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<p class=MsoNormal><b><font size=3 face=Arial><span style='font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Arial;font-weight:bold'>Karamu House, Inc.<o:p></o:p></span></font></b></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><b><font size=3 face=Arial><span style='font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Arial;font-weight:bold'> <st1:Street w:st="on"><st1:address
w:st="on">2355 East 89<sup>th</sup> Street</st1:address></st1:Street><o:p></o:p></span></font></b></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><b><font size=3 face=Arial><span style='font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Arial;font-weight:bold'> <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:City
w:st="on">Cleveland</st1:City>, <st1:State w:st="on">Ohio</st1:State> <st1:PostalCode
w:st="on">44106</st1:PostalCode></st1:place></span></font></b><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal align=right style='text-align:right'><b><font size=2
face=Arial><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Arial;font-weight:bold'>Contact:
Vivian C. Wilson<o:p></o:p></span></font></b></p>
<p class=MsoNormal align=right style='text-align:right'><b><font size=2
face=Arial><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Arial;font-weight:bold'>
Marketing Manager<o:p></o:p></span></font></b></p>
<p class=MsoNormal align=right style='text-align:right'><b><font size=2
face=Arial><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Arial;font-weight:bold'>Phone
(216) 795-7070 x 215</span></font></b><b><font face=Arial><span
style='font-family:Arial;font-weight:bold'><o:p></o:p></span></font></b></p>
<h1><b><font size=3 face=Arial><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>FOR IMMEDIATE
RELEASE –Monday – May 5, 2008<o:p></o:p></span></font></b></h1>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:12.0pt'><strong><b><font size=4
face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:13.5pt'>Karamu’s ‘The
Blacks’ is an artistic triumph </span></font></b></strong><o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'>Reviewed by: Fran Heller May 1, 2008 <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place
w:st="on">Cleveland</st1:place></st1:City> Jewish News<br>
<br>
“It was like nothing I had ever seen before. <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'><br>
<span class=content>I am talking about “The Blacks: a clown show,”
Jean Genet’s 1958 absurdist comedy-drama which took off-Broadway by storm
in 1961. A story about race and a fierce indictment of classism and white
oppression of blacks, it struck a nerve in the turbulent era of nascent Black
Nationalism and civil rights.</span><br>
<br>
<span class=content>Fast forward to Karamu Performing Arts Theatre, where
almost five decades later, a new production of “The Blacks” has
lost none of its sting or sardonic humor under the fiercely intelligent and
creative direction of Terrence Spivey. It runs through May 10.</span><br>
<br>
<span class=content>It is a tribute to artistic director Spivey that his
all-black cast of 13 non-Equity actors have not only met but surpassed the
challenge of putting on this fiendishly difficult and demanding show. This
ensemble acts its heart out and is a pleasure to watch.” ….<o:p></o:p></span></span></font></p>
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style='font-size:12.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></span></p>
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<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:12.0pt'><em><b><i><font size=3
face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-weight:bold'>THE
BLACKS: A Clown Show</span></font></i></b></em><b><span style='font-weight:
bold'> was written in 1958 at the request of a black actor. But Jean Genet, a
white, French novelist and playwright (<em><i><font face="Times New Roman">The
Balcony</font></i></em>), wrote the drama focusing on a troupe of black actors,
who come together to perform a ritual that requires the corpse of a white
woman. Originally written for an all-black cast, <em><i><font
face="Times New Roman">The Blacks</font></i></em> offered a new voice to
American theatre. Elevating the careers for the late Roscoe Lee Browne, James
Earl Jones, Maya Angelou, Louis Gosset Jr., Cicely Tyson, Raymond St. Jacques
and Godfrey Cambridge. It won an Obie for Best Off Broadway play in 1961,
becoming one of the longest running non-musicals (three years) to ever hit
the stage. It still remains just as shocking and relevant today. <o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<h3><b><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt;
font-weight:normal'>NOTE: Audience members will be asked to wear a mask for
this production (provided by ushers). Do not come alone and dare you
come late. Discretion is advised due to content, language,
and, unexpected audience interaction. <o:p></o:p></span></font></b></h3>
<p><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>French
novelist, playwright and poet Jean Genet was born in <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:City
w:st="on">Paris</st1:City></st1:place> to a Parisian prostitute. Genet became
a thief and male prostitute. While in prison Genet began writing. His plays
relied heavily on ritual, transformation, illusion and interchangeable
identities. His experiences in prison influenced most of his work. He wrote
about homosexuals, prostitutes, thieves and outcasts of his plays being trapped
in self-destructive circles. Genet died in <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:City
w:st="on">Paris</st1:City></st1:place> on April 15, 1986<br>
<br>
<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p><i><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt;
font-style:italic'>THE BLACKS: a clown show</span></font></i> will be performed
in Karamu’s Arena Theatre<o:p></o:p></p>
<p style='margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt'><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt'>Final three performances this week are Thursday, May 8
thru Saturday May 10, 2008 <br>
<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p style='margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt'><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt'>Ticket prices are $20.00 for Thursday night
performance and <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p style='margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt'><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt'> $25.00 on Friday and
Saturday. <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p style='margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt'><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p style='margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt'><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p style='margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt'><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt'>For ticket availability please call Karamu’s box
office at 216-795-7077 or visit online <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p style='margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt'><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt'>at <a href="http://www.karamu.com/">www.karamu.com</a>.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p style='margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt'><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><b><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;font-weight:bold'>Karamu House Inc. is generously
funded by <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:PlaceName w:st="on">Cuyahoga</st1:PlaceName>
<st1:PlaceType w:st="on">County</st1:PlaceType></st1:place> Residents through
Cuyahoga Arts and Culture. </span></font></b><b><span style='font-weight:bold'>The
<st1:place w:st="on"><st1:City w:st="on">Cleveland</st1:City></st1:place>
Foundation and</span></b> T<b><font size=2><span style='font-size:11.0pt;
font-weight:bold'>he George Gund Foundation</span></font></b><b><font size=2
face=Arial><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Arial;font-weight:bold'>. <o:p></o:p></span></font></b></p>
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style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:TimesNewRomanPS-BoldItalicMT;font-weight:
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</span></font></i></b><b><i><font size=2 face=TimesNewRomanPS-BoldItalicMT><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:TimesNewRomanPS-BoldItalicMT;font-weight:
bold;font-style:italic'>###<o:p></o:p></span></font></i></b></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
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