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<div class=Section1>
<p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>NEWS
RELEASE<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>CONTACT:
</span></b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>Missy
S. Toms, 216.521.2540 x22 or mtoms@beckcenter.org<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>FOR
IMMEDIATE RELEASE:</span></b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>
January 12, 2010<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoBodyText align=center style='text-align:center'><b><i><span
style='font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'>Is He Dead?<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></p>
<p class=MsoBodyText align=center style='text-align:center'><b><span
style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'>“New” Mark Twain
Comedy Premieres at Beck Center for the Arts<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class=MsoBodyText><span style='font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify'><b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>Lakewood, OH—</span></b><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>What happens when a
group of poor artists stage the death of a friend to drive up the price of his
paintings? A fake funeral, cross-dressing, and lovers' deceptions, to name a
few. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>Beck Center for the Arts presents the
Cleveland premiere of the Mark Twain comedy, <i>Is He Dead?</i>, on the Mackey
Main Stage, <b>February 5 through 28, 2010.</b> Show times are 8 p.m. Fridays
and Saturdays and 3 p.m. Sundays. Special 10 a.m. weekday matinees will take place
February 11, 18, and 19.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify'><i><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></i></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>Written by Twain in 1898, <i>Is He Dead?</i>
richly intermingles elements of burlesque, farce, and social satire. Discovered
by a Mark Twain scholar in 2003, <i>Is He Dead?</i> was adapted for modern
audiences by talented playwright David Ives and staged on Broadway in December
2007 to strong critical reviews. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>“This is pure comedy – a fictional, farcical
Paris-set yarn about a young painter, the real-life Jean-François Millet, who
fakes his death to score fame and fortune,” said Playbill.com. And <i>Variety</i>
called <i>Is He Dead?</i> “a ripely enjoyable confection.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>“<i>Is He Dead?</i> is a tremendous piece of
satire by one of America’s greatest wits,” says Director <b>Matthew Earnest</b>.
“People from all walks of life will enjoy the high-speed antics of these kooky,
Buster Keaton-style dimwits trying to protect their secret: that the gorgeous
Widow Tillou is actually the great painter Jean-François Millet in a wig and
heels. We’re left with a very funny discussion of the value of things, and people,
and a freewheeling discourse on gender and identity.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>Playing Millet and Widow Tillou is the highly
talented comedic actor <b>Nicholas Koesters</b>. Joining him as co-conspirators
in the deception are <b>Tom Woodward</b> as Dutchy, <b>Adam Thatcher</b> as
Chicago, and <b>John Peters </b>as O’Shaughnessy.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>Tickets are $28 for adults, $25 for seniors
(65 and older), $17 for students (with valid ID), and $10 for children (12 and
under). An additional $3 service fee per ticket is applied at the time of
purchase. Preview night on Thursday, February 4, is $10 with general admission
seating. Group discounts are available for parties of 13 or more. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>For tickets, call the Beck Center box office
at 216.521.2540, ext. 10, or request seats online at <a
href="http://www.beckcenter.org/"><span style='color:windowtext;text-decoration:
none'>www.beckcenter.org</span></a>. Beck Center is located at 17801 Detroit
Avenue in Lakewood, just ten minutes west of downtown Cleveland. Free onsite
parking is available.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>Beck Center’s production of <i>Is He Dead?</i>
is produced through special arrangement with Playscripts, Inc. and is sponsored
by Martha Holden Jennings Foundation, Cox Communications, the Ohio Arts
Council, and Cuyahoga Arts and Culture.<b> <o:p></o:p></b></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>Beck Center for the Arts is a not-for-profit
501(c)3 organization that offers professional theater productions, arts education
programming in dance, music, theater, visual arts, early childhood, and
creative arts therapies for special needs students, and gallery exhibits
featuring local and regional artists.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>###<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'>Missy S.
Toms<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'>Director
of Marketing & External Affairs<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'>Beck
Center for the Arts<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'>17801
Detroit Avenue<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'>Lakewood,
OH 44107<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'>mtoms@beckcenter.org<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'>216.521.2540,
ext. 22<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal>Support arts performance and education by making a tax
deductible contribution. <b><a href="http://beckcenter.org/support.htm">Donate
today!</a><o:p></o:p></b></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify'><span style='color:black'>Coming
soon! <i>Is He Dead?</i>, a “new” comedy by Mark Twain, <b>Feb. 5-28</b>.</span><span
style='color:#1F497D'> <b><a href="http://beckcenter.org/">Purchase tickets
today!</a></b><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal>Now enrolling for Winter/Spring 2010 classes in dance,
music, theater, and visual arts.<span style='color:#1F497D'> </span><b><a
href="http://beckcenter.org/2010wintercat.pdf">Enroll today!</a></b> <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:18.0pt;font-family:Webdings;
color:green'>P</span><span style='font-size:10.0pt;color:navy'> </span><span
style='font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:green'>Please
consider the environment before printing this e-mail.</span> <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p>
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