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<P style="TEXT-ALIGN: right" align=right><SPAN style="COLOR: black">FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE </SPAN></P>
<P style="TEXT-ALIGN: right" align=right><SPAN style="COLOR: black">Contact: Christine McBurney</SPAN></P>
<P style="TEXT-ALIGN: right" align=right><SPAN style="COLOR: black">216-295-4258</SPAN></P>
<P style="TEXT-ALIGN: right" align=right><SPAN style="COLOR: black">24 Hour Box Office: 216-295-4287</SPAN></P>
<P style="TEXT-ALIGN: center" align=center><B><SPAN style="COLOR: black">Shaker Theatre presents New Stages 27: Festival of New Plays, Written, Directed, Produced & Performed by Students</SPAN></B></P>
<P><SPAN style="COLOR: black">The Theatre Arts Department of Shaker Heights High School presents the twenty-seventh festival of new plays, written, directed, produced, and performed by students: <B>New Stages 27: Shaker Playwrights and Directors New Plays Series</B>, March 18 and 19 at 8 PM and March 20 and 21 at 7 & 9:15 PM, Shaker Theatre’s intimate black box theatre, Stage 3. Seven one-act plays will be presented as part of a full season of theatrical events, which began with <I>Ragtime: The Musical </I>in December and concludes with the Spring Ensemble Show in May.</SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN style="COLOR: black">The plays are: <I>Baby Business</I> by senior Nathanie Yaskey, directed by senior Tempest Charles; <I>Bleeding Jade</I> by senior Amanda Grimes, directed by junior Catie DiVincenzo; <I>Canceled Out</I> by sophomore Hannah Carlson, directed by junior Lindsey Gander; <I>Half Past Sunshine </I>by senior Anique Thomas, directed by senior Caitlin O’Connor; <I>Miss Middles Meets Her Maker </I>by senior Emily Jennings, directed by senior Melissa Freilich; <I>Music in a Box</I> by senior Nick Hahn, directed by senior Chris Mok; and <I>Perspectives</I> by juniors Danny Green-Havas and Rob Gleisser, directed by junior David Wemer.</SPAN></P>
<P><I><SPAN style="COLOR: black">New Stages</SPAN></I><SPAN style="COLOR: black">, now in its twenty-seventh continuous year, was begun by retired Shaker Theatre Arts Department founder, James Thornton, in 1983. Having developed it out of a playwriting class, Thornton considered <I>New Stages</I> to be "the most significant thing we do as a theatre program. The fall show is flashier and on a larger scale. The Spring Ensemble Show provides our most polished and sophisticated performances.” Department Chair, Christine McBurney adds that "<I>New Stages</I> provides an excitement and a guided learning experience for students that is unparalleled. Students work closely together, learning how to problem solve, collaborate effectively, and think creatively." Thornton also says, "across the line, if you ask Shaker Theatre alumni what their most memorable moments were, they will most likely recall those moments shared in <I>New Stages</I>. To my knowledge, no other high school in the country has a new play series of this design."</SPAN></P>
<P><SPAN style="COLOR: black">This year’s <I>New Stages</I> provides working and learning opportunities for over 75 students. Over 27 years, the series has involved more than a thousand students in the creation of new works for the theatre. Among Shaker Theatre alums are:</SPAN></P>
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<LI class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; COLOR: black">Carter Bays ’93, five-time Emmy-nominated writer for <I>Late Night with David Letterman. </I>Bays is also a writer and producer for <I>American Dad</I> and <I>How I Met Your Mother</I>
<LI class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; COLOR: black">Jamie Babbit, ’89, writer/director of the film, <I>But I’m a Cheerleader, The Quiet, </I>and <I>Itty Bitty…Committee</I>
<LI class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; COLOR: black">David Wain, ’87, writer/director of the film, <I>Wet Hot American Summer</I> and <I>The Ten</I>
<LI class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; COLOR: black">Michelle Federer, ’91, New York stage actress, the original Nessarose in Broadway’s <I>Wicked</I> and who recently appeared Off Broadway in <I>Anon</I>, and in the film <I>Flannel Pajamas</I>
<LI class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; COLOR: black">Michael McElroy, ’84, New York Tony nominated stage actor, <I>Big River</I>, <I>Rent, Miss Saigon</I>, <I>Angels in America</I>, currently appearing in the new Terrance McNally play, <I>Some Men</I>
<LI class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; COLOR: black">Gabrielle Perrin, ’87, former casting director for all West Coast operations for the television channel, <I>Nickelodeon</I>
