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<P ALIGN=CENTER><B><FONT FACE="Arial Narrow">National Talents Highlight Cleveland Play House’s FusionFest 2008</FONT></B></P>
<P ALIGN=CENTER><B><I><FONT FACE="Arial Narrow">Multidisciplinary festival is produced for third year</FONT></I></B></P>
<P><B><FONT FACE="Arial Narrow">CLEVELAND (March 5, 2008) --</FONT></B><FONT FACE="Arial Narrow"> For the third consecutive year, The Cleveland Play House at 85<SUP>th</SUP> and Euclid presents FusionFest, the only multidisciplinary performing arts festival at a regional theatre in the country, from April 23-May 11, 2008. The festival will offer a sampling of new and innovative works that have never before been seen in Cleveland, including performances by Judy Gold, Kim Wayans, former NFL star Bo Eason, and an historic collaboration with the Humana Festival of New American Plays.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT FACE="Arial Narrow">“This year’s FusionFest includes a glittery mix of local artistry and the most high profile national talents we’ve had yet,” says</FONT><B> <FONT FACE="Arial Narrow">Michael Bloom, FusionFest creator and Cleveland Play House Artistic Director</FONT></B><FONT FACE="Arial Narrow">. “We are also so thrilled to have Roe Green again as the Honorary Producer. There is no one in the community who has been as farsighted about new works as she has been.”</FONT></P>
<P><FONT FACE="Arial Narrow">Anchored by</FONT><I> <FONT FACE="Arial Narrow">All Hail Hurricane Gordo</FONT></I><I><B><FONT FACE="Arial Narrow">,</FONT></B></I><FONT FACE="Arial Narrow"> the collaboration between The Play House and Humana Festival of New American Plays at Actors Theatre of Louisville, the lineup that Bloom and</FONT><B> <FONT FACE="Arial Narrow">CPH Associate Artistic Director, Seth Gordon,</FONT></B><FONT FACE="Arial Narrow"> have created for this year’s FusionFest features several nationally-known talents. The hilarious Emmy Award-winner and author Judy Gold will perform her witty monologue</FONT><I> <FONT FACE="Arial Narrow">25 Questions for a Jewish Mother</FONT></I><FONT FACE="Arial Narrow">; Bo Eason, former NFL defensive safety for the Houston Oilers will perform</FONT><I> <FONT FACE="Arial Narrow">Runt of the Litter</FONT></I><FONT FACE="Arial Narrow">, his successful Off-Broadway solo show; and comedian, actor, writer and director Kim Wayans will perform her one-woman play</FONT><I> <FONT FACE="Arial Narrow">A Handsome Woman Retreats. </FONT></I></P>
<P><FONT FACE="Arial Narrow">Other events include CPH’s first partnership with Cleveland Public Theatre for the production of</FONT><I> <FONT FACE="Arial Narrow">In the Continuum</FONT></I><FONT FACE="Arial Narrow">; Akron’s New World Performance Laboratory will perform an alternative</FONT><I> <FONT FACE="Arial Narrow">Frankenstein (A De-Monstration);</FONT></I> <FONT FACE="Arial Narrow">Cuyahoga Community College will present the</FONT><I> <FONT FACE="Arial Narrow">Best of the Hip-Hop Choirs</FONT></I><FONT FACE="Arial Narrow">; works of the Distinguished Gentlemen of the Spoken Word, Dobama Theatre, Verb Ballets, Cleveland School of the Arts, Dianne McIntyre, the Jewish Community Center, Karamu and MANY MORE will also be featured in FusionFest 2008!</FONT><I></I></P>
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<P><B><FONT FACE="Arial Narrow">FUSIONFEST 2008 EVENTS</FONT></B>
<BR><B><I><FONT FACE="Arial Narrow">All Hail Hurricane Gordo</FONT></I></B>
<BR><FONT FACE="Arial Narrow">The Cleveland Play House’s co-production of</FONT><I> <FONT FACE="Arial Narrow">All Hail Hurricane Gordo</FONT></I><FONT FACE="Arial Narrow"> with The Humana Festival of New American Plays begins previews on Friday, April 18; opening night performance is Wednesday, April 23, and it will play in the Drury Theatre through Sunday, May 11. Single tickets start at $10.00.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Arial Narrow">Synopsis: The routines of daily life get blown apart when two brothers take in a plucky young houseguest. While India is running away from her relatively normal family, Chaz is struggling to find normalcy in the one he already has. Is it possible to be your brother's keeper and have a life too?</FONT></P>
