion's Club is too liberal and Patsy =
Cline never
dies. The eclectic band of citizens that make up this town are portrayed =
by
only two performers, making this satire on life in rural America even =
more
delightful as they depict all of the inhabitants of Tuna, Texas -- men, =
women,
children, and animals.<o:p></o:p>

The popularity of =
Greater Tuna has even extended to the most distinguished home =
in the
country, with command performances at the White House upon the =
invitation of
President and Mrs. Bush in 1990 and again in =
1991.<o:p></o:p>

<p class=3DMsoNormal style=3D'text-indent:.5in;line-height:200%'><font =
size=3D3
face=3D"Times New Roman"><span =
style=3D'font-size:12.0pt;line-height:200%'>T</span>he
demand for a sequel then became so great that writers Jaston Williams, =
Joe
Sears and Ed <st1:PersonName w:st=3D"on">Howard</st1:PersonName> created =
<i><span
style=3D'font-style:italic'>A Tuna Christmas</span></i>, in which the =
much
beloved citizens of Tuna contribute their special brand of humor to that
holiday for their appreciative audiences nationwide.=A0 T<font =
color=3Dblack><span
style=3D'color:black'>o complete the </span></font>Tuna trilogy<font =
color=3Dblack><span
style=3D'color:black'>, the creators have written the final installment =
entitled </span></font><i><span
style=3D'font-style:italic'>Red, White and Tuna</span></i><font =
color=3Dblack><span
style=3D'color:black'>, which is now touring =
nationally.<o:p></o:p></span></font></font></p>

Cast members <st1:PersonName w:st=3D"on">Nick =
Koesters</st1:PersonName>
and Kevin Joseph Kelly have equally eclectic pasts.=A0 =
Nick has
been a professional actor in <st1:City w:st=3D"on">Cleveland</st1:City> =
since 1994
and has performed with Actor’s <st1:place w:st=3D"on"><st1:City =
w:st=3D"on">Summit</st1:City></st1:place>,
<st1:Street w:st=3D"on"><st1:address w:st=3D"on">Playhouse =
Square</st1:address></st1:Street>,
The Cleveland Play House, Charenton, Bad Epitaph, Willoughby Fine Arts, =
and
Great Lakes Theatre Festival in way too many shows to name here.=A0 Most =
recently,
he was seen as Horatio in Hamlet
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>, as Nathan in =
<st1:PersonName
w:st=3D"on">Sarah M</st1:PersonName>orton’s Night Bloomers at Dobama and in Lyric Opera’s
swan-song production Das =
Barbecu
as Siegfried, Alberecht and others.=A0 Nick has also been seen and heard =
in
numerous TV and radio commercials, locally.=A0 Actor Kevin Joseph Kelly has spent the last =
several
years at The Cleveland Play House performing in the Children’s =
Theatre
Series, most recently in The Wind
in the Willows =
directed by Seth =
Gordon and their
Club Cabaret Series, most recently in Walkin'
My Baby Back Home directed by William Hoffmann. =A0As a =
teacher,
he has taught 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> for the Arts, Cassidy =
Theatre and
The Cleveland Play House.  As a director, Kevin has =
directed at
several area theaters including 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, Weathervane Playhouse, Cassidy Theatre, Clague Playhouse, and =
Rocky
River Community Theater.  His future directing projects =
include Cabaret and Smokey Joe's Caf=E9 and in March, he will direct the =
Beck
Center Children's Theater production of HONK!<o:p></o:p>

<p class=3DMsoNormal style=3D'text-indent:.5in;line-height:200%'><font =
size=3D3
face=3D"Times New Roman"><span =
style=3D'font-size:12.0pt;line-height:200%'>=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=
=A0 =A0“It
is a thrill to be directing this piece again,” says Director =
Spence.=A0
“<i><font color=3Dblack><span =
style=3D'color:black;font-style:italic'>Greater
Tuna</span></font></i><font color=3Dblack><span style=3D'color:black'> =
has stood
the test of time, at least in the 20 plus years since its conception, as =
one of
the most hilarious stage comedies out there.=A0 And ‘out =
there’ is a
pretty good way to phrase it!=A0 It has two amazing elements working in =
its
favor. =A0First, it's a class ‘A’ parody of all things =
<st1:place
w:st=3D"on"><st1:State w:st=3D"on">Texas</st1:State></st1:place> and who =
doesn't
love that? =A0Secondly, it's a tour-de-theatre for two strong comic =
actors, who
get to play over 30 different characters throughout the evening, =
visiting much gender
bending along the way. =A0Beck is blessed with two of <st1:place =
w:st=3D"on"><st1:City
 w:st=3D"on">Cleveland</st1:City></st1:place>'s most sought after =
funnymen, Kevin
Joseph Kelly and Nick Koesters. =A0If you missed this virtuoso duo six =
seasons ago
in our intimate Studio Theater, make sure you don't make that same =
mistake
again! =A0<i><span style=3D'font-style:italic'>Greater Tuna</span></i> =
runs for 5
weekends, November 17 through December 17.=A0 ‘<i><span =
style=3D'font-style:
italic'>It does? It does. It does. It =
does!!!</span></i>’"<o:p></o:p></span></font></span></font></p=
>

Greater Tuna is =
sponsored
by Cox Communications, WCPN 90.3 ideastream, Cleveland Free Times, and =
the Ohio
Arts Council.=A0 Programming 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> is made =
possible
through the generous support of The Cleveland Foundation, the =
<st1:PersonName
w:st=3D"on">George</st1:PersonName> Gund Foundation, The John P. Murphy =
Foundation,
and the Kulas Foundation.<o:p></o:p>

Show
times are Fridays and Saturdays at <st1:time Minute=3D"0" Hour=3D"20" =
w:st=3D"on">8:00
 p.m.</st1:time> and Sundays at <st1:time Minute=3D"0" Hour=3D"15" =
w:st=3D"on">3:00
 p.m.</st1:time>  <st1:PersonName =
w:st=3D"on">Tickets</st1:PersonName> are
$28 for adults, $25 for seniors (65 and older), and $17 for students (22 =
and
under with ID).=A0 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>.=
=A0 Rush
tickets for students (22 and under with I.D.) are offered for $10 each =
on
Sundays only, 30 minutes prior to curtain, based on availability.  =
Group
discounts are available for parties of 12 or more.  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:place w:st=3D"on"><st1:City =
w:st=3D"on">Lakewood</st1:City></st1:place>
(convenient on-site parking). <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><i><font size=3D3 face=3D"Times New Roman"><span
style=3D'font-size:12.0pt;font-style:italic'>* Nicholas Koesters appears =
courtesy
of the Actor’s Equity Association, the union of actors and stage =
managers.</span></font></i><o:p></o:p></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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