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<P align=left><FONT lang=0 size=3 PTSIZE="12" FAMILY="SANSSERIF"><FONT
face=Arial><B>HEIGHTS YOUTH THEATRE TO OPEN 2008-2009 SEASON </B><B>WITH
"FIDDLER ON THE ROOF"</B><BR></FONT><FONT face=Arial size=4><BR></FONT><BR><FONT
face=Arial>Cleveland Heights, OH – Heights Youth Theatre (HYT), with the
generous support of the Ohio Arts Council and Cuyahoga Arts and Culture, is
proud to announce its 2008-2009 season. HYT is opening its new season with the
classic <B><I>Fiddler on the Roof,</B></FONT></I><FONT face=Arial> directed by
Nathaniel Motta <BR><BR></FONT></FONT><FONT lang=0
style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ffffff" color=#000000 PTSIZE="12" FAMILY="SANSSERIF"
BACK="#ffffff"><FONT face=Arial>Heights Youth Theatre is made up of children,
ages 6-18, from all over Greater Cleveland. The Theatre produces three full
length musicals each year, servicing over 200 children and entertaining
thousands.<BR><BR>Following <EM>Fiddler on the Roof</EM>, will be a unique
cabaret show, <B><I>World Goes Round, </B></FONT></I><FONT face=Arial>which
features a revue of the best songs of one of the most important Broadway
songwriting teams - Kander and Ebb (<I>Cabaret</I>, <I>Chicago</I> and hit song
“<I>New York New York”</I>). World Goes Round will be co-directed by Motta, who
most recently directed HYT’s production of The Wizard of Oz, and Kris Comer,
Director of HYT’s spring production of Footloose.<BR><BR>The season will
culminate with <B><I>Godspell </B></FONT></I><FONT face=Arial>by Stephen
Schwartz, and directed by Sean Szaller (director of HYT’s recent production of
Children of Eden), and<I> <B>Disney’s High School Musical 2 </B></I>(pending
availability), directed by Comer.<BR><BR>Says Pamela Fine, Executive Director,
We are so delighted to be bringing back these talented directors who will engage
our youth and audience in what is sure to be a very exciting and entertaining
2008-2009 season. <BR><BR>Heights Youth Theatre has been in existence for almost
55 years, initially being housed at Cain Park and then relocating to Wiley
Middle School , to a theatre built to equity standards for Heights Youth
Theatre<B>. </B>Many believe it to be the oldest children’s theatre company in
the country.<BR><BR>Since 1954, Heights Youth Theatre (HYT) has engaged children
and youth, in a comprehensive theater experience. The experience at HYT goes
beyond the development of musical, technical and acting skills. Young people who
participate in the program enjoy a safe, nurturing environment and a cooperative
learning experience as they work together to put on a professional production.
The youth involved in the program help in the areas of costumes, set
construction, stage crew, stage management and also are musicians in the pit.
Even the newly designed logo was created by Carnegie Mellon undergraduate and
HYT alum, Lydia Fine, in conjunction with local graphic artist, Alison Crawford
of Crawford Design.<BR><BR>In October 2006, Heights Youth Theatre was named in
<I>Cleveland Magazine</I>'s "Best of Cleveland" issue for tops in children's
theater. Several HYT youth have gone on to study Musical Theater at universities
such as Carnegie Mellon, NYU Tisch School, University of Cincinnati
College-Conservatory of Music and Ithaca College; some have attended summer
programs at Interlochen Arts Academy, Fairmount Performing Arts Camp, Stage Door
Manor, Carnegie Mellon and Northwestern and others have gone on to perform on
Broadway in shows such as <I>Wicked</I> and the <I>25th Annual Putnam County
Spelling Bee.</I><BR><BR>In addition to the season of shows, a benefit
fundraiser for Heights Youth Theatre will take place at Nighttown in February,
2009. <BR><BR>For more information on auditions, tickets, sponsorships and
donations, please call <B>(216) 556-0235</B> or <B>visit <A
href="http://www.heightsyouththeatre.org/">www.heightsyouththeatre.org</A></B></B><BR></P></FONT>
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