<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN">
<HTML><HEAD>
<META http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; charset=us-ascii">
<META content="MSHTML 6.00.2900.3314" name=GENERATOR></HEAD>
<BODY>
<DIV><FONT size=2>
<DIV><FONT size=2>
<DIV><FONT size=2>
<DIV><FONT size=2>
<DIV class=Section1>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT face=Arial
size=3><SPAN><STRONG>FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE</STRONG></SPAN></FONT><SPAN><FONT
face=Arial><STRONG> </STRONG><BR>July <SPAN
class=528061916-02072008>2</SPAN>, 2008<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns =
"urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p></o:p></FONT></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; 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: 13pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">The Kresge Foundation Awards $1M
Challenge Grant To <BR></SPAN></B><B style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 13pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">Great Lakes Theater Festival’s <I
style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">Re-imagine a Classic</I>
Campaign<o:p></o:p></SPAN></B></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><B
style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><I
style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 13pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></I></B></P>
<P class=MsoNormal
style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0.5in; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%"><?xml:namespace
prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" /><st1:City
w:st="on"><B style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 9.5pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">CLEVELAND</SPAN></B></st1:City><B
style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 9.5pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">, <st1:State
w:st="on">OHIO</st1:State> – <SPAN class=318522817-02072008>July 2</SPAN>,
2008 – Great Lakes Theater Festival’s (GLTF) <I
style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">Re-Imagine a Classic</I> Campaign
</SPAN></B><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 9.5pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">has been
awarded<B style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"> a challenge grant in the amount
of $1 million from the Kresge Foundation </B>of <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:City
w:st="on">Troy</st1:City>, <st1:State
w:st="on">Michigan</st1:State></st1:place><B
style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal">.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</SPAN></B>The grant was made on a challenge basis to stimulate new and
increased contributions to the campaign to create a permanent home for the
Festival at PlayhouseSquare’s historic <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:PlaceName
w:st="on">Hanna</st1:PlaceName> <st1:PlaceName
w:st="on">Theatre</st1:PlaceName></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"><o:p></o:p></SPAN><FONT
face=Arial> </FONT></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">“We are
extremely grateful to The Kresge Foundation for their remarkable support of our
project and we are pleased to accept the challenge of completing the campaign to
‘re-imagine’ the Hanna Theatre as an exciting new home for Great Lakes Theater
Festival,” said Timothy K. Pistell, GLTF’s campaign chair and Executive Vice
President and Chief Financial Officer of Cleveland-based Parker Hannifin
Corporation.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>“To date, we have
raised 80% of our $19.2 million goal.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</SPAN>To meet the challenge, we need to raise an additional $3 million by June
of 2009.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>We are confident, that
with the help of our community, we will be successful in our
endeavor.”</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"><o:p></o:p></SPAN><FONT
face=Arial> </FONT></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">“We appreciate
your contribution to the local civic and cultural community and commitment to
quality classic productions,” said Rip Rapson, President and CEO of The Kresge
Foundation in a recent award letter to the Festival regarding GLTF’s <I
style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">Re-Imagine a Classic </I>campaign.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>“We also applaud your efforts in
providing access through your educational programs and are pleased to support
your organization and the strategic opportunity presented by your capital
campaign to expand your private donor base.”</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"><o:p></o:p></SPAN><FONT
face=Arial> </FONT></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 Kresge
Foundation, created by the personal gifts of Sebastian S. Kresge, is an
independent, private foundation that supports communities by building the
capacity of non-profit organizations.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</SPAN>The foundation’s primary grantmaking tool is its Challenge Grant Program
which is designed to assist nonprofit organizations as they work to strengthen
leadership and financial support through challenge grants for capital
projects.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>In 2007, the foundation
approved 442 grants totaling $178 million.</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"><o:p></o:p></SPAN><FONT
face=Arial> </FONT></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 Kresge
Foundation’s challenge grant is designed to help GLTF broaden and deepen its
base of support in the community,” said Halsey North, Chairman of The North
Group Inc., the lead national consulting firm for Great Lakes Theater Festival’s
<I style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">Re-imagine a Classic</I> campaign. “Over
the past thirty years, we have worked on over 50 campaigns for non-profit
performing arts centers and theaters across the <st1:country-region
w:st="on">United States</st1:country-region> and believe <st1:place
w:st="on">Great Lakes</st1:place>’ project to be one of the most innovative and
compelling. Our planning study has revealed that there is tremendous potential
for <st1:place w:st="on">Great Lakes</st1:place> to realize a successful
completion of its campaign.” </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"><o:p></o:p></SPAN><FONT
face=Arial> </FONT></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">Great Lakes
Theater Festival plans to complete <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:PlaceName
