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<p class=MsoNormal style='text-autospace:none'><b><font size=3 face=Arial><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial;font-weight:bold'>FOR IMMEDIATE
RELEASE July 4, 2008<o:p></o:p></span></font></b></p>
<p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center;text-autospace:none'><b><font
size=3 face=Arial><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial;font-weight:
bold'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></b></p>
<p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center;text-autospace:none'><st1:State
w:st="on"><b><font size=3 face=Arial><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:
Arial;font-weight:bold'>OHIO</span></font></b></st1:State><b><font face=Arial><span
style='font-family:Arial;font-weight:bold'> YOUTH BALLET DANCES IN ‘<st1:place
w:st="on">RIO</st1:place> RITA’ July 19 AND 20<o:p></o:p></span></font></b></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='text-autospace:none'><font size=2 face="Courier New"><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Courier New"'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='text-autospace:none'><font size=2 face="Courier New"><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Courier New"'> </span></font><st1:place
w:st="on"><st1:City w:st="on"><font face=Arial><span style='font-family:Arial'>CANTON</span></font></st1:City></st1:place><font
face=Arial><span style='font-family:Arial'> – The talented and diverse
young dancers of the Ohio Youth Ballet will make several appearances during the
Canton Comic Opera Company’s performance of “Rio Rita.” <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='text-indent:.5in;text-autospace:none'><font size=3
face=Arial><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial'> The
pre-professional non-profit ballet company, which trains in Canal Fulton at The
Turning Pointe School of Dance, will be the corps des ballet and will perform
ballet, jazz and character dance during a few musical numbers, as well as one
performance with the chorus.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='text-indent:.5in;text-autospace:none'><font size=3
face=Arial><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial'>The 1927 romantic
musical comedy “Rio Rita” is presented 8 p.m. Saturday, July 19 and
at 2 p.m. Sunday, July 20 at the Canton Jewish Community Center Auditorium, <st1:address
w:st="on"><st1:Street w:st="on">2631 Harvard Ave. N.W.</st1:Street>, <st1:City
w:st="on">Canton</st1:City>, <st1:State w:st="on">Ohio</st1:State></st1:address>.
<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='text-indent:.5in;text-autospace:none'><font size=3
face=Arial><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial'> “Rio
Rita” features a cast of 30 and a full orchestra directed by Joseph N.
Rubin. Tickets are $18 for general admission. To purchase tickets and for more
information call (330) 327-2985, or view the Canton Comic Opera Company’s
website at <a href="www.cantoncomicoperaco.com">www.cantoncomicoperaco.com</a>.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='text-indent:.5in;text-autospace:none'><font size=3
face=Arial><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial'>For more
information about the Ohio Youth Ballet, please visit <a
href="http://www.turningpointeschoolofdance.net/">www.turningpointeschoolofdance.net</a>.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='text-indent:.5in;text-autospace:none'><b><font
size=3 face=Arial><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial;font-weight:
bold'>About “<st1:place w:st="on">Rio</st1:place> Rita”<o:p></o:p></span></font></b></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='text-indent:.5in;text-autospace:none'><font size=3
face=Arial><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial'>Originally produced
by Florenz Ziegfeld, Rio Rita features music by Harry Tierney, lyrics by Joseph
McCarthy, and the book is by Guy Bolton and Fred Thompson. One of <st1:country-region
w:st="on">America</st1:country-region>’s most popular operettas, “Rio
Rita” was constantly revived by stock and amateur companies all over the
country, but this is the first time it has been performed in <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:City
w:st="on">Canton</st1:City></st1:place>, according to information provided by
the Canton Comic Opera Company. The story is about Rita, a Mexican beauty, who
is courted by two suitors: a powerful but sinister general, and a mysterious
Texas Ranger in search of a crafty bandit, The Kinkajou. Amid the story of
betrayal and romance, the wild antics of Chick Bean and Ed Lovett bring
incredible hilarity. <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='text-indent:.5in;text-autospace:none'><b><font
size=3 face=Arial><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial;font-weight:
bold'>About the <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:State w:st="on">Ohio</st1:State></st1:place>
Youth Ballet<o:p></o:p></span></font></b></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='text-indent:.5in;text-autospace:none'><font size=3
face=Arial><span lang=EN style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial'>The Ohio
Youth Ballet </span></font><font face=Arial><span lang=EN style='font-family:
Arial'>is a pre-professional, non-profit Youth Ballet and Youth Dance Team
company headquartered at The Turning Pointe School of Dance in Canal Fulton,
Ohio, serving children between the ages of 9 and 22. It was founded in 1999 by
a group of individuals who saw the need for young dancers to cultivate their
talents and share them with the community. Dancers perform at local schools,
libraries, nursing homes, festivals and other venues. The OYB is under the
artistic direction of</span></font><font face=Arial><span style='font-family:
Arial'> Natalya Vyashenko-Connor</span></font><font size=2 face=TTE11674A0t00><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:TTE11674A0t00'>,</span></font><font
face=TTE11674A0t00><span style='font-family:TTE11674A0t00'> a former company
member of the Alisher Navoi State Academic Bolshoi Theatre of Opera and Ballet
in the capital of <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">Uzbekistan</st1:country-region></st1:place>.
The OYB dance team is directed by</span></font><font face=Arial><span
style='font-family:Arial'> Desmond Beasley, Dani Aleman and Ashley Studer.</span></font><font
size=2 face=TTE11674A0t00><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:TTE11674A0t00'><o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='text-indent:.5in;text-autospace:none'><b><font
size=3 face=Arial><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial;font-weight:
bold'>About the Canton Comic Opera Company<o:p></o:p></span></font></b></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='text-autospace:none'><font size=3 face=Arial><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial'> The Canton Comic Opera
Company is a non-profit theatre company, based in <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:City
w:st="on">Canton</st1:City>, <st1:State w:st="on">Ohio</st1:State></st1:place>,
dedicated to the preservation and performance of American operettas. Founded
and incorporated in 2003 by executive director, Joseph N. Rubin, the Canton
Comic Opera Company is an all volunteer organization. <o:p></o:p></span></font></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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