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<H1 style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-no-proof: yes">FOR IMMEDIATE
RELEASE<BR></SPAN><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt">May 9,
2008<B style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><?xml:namespace prefix = o ns =
"urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p></o:p></B></SPAN></H1>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><B
style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><o:p><FONT
size=3> </FONT></o:p></SPAN></B></P>
<H3 style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-ALIGN: left" align=left><FONT
size=6><?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns =
"urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" /><st1:place
w:st="on"><st1:PlaceName w:st="on"><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial">Cleveland</SPAN></st1:PlaceName><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial"> <st1:PlaceName
w:st="on">Metropolitan</st1:PlaceName> <st1:PlaceType w:st="on">School
District</st1:PlaceType></SPAN></st1:place><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial">
<BR></SPAN></FONT><FONT size=6><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial">Students Present
<I style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">Dreamgirls <BR></I></SPAN></FONT><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><FONT size=6>As Ninth Annual All-City
Musical<o:p></o:p></FONT></SPAN></H3>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><I
style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal"><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><FONT
size=3>Producing partners include <B style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal">The
Cleveland Music School Settlement</B>, <B
style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal">Great Lakes Theater Festival</B>,
<STRONG><BR></STRONG></FONT></SPAN></I><I
style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal"><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><FONT
size=3><B style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal">The Human Fund</B>,
</FONT></SPAN></I><FONT size=3><B style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><I
style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal"><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial">The Musical
Theater Project</SPAN></I></B><I style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal"><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial"> and <st1:Street w:st="on"><st1:address w:st="on"><B
style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal">Playhouse
Square</B></st1:address></st1:Street>.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></I></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p><FONT face=Times
size=3> </FONT></o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal
style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0.5in; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%"><B
style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 9.5pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">CLEVELAND, OH –
The Cleveland Metropolitan School District </SPAN></B><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 9.5pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">(CMSD)<B
style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"> </B>will<B
style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"> </B>present its <B
style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal">ninth annual All-City Musical, <I
style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">Dreamgirls </I></B>to<B
style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><I style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">
</I></B>crown the District’s 2007-08 series of All-City Arts Programming. <B
style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN></B>The production features the talents
<B style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal">of over fifty CMSD students </B>from
across the District and will take place on the stage of the <B
style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal">Ohio Theatre at <st1:Street
w:st="on"><st1:address w:st="on">Playhouse Square</st1:address></st1:Street>,
May 30-June<SPAN class=945063221-09052008> </SPAN>1, 2008<I
style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">.</I><SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</SPAN><SPAN style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold">Tony Sias, Director of Arts
Education for the Cleveland Metropolitan School District</SPAN></B><SPAN
style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold">, </SPAN>directs <SPAN
style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic">the production.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>The book and lyrics for <I>Dreamgirls
</I>were written by Tom Eyer.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>The
music for the production was composed by Henry
Krieger.<BR><BR></SPAN></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal
style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0.5in; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%"><B
style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 9.5pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">The ninth annual
All-City Musical is presented with generous support from The Human
Fund</SPAN></B><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 9.5pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"> <B
style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal">which contributed $150,000 to the school
District for a third consecutive year to fund its All-City Arts
Programming</B>.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN><SPAN
style="COLOR: black">“It is truly exciting to fund things that introduce
students to their creative possibilities. We look forward to expanding those
possibilities as we work to create a new model in career development that
hopefully other cities will emulate,” said Human Fund co-founder and
co-chairman, <B style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal">Heather Guess</B> regarding
the aim of the funds.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Other
producing partners for the All-City Musical include The <st1:place
w:st="on"><st1:PlaceName w:st="on">Cleveland</st1:PlaceName> <st1:PlaceName
w:st="on">Music</st1:PlaceName> <st1:PlaceType
w:st="on">School</st1:PlaceType></st1:place> Settlement, Great Lakes Theater
Festival, The Musical Theater Project and <st1:Street w:st="on"><st1:address
w:st="on">Playhouse Square</st1:address></st1:Street>.<BR><BR></SPAN></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal
style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0.5in; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%"><B
style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 9.5pt; COLOR: black; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">Dr.
