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class=MsoNormal align=left><SPAN><FONT face=Arial><FONT size=2><STRONG><FONT
size=3>For Immediate Release</FONT><BR></STRONG>August 24,
2009<BR><BR></FONT></FONT><STRONG><FONT size=2 face=Arial><FONT size=5>Great
Lakes Theater Festival’s Raucous<BR>Fall Repertory Pairs A Solve-It-Yourself
Musical<BR>With A Gender-Bending Comedy</FONT><BR><BR></FONT></STRONG><FONT
face=Arial><FONT size=2><STRONG><FONT size=3><EM>GLTF opens season with Rupert
Holmes’ Tony Award-winning<BR></EM>The Mystery of Edwin Drood <EM>and
Shakespeare’s enchanting</EM> Twelfth Night<EM>.</EM><BR></FONT><BR><EM><FONT
size=3>25% of the seats at every performance are priced at $25 or
less.</FONT></EM></STRONG><BR><BR><BR><STRONG>CLEVELAND, OH (August 24,
2009)</STRONG> - <STRONG>Great Lakes Theater Festival</STRONG> (GLTF) will
commence its 2009-10 season in the company’s revolutionary new home at the Hanna
Theatre, PlayhouseSquare, with a <STRONG>Fall Repertory</STRONG> that features
Rupert Holmes’ Tony Award-winning, audience-interactive musical, <STRONG><EM>The
Mystery of Edwin Drood</EM></STRONG> (<STRONG>Drood</STRONG>), and William
Shakespeare’s enchanting comedy, <STRONG><EM>Twelfth Night</EM></STRONG>. The
productions will be performed in rotating repertory September 24 – November 1,
2009. The Fall Repertory features <STRONG>GLTF’s resident artistic company
of actors</STRONG> performing two alternating plays on the same stage over six
weeks. Veteran Festival artist <STRONG>Victoria Bussert</STRONG> will
direct <STRONG><EM>The Mystery of Edwin Drood</EM></STRONG> and GLTF’s Producing
Artistic Director <STRONG>Charles Fee</STRONG> will direct <STRONG><EM>Twelfth
Night</EM></STRONG>.<BR><BR>Great Lakes Theater Festival’s second season at the
Hanna Theatre is presented with generous support from <STRONG>The Cleveland
Foundation</STRONG> and the <STRONG>Ohio Arts Council</STRONG>. In
addition, Great Lakes Theater Festival is generously funded by the citizens of
Cuyahoga County through <STRONG>Cuyahoga Arts and Culture</STRONG>. The
production sponsor for <STRONG>Twelfth Night</STRONG> is <STRONG>The Reinberger
Foundation</STRONG>. Media sponsors for the Festival’s 48th season are
<EM>Cleveland Scene, The Plain Dealer</EM>, WCLV 104.9 FM, WCPN 90.3 FM
ideastream and WKSU 89.7 FM.<BR><BR>"We are thrilled to be back on <STRONG>the
Hanna Theatre’s revolutionary Parker Hannifin Stage where our second season in
our extraordinary home promises to be every bit as rewarding as our
first</STRONG>,” said GLTF Producing Artistic Director <STRONG>Charles
Fee</STRONG>. “Our Fall Repertory productions and our Hanna Theatre
performance space work together to provide a theatrical experience unlike any
other in the region. With our exuberant season-opener <STRONG><EM>The
Mystery of Edwin Drood</EM></STRONG>, we’re able to highlight the exceptional
storytelling ability of our artists - aided immensely by the Hanna’s intimate
setting. With <STRONG><EM>Drood</EM></STRONG> we’ll even <STRONG>invite
our audiences to participate first-hand in the event by empowering them to vote
on and select the musical’s ending</STRONG>. And our production of
<STRONG><EM>Twelfth Night</EM></STRONG> offers patrons the extraordinary
opportunity to experience Shakespeare’s classic as it was originally intended –
on a thrust stage that breaks the limitations of the proscenium and brings all
of the energy of the performance out into the house - a venue that is
technologically unparalleled in the region."<BR><BR><STRONG>GLTF’s Fall
Repertory commences with Rupert Holmes’ audience interactive, Tony Award-winning
musical, <EM>The Mystery of Edwin Drood</EM>.</STRONG> Who’s
responsible for the mysterious disappearance of Edwin Drood? <STRONG>The
audience decides!</STRONG> Join the Music Hall Royale, a hilariously loony
Victorian musical troupe, as they present their outrageous rendition of Charles
Dickens’ final unfinished novel. When the dashing Edwin Drood disappears
during one stormy Christmas Eve, murder is alleged and everyone is a
suspect. <STRONG>The fate of the characters hangs in the balance until an
audience vote determines the guilty party and the ending!</STRONG> A
<STRONG>winner of five Tony Awards</STRONG>, including <STRONG><EM>Best
Musical</EM></STRONG>, <STRONG><EM>The Mystery of Edwin Drood</EM></STRONG> is a
joyful, whodunit romp that will keep audiences on the edge of their seat.
