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<DIV><FONT color=#800000 size=1><STRONG>NEWS RELEASE </STRONG></FONT></DIV>
<DIV>
<DIV>
<DIV align=left><STRONG><FONT size=1>Contact: Melanie YC Pepe (330)
836-2626</FONT></STRONG></DIV>
<DIV align=left><A href="http://www.WeathervanePlayhouse.com"><STRONG><FONT
size=1>www.WeathervanePlayhouse.com</FONT></STRONG></A></DIV>
<DIV align=left><FONT size=3></FONT> </DIV></DIV></DIV>
<DIV align=center><STRONG><FONT size=5>Weathervane
Playhouse</FONT></STRONG></DIV>
<DIV align=center>1301 Weathervane Lane * Akron, Oh 44313</DIV>
<DIV align=center>
<DIV align=center><FONT size=3><STRONG><EM><FONT color=#800000 size=6><FONT
size=2></FONT></EM></STRONG></FONT> </DIV></FONT>
<DIV align=center><FONT size=3><STRONG><EM><FONT color=#800000 size=7>Pride
& Prejudice</FONT></EM></STRONG></DIV>
<DIV align=center>
<DIV>
<DIV>Based off the book by Jane Austen, adapted by Jon Jory</DIV></DIV>
<DIV><STRONG>March 4, 9 & 11 at 10:00
a.m.</STRONG></DIV></DIV></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2> </DIV></FONT>
<DIV align=center>At<EM> first glance -- particularly for most high school
students -- Austens popularity is hard to fathom. Austen wrote about the
problems and pressures of 19th century courtship and marriage. Action and
adventure are limited to s walk in a rainstorm or a ride in an open carriage
without a chaperone; powerful feelings and desires are expressed indirectly; if
at all; conversation is high art, flavored with ironic wit and the discussion of
weather. Her characters' behavior and life choices are dictated by
standards and values that can seem utterly foreign in a world as rapidly
changing as our own.</EM></DIV>
<DIV align=center><EM><FONT size=2></EM> </DIV></FONT>
<DIV align=center><EM>Perhaps modern readers continue to be drawn to Austen's
work because of the very limitations that make us wary at first. The
physical and social landscape within her work is restricted, but the feild of
themes, emotions and desires she explores is deep and broad. How, her
novels ask, does a person do the hard work of creating a good, happy,
balanced life?<FONT size=2>*</FONT> <STRONG>How do we decide who we choose
to be?</STRONG></EM></DIV>
<DIV align=center><FONT size=3><FONT size=2> </DIV></FONT>
<DIV align=center>
<DIV align=center><STRONG><FONT color=#800000 size=4><A
href="http://apps.rockyou.com/rockyou.swf?instanceid=126667771&ver=102906">CLICK
ME for a PEEK at Project STAGE!</A></FONT></STRONG></DIV></DIV>
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<P align=left></P><FONT size=4>
<DIV align=center><FONT size=3><STRONG>Come and See Project STAGE in action! We
use live theatrical performances to awaken, enliven and challenge the minds of
students with issues both interesting and relevant to our time. Thanks to the
support of the Akron Community Foundation and the Ohio Arts Council, we are able
to offer tickets to <FONT color=#800000>school day performances at the rate of
$5 each!</FONT> We hope you and your students can join us for one of this
seasons’ many performances.</STRONG></DIV></FONT></FONT>
<P align=left><STRONG>We at Weathervane Playhouse dedicate ourselves to the
belief that young people should have the opportunity to participate in theater
both as audience members and as artists. Hope to see you
here!</STRONG></P></FONT>
<DIV align=right><FONT size=2>* <U><FONT
color=#000080>pbs.org/masterpiece/austen</FONT></U> <FONT
color=#000080>,</FONT> <FONT color=#000080>Jan.
2010</FONT></FONT></DIV></BODY></HTML>