w:st="on">Hanna</st1:PlaceName> <st1:PlaceName
w:st="on">Theatre</st1:PlaceName></st1:place> construction in time for the
opening of its 47<SUP>th</SUP> season in September 2008, while its campaign will
continue through June 2009.<BR><BR></SPAN><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 9pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">#<SPAN
style="mso-tab-count: 1">
</SPAN>#<SPAN
style="mso-tab-count: 1">
</SPAN>#<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P></DIV><B
style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><U><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 9pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA"><BR
style="PAGE-BREAK-BEFORE: always; mso-break-type: section-break"
clear=all></SPAN></U></B>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><B
style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><U><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">Media Contact</SPAN></U></B><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 9pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><BR>Todd S. Krispinsky
<BR></SPAN><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 9pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">Marketing and Public
Relations Director<BR></SPAN><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 9pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">(216) 241-5490 x317<BR></SPAN><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 9pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><A
title=BLOCKED::mailto:tkrispinsky@greatlakestheater.org
href="BLOCKED::blocked::mailto:tkrispinsky@greatlakestheater.org">tkrispinsky@greatlakestheater.org</A><o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<DIV
style="BORDER-RIGHT: medium none; PADDING-RIGHT: 0in; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 0in; PADDING-BOTTOM: 1pt; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 1pt solid; mso-element: para-border-div; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .75pt">
<P class=MsoNormal
style="BORDER-RIGHT: medium none; PADDING-RIGHT: 0in; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 0in; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: medium none; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .75pt; mso-padding-alt: 0in 0in 1.0pt 0in"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></P></DIV>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><B
style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><U><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><BR>Great Lakes Theater
Festival<BR></SPAN></U></B><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 9.5pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">The mission of Great Lakes Theater
Festival is to bring the pleasure, power and relevance of classic theater to the
widest possible audience in northern <st1:State w:st="on"><st1:place
w:st="on">Ohio</st1:place></st1:State>. <B
style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><U><o:p></o:p></U></B></SPAN></P>
<P style="LINE-HEIGHT: 12pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 9.5pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">Since the company’s inception in
1962, programming has been rooted in Shakespeare, but the Festival’s commitment
to great plays spans the breadth of all cultures, forms of theater and time
periods including the 20th century, and provides for the occasional mounting of
new works that compliment the classical repertoire. <o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="LINE-HEIGHT: 12pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 9.5pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">Classic theater holds the capacity
to illuminate truth and enduring values, celebrate and challenge human nature
and actions, revel in eloquent language, preserve the traditions of diverse
cultures and generate communal spirit. On its mainstage and through its
education program, the Festival seeks to create visceral, immediate experiences
for participants, asserting theater’s historic role as a vehicle for advancing
the common good, and helping people make the most joyful and meaningful
connections between classic plays and their own lives. This <st1:City
w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Cleveland</st1:place></st1:City> theater company
wishes to share such vibrant experiences with people across all age groups,
creeds, racial and ethnic groups and socioeconomic backgrounds.
<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="LINE-HEIGHT: 12pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 9.5pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">The Festival is dedicated to the
highest standards in all areas of its operation, including theater production,
education and outreach, management and governance, and to creative problem
solving and innovation.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<DIV
style="BORDER-RIGHT: medium none; PADDING-RIGHT: 0in; BORDER-TOP: windowtext 1pt solid; PADDING-LEFT: 0in; PADDING-BOTTOM: 1pt; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 1pt; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 1pt solid; mso-element: para-border-div; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .75pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .75pt">
<P
style="BORDER-RIGHT: medium none; PADDING-RIGHT: 0in; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 0in; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; LINE-HEIGHT: 12pt; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: medium none; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .75pt; mso-padding-alt: 1.0pt 0in 1.0pt 0in; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .75pt"><B
style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><U><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">PlayhouseSquare</SPAN></U></B><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><BR></SPAN><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 9.5pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">PlayhouseSquare is a not-for-profit
performing arts center whose mission is presenting and producing a wide variety
of quality performing arts, advancing arts education and creating a theater
district that is a superior location for entertainment, business and housing,
thereby strengthening the economic vitality of the region.</SPAN><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><BR
style="mso-special-character: line-break"><BR
style="mso-special-character: line-break"><o:p></o:p></SPAN></P></DIV></FONT></DIV></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial></FONT> </DIV></FONT></DIV></FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV></BODY></HTML>