<EM>(The original Broadway production of </EM>The Mystery of Edwin Drood<EM> was
produced by the New York Shakespeare Festival, Joseph Papp,
Producer.)</EM><BR><BR><STRONG>William Shakespeare’s <EM>Twelfth Night</EM>
completes the Festival’s season-opening Fall Repertory.</STRONG> After a
shipwreck on an unfriendly shore and the loss of her twin brother Sebastian,
young Viola must pose as a man to survive. Shakespeare’s sophisticated
comedy of gender-bending mistaken identity is full of passionate longing and
bittersweet romance. <EM>Twelfth Night</EM> is an irresistible and
poignant comedy that is one of the Bard’s most luminous
plays.<BR><BR><STRONG>GLTF’s 2009 Fall Repertory directing corps is comprised of
familiar Festival faces. Charles Fee</STRONG>, GLTF’s Producing Artistic
Director, will stage William Shakespeare’s <STRONG><EM>Twelfth
Night</EM></STRONG>. Fee’s acclaimed productions of <EM>The Comedy of
Errors</EM> (2009), <EM>Macbeth</EM> (2008), <EM>Hay Fever</EM> (2007), <EM>The
Importance of Being Earnest</EM> (2005), <EM>The Complete Works of William
Shakespeare (Abridged)</EM> (2004), <EM>Hamlet</EM> (2003), and <EM>A Midsummer
Night’s Dream</EM> (2003) have led to an artistic and financial renaissance for
Great Lakes Theater Festival. <STRONG>Victoria Bussert</STRONG> will
complete the Festival’s Fall Repertory directing duo when she helms Rupert
Holmes’ <STRONG><EM>The Mystery of Edwin Drood</EM></STRONG>. A Festival
veteran, Bussert will celebrate her 23rd year at Great Lakes Theater Festival
this season. Her work was last seen by Festival audiences in 2008 when she
directed <EM>Into the Woods</EM> and staged <EM>A Christmas Carol</EM>.
Over the past two decades, she has directed a host of memorable productions
including <EM>A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, Private Lives,
Anything Goes, Gypsy, A Little Night Music, She Loves Me, The Most Happy Fella,
Rough Crossing, Blithe Spirit, La Ronde, The School For Wives, Noel and Gertie,
The Threepenny Opera</EM>, and <EM>Lady Day at Emerson’s Bar and
Grill</EM>.<BR><BR><STRONG>Great Lakes Theater Festival will offer a new pricing
structure this fall designed to increase accessibility for its
audiences</STRONG>. As part of the program, <STRONG>25% of the
seats</STRONG> at every GLTF Hanna Theatre performance <STRONG>are priced at $25
or less</STRONG>. Furthermore, <STRONG>adult tickets for every performance
always begin at $15</STRONG> and all <STRONG>student tickets are $11</STRONG> -
making the Great Lakes Theater Festival experience one of the most affordable
entertainment options in the region. “It is absolutely vital to the
mission and long-term health of our organization that we create affordable
opportunities for every person in our region to experience live theater,” said
GLTF Producing Artistic Director Charles Fee.<BR><BR><STRONG>Great Lakes Theater
Festival’s award-winning home at the Hanna Theatre features a visionary “Great
Room” inspired design concept</STRONG> that integrates the artist and audience
experience into a single unified environment. Hanna patrons select from a
variety of seating opportunities including traditional theater seats, club
chairs, lounge/bar seats, banquette couches and private box seating.
Boasting a<STRONG> fully flexible hydraulic thrust stage</STRONG>, a complete
array of <STRONG>state-of-the-art theatrical systems</STRONG> and an
<STRONG>intimate 550-seat house</STRONG> arranged in a thrust configuration, the
Hanna is <STRONG>one of the most innovative theaters in the
country</STRONG>.<BR> <BR><STRONG>Great Lakes Theater Festival will
continue to afford patrons extraordinary access to the artistic process in
2009-10.</STRONG> The Hanna always <STRONG>opens its doors ninety minutes
before each performance</STRONG> allowing <STRONG>patrons to observe the
complete pre-show preparation process</STRONG> of GLTF’s actors and technical
staff. Elements traditionally hidden from audiences such as stage combat
rehearsals, dance calls, prop/scenic pre-sets, technical cue rehearsals and
actor warm-ups will be conducted in full view of patrons, offering GLTF
audiences an amazing glimpse into the theatrical process.<BR><BR><STRONG>The
Festival will also continue its unique series of social enhancement programming
this season at the Hanna</STRONG>. The programming, organized by day of
week, is designed to augment the patron experience and highlight the Hanna’s new
amenities.<BR><BR><EM><STRONG>*</STRONG>
<STRONG>“Salon Thursdays”</STRONG></EM> will feature an engaging
<STRONG>pre-show discussion/presentation</STRONG> beginning one hour before
curtain with a Festival artist or local scholar. (Offered: Oct. 15,
22, 29)<BR><BR><EM><STRONG>*</STRONG>
<STRONG>“Happy Hour Fridays”</STRONG></EM> afford patrons the ability to avoid
the commute home from work and back to the theater in time for the show.
