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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><i><u>News Release<o:p></o:p></u></i></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial Italic"">First
Grace United Church of Christ<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial Italic"">Contact:
JT Buck 330-212-6709<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><span style="font-size:20.0pt"><b>Provocative ‘Godspell’ Set for June Run at West
Akron Church<o:p></o:p></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial">Akron, Ohio – April 29<sup>th</sup>,
2009<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in"><span style="font-family:Arial">“This
is a <i>Godspell</i></span><span style="font-family:Arial"> designed to stir
things up,” says JT Buck, Arts Director at First Grace United Church of Christ
in Akron.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The church’s
staging of the classic musical will run June 5<sup>th</sup> through the 14<sup>th</sup>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in"><span style="font-family:Arial">The
West Akron church has been producing small-scale dramas for three years.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>It’s time, Buck feels, for First Grace
to ‘come out of the closet’, artistically speaking.<span style="mso-spacerun:
yes"> </span>He hopes a raw, contemporary version of this often-produced
theatrical mainstay will do just that. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in"><span style="font-family:Arial">Theatre
goers can expect the same music and story that has made the show an enduring
hit but will also be asked to wrestle with a broad range of ideas, including
sexuality, poverty, and even the controversial torture technique of water
boarding.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial"><b><u>About the <i>Godspell</i></u></b></span><span style="font-family:Arial"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in"><span style="font-family:Arial"><i>Godspell</i></span><span style="font-family:Arial">, a musical based on the Gospel of Matthew, features
songs penned by <i>Wicked </i></span><span style="font-family:Arial">composer
Stephen Schwartz and a book by the late John-Michael Tebalak. It originally
opened off-off-Broadway in 1970.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</span>Since then, the show has become a staple of church, community, and
professional theatre companies.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in"><span style="font-family:Arial"><i>Godspell
</i></span><span style="font-family:Arial">has a freewheeling structure allows
each production to be visually reconceived. In style and tone,<i> Godspell</i></span><span style="font-family:Arial"> is often identified with the clowns, bright colors
and a kind of innocent, flower power aesthetic held over from the original
production. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial"><b><u>So what makes this
production unique?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span></u></b></span><span style="font-family:Arial"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in"><span style="font-family:Arial">In
late March, Buck gathered a cast of eleven actors who reflect the church’s
diverse neighborhood.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>He worked
with them to retrace the steps of the show’s original creative process.
Beginning with improvisations based on Bible verses, the cast is working to
develop their own fresh rendering of each component of the musical.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Along the way, cultural references have
been updated and unconventional staging techniques have been employed. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial">“And that’s just the
surface-level stuff,” according to Buck. “The real transformation is in the
message. These perilous times have brought a sadder but wiser quality to our
staging.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The humor is still there,
but it’s a haunted humor.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>This is
not only a celebration of love, but a defiant demand for love in the midst a
culture edging closer to the brink.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial">“<i>Godspell </i></span><span style="font-family:Arial">only works when it’s both true to the author’s
intent, and true to the times.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</span>There’s a lot of terror out there.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</span>But you have to confront it with hope.” <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial"><b><u>About First Grace Arts<o:p></o:p></u></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial">Operating on a model of
‘community-through-performance’, First Grace Arts uses live performance of
music, dance and drama as a vehicle for building community among participants
and spectators.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Offerings usually
include two or three live theatre events, as well as concerts and other live
performances on an ongoing basis throughout the year. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial">First Grace Arts also
insists on removing barriers to the arts, holding performances in fully
accessible facilities and never allowing the cost of a ticket to prohibit a
spectator from attending a performance.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><u>Production Details <o:p></o:p></u></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><span style="font-family:"Arial Italic"">First Grace Arts will present <u>Godspell</u>
for two weekends, June 5<sup>th</sup> through the 14<sup>th</sup>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Performance times will be Friday,
Saturday and Sunday at 8pm BOTH weekends.<span style="mso-spacerun:
yes"> </span>We are located at 350 S. Portage Path, at the
intersection with W. Exchange St.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</span>Parking is free, and shared with the Akron Woman’s City Club and Coach
House Theatre. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><span style="font-family:"Arial Italic""> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><span style="font-family:"Arial Italic"">General Admission is $10.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>“Buy One, Get One Free” tickets are
available to all students, seniors and groups of 10 or more.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><span style="font-family:"Arial Italic""> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><span style="font-family:"Arial Italic"">To make a reservation online visit: <a href="http://godspellakron.eventbrite.com">http://godspellakron.eventbrite.com</a><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><span style="font-family:"Arial Italic"">Or call 330-212-6709.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><span style="font-family:"Arial Italic""> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center">For more information,
visit <a href="http://www.firstgraceucc.org">www.firstgraceucc.org</a><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i>Godspell</i><span style="font-style:normal"> is presented
by Special Agreement with Music Theatre International, Inc. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<br>JT Buck
Arts Director
First Grace United Church of Christ
350 S. Portage Path
Akron, OH 44320
Office: 330-762-8469
Cel: 330-212-6709
jtbuck@ameritech.net
www.firstgraceucc.org<br><br><br /><hr />Rediscover Hotmail®: Get quick friend updates right in your inbox. <a href='http://windowslive.com/RediscoverHotmail?ocid=TXT_TAGLM_WL_HM_Rediscover_Updates2_042009' target='_new'>Check it out.</a></body>
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