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<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN><STRONG>FOR IMMEDIATE
RELEASE </STRONG><BR></SPAN><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">August 19,
2008<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office"
/><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: 14pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><BR>Tom Hanks </SPAN></B><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">Will Serve As<B
style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"> Honorary Chair </B>Of<B
style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"> <BR></B></SPAN><B
style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">Great Lakes Theater Festival’s
<EM><BR></EM></SPAN></B><B style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><I
style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">Re-Imagine a
Classic</SPAN></I></B><B style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"> Campaign<BR></SPAN></B><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%"><B
style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 9.5pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">CLEVELAND, OHIO
– August 19, 2008 – Great Lakes Theater Festival (GLTF) alum, </SPAN></B><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 9.5pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">and <B
style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal">two-time Oscar award-winner</B>,<B
style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"> Tom Hanks</B> pledged his support to the
Festival’s campaign to ‘re-imagine’ PlayhouseSquare’s historic Hanna Theatre as
a new permanent home, by <B style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal">agreeing to
serve as its Honorary Chair</B>.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>As
Honorary Chair, Hanks will lend his name, face and voice to GLTF’s fundraising
efforts to secure the final $3.6M of the campaign’s $19.2M goal.</SPAN><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 9.5pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><BR></P><B
style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><o:p></o:p></B></SPAN>
<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">“<B
style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal">Great Lakes Theater Festival gave me much
more than a start as an actor</B>. In my three seasons at <?xml:namespace prefix
= st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" /><st1:place
w:st="on"><st1:City w:st="on">Cleveland</st1:City></st1:place>'s classical
repertory company I learned the discipline demanded by the profession and the
joy of being part of this one-of-a-kind creative art,” <B
style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal">said Tom Hanks</B> in a recent statement
regarding the project.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>“The new
home for GLTF at the <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:PlaceName
w:st="on">Hanna</st1:PlaceName> <st1:PlaceName
w:st="on">Theatre</st1:PlaceName></st1:place> is going to be the same kind of
natural resource for players and audiences alike and will be a must-see
destination for those around the world who love Shakespeare and the
theater.”</SPAN><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 9.5pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><BR></P><o:p></o:p></SPAN>
<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">Hanks’ recent
commitment to the project is extraordinarily meaningful according to GLTF’s
Producing Artistic Director, <B style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal">Charles
Fee</B>. “One of the most exciting things about Tom Hanks joining our team is
the fact that he’s really taking an active role,” said Fee.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>“This is much more than a celebrity
endorsement.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN><B
style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal">This is a colleague committed to helping
his home theater grow.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN></B>His
support of Great Lakes Theater Festival has never diminished and his interest in
<st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Cleveland</st1:place></st1:City> as a
city has continued to flourish.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</SPAN>Beyond that it’s just incredibly cool!”</SPAN><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 9.5pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><BR></P><o:p></o:p></SPAN>
<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">A member of
Great Lakes Theater Festival’s (formerly Great Lakes Shakespeare Festival)
acting company from 1977-1979, Tom Hanks performed in nine productions over
three summers.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Most notably,
Hanks garnered a Cleveland Critic’s Circle Award in 1978 for his portrayal of
Proteus in the Great Lakes Shakespeare Festival production of William
Shakespeare’s <I style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">The Two Gentleman of
Verona</I>.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>In addition, Hanks
earned membership in the Actors’ Equity Association, the professional actors’
union, while working for the Festival in 1977.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Tom returned to <st1:City
w:st="on">Cleveland</st1:City> in 1990 and 1993 to star in <I
style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">Coming Home </I>and <st1:place
w:st="on"><st1:PlaceName w:st="on"><I
style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">Now</I></st1:PlaceName><I
style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal"> <st1:PlaceName
w:st="on">Playing</st1:PlaceName> <st1:PlaceType
w:st="on">Center</st1:PlaceType></I></st1:place>, two original performance
events at the Ohio Theatre to benefit GLTF.</SPAN><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 9.5pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><BR></P><o:p></o:p></SPAN>
<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 campaign to
re-imagine the Hanna Theatre as a new permanent home for Great Lakes Theater
Festival is really a win-win situation for everyone involved - Great Lakes
Theater Festival, PlayhouseSquare and, most importantly, the citizenry of our
region,” said <B style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal">Timothy K. Pistell, GLTF’s
campaign chair</B> and Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of
Cleveland-based Parker Hannifin Corporation.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>“We are grateful to Tom for his
willingness to contribute to the success of this exciting project.”</SPAN><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 9.5pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><BR></P><o:p></o:p></SPAN>
<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 fundraising
