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<p class=MsoTitle align=left style='text-align:left'><b><font size=5
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<p class=MsoTitle><b><font size=5 face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:16.0pt'><img width=356 height=236
src="cid:image001.jpg@01C8BC06.FCDF08C0" border=0></span></font></b></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><b><font size=2 color=black face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;color:black;font-weight:bold'>
</span></font></b>The
Gamblers</p>
<p class=MsoTitle align=left style='text-align:left'><b><font size=5
face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:16.0pt'> </span></font></b></p>
<p class=MsoTitle align=left style='text-align:left'><b><font size=5
face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:16.0pt'> </span></font></b></p>
<p class=MsoTitle><b><font size=5 color=black face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:16.0pt;color:black'>CMA’s VIVA! & Gala Around Town
Presents </span></font>Cleveland Debut of</b><span style='font-weight:normal'> </span>Nikolai
Gogol’s<span style='font-weight:normal'> </span><font color=black><span
style='color:black'>The Gamblers</span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><i><font size=3
color=black face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt;color:black;
font-style:italic'><br>
“Gogol was a strange creature, but then genius is always strange.” –
Vladimir Nabokov</span></font></i></p>
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face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:16.0pt'> </span></font></b></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='line-height:150%'><b><font size=2
face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:11.0pt;line-height:150%;
font-weight:bold'>CLEVELAND (May 9, 2008)—</span></font></b><font size=2><span
style='font-size:11.0pt;line-height:150%'>The Cleveland Museum of Art’s (CMA)
acclaimed <b><span style='font-weight:bold'>VIVA! & Gala Around Town </span></b>performance
series presents the Cleveland debut of<b><span style='font-weight:bold'> </span></b>Nikolai
Gogol’s<b><span style='font-weight:bold'> The Gamblers </span></b>May 22 – June
15, 2008, Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 p.m. and Sundays at 3:00
p.m. at Kennedy’s at Playhouse Square.</span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='line-height:150%'><font size=2 face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:11.0pt;line-height:150%'>Born April 1, 1809 in Ukraine, Gogol,
is considered one the most marvelous, unexpected and original Russian writers
in the world. Today, in Moscow, there are not just one but two statues of Gogol
— a rare honor for a writer. Gogol is credited with founding a whole school in
Russian literature. Fyodor Dostoevsky himself is believed to have claimed, 'We
all crawled out from under Gogol's Overcoat.' </span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='line-height:150%'><b><font size=2
face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:11.0pt;line-height:150%;
font-weight:bold'>The Gamblers</span></font></b><font size=2><span
style='font-size:11.0pt;line-height:150%'> was first produced in Moscow in 1843
and was hailed by critics as “one of the most perfect dramatic works from the
standpoint of technique.” This is a testament to Gogol’s combination of extreme
economy, verbal dexterity, and brilliant comedic sensibilities.</span></font></p>
<p class=style1 style='line-height:150%'><b><font size=2 face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:11.0pt;line-height:150%;font-family:"Times New Roman"'>The
Gamblers</span></font></b><font size=2 face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:11.0pt;line-height:150%;font-family:"Times New Roman";
font-weight:normal'> is a hilarious romp about a professional gambler traveling
on a highly profitable con job. After stopping at a provincial inn where he
believes he is playing against local pinheads, he’s poised to pull off his
perfect scam. Gogol’s play is a brilliant study of the grotesquery of human
avarice. </span></font></p>
<p class=style1 style='line-height:150%'><b><font size=2 face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:11.0pt;line-height:150%;font-family:"Times New Roman";
font-weight:normal'>There is a sense of farcical merriment in </span></font></b><font
size=2 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:11.0pt;line-height:150%;
font-family:"Times New Roman"'>The Gamblers</span></font><font size=2
face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:11.0pt;line-height:150%;
font-family:"Times New Roman";font-weight:normal'> that is soon revealed as
utter emptiness. Something is very wrong and all the characters are mild
lunatics determined to fleece and outwit one another while an absurdly logical
force keeps them at their futile tasks. </span></font></p>
<p class=style1 style='line-height:150%'><b><font size=2 face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:11.0pt;line-height:150%;font-family:"Times New Roman";
font-weight:normal'>“Gogol’s comedy is not a tale of the past,” Massoud
Saidpour, CMA director of performing arts, music and film and the director of
the play, said. “While there is an ocean of distance between 19th century
Russia and 21st century America, the parallels to our contemporary time are
striking. What better describes the hyper and absurd greed which has brought
about the current mortgage crisis and many others and has ruined so many?” </span></font></b></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='line-height:150%'><font size=2 face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:11.0pt;line-height:150%'>
This production features Terence Cranendonk and Fabio Polanco in the lead
roles. <b><span style='font-weight:bold'>The Gamblers</span></b> is the second
installment of the project “Masters of Russian Drama.” The first, <b><span
style='font-weight:bold'>Swan Song + Confessions</span></b>, featuring Dorothy
and Reuben Silver, and Terence Cranendonk; directed by Massoud Saidpour, played
in the 2005–06 VIVA! & Gala Around Town season. </span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
10.0pt'> </span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><u><font size=2 face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:11.0pt'>Cast</span></font></u></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
11.0pt'>Terence Cranendonk (Mr. Rov)</span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
11.0pt'>Fabio
Polanco (Mr.
