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<p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><b><font size=4
face="Trade Gothic LT Std Cn"><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Trade Gothic LT Std Cn";
font-weight:bold'>PlayhouseSquare Presents Free Performances of<o:p></o:p></span></font></b></p>
<p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><b><i><font size=4
face="Trade Gothic LT Std Cn"><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Trade Gothic LT Std Cn";
font-weight:bold;font-style:italic'>Why I Had to Dance </span></font></i></b><b><font
size=4 face="Trade Gothic LT Std Cn"><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:
"Trade Gothic LT Std Cn";font-weight:bold'>and Bobby Selvaggio’s
“Hendectet Jazz Collective”<o:p></o:p></span></font></b></p>
<p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><b><font size=4
face="Trade Gothic LT Std Cn"><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Trade Gothic LT Std Cn";
font-weight:bold'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></b></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='line-height:150%'><st1:place w:st="on"><st1:City
w:st="on"><font size=2 face="Trade Gothic LT Std"><span style='font-size:11.0pt;
line-height:150%;font-family:"Trade Gothic LT Std"'>Cleveland</span></font></st1:City><font
size=2 face="Trade Gothic LT Std"><span style='font-size:11.0pt;line-height:
150%;font-family:"Trade Gothic LT Std"'>, <st1:State w:st="on">OH</st1:State></span></font></st1:place><font
size=2 face="Trade Gothic LT Std"><span style='font-size:11.0pt;line-height:
150%;font-family:"Trade Gothic LT Std"'> – The PlayhouseSquare Community
Engagement & Education Department is presenting free performances by
artists participating in its LAUNCH artists residency program: <i><span
style='font-style:italic'>Why I Had to Dance </span></i>on May 28 and 29 and
Bobby Selvaggio’s “Hendectet Jazz Collective” on June 5. The
LAUNCH program is designed to promote invention and innovation in performance
and to foster new relationships between <st1:place w:st="on">Northeast Ohio</st1:place>
artists and the public.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='line-height:150%'><font size=2
face="Trade Gothic LT Std"><span style='font-size:11.0pt;line-height:150%;
font-family:"Trade Gothic LT Std"'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='line-height:150%'><b><i><font size=2
face="Trade Gothic LT Std"><span style='font-size:11.0pt;line-height:150%;
font-family:"Trade Gothic LT Std";font-weight:bold;font-style:italic'>Why I Had
to Dance<o:p></o:p></span></font></i></b></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='line-height:150%'><font size=2
face="Trade Gothic LT Std"><span style='font-size:11.0pt;line-height:150%;
font-family:"Trade Gothic LT Std"'>Barrier-breaking poet/playwright Ntozake
Shange has given dance artist Dianne McIntyre a task – to develop
Shange’s new “choreopoem,”<i><span style='font-style:italic'>Why
I Had to Dance, </span></i>into a compelling dance-theater work. <br>
<br>
<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='line-height:150%'><font size=2
face="Trade Gothic LT Std"><span style='font-size:11.0pt;line-height:150%;
font-family:"Trade Gothic LT Std"'>Audiences will have the first glimpse of the
piece (in preview) performed by six local dancers on May 28 and 29 at 8 p.m. in
the Westfield Insurance Studio Theatre in the Idea Center at PlayhouseSquare
(1375 Euclid Ave.). The sound design is by Jim Swonger and the lighting is by
Trad A Burns. Contributing artists for <i><span style='font-style:italic'>Why
I Had to Dance</span></i> include Mamie Johnson, Kyle Primous and Adenike
Sharpley. The dancers are Dezare Foster, Elisa Hanna, Katrice Headd, Chatiera
Ray, Kevin Marr II and Darnell Weaver.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;
line-height:150%'><font size=2 face="Trade Gothic LT Std"><span
style='font-size:11.0pt;line-height:150%;font-family:"Trade Gothic LT Std"'>Ntozake
Shange, poet, novelist and playwright, is best known for her Obie award winning
play <i><span style='font-style:italic'>for colored girls who have considered suicide
when the rainbow is enuf</span></i>. This seminal work had a major impact
internationally on theater, women's studies and African American culture, and
will be revived on Broadway this fall. <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;
line-height:150%'><font size=2 face="Trade Gothic LT Std"><span
style='font-size:11.0pt;line-height:150%;font-family:"Trade Gothic LT Std"'>Dianne
McIntyre, awarding-winning choreographer, has frequently collaborated with Ms.
