[NEohioPAL] Beck Center Unveils 2009/2010 Professional Theater Season

[Fran Storch]

NEWS RELEASE


 

CONTACT:        Missy S. Toms, 216.521.2540 x22 or mtoms at beckcenter.org

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:    April 24, 2009

 

Your Entertainment Escape in Lakewood

Beck Center Unveils 2009/2010 Professional Theater Season

 

Lakewood, OH-The Beck Center for the Arts is proud to announce its
2009/2010 professional theater season featuring many crowd favorites and
laughs on the Mackey Main Stage. 

 

As the school year begins, join us for a childhood rite-of-passage with
the Tony Award-winning musical The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling
Bee. The laughs come at you non-stop, and the music is original and
tuneful. Look for special celebrity guest "spellers" at each and every
performance!

 

The Beck is also proud to continue its tradition of providing
spectacular holiday entertainment for the entire family with the highly
anticipated return of the musical Peter Pan, everyone's favorite tale of
a boy who wouldn't grow up. The performances regularly sold out in 2008.

 

The season continues into 2010 with the regional premiere of Mark
Twain's Is He Dead? This hilarious farce was written by Twain in 1898.
Unearthed in 2003 from the Twain archives, it was faithfully adapted by
David Ives and had its world premiere in December 2007. 

 

Spring brings us a cornerstone in American musical theater, Fiddler on
the Roof, the first production of this classic on the Beck's stage.
Kalliope Stage's former artistic director, Paul Gurgol, makes his Beck
directorial debut alongside one of Cleveland's most talented
actors-George Roth as Tevye, the Milkman.

 

And wrapping up our season is the local premiere of Mel Brooks'
deliriously funny musical The Producers. As someone once noted, "There
won't be a dry seat in the house!"

 

"The 2009/2010 Beck professional theater season fills me with great
hope," says Artistic Director Scott Spence. "Not only is Beck able to
continue to offer some amazing local premieres of recent Broadway
successes, but we are able to give our theater goers many great laughs
along the way. And who doesn't need that in these challenging times?"

 

Subscriptions for the 2009/2010 professional theater season are now
available. (The holiday show Peter Pan is not part of the subscriber
series.) For more information, contact Linda Hefner at the Beck Center
Box Office at 216.521.2540 ext. 29. Individual ticket sales begin August
3, 2009. Beck Center is located at 17801 Detroit Avenue in Lakewood,
just 10 minutes west of downtown Cleveland. Free onsite parking is
available.

 

The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee 

Music and Lyrics by William Finn 

Book by Rachel Sheinkin
Directed by Scott Spence
September 18 - October 18, 2009


Six adolescent outsiders learn that winning isn't everything and that
losing doesn't necessarily make you a loser. The show's Tony
Award-winning creative team has produced the unlikeliest of hit musicals
about the unlikeliest of heroes: a quirky yet charming cast of
characters for whom a spelling bee is the one place where they can stand
out and fit in at the same time. 

 

Peter Pan 

A musical based on the play by James M. Barrie

Music by Mark Charlap and Jule Styne

Lyrics by Carolyn Leigh, Betty Comden and Adolph Green

Directed by Scott Spence

December 4, 2009 - January 3, 2010

Back by popular demand! The Lost Boys, Darling children, and the
dastardly Captain Hook return for another high-flying musical adventure
in Neverland. A holiday treat for the entire family.

 

Is He Dead? 

A New Comedy by Mark Twain

Adapted by David Ives

Directed by Matthew Earnest

February 5 - 28, 2010

Written by Twain in 1898, Is He Dead? richly intermingles elements of
burlesque, farce, and social satire. A group of poor artists in
Barbizon, France, stage the death of a friend to drive up the price of
his paintings. In order to make this scheme succeed, the artists hatch
some hilarious plots involving cross-dressing, a full-scale fake
funeral, lovers' deceptions, and much more. 

 

Fiddler on the Roof  

Book by Joseph Stein

Music by Jerry Bock 

Lyrics by Sheldon Harnick

Directed by Paul Gurgol

March 26 - April 25, 2010


Fiddler on the Roof has touched audiences around the world with its
humor, warmth, and honesty. It's universal theme of tradition cuts
across barriers of race, class, nationality, and religion, leaving
audiences crying tears of laughter, joy, and sadness. The Beck
production features George Roth as Tevye.

 

The Producers  

Book by Mel Brooks and Thomas Meehan

Music and Lyrics by Mel Brooks

Directed by Scott Spence

July 16 - August 22, 2010


Bialystock and Bloom! Those names should strike terror and hysteria in
anyone familiar with Mel Brooks' classic cult comedy film. Now a big
Broadway musical, The Producers once again sets the standard for modern,
outrageous, in-your-face humor. A truly "boffo" hit, winning a record 12
Tony Awards. 

 

Programming at the Beck Center is made possible through the generous
support of the Ohio Arts Council. Beck Center gratefully acknowledges
the generous funding provided by the citizens of Cuyahoga County through
Cuyahoga Arts and Culture. 

 

Beck Center for the Arts is a not-for-profit 501(c)3 organization that
offers professional theater productions on two stages, arts education
programming in dance, music, theater, visual arts, early childhood, and
creative arts therapies for special needs students, and gallery exhibits
featuring local and regional artists.

 

###

 

Missy S. Toms

Director of Marketing & External Affairs

Beck Center for the Arts

17801 Detroit Avenue

Lakewood, OH 44107

mtoms at beckcenter.org

216.521.2540, ext. 22

 

 

Posted by:

Fran Storch

Beck Center for the Arts

Publications Manager

17801 Detroit Avenue

Lakewood, OH  44107

(216) 521-2540 x20

 

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