campaign will continue through June 30, 2009.</SPAN><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 9pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; 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: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><BR>Media
Contact<BR></SPAN></U></B><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 9pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">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=mailto:tkrispinsky@greatlakestheater.org
href="BLOCKED::mailto:tkrispinsky@greatlakestheater.org">tkrispinsky@greatlakestheater.org</A><o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<DIV
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<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"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"><STRONG><U><BR></U></STRONG></SPAN></SPAN><B
style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><U><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">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>. <BR><BR></SPAN><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. <BR><BR></SPAN><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"><B
style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><U><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">
<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"><BR>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.<BR></SPAN><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"></P><o:p></o:p></SPAN></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"></SPAN></U></B> </P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><B
style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><U><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"></SPAN></U></B> </P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><B
style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><U><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">Tom Hanks’ Great Lakes Theater
(Shakespeare) Festival Performance History<o:p></o:p></SPAN></U></B></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"><U><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 9.5pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">Year</SPAN></U><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 9.5pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"> <SPAN
style="mso-tab-count: 1"> </SPAN><U>Play</U><SPAN
style="mso-tab-count: 3">
</SPAN><SPAN
style="mso-tab-count: 2">
</SPAN><U>Role</U><SPAN
style="mso-tab-count: 4">
</SPAN><U>Director<BR></U></SPAN><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 9.5pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">1977<SPAN
style="mso-tab-count: 1"> </SPAN><I
style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">Hamlet</I><SPAN
style="mso-tab-count: 3">
</SPAN><SPAN
style="mso-tab-count: 2">
</SPAN>Reynaldo<SPAN
style="mso-tab-count: 3">
</SPAN>Vincent Dowling<BR></SPAN><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 9.5pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">1977<SPAN
style="mso-tab-count: 1"> </SPAN><I
style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">The Taming of the Shrew<SPAN
style="mso-tab-count: 1"> </SPAN></I><SPAN
style="mso-tab-count: 1">
</SPAN>Grumio<SPAN
style="mso-tab-count: 3">
</SPAN><SPAN
style="mso-tab-count: 1">
</SPAN>Daniel Sullivan<BR></SPAN><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 9.5pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">1978<SPAN
style="mso-tab-count: 1"> </SPAN><I
style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">Polly</I><SPAN
style="mso-tab-count: 2">
</SPAN><SPAN
style="mso-tab-count: 2">
</SPAN><SPAN
style="mso-tab-count: 1">
</SPAN>Hacker<SPAN
style="mso-tab-count: 4">
</SPAN>Vincent Dowling<BR></SPAN><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 9.5pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">1978<SPAN
style="mso-tab-count: 1"> </SPAN><I
style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">The Two Gentlemen of <st1:City
w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Verona</st1:place></st1:City></I><SPAN
style="mso-tab-count: 1"> </SPAN><SPAN
style="mso-tab-count: 1">
</SPAN>Proteus*<SPAN
style="mso-tab-count: 3">
</SPAN>Daniel Sullivan<BR></SPAN><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 9.5pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">1978<SPAN
style="mso-tab-count: 1"> </SPAN><I
style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">The Wild Oats</I><SPAN
style="mso-tab-count: 4">
</SPAN>Muz<SPAN
style="mso-tab-count: 4">
</SPAN>Daniel Sullivan<BR></SPAN><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 9.5pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">1978<SPAN
style="mso-tab-count: 1"> </SPAN><I
style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">King John</I><SPAN
style="mso-tab-count: 4">
</SPAN>Robert Faulconbridge (son) <SPAN
style="mso-tab-count: 1">
</SPAN>Vincent Dowling.<BR></SPAN><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 9.5pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">1979<SPAN
style="mso-tab-count: 1"> </SPAN><I
style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">Twelfth Night</I><SPAN
style="mso-tab-count: 4">
</SPAN>Fabian<SPAN
style="mso-tab-count: 4">
</SPAN>Daniel Sullivan<BR></SPAN><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 9.5pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">1979<SPAN
style="mso-tab-count: 1"> </SPAN><I
style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">Juno and the Paycock</I><SPAN
style="mso-tab-count: 3">
</SPAN>Jerry Devine<SPAN
style="mso-tab-count: 3">
</SPAN>Vincent Dowling<BR></SPAN><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 9.5pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">1979<SPAN
style="mso-tab-count: 1"> </SPAN><I
style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">Do Me a Favorite</I><SPAN
style="mso-tab-count: 3">
</SPAN>Harold<SPAN
style="mso-tab-count: 4">
</SPAN>Vincent Dowling<BR></SPAN><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 9.5pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">1991 <SPAN
style="mso-tab-count: 1"> </SPAN><I
style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">Coming Home</I> (Benefit Performance)
<BR></SPAN><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 9.5pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">1993<SPAN
style="mso-tab-count: 1"> </SPAN><I
style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">Now Playing Center</I> (Benefit
Performance)<BR></SPAN><I style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 9pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></I></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><I
style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 9pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">* Won <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place
w:st="on">Cleveland</st1:place></st1:City> <st1:Street w:st="on"><st1:address
w:st="on">Critics Circle</st1:address></st1:Street> Award for Best
Actor.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></I></P></FONT><FONT face=Arial
size=2></FONT></DIV></FONT></DIV></BODY></HTML>