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<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><B><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 13pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-VARIANT: small-caps">For
Immediate Release<BR></SPAN></B><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">November 12, 2008<?xml:namespace
prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office"
/><o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in -0.5in 0pt 0in"><SPAN><o:p><FONT
size=3> <BR></FONT></o:p><STRONG><FONT size=6>Great Lakes Theater
Festival’s<BR>Production of </FONT></STRONG><STRONG><FONT size=6><I
style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">A Christmas Carol<BR></I>Celebrates
20<SUP>th</SUP> Anniversary<BR></FONT></STRONG></SPAN><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><STRONG>A new Ebenezer Scrooge and a
reunion of <I style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">A Christmas Carol</I>’s
original artistic team headline this season’s
production.<o:p></o:p></STRONG></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p><FONT face="Times New Roman"
size=3> </FONT></o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal
style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0.5in; LINE-HEIGHT: 200%"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 200%; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold">CLEVELAND,
OH -<B> </B>The stage of the<B> Ohio Theatre, PlayhouseSquare </B>will glow with
good spirits and time-honored tradition when <B>Great Lakes Theater Festival
(GLTF) presents its twentieth anniversary production of Charles Dickens' <I>A
Christmas Carol</I>,</B></SPAN><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 200%; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt">
running <B style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal">November 28 through December 23,
2008<I>.</I></B><I><SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN></I>The
production has delighted more than 500,000 people in its history, making it one
of <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns =
"urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" /><st1:place w:st="on">Northeast
Ohio</st1:place>’s most-loved and best-attended holiday events.
<BR><o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal
style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0.5in; LINE-HEIGHT: 200%"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 200%; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt">Great
Lakes Theater Festival’s forty-seventh season is sponsored by <st1:City
w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">National City</st1:place></st1:City> with
additional generous support from The Cleveland Foundation, Cuyahoga Arts and
Culture, the Ohio Arts Council and SCK.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</SPAN><I style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">A Christmas Carol</I>’s media
sponsor is <B>Soft Rock 102.1 F.M. WDOK.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</SPAN>GLTF’s Season Media Sponsors </B></SPAN><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 200%; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">are Cleveland
Scene, Cleveland Magazine, The Plain Dealer, WCLV 104.9 F.M., WCPN 90.3 F.M.
ideastream and </SPAN><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 200%; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold">WKSU
89.7 F.M.<BR></SPAN><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 200%; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt"><o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal
style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0.5in; LINE-HEIGHT: 200%"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 200%; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold">Director
Victoria Bussert will stage former artistic director Gerald Freedman’s
heartwarming adaptation of this classic tale.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN></SPAN><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 200%; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt">GLTF’s
production features a multi-generational cast of twenty-five actors, singers and
dancers.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN><B
style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal">New this season,</B> the company will be
led by longtime Festival company member <B>Aled Davies</B> <B
style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal">in</B> <B
style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal">the role of miserly Ebenezer
Scrooge</B>.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Aled i<SPAN
class=988570223-11112008>s </SPAN></SPAN><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 200%; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt">only
the fourth actor to assume the role of Scrooge in the production’s twenty-year
history.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">
<BR></SPAN><o:p></o:p></SPAN></P></DIV>
<P class=MsoNormal
style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0.5in; LINE-HEIGHT: 200%"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 200%; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold"><STRONG>In
celebration of <I style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">A Christmas Carol’s</I>
twentieth anniversary, the Festival will reunite many members of the
production’s original creative team including Gerald Freedman</STRONG>, who
originally adapted and directed the inaugural production twenty years ago. <SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Freedman will collaborate with his
long-time artistic partner Victoria Bussert on the staging of this season’s
production. Joining Freedman and Bussert will be Mary Jo Dondlinger, the
production’s original lighting designer, and David Shimotakahara, <I
style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">A Christmas Carol</I>’s original
choreographer.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">
<BR></SPAN><o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal
style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0.5in; LINE-HEIGHT: 200%"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 200%; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt">GLTF
Producing Artistic Director <B>Charles Fee</B> remarked, “<SPAN
style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold">With this much talent in the room, this
year’s <I style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">A Christmas Carol</I> promises to
be as fresh as ever, and filled with the spirit of the season!<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN></SPAN>The combination of Gerald
Freedman’s </SPAN><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 200%; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt">inspired
and moving </SPAN><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 200%; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt">adaptation,
Victoria Bussert’s dynamic gifts as a director, our remarkable </SPAN><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 200%; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt">design
team and our talented </SPAN><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 200%; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt">cast
are sure to delight audiences, whether they’re attending for the first time or
returning to experience this holiday tradition again with friends and family.”