<P><B><I><FONT FACE="Arial Narrow">Runt of the Litter</FONT></I></B>
<BR><FONT FACE="Arial Narrow">Bo Eason, former Houston Oilers defensive safety in the 1980s, retired from football and became an actor and playwright. He will perform his one-man, semiautobiographical Off-Broadway show,</FONT><I> <FONT FACE="Arial Narrow">Runt of the Litter,</FONT></I> <FONT FACE="Arial Narrow">in the Bolton Theatre on Thursday, May 1 at 7:30 and Saturday, May 3 at 3:30 and 8:30. Tickets are $28.00 for the Thursday performance and $32.00 for all other performances.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT FACE="Arial Narrow">Written and performed by Eason and directed by Larry Moss,</FONT><I> <FONT FACE="Arial Narrow">Runt of the Litter</FONT></I><FONT FACE="Arial Narrow"> is described by</FONT><I> <FONT FACE="Arial Narrow">Newsday</FONT></I><FONT FACE="Arial Narrow"> as “the kind of raw power rarely seen on stage.” </FONT></P>
<P><FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Arial Narrow">Synopsis:</FONT><I> <FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Arial Narrow">Runt</FONT></I> <FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Arial Narrow">looks at what happens to two brothers in a family of over-achievers. When their parents assure the oldest son that he is destined for football superstardom, and tell their youngest son that he is too small to compete, a line in the family sand is drawn that affects the rest of their lives.</FONT></P>
<P><B><I><FONT FACE="Arial Narrow">A Handsome Woman Retreats…a seriously funny journey to Inner Peace</FONT></I></B>
<BR><FONT FACE="Arial Narrow">Comedian and actress Kim Wayans (of “In Living Color” and</FONT><I> <FONT FACE="Arial Narrow">Juwanna Mann</FONT></I><FONT FACE="Arial Narrow">) makes her first appearance at The Cleveland Play House for her one-woman play on Wednesday, April 30 at 8:30, Friday, May 2 at 9:00 and Sunday, May 4 at 2:30 in the Bolton Theatre. Tickets are $28.00 for the Wednesday performance and $32.00 for all other performances. Written and performed by Kim Wayans and directed by Iona Morris (CPH:</FONT><I> <FONT FACE="Arial Narrow">Cuttin’ Up</FONT></I><FONT FACE="Arial Narrow"> and</FONT><I> <FONT FACE="Arial Narrow">For You</FONT></I><FONT FACE="Arial Narrow">),</FONT><I> <FONT FACE="Arial Narrow">A Handsome Woman Retreats</FONT></I><FONT FACE="Arial Narrow"> world premiered in October 2007.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Arial Narrow">Synopsis: On the advice of her yoga instructor, Kim Wayans plays a dissatisfied, panic-plagued woman who attends a ten-day meditation retreat to root out the source of her anxiety.</FONT><I> <FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Arial Narrow">A Handsome Woman Retreats</FONT></I><FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Arial Narrow"> is a sometimes painful, yet funny journey of self-discovery. Along the way, Wayans introduces many of the characters whose influences contributed to the entertainment success of the Wayans family. </FONT></P>
<P><B><I><FONT FACE="Arial Narrow">25 Questions for a Jewish Mother</FONT></I></B>
<BR><FONT FACE="Arial Narrow">Emmy Award-winning actress and comedian Judy Gold brings her long-running Off-Broadway show,</FONT><I> <FONT FACE="Arial Narrow">25 Questions for a Jewish Mother,</FONT></I><FONT FACE="Arial Narrow"> to FusionFest for performances running from Thursday, May 8 through Saturday, May 10 in the Bolton Theatre. Show times are 8:30 on all three nights, with a 2:30 matinee on Saturday, May 10. Tickets are $28.00 for the Thursday performance, and $32.00 for all other performances.</FONT></P>