Eugene T.W. Sanders, CEO of the <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:PlaceName
w:st="on">Cleveland</st1:PlaceName> <st1:PlaceName
w:st="on">Metropolitan</st1:PlaceName> <st1:PlaceType w:st="on">School
District</st1:PlaceType></st1:place> stated,</SPAN></B><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 9.5pt; COLOR: black; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">
“We are extremely pleased to have The Human Fund’s continued support of our
All-City Arts Programs and annual spring musical. We greatly appreciate the
substance of this donation, and understand that the real value of these funds is
immeasurable when considering how they facilitate growth and performance
opportunities for our students. We are grateful that The Human Fund is
partnering with us to further enable standards-based arts education for our
students as we strive to become a premier school district in the <st1:place
w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">United States of
America</st1:country-region></st1:place>.” <BR><BR></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 9.5pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'"><SPAN
style="mso-tab-count: 1">
</SPAN><B style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal">The All-City Musical is a
rewarding experience for the students involved as well as for the professional
artists that collaborate to produce the production, according to Tony Sias, the
director of the production for the sixth consecutive year.</B><SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>“The All-City Musical is an
extraordinary program that provides students with a structured arts-based
experience that refines individual talents, stimulates critical thinking,
</SPAN><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 9.5pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">focuses
creativity, strengthens social skills and affords students an informed
perspective on the world that they might not have had if they were not involved
in the program,” said Sias in a recent interview about the upcoming
production.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>“These young people are
amazing.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>As a member of the
production team, I find it immensely rewarding to witness and play a significant
role in the growth and development that these students experience over our
intensive All-City Musical rehearsal process.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>They work diligently, remain focused and
emerge from the program with the ability to demonstrate the skill and the
discipline that it takes to be an artist in the theater.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>It is deeply satisfying to be able to
share this leg of their journey with them.”<BR><BR></SPAN></P></DIV>
<P class=MsoNormal
style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0.5in; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%"><B
style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 9.5pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">A Tony
award-winning Broadway musical, <I
style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">Dreamgirls</I> is a tale of dreams, stardom,
and the high cost of success in the challenging recording
industry.</SPAN></B><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 9.5pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"> The time is the
1960s, and three singers are about to find out just what it's like to have their
wildest dreams come true.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</SPAN>Discovered at a local talent show, the trio known as "the Dreamettes" is
soon molded into an unstoppable hit machine by their manager and propelled into
the spotlight.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>But the girls
quickly find their bid for the big time taking priority over personal
friendship.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>As their crossover act
continues to dominate the airwaves, the small-town girls with big-city dreams
slowly begin to realize that the true cost of fame may be higher than any of
them ever anticipated.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>The original
Broadway production was directed and choreographed by Michael Bennett. <I
style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">Dreamgirls</I> was originally produced on
Broadway by Michael Bennett, Robert Avian, Geffen Records and The Schubert
Organization.<BR><BR></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal
style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0.5in; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%"><B
style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 9.5pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">The production
team for the ninth annual All-City Musical is a distinguished group of
professional artists from across <st1:place w:st="on">Northeast
Ohio</st1:place>.</SPAN></B><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 9.5pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>A new addition to the All-City artistic
company this year, <B style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal">Dr David Manning
Thomas</B>, a music teacher at <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:PlaceName
w:st="on">John</st1:PlaceName> <st1:PlaceName w:st="on">Adams</st1:PlaceName>
<st1:PlaceType w:st="on">High School</st1:PlaceType></st1:place> with a
distinguished career in music, will serve as Musical Director for the
production.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>An All-City veteran, <B
style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal">Michael Medcalf</B>, founder and Artistic
Director of Cleveland Contemporary Dance Theater, will return to the production
team for the seventh consecutive season to create <I
style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">Dreamgirls’ </I>choreography.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN><B
style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal">Terry J. Martin</B> will design the
colorful, multi-location set while <B
style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal">Esther Haberlen</B> will design the richly
textured costumes for the production.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</SPAN>Another newcomer to the project, <B
style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal">Colleen Dowling</B> will design
lights.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Longtime GLTF resident
sound designer <B style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal">Stan Kozak</B> will
create the production’s soundscape.<BR><BR></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal
style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0.5in; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%"><B
style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 9.5pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">Opening
Night</SPAN></B><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 9.5pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"> for the eighth
annual All-City Musical <I style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">Dreamgirls</I> is
scheduled for <B style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal">Friday, May
30<SUP>th</SUP> at <st1:time w:st="on" Hour="19" Minute="30">7:30
p.m.</st1:time></B><SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>The production
will continue with a Saturday evening showing on <B
style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal">May 31<SUP>st</SUP> at <st1:time w:st="on"
Hour="19" Minute="30">7:30 p.m.</st1:time></B> and a closing matinee performance
on <B style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal">Sunday, June 1<SUP>st</SUP> at
<st1:time w:st="on" Hour="15" Minute="0">3:00 p.m.</st1:time></B><SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes">
<STRONG><BR></STRONG><STRONG><BR></STRONG></SPAN></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal
style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0.5in; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%"><B
style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 9.5pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">All tickets for
the ninth annual All-City Musical, <I
style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">Dreamgirls </I>are $15 </SPAN></B><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 9.5pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">and are
available by phone at <B style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal">(216)
241-6000</B>, online at<SPAN style="COLOR: black"> <B
style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal">www.playhousesquare.org</B> or by visiting
the</SPAN><B style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"> Playhouse Square Ticket
Office</B>.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN><B
style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal">All seating is general
admission.<BR><BR></B></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal
style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0.5in; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 9.5pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">The primary goal
of the <st1:PlaceName w:st="on">Cleveland</st1:PlaceName> <st1:PlaceName
w:st="on">Municipal</st1:PlaceName> <st1:PlaceType w:st="on">School
District</st1:PlaceType> is to become a premiere school district in the
<st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">United States of
America</st1:country-region></st1:place>.</SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal
style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0.5in; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 9.5pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"></SPAN> </P>
<P class=MsoNormal
style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0.5in; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 9.5pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"></SPAN><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 9.5pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">#<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>#<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</SPAN>#</SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 9.5pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><o:p></o:p></SPAN> </P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><B
style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 9.5pt; TEXT-TRANSFORM: uppercase; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">Media
Contact:<o:p></o:p></SPAN></B></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 9.5pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">Todd Krispinsky<BR></SPAN><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 9.5pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">Marketing and Public Relations
Director<BR></SPAN><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 9.5pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">(216)
241-5490 x317 <BR></SPAN><st1:PersonName w:st="on"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 9.5pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">tkrispinsky@greatlakestheater.org</SPAN></st1:PersonName><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'"><o:p></o:p></SPAN></P></FONT></DIV>
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