<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal"><b><span style="font-size:14.0pt;color:black">Fairmount Center for the
Arts theatre wing</span></b><b><span style="font-size:18.0pt;color:black"><br>
the Fairmount Performing Arts Conservatory (FPAC)<br>
</span></b><span style="font-size:16.0pt;color:black">announces </span><span style="font-size:16.0pt;color:black">2010-11 Season</span><span style="font-size:18.0pt;color:black"><br>
</span><span style="font-size:10.0pt;color:black"><br>
</span><b><i><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:black">13, a new musical</span></i></b><i><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:black"> & <b>A Christmas
Carol</b> </span></i><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:black">brought back by popular demand;<i> <b>Eat
(It’s Not About Food)</b> </i>to tour; <b>NEW</b> productions: from the teen theatre
–<i> <b>Pippin</b></i>, and from the adult professional wing – <b><i>Bare</i></b>
and <b><i>A Little Night Music<br>
<br>
</i></b></span><span style="font-size:10.0pt">CLEVELAND, OH (September 9, 2010) – <b>Fairmount
Center for the Arts theatre wing, the Fairmount Performing Arts Conservatory
(FPAC)</b> is pleased to announce its 2010-11 season.<br>
<br>
</span><span style="font-size:10.0pt">In
collaboration with Mayfield Village, Fairmount Center has developed an arts
training and performance initiative in the newly renovated “Reserve Hall.”<span> </span>The conservatory manages all things
theatrical with Fairmount including year round youth and teen productions, an
adult professional company and the highly acclaimed summer training program for
young people.</span><span style="font-size:10.0pt;color:black"><br>
<br>
<span>"We are excited to be able to
present once again director Sean Szaller’s acclaimed production of <b><i>Thirteen</i></b>, Tom Fulton’s spellbinding
one man version of <b><i>A Christmas Carol</i></b>
and our touring production of <b><i>Eat
(It’s Not About Food)</i></b> to schools and community organizations” </span></span><span style="font-size:10.0pt">said FPAC artistic director Fred
Sternfeld. “<span style="color:black">In addition, we’ll be presenting an
innovative new version of <b><i>Pippin, </i></b>the
Ohio premiere of the critically acclaimed rock musical<b><i> Bare</i></b> and the Tony Award winning Stephen Sondheim musical, <b><i>A Little Night </i></b></span><b><i>Music</i></b>, with an adult professional
cast headlined by Tracee Patterson as Desiree Armfeldt and Dorothy Silver as
Madame Armfeldt.” <br>
<br>
</span><span style="font-size:10.0pt">Fairmount Center for the Arts
receives generous support from The Ohio Arts Council, The Lake Geauga Fund and
Kinetico, Inc.<span><br>
<br>
<b><u>THIRTEEN, A NEW MUSICAL</u></b><br>
</span></span><strong><span style="font-size:10.0pt;color:black">Music and Lyrics by Jason Robert Brown</span></strong><b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;color:black"><br>
<strong><span>Book by Dan Elish and
Robert Horn<br>
</span></strong></span></b><b><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><br>
directed by Sean Szaller<br>
<br>
</span></b><span style="font-size:10.0pt">Performances:
September 24 -- October 10, 2010<br>
<br>
<b>The encore production of</b> <b><i>13, a
new musical</i></b> is directed by Sean Szaller and features the return of the
entire original Ohio Premier cast. <br>
<br>
<span><span>With wit and searing honesty, <b><i>13</i></b>
is a hilarious, high-energy musical for all ages.<span> </span>The show </span></span><span>follows the lives of thirteen 13 year olds as they
navigate their way through friendships, love, popularity, honesty, and
growing-up. <b><i>13 </i></b>is about the lessons one learns throughout life and the
discovery that the journey to who you want to be starts with discovering who
you are. </span><span><span><br>
<br>
This production features thirteen of Cleveland’s most talented teenage
performers.<span> </span>The cast and understudies
are Dani Apple, J</span></span><span><span>ordan Brown, Kyle Cohen, Alexis Floyd, Aric
Floyd, Jessie Gill, Caroline Hatch, Codie Higer, Dan Hoy, Tia Karaplis, Mark
Oet, Leah Saltzer, Daniel Sovich,<span> </span>Miles
Sternfeld, Elle Vertes and Sam Welch. <br>
</span></span><br>
<span>A few excerpts from the reviews of the FPAC
original run last February: Christine Howey (Rave and Pan)<span> </span>-<span> </span>“an
irresistible cast of young performers” “the FPAC cast delivers … with
style”<span> </span>“spirited direction” “exuberant
choreography”<span> </span>“… is often spun into gold
by the young talent at FPAC.”<span> </span>Bob
Abelman (The News-Herald</span><span>) -<span> </span></span><span>"FPAC’s
triple-threats deliver an outstanding '13'” “Chances are that before the ink
fades these names will be featured in a playbill of a Broadway musical”<span> </span>“Each and every one of the 13 has the goods
and displays a level of savvy and kinetic energy found only on the professional
stage”<br>
<br>
</span><b><u>EAT (IT’S NOT ABOUT FOOD)</u></b><br>
<b>by Linda Daugherty<br>
<br>
directed by Fred Sternfeld<br>
</b><br>
Accepting tour dates between November, 2010 and May, 2011.<br>
<br>
The touring production of Linda Daugherty’s humorous and poignant play, <b><i>Eat
(It’s Not About Food)</i></b> will perform for numerous <span><span style="color:black">schools, colleges,
universities, community groups and organizations </span></span>throughout the
region from November of 2010 to May of 2011. <span> </span>The play explores a universal topic – our
relationship with food.<span> </span>It also speaks
eloquently about the world of eating disorders, and society’s obsession with
food, weight and body image. This is presented through the eyes of teens and
adults struggling with this epidemic, as well as the causes and warning signs. <br>
<br>
Directed by Fred Sternfeld, the cast is comprised of 14 actors who take on a
myriad of characters. Several casts are performing the tour. The pool of actors
include Sonya Bishop, Jordan Brown, Sean Cahill, Olivia Chan, Lauren Cole, Cara
Corrigan, Nina Domingue, Maryann Elder, Alexis Floyd, Joel Scott Furr, Jessie
Gill, Sean Grandillo, Natalie Green, Meghan Grover, Dan Hoy, Nick Koesters, Georgia
Kostyack, Jessica Kovalski, Doug Kusak, Kristi Little, Ashleigh Nagy, Courtney
Nelson, Amy Pawlukewicz, Jessie Pollak, Juliette Regnier, Jaime Rotsky, CorLesia
Smith, Li Stebner, Shambrion Treadwell, Luke Wehner, Dylan White, Gregory White
and Amy Young.<br>
<br>
“<b><i>Eat
(It’s Not About Food)</i></b> had its world premiere in Dallas two years ago
and was an enormous success.<span> </span>When I
first read it, I was astonished at the creative and compelling presentation
style.<span> </span>I’m excited to help bring this
amazing theatre piece to the community” remarked director Fred Sternfeld.<span> </span>“This play has the power to save lives.”<br>
<br>
The Cleveland Center for Eating Disorders (CCED), an outpatient treatment
center specializing in evidence-based care for bulimia and anorexia nervosa, is
the lead sponsor for FPAC’s production of <b><i>Eat (It’s Not About Food).</i></b><span> </span><br>
<br>
As the lead sponsor, CCED, will help raise awareness and educate the
Northeastern Ohio community on eating disorders and the treatment available in
the area. CCED will lead discussions immediately after each performance, giving
the audience an