<P><I><FONT FACE="Arial Narrow">25 Questions for a Jewish Mother</FONT></I><FONT FACE="Arial Narrow"> was written by Judy Gold and Kate Moira Ryan and is based on interviews with over 50 Jewish women of different ages and ethnicities who tell their stories of marriage, motherhood, faith, hope, love, laughter and acceptance. For her writing and performance, Gold was nominated for a 2006 Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Solo Performance, and won the 2007 GLAAD award for Outstanding New York Theater. Gold and Ryan recently published a book based on the play of the same title.</FONT><I> <FONT FACE="Arial Narrow">25 Questions for a Jewish Mother</FONT></I><FONT FACE="Arial Narrow"> is what the</FONT><I> <FONT FACE="Arial Narrow">New York Times</FONT></I><FONT FACE="Arial Narrow"> called “fiercely funny, honest and moving.”</FONT></P>
<P><B><I><FONT FACE="Arial Narrow">Verb Ballets</FONT></I></B>
<BR><FONT FACE="Arial Narrow">Verb Ballets returns to FusionFest in the Bolton Theatre on Friday, April 25 and Saturday, April 26 at 7:30. The dance company will present “Yellow River,” a world premiere choreographed by Verb Ballets’ Artistic Director, Hernando Cortez. The performance will also include a revival of “Appalachian Spring,” choreographed by the late modern dance master Martha Graham, and “Two Hours That Shook the World,” choreographed by Cortez, and first performed by Verb in 2002. Tickets start at $20.00.</FONT></P>
<P><B><I><FONT FACE="Arial Narrow">In the Continuum</FONT></I></B>
<BR><FONT FACE="Arial Narrow">Cleveland Public Theatre presents</FONT><I> <FONT FACE="Arial Narrow">In the Continuum</FONT></I><FONT FACE="Arial Narrow"> by Danai Gurira and Nikkole Salter, a play that explores the devastating problem of AIDS in African and African American women. With two actors playing dozens of roles,</FONT><I> <FONT FACE="Arial Narrow">In The Continuum</FONT></I><FONT FACE="Arial Narrow"> promises to engage audiences in its story of parallel denials and self-discoveries. Performances are Tuesday, April 29 and Wednesday, April 30 at 7:30 in the Brooks Theatre. Tickets are $15.00.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Arial Narrow">Synopsis: Living worlds apart in South Central Los Angeles and Zimbabwe, two young women experience a bizarre weekend of darkly comic, life altering revelations.</FONT></P>
<P><B><I><FONT FACE="Arial Narrow">Frankenstein (A De-Monstration)</FONT></I></B>
<BR><FONT FACE="Arial Narrow">New World Performance Laboratory performs in the Bolton Theatre on Monday, May 5 and Tuesday, May 6 at 7:30.</FONT><I> <FONT FACE="Arial Narrow">Frankenstein (A De-Monstration)</FONT></I><FONT FACE="Arial Narrow"> is a collective creation based on Mary Shelley’s novel and elements of her life. The work investigates the gothic horror genre while posing questions about the current state of humanity: What is the body? And what is its relationship to the soul? Tickets are $15.00.</FONT></P>
<P><B><I><FONT FACE="Arial Narrow">The Cleveland Plays, Part I: Migration</FONT></I></B>
<BR><FONT FACE="Arial Narrow">Dobama Theatre has initiated a cycle of Cleveland plays -- each play addresses an issue of relevance to the Cleveland community. This production will be presented Thursday, May 8 through Sunday, May 11 in the Brooks Theatre. Tickets range from $8-$22.00.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT FACE="Arial Narrow">Written by Eric Coble, Nina Domingue, Eric Schmiedl (all members of the CPH Playwrights’ Unit). </FONT>
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<P><FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Arial Narrow">Synopsis: Who stays, who leaves, when do you dig in and when do you bail? Two Cleveland families wrestle with these important questions in this new, provocative play. And wandering through the intersecting stories is none other than Moses Cleaveland trying to answer for himself - what does place mean to a life? </FONT></P>
<P><B><FONT FACE="Arial Narrow">Next Stage at FusionFest </FONT></B>