Shange. A <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:City w:st="on">Cleveland</st1:City></st1:place>
resident, she creates work for concert dance, theater and film, including <i><span
style='font-style:italic'>Beloved,</span></i> produced by Oprah Winfrey and
Disney. Ms. McIntyre is a Creative Workforce Fellow. The Creative Workforce
Fellowship is a program of the Community Partnership for Arts and Culture,
generously funded by Cuyahoga Arts and Culture.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;
line-height:150%'><b><font size=2 face="Trade Gothic LT Std"><span
style='font-size:11.0pt;line-height:150%;font-family:"Trade Gothic LT Std";
font-weight:bold'>Bobby Selvaggio’s “Hendectet Jazz
Collective”<br>
</span></font></b><font size=2 face="Trade Gothic LT Std"><span
style='font-size:11.0pt;line-height:150%;font-family:"Trade Gothic LT Std"'>Bobby
Selvaggio’s “Hendectet Jazz Collective” is an 11-piece Jazz
chamber ensemble. During the course of their three-day residency at
PlayhouseSquare, they will work on the creation of four new compositions to be
presented in concert on June 5 at 7 p.m. in the Westfield Insurance Studio
Theatre in the <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:PlaceName w:st="on">Idea</st1:PlaceName>
<st1:PlaceType w:st="on">Center</st1:PlaceType></st1:place> at
PlayhouseSquare. The public is welcome to participate in discussions about the
creative process and composition, the rehearsal process and improvisation with
the group from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. and from 3:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. on June 4,
and from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. on June 5. All discussions will take place in the
Westfield Insurance Studio Theatre in the <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:PlaceName
w:st="on">Idea</st1:PlaceName> <st1:PlaceType w:st="on">Center</st1:PlaceType></st1:place>
at PlayhouseSquare.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='line-height:150%'><font size=2
face="Trade Gothic LT Std"><span style='font-size:11.0pt;line-height:150%;
font-family:"Trade Gothic LT Std"'>Members of the ensemble include </span></font><font
size=2 color=black face="Trade Gothic LT Std"><span style='font-size:11.0pt;
line-height:150%;font-family:"Trade Gothic LT Std";color:black'>Chris Burge, Tony
Spicer, Brad Wagner, Ian Indorf, Mark Russo, BJ Bishop, Sam Blakeslee, Matt
Charboneau, Chris Baker and Theron Brown.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='line-height:150%'><font size=2 color=black
face="Trade Gothic LT Std"><span style='font-size:11.0pt;line-height:150%;
font-family:"Trade Gothic LT Std";color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='line-height:150%'><font size=2
face="Trade Gothic LT Std"><span style='font-size:11.0pt;line-height:150%;
font-family:"Trade Gothic LT Std"'>Bobby Selvaggio is one of the leading voices
on alto sax in today's Jazz scene. Bobby plays alto and soprano sax, alto
clarinet, and flute; is a bandleader of multiple projects, a composer and
arranger, a Jazz clinician; and has a personal teaching studio. After living in
New York City for four years, gigging all over the city at such places as the
Vanguard and Birdland, and getting a Masters in Jazz Performance from Manhattan
School of Music, Bobby moved back to Cleveland with his family and has recorded
five CDs, booked gigs and tours with his various bands, is continually creating
new musical projects, and is writing a book on Jazz Improvisation. Besides his
busy music schedule, Bobby enjoys spending time with his wife Chelsea, son
Julian, and cats Mingus and Maisy.</span></font><font size=2 color=black
face="Trade Gothic LT Std"><span style='font-size:11.0pt;line-height:150%;
font-family:"Trade Gothic LT Std";color:black'><o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=black face="Trade Gothic LT Std"><span
style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Trade Gothic LT Std";color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=black face="Trade Gothic LT Std"><span
style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Trade Gothic LT Std";color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='line-height:150%'><font size=2
face="Trade Gothic LT Std"><span style='font-size:11.0pt;line-height:150%;
font-family:"Trade Gothic LT Std"'>Free tickets for both <i><span
style='font-style:italic'>Why I Had to Dance </span></i>and Bobby
Selvaggio’s “Hendectet Jazz Collective” will be available
beginning Friday, May 21 online at playhousesquare.org/launch or at the
PlayhouseSquare Ticket Office (<st1:Street w:st="on"><st1:address w:st="on">1519
Euclid Ave.</st1:address></st1:Street>).<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='line-height:150%'><font size=2
face="Trade Gothic LT Std"><span style='font-size:11.0pt;line-height:150%;
font-family:"Trade Gothic LT Std"'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='line-height:150%'><font size=2