<BR><o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal
style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0.5in; LINE-HEIGHT: 200%"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 200%; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold">“It’s
exciting for us as a company of artists to revisit this great classic story on
the occasion of its twentieth anniversary, and the opportunity to collaborate
once again with Gerald Freedman is absolutely wonderful,” said <B>Victoria
Bussert</B>, who will stage the twentieth anniversary production.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>“We are blessed with an immensely
talented cast and a wonderful adaptation that we simply can’t wait to
share.”<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">
<BR></SPAN><o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal
style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0.5in; LINE-HEIGHT: 200%"><B
style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 200%; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt">Freedman's
adaptation of <I>A Christmas Carol</I> is presented as a story within a
story.</SPAN></B><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 200%; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt">
The fictitious Cleaveland family gathers in its Victorian-era parlor on
Christmas Eve to read Mr. Dickens' book. As Mrs. Cleaveland reads the story to
her family, her youngest child, Master William, reimagines familiar faces as
characters in the story: the Cleaveland’s crotchety manservant becomes Scrooge;
Father becomes Bob Cratchit; Mother becomes Belle, and the Cleaveland children
become the Cratchits, with Master William becoming the beloved Tiny Tim. <B
style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal">In all, more than 60 Dickens characters are
brought to life on stage.</B> <STRONG><BR></STRONG><o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal
style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0.5in; LINE-HEIGHT: 200%"><B
style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 200%; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt">The
Festival’s production incorporates theatrical special effects</SPAN></B><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 200%; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt">
to retain a strong sense of the supernatural, <B
style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal">emphasizing the novel's origins in folk
tales and myth</B>. Designers for the GLTF production blend exceptional
stagecraft with dramatic effects that evoke the magical and mysterious aspects
of a classic ghost story. <BR><o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal
style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0.5in; LINE-HEIGHT: 200%"><B><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 200%; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt">Great
Lakes Theater Festival’s twentieth anniversary production of <I>A Christmas
Carol</I> commences </SPAN></B><B style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 200%; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt">on
Friday, November 28<SUP>th</SUP> at 7:30 p.m. <SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN></SPAN></B><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 200%; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">Curtain times for
all evening performances will remain at 7:30 p.m., with a 1:30 p.m. curtain time
for Saturday matinees and a 3:00 p.m. curtain time for Sunday
matinees.</SPAN><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 200%; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt"><SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>An audio-described performance is
scheduled for Sunday, November 30<SUP>th</SUP> at 3:00 p.m.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>A sign-interpreted performance is
scheduled for Sunday, December 7<SUP>th</SUP> at 3:00 p.m.
<BR><o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal
style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0.5in; LINE-HEIGHT: 200%"><B
style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 200%; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">Single tickets
for Great Lakes Theater Festival’s production of <I
style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">A Christmas Carol</I> range in price from
$28-$59 (Student tickets $28 – any performance / any seat)</SPAN></B><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 200%; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"> and are
available by calling <B style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal">(216) 241-6000</B>,
by ordering <A
href="blocked::BLOCKED::http://www.greatlakestheater.org/tickets/">online</A> at
<B style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><A
href="blocked::BLOCKED::http://www.greatlakestheater.org/">www.greatlakestheater.org</A></B>
or by visiting the PlayhouseSquare Ticket Office. <B
style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal">Groups of ten or more receive discounts and
should call (216) 664-6050 x1 to make
reservations.<BR></B><o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal
style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0.5in; LINE-HEIGHT: 200%"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 200%; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">Since 1962, Great
Lakes Theater Festival has brought the pleasure, power and relevance of classic
theater to the widest possible audience in <st1:place w:st="on">Northern
Ohio</st1:place>. The first resident company of PlayhouseSquare, Great Lakes
Theater Festival has called the Theatre District home since
1982.<BR><o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt">#<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>#<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>#<BR><o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT size=3><B><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-VARIANT: small-caps">For More
Information:</SPAN></B><B style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><o:p></o:p></SPAN></B></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><st1:PersonName w:st="on"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt">Todd
Krispinsky</SPAN></st1:PersonName><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt"><o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt">Marketing
and Public Relations Director<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt">(216)
241-5490 x317<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt"><A
href="blocked::BLOCKED::mailto:tkrispinsky@greatlakestheater.org">tkrispinsky@greatlakestheater.org</A><o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt"><A
href="blocked::BLOCKED::http://www.greatlakestheater.org/">www.greatlakestheater.org</A><o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
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style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></P>
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