<LI class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; COLOR: black">Betsy Hogg, ’06, recently appeared Off Broadway in <I>The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie</I> with Cynthia Nixon and on Broadway in <I>The Crucible</I> with Liam Neeson and Laura Linney and <I>Fiddler on the Roof</I> with Harvey Fierstein
<LI class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; COLOR: black">Sara Knowlton, ’87, television, film and New York stage actress
<LI class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; COLOR: black"><SPAN style="COLOR: windowtext">Jennifer Cohen, namesake of the annual Shaker Foundation Award, Owner and </SPAN>President of The Annoyance Theatre Company, Chicago
<LI class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; COLOR: black">The late Louis Schechter, ’83, Los Angeles film producer and director
<LI class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; COLOR: black">Laura Jacqmin, <SPAN style="COLOR: #333333">recipient of the second annual Wasserstein Prize, established in memory of the esteemed playwright Wendy Wasserstein, who died in 2006. The $25,000 prize is awarded for an outstanding script by a young woman who has not yet received national attention. </SPAN>
<LI class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; COLOR: black">and many others…</LI></UL>
<P style="MARGIN-LEFT: 0.5in"><SPAN style="COLOR: black">Every new Broadway season for the past sixteen years has included one or more Shaker Theatre alum in major New York productions. In addition, Shaker Theatre alums hold positions in every area of professional theatre and the entertainment industry.</SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN-LEFT: 0.5in"><SPAN style="COLOR: black">Stage 3—Shaker Heights High School’s intimate black box theatre—was the vision of student Amy Silberman, ’81.<SPAN> </SPAN>For her Senior Project, she drew a design for a black box theatre and identified the space in the basement of the school.<SPAN> </SPAN>Amy was the catalyst for turning the former fallout shelter into a performing space. Stage 3, dedicated in her memory, is the perfect venue for <I>New Stages</I>, seating only 86 people and usually selling out every performance. </SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN-LEFT: 0.5in"><SPAN style="COLOR: black">The award-winning Theatre Arts Department at Shaker High offers 7 daily theatre classes, produces 4 major productions and 5 showcases, and involves nearly 300 students each year. The program hosts numerous on-going guest artists, including, for the past two years, residencies with Matt Thornton, ’92, of the Pilobolus Dance Theatre; Geoff Bullen,</SPAN><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 18pt; COLOR: black"> </SPAN><SPAN style="COLOR: black">Assistant Director at London’s Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA); Seth Gordon, Associate Artistic Director at the Cleveland Play House; and regional theatre actress Diedriu Ring. Faculty include: Theatre Arts Department Chair Christine McBurney, who teaches Playwriting, Acting, Jr. Ensemble, and Shakescenes; Erik Johnson, who teaches Junior, Advanced and Senior Ensembles, Theatre I, and Theatre Production Seminar; Chuck Tisdale, Auditorium Manager and Technical Director; and Joel Rathbone, Stage Manager. </SPAN></P>
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<DIV><FONT face=Verdana size=2>Christine McBurney</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Verdana size=2>Theatre Arts Department Chair </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Verdana size=2>Shaker Heights High School </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Verdana size=2>15911 Aldersyde Dr. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Verdana size=2>Shaker Heights, OH 44120 </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Verdana size=2>216.295.4258 </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Verdana><FONT size=2>216.295.4277 fax</FONT> </FONT></DIV>
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<DIV><PRE></PRE></DIV>
<DIV align=center><FONT face=Verdana><FONT face="Courier New"><FONT size=2><FONT color=#ff0000>New Stages 27</FONT> </FONT></FONT></FONT></DIV>
<DIV align=center><FONT face="Courier New"><FONT size=2><FONT color=#ff0000>Shaker Playwrights & Directors </FONT></FONT></FONT></DIV>
<DIV align=center><FONT face="Courier New"><FONT size=2><FONT color=#ff0000>New Plays Series</FONT> </FONT></FONT></DIV>
<DIV align=center><FONT face="Courier New" size=2>March 18-21</FONT></DIV>
<DIV align=center><FONT face="Courier New" size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV align=center><FONT face="Courier New" size=2>Box Office 295.4287</FONT></DIV>
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