<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN">
<HTML><HEAD>
<META http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; charset=UTF-8">
<META content="MSHTML 6.00.6000.16757" name=GENERATOR></HEAD>
<BODY id=role_body style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: #000000; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"
bottomMargin=7 leftMargin=7 topMargin=7 rightMargin=7><FONT id=role_document
face=Arial color=#000000 size=2>
<DIV align=center><EM><STRONG><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=6>FACTS ABOUT
THE CHRISTMAS GIFTS</FONT></STRONG></EM></DIV><EM><STRONG><FONT
face="Times New Roman" size=3>
<DIV align=left><BR> The Canal Fulton Players at the UMC Family
Theatre are proud to announce that they will be presenting an original new play
about the Christmas season on December 12-14 and December 19-21. Entitled
The Christmas Gifts, the play is an examination of the use of human emotions as
Christmas gifts instead of material objects. Written by David Van
Gaasbeek, director of the play and of the Players, the play offers an in depth
look as to how remembrance, sacrifice, honor, love, loyalty, understanding,
tolerance, and generosity play a more important part of the season than a new
video game, piece of jewelry, item of clothing, or toy.<BR> This play
is the third one of a trilogy written by Mr. Van Gaasbeek concerning the
Christmas holidays. His first one, entitled The Second Coming?, was
written and presented in 1993. It dealt with the story of an embittered
alcoholic who made the ultimate challenge to God- “Perform a Miracle. Save
a wretch like me.” What happened after the challenge defied
imagination.<BR> The second play, entitled Merry Christmas Princess,
was written and presented in 2001. It dealt with the story of a
relationship of a father and daughter over thirty nine years. Told over
ten different Christmases, the story went from the father becoming a parent
until he had to relinquish the role to the daughter. The play marked the
debut of Lisa Van Gaasbeek.<BR> The Christmas Gifts is told in six stories
in modern times. The first one, entitled The Letter, relates the story of
a school teacher who has the day to end all days right before the holiday
break. The second one, entitled When the Cheering Stopped, deals with how
remembrance can bring back self worth. The third one, entitled Support Our
Troops, deals with the hard choices as to war and peace. After an
intermission, the players will present the story, entitled Goodbye, as death
becomes part of the holiday. It will be followed by a story entitled Love
Thy Neighbor, which deals with the manner in which people handle anti-Semitism,
hate crimes and apathy. The last story, entitled Punch You in the
Nose, is a love story. The stories are intertwined and the actors play numerous
parts.<BR> Kathy Devus will be playing the woman in Punch You in the Nose,
the head of the PTO in The Letter, and the mother in Goodbye. Abby Yaggi
has plays the Lieutenant in Support Our Troops, the argumentative teacher in The
Letter, the young wife in Punch You in the Nose and the young woman in
Goodbye. Ken Hehmeyer is the school principal in The Letter, the fanatical
football fan in Support Our Troops, the boss in Love Thy Neighbor, the man in
Punch You in the Nose, and the treating physician in Goodbye. Jon Neumann
plays the young man in Support Our Troops, the young school teacher in The
Letter, and the state tested nurse‘s aide in Punch You in the Nose.
<BR>Anita Artzner returns to our stage as the school teacher who has the bad day
in The Letter, the nurse in Goodbye, the ticket agent in Support the Troops, and
the nurse in Punch You in the Nose. She is joined by fellow actor, Drew
Hutchinson, who plays the second worker in Love Thy Neighbor.
<BR> Matt King is cast as the bigot in not only The Letter but also Love
Thy Neighbor. Matt delivers a bravura performance as an anti-semitic
bigot. He also plays the egotistical baseball player in When the Cheering
Stopped. Gary Liknes plays the man in When the Cheering Stopped.
Mike Groom plays a member of the entourage for the egotistical ball player in
When the Cheering Stopped, the apathetic worker in Love Thy Neighbor, and the
surgeon in Goodbye. Steve Long plays the husband of the school teacher in
The Letter and the son in Punch You in the Nose.<BR> Dave Van Gaasbeek
takes a turn on the stage as the father in Goodbye, the older worker in Love Thy
Neighbor, and the janitor in When the Cheering Stopped.<BR> The play will
be performed on December 12-14, 2008 at 7:30 pm at the Canal Fulton Players
Fellowship Hall Theatre, 363 West Cherry Street, Canal Fulton, Ohio and on
December 19-21 at 8:00 pm at the Kathleen Howland Theatre, 324 Cleveland
Ave N, Canton, Ohio . The cost of admission at the Kathleen Howland
Theatre will be $10.00 for adults and $8.00 for seniors (65+) and children under
the age of 12.<BR> For further information call David Van Gaasbeek at
330-494-1022 or 33-854-4387 or Todd at Second April Art Gallery at
330-451-0924.</FONT></STRONG></EM></DIV>
<DIV><STRONG><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=3></FONT></STRONG> </DIV>
<DIV><EM><BR></EM> </DIV></FONT><BR><BR><BR><DIV CLASS="aol_ad_footer" ID="44b483add6085f232784a4f39b61d4c"><FONT style="color: black; font: normal 10pt ARIAL, SAN-SERIF;"><HR style="MARGIN-TOP: 10px">AOL Search: Your one stop for directions, recipes and all other Holiday needs. <a href="http://pr.atwola.com/promoclk/100000075x1212792382x1200798498/aol?redir=http://searchblog.aol.com/2008/11/04/happy-holidays-from-aol-search/?ncid=emlcntussear00000001
">Search Now</a>.</FONT></DIV></BODY></HTML>