Tesh)</span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
11.0pt'>Justin
Tatum
(Lt. Kruger)</span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
11.0pt'>Stephen Brockway (Mr. Shove) </span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
11.0pt'>Allen Branstein
(Alexey)</span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
11.0pt'>Skip
Corris
(Mr. Glove Sr.)</span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
11.0pt'>John
Busser
(Gabe)</span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
11.0pt'>Gabe
Riazi
(Glove Jr.)</span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
11.0pt'>Britt
Moore
(Mr. Hel)</span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
10.0pt'> </span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><u><font size=2 face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:11.0pt'>Production Team</span></font></u></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
11.0pt'>Melissa Ficocello, Set Design </span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
11.0pt'>Michael Burnett, Lighting Design</span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
11.0pt'>Tim Kennedy, Sound Design</span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
11.0pt'>Inda Blatch-Geib, Costume Design</span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
11.0pt'>Kyra Burton, Production Manager</span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
11.0pt'>Damien Price, Technical Director</span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
11.0pt'>Jon Boomershine, Stage Manager </span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
11.0pt'>Elisa Hanna, Assistant Stage Manager </span></font></p>
<font size=2 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:
"Times New Roman"'><br clear=all style='page-break-before:always'>
</span></font>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
10.0pt'> </span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='line-height:150%'><font size=2 face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:11.0pt;line-height:150%'>Admission to the performance is $25;
$23 for CMA members. Special group and student rates are available. To purchase
tickets call the CMA Box Office at 1-888-CMA-0033 or online at <u>www.clevelandart.org/tickets</u>.
Limited seating. Due to the nature of this performance, no late seating. The
venue is not wheelchair accessible. <b><span style='font-weight:bold'>The
Gamblers</span></b> plays in Kennedy’s at Playhouse Square located at 1501
Euclid Avenue in Cleveland. Parking is available in the Playhouse Square
Parking Garage. </span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='line-height:150%'><font size=2 face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;line-height:150%'> </span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='line-height:150%'><font size=2 face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:11.0pt;line-height:150%'>
* * *</span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center;line-height:150%'><b><font
size=2 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:11.0pt;line-height:150%;
font-weight:bold'>The Cleveland Museum of Art </span></font></b></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='line-height:150%'><font size=2 face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:11.0pt;line-height:150%'>The Cleveland Museum of Art is
renowned for the quality and breadth of its collection, which includes over
40,000 objects and spans 6,000 years. Currently undergoing a multi-year expansion
project that will re-imagine the museum, it is a significant international
forum for exhibitions, scholarship, and art education. The Cleveland Museum of
Art is generously funded by Cuyahoga County residents through Cuyahoga Arts and
Culture. Additional support from the Ohio Arts Council, which helped fund
this program with state tax dollars to encourage economic growth, educational
excellence, and cultural enrichment for all Ohioans. For more information
on the museum, its holdings, programs, and events, call 1-888-CMA-0033 or visit
<a href="http://www.clevelandart.org/">www.ClevelandArt.org</a>. </span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center;line-height:150%'><font
size=2 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:11.0pt;line-height:150%'>#
# #</span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
10.0pt'> </span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='line-height:150%'><font size=2 face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:11.0pt;line-height:150%'>Photo by Janet Macoska.</span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
10.0pt'> </span></font></p>
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