<html><body bgcolor="#ffffff"><DIV><FONT face=Verdana size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA"><STRONG> </STRONG></SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV align=center><FONT face="times new roman,times"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA"><STRONG><FONT size=7> <FONT color=#0000ff>The Illusion Factory</FONT></FONT></STRONG></SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV align=center><FONT face="times new roman,times" color=#0000ff size=6><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA"><STRONG></STRONG></SPAN></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV align=left><FONT face="times new roman,times"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA"></SPAN></FONT><FONT color=#000000><FONT face="times new roman,times"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA">Akron’s exciting professional theater for young audiences, announces its upcoming </SPAN></FONT></FONT><FONT face="times new roman,times" color=#0000ff size=5><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA"><STRONG><FONT size=5>School Tour</FONT> <FONT size=5>Season</FONT></STRONG></SPAN></FONT><FONT face="times new roman,times"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA"><FONT color=#000000>, which runs<FONT size=5> <STRONG><FONT color=#0000ff>October, 2008 - June, 2009</FONT></STRONG></FONT>. </FONT><SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN></SPAN></FONT><FONT size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA"><SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"><FONT face="times new roman,times"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 200%">It includes the performances <B style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><I style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">The Mirrorman</I></B>, by Brian Way, for preschool – second grade audiences, and <B style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><I style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">Androcles and the Lion</I></B>, by Aurand Harris, for elementary – middle school audiences.</SPAN></FONT></SPAN></SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA"><SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 200%"><FONT size=3><FONT face="times new roman,times"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 20pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA"><STRONG><EM><FONT size=5></FONT></EM></STRONG></SPAN></FONT></FONT></SPAN></SPAN></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA"><SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 200%"><FONT size=3><FONT face="times new roman,times"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 20pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA"><STRONG><EM><FONT color=#0000ff size=5>The Mirrorman</FONT></EM></STRONG></SPAN><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA"><FONT size=3> communicates a new story to very young children. A Toymaker has created a most unusual doll that, with the audience's help, can walk and talk. They are swept into a series of adventures by the Toymaker's reflection in the mirror. The happy conclusion to this internationally acclaimed, hugely popular classic is one that involves the continuous, enthusiastic participation of the audience.</FONT></SPAN></FONT></FONT></SPAN></SPAN></SPAN></DIV><FONT face=Verdana size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA"><SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 200%"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA">
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none"><FONT face="times new roman,times"><FONT size=3><B style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><I style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 20pt"><FONT size=5></FONT></SPAN></I></B></FONT></FONT> </P><FONT face="times new roman,times"><FONT size=3><B style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><I style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 20pt"><FONT color=#0000ff size=5>Androcles and the Lion</FONT></SPAN></I></B> </FONT><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt"><FONT size=3>demonstrates a theatrical work in historical/cultural context. The famous Aesop fable is set in the style of Italian commedia dell'arte, and teaches important lessons of friendship and kindness. In commedia tradition, a group of strolling players sets up their stage and gives a performance. Using authentic staging and stock characters in commedia, "Androcles" becomes a colorful theatrical experience.</FONT> </SPAN><B style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><I style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 16pt"><?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p></o:p></SPAN></I></B></FONT>
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<DIV><FONT face="times new roman,times"><SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"></SPAN> In addition, we offer day-long Residencies, which consist of sixteen to twenty-four morning workshops followed by an afternoon performance.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>All the offerings are conducted by professional adult actors in the company, and follow benchmarks of Ohio Academic Content Standards for Drama/Theatre.</FONT></DIV>
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<DIV align=center><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 200%"><FONT face="times new roman,times"> For more information regarding <B style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal">School Tours</B> call Director Barbara Ballance at (330) 836-1353 or email </FONT><A href="mailto:barbaraballance@theillusionfactory.org"><FONT face="times new roman,times" color=#0000ff>barbaraballance@theillusionfactory.org</FONT></A></SPAN></DIV></SPAN></SPAN></FONT></body></html>