<BR><FONT FACE="Arial Narrow">The Next Stage at FusionFest will present readings of several new plays. These readings will take place at 7:30 pm on the dates listed below. Tickets are $10.00. The following new works will be featured:</FONT><I><FONT FACE="Arial Narrow"></FONT></I> </P>
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<LI><I><FONT FACE="Arial Narrow">My Name is Asher Lev</FONT></I><FONT FACE="Arial Narrow"> by Aaron Posner, based on the novel by Chaim Potok, on Monday, April 28 – a classic coming-of-age tale about a young man who musty choose between his religion and his art. Directed by Seth Gordon.</FONT></LI>
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<LI><I><FONT FACE="Arial Narrow">The Life and Opinions of Tristram Shandy, Gentleman</FONT></I><FONT FACE="Arial Narrow">, a new play by the Play House Playwrights’ Unit member Margaret Lynch, based on the novel by Laurence Sterne, on Thursday, May 1 – an ambitious adaptation of one of the most quirky, controversial and discussed novels of the eighteenth century.</FONT></LI>
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<LI><I><FONT FACE="Arial Narrow">Heaven’s My Destination</FONT></I><FONT FACE="Arial Narrow"> by Lee Blessing, based on the novel by Thornton Wilder, on Saturday, May 3 – this hilarious and provocative story will receive its world premiere at The Play House next season.</FONT></LI>
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<P><FONT FACE="Arial Narrow">For more FusionFest information and updates, visit </FONT><A HREF="file://www.clevelandplayhouse.com"><U><FONT COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="Arial Narrow">www.clevelandplayhouse.com</FONT></U></A><FONT FACE="Arial Narrow">.</FONT>
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<P><FONT FACE="Arial Narrow">Founded in 1915, The Cleveland Play House is the first permanently established professional theatre in the United States. More than 12 million people have attended over 1,300 productions at The Play House – including more than 130 American and/or World Premieres. Today, under the leadership of Artistic Director Michael Bloom and Managing Director Kevin Moore, The Cleveland Play House is an artist-driven theatre that serves the Greater Cleveland community by holding true to its mission:</FONT></P>
<P><I><FONT FACE="Arial Narrow">To produce plays of the highest professional standards that inspire, stimulate, and entertain our diverse audiences, and to conduct training and educational programs that enhance the quality of life for those we serve and help to insure the future of theatre.</FONT></I></P>
<P><FONT FACE="Arial Narrow">The Cleveland Play House is generously funded by Cuyahoga County residents through Cuyahoga Arts and Culture and</FONT><B><FONT FACE="Arial Narrow"></FONT></B> <FONT FACE="Arial Narrow">The Ohio Arts Council helps to fund The Play House with state tax dollars to encourage economic growth, educational excellence and cultural enrichment for all Ohioans.</FONT><B></B></P>
<P ALIGN=CENTER><FONT FACE="Arial Narrow">Roe Green, Honorary Producer</FONT></P>
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<P><B><FONT COLOR="#800080" FACE="Californian FB">Alison Bibb-Carson</FONT></B>
<BR><FONT COLOR="#800080" SIZE=2 FACE="Californian FB">Associate Director of Communications and Marketing</FONT>
<BR><FONT COLOR="#800080" SIZE=2 FACE="Californian FB">The Cleveland Play House</FONT>
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<BR><FONT COLOR="#800080" SIZE=2 FACE="Californian FB">Cleveland, Ohio 44106</FONT>
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<BR><FONT COLOR="#0000FF" SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">SEEING</FONT><FONT COLOR="#000000" SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">IS</FONT><FONT COLOR="#0000FF" SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">BELIEVING...www.clevelandplayhouse.com</FONT>
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