face="Trade Gothic LT Std"><span style='font-size:11.0pt;line-height:150%;
font-family:"Trade Gothic LT Std"'>As a not-for-profit organization, PlayhouseSquare
relies on charitable giving to present the LAUNCH program and similar
experiences to the community. “Our donors and sponsors make it possible
for us to provide this opportunity for local artists to focus on the development
of a specific project and, when appropriate, to enable members of our community
to engage with the project without a fee for admission,” explained <st1:PersonName
w:st="on">Colleen Porter</st1:PersonName>, director of community engagement and
education at PlayhouseSquare. <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='line-height:150%'><font size=2
face="Trade Gothic LT Std"><span style='font-size:11.0pt;line-height:150%;
font-family:"Trade Gothic LT Std"'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='line-height:150%'><font size=2
face="Trade Gothic LT Std"><span style='font-size:11.0pt;line-height:150%;
font-family:"Trade Gothic LT Std"'>Artists selected for the LAUNCH program
receive rent-free use of space in the <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:PlaceName
w:st="on">Idea</st1:PlaceName> <st1:PlaceType w:st="on">Center</st1:PlaceType></st1:place>
at PlayhouseSquare, production subsidy and media relations and marketing
support. Interested <st1:place w:st="on">Northeast Ohio</st1:place>
performance artists may download the LAUNCH application at playhousesquare.org/launch.</span></font><font
size=2 face="Trade Gothic LT Std"><span style='font-size:11.0pt;line-height:
150%;font-family:"Trade Gothic LT Std"'><o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='line-height:150%'><font size=2
face="Trade Gothic LT Std"><span style='font-size:11.0pt;line-height:150%;
font-family:"Trade Gothic LT Std"'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='line-height:150%'><font size=2
face="Trade Gothic LT Std"><span style='font-size:11.0pt;line-height:150%;
font-family:"Trade Gothic LT Std"'>PlayhouseSquare understands its vital role
as an educator in our community, and is committed to providing arts learning
opportunities of the highest quality to enrich the lives of students, families,
teachers and adults. PlayhouseSquare’s Community Engagement &
Education Department is unique in the performing arts industry for the variety
of programs it offers, the partnerships it initiates and the access it provides
students, educators and aspiring artists to performing arts professionals. Since
its inception in 1998, the Community Engagement & Education Department has
offered thousands of events, workshops, classes and more, most with minimal or
no fees, to people of all ages from all areas of Northeast Ohio. The generous
support of individual and corporate donors and foundations makes it all
possible.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='line-height:150%'><u><font size=2 color="#333333"
face="Trade Gothic LT Std"><span style='font-size:11.0pt;line-height:150%;
font-family:"Trade Gothic LT Std";color:#333333'><o:p><span style='text-decoration:
none'> </span></o:p></span></font></u></p>
<p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center;line-height:150%'><font
size=2 color="#333333" face="Trade Gothic LT Std"><span style='font-size:11.0pt;
line-height:150%;font-family:"Trade Gothic LT Std";color:#333333'>###<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='line-height:150%'><b><i><font size=1
face="Trade Gothic LT Std"><span style='font-size:9.0pt;line-height:150%;
font-family:"Trade Gothic LT Std";font-weight:bold;font-style:italic'>PlayhouseSquare
is a not-for-profit performing arts center whose mission is presenting and
producing a wide variety of quality performing arts, advancing arts education
and creating a destination that is a superior location for entertainment,
business and housing, thereby strengthening the economic vitality of the
region.</span></font></i></b><font size=1 face="Trade Gothic LT Std"><span
style='font-size:9.0pt;line-height:150%;font-family:"Trade Gothic LT Std"'><o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center;line-height:150%'><font
size=2 face="Trade Gothic LT Std"><span style='font-size:11.0pt;line-height:
150%;font-family:"Trade Gothic LT Std"'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='line-height:150%'><i><font size=2
face="Trade Gothic LT Std"><span style='font-size:11.0pt;line-height:150%;
font-family:"Trade Gothic LT Std";font-style:italic'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></i></p>
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style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Trade Gothic LT Std"'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face="Trade Gothic LT Std"><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Trade Gothic LT Std"'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
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