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<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>When I was a kid in the 50s maybe 5th grade, I
remember going on a field trip to see the Cleveland Orchestra at Severance Hall.
It was a life-changing event. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>When I was in high school in the 60s, it was
possible to get student tickets to some of the annual Metropolitan Opera
performances through school for about $1.25.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>When I was teaching in the 70s, I offered those
same discounted student opera tickets to my students and sometimes the most
unlikely students would dress up and go to the opera.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>I don't know how various theaters handle
encouraging young audiences to attend their performances today, but when I see
empty seats at theater, ballet, and opera performances,</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>I wonder if any effort is being made to offer
high school or college students those tickets at drastically reduced prices -
like those Met Opera tickets that I grew up using.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>I understand that most theaters are
understaffed and that a program like this takes someone to be in charge of it,
but the first order of business in building an audience for
tomorrow</FONT> <FONT face=Arial size=2>is getting them in the seats
today.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Fred Dolan</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>WJCU-FM, 88.7 & wjcu.org</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Arts On The Heights &</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Visiting The Folks on Sunday nights from 9:00PM -
Midnight</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
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