On “Happy Hour Fridays,” audience members are invited to <STRONG>meet at the
Hanna’s bar and lounge immediately after work to enjoy a fine assortment of
savory hors d’ oeuvres</STRONG> and a <STRONG>complete range of
beverages</STRONG> for sale beginning ninety minutes before every
performance. (Offered: Oct. 2, 16, 23,
30)<BR><BR><EM><STRONG>*</STRONG>
<STRONG>“Night Cap Night Saturdays”</STRONG></EM> are designed to
<STRONG>encourage audience members to stay after the performance</STRONG>
<STRONG>and mingle with friends and family in the Hanna’s bar and
lounge</STRONG>. The Hanna’s bar and lounge is open until ninety minutes
after the performance on “Night Cap Saturdays. (Offered: Oct. 3, 17,
24,
31)<BR> <BR><EM><STRONG>*</STRONG>
<STRONG>“Ice Cream Social Sundays”</STRONG></EM> offer patrons the opportunity
to enjoy a London theatre tradition brought state-side with family and
friends. Audience members are invited to <STRONG>purchase a cool personal
ice cream treat before the show or at intermission</STRONG>. Ice cream
will be offered at every performance in GLTF’s Fall Repertory, but on “Ice Cream
Social Sundays,” the treat is half price. (Offered: Oct. 4, 11, 18,
25 & Nov. 1)<BR><BR><STRONG>Opening Night performances of <EM>The Mystery of
Edwin Drood</EM> (September 26th) and <EM>Twelfth Night (</EM>October
10th)</STRONG> have been scheduled for <STRONG>Saturday</STRONG> evenings with
preview performances of both productions scheduled for the preceding Thursday
and Friday nights. <STRONG>The Friday previews of <EM>Drood</EM> (September
25th) and <EM>Twelfth Night</EM> (October 9th) have been designated as “Press
Previews” – public performances that will also accommodate theater critics and
other media representatives</STRONG>. These nights also feature a
half-hour <STRONG>pre-show discussion with the director</STRONG> beginning at
6:30 p.m. 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. Both productions in GLTF’s Fall Repertory will
continue to <STRONG>offer sign-interpreted and audio-described
performances</STRONG> as well as the popular <STRONG>Playnotes</STRONG>
<STRONG>pre-show discussion series</STRONG>. (Visit </FONT></FONT><A
href="blocked::blocked::blocked::http://www.greatlakestheater.org/calendar/"><FONT
size=2 face=Arial>www.greatlakestheater.org/calendar/</FONT></A><FONT size=2
face=Arial> for complete performance calendars.<BR><BR><STRONG>Single
performance tickets for Great Lakes Theater Festival productions range in price
from $15-$69 (Student tickets are $11 – any performance / any seat)</STRONG> and
are available by calling (216) 241-6000, by ordering online </FONT><A
href="http://www.greatlakestheater.org/tickets/"><FONT size=2
face=Arial>www.greatlakestheater.org/tickets/</FONT></A><FONT size=2><FONT
face=Arial><SPAN class=180471823-24082009></SPAN> or by visiting the
PlayhouseSquare Ticket Office. <STRONG>Groups of ten or more receive
discounts of up to 38%</STRONG> by calling the Great Lakes Theater Festival
Group Sales Department at (216) 241-5490 x302. (Additional handling fees
may apply and may vary depending on point of purchase.)<BR><BR>Since 1962, Great
Lakes Theater Festival, through its main stage productions and its education
programs, has brought the pleasure, power and relevance of classic theater to
the widest possible audience. The first resident company of PlayhouseSquare,
Festival programming reaches 85,000 adults and students annually.</FONT><FONT
face=Arial> </FONT></FONT>
<P><FONT size=2
face=Arial>#
# #</FONT></P>
<P><FONT face=Arial><FONT size=2><STRONG>Media Contact:</STRONG><BR>Todd
Krispinsky<BR>Marketing and Public Relations Director<BR>Great Lakes Theater
Festival<BR>1501 Euclid Avenue, Suite 300<BR>Cleveland, Ohio
44115<BR>(216) 241-5490 x317 / (216) 241-6315 Fax<BR></FONT></FONT><A
href="http://www.greatlakestheater.org"><FONT size=2
face=Arial>www.greatlakestheater.org</FONT></A></SPAN></P></DIV></DIV></DIV></BODY></HTML>