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<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-ALIGN: center"
align=center><FONT size=3><B style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><I
style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal"><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'">Lady</SPAN></I></B><B
style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'"> answers question you may not be
asking<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office"
/><o:p></o:p></SPAN></B></FONT></P>
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align=center><B style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'"><o:p><FONT
size=3> </FONT></o:p></SPAN></B></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-ALIGN: center"
align=center><SPAN
style="COLOR: #1f497d; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'"><FONT size=3>Bob
Abelman<o:p></o:p></FONT></SPAN></P>
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align=center><I style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal"><SPAN
style="COLOR: #1f497d; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'"><FONT
size=3>News-Herald, Chagrin Valley Times, Solon Times, Geauga Times
Courier<o:p></o:p></FONT></SPAN></I></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-ALIGN: center"
align=center><SPAN
style="COLOR: #1f497d; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'"><FONT size=3>Member,
International Association of Theatre Critics <o:p></o:p></FONT></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-ALIGN: center"
align=center><I style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal"><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'"><o:p><FONT
size=3> </FONT></o:p></SPAN></I></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-ALIGN: center"
align=center><SPAN
style="COLOR: #1f497d; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'"><FONT size=3>This
review appeared in the <I style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">News-Herald
</I>4/10/09</FONT></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p><FONT face=Calibri
size=3> </FONT></o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'"><FONT size=3>Dear Ann
Landers:<o:p></o:p></FONT></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'"><o:p><FONT
size=3> </FONT></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'"><FONT size=3>I live in a big city that
has plenty of live theater, and I try to be open to it all.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>But I’m afraid I really didn’t get into
<I style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">The Lady With All the Answers</I>, the
one-woman show about your life, which is currently running at the Cleveland Play
House.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Sure, renowned actress Mimi
Kennedy is wonderful as you—personable, believable and very talented.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>But, quite frankly, I never read your
self-help column in the newspaper when you were alive and I never felt the need
to know more about your life.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>I
still don’t.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>One-woman shows based
on real people tend to be really<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</SPAN>wordy, void of action and dramatic tension, and feel obligated to squeeze
as many historical facts into the story as possible. This is David Rambo’s
script to the letter.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Heck, with a
name like Rambo and having written and produced the TV crime show “CSI,” you’d
think he’d put a bit more excitement on the stage.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Am I missing something?<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>I wanted to like this show, I really
did.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Are my expectations too
high?<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Am I the problem?<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Signed, Not a Fan I
am<o:p></o:p></FONT></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'"><o:p><FONT
size=3> </FONT></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'"><FONT size=3>p.s.:<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>The set that serves as your Chicago
apartment is great.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Scenic designer
Tom Burch earned his paycheck.<o:p></o:p></FONT></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'"><o:p><FONT
size=3> </FONT></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'"><FONT size=3>Dear Not a
Fan:<o:p></o:p></FONT></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'"><o:p><FONT
size=3> </FONT></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'"><FONT size=3>So you think the play is
two pickles shy of a turkey sandwich.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</SPAN>At least you are honest.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</SPAN>Still, not all theater has to deliver a big bang for your buck.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>As I’ve often said in my advice column,
bigger is not always better.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</SPAN>Sometimes the little things are just as rewarding.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Doesn’t the way the actress directly
addresses audience members, as if they are the writers of the letters I receive,
create a wonderful intimacy?<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</SPAN>Doesn’t her reading of some of these letters aloud, which is an
interesting narrative device if I say so myself, make you a bit curious about
how they were answered and about the woman with the answers? <SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>If that is not enough to twirl your
turban, don’t you at least like how each of the two acts is only 40 minutes
long?<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>No, you are not the problem,
because you are not the target audience.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</SPAN>My syndicated column reached 60 million readers.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>This show is for them.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Continue to love live theater.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>And love yourself for doing so.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Sincerely, Ann
Landers.<o:p></o:p></FONT></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'"><o:p><FONT
size=3> </FONT></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="BACKGROUND: white; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT
size=3><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">The
Lady With All the Answers<I style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal"> continues
through April 19 in The Cleveland Play House’s Bolton Theatre.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>For tickets, which range from $42 to $64
($10 students), call </I></SPAN><I style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal"><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'">216-795-7000 or visit
</SPAN></I></FONT><A href=""><I style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal"><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'"><FONT color=#002bb8
size=3>www.clevelandplayhouse.com</FONT></SPAN></I></A><I
style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal"><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'"><FONT
size=3>.<o:p></o:p></FONT></SPAN></I></P></FONT></DIV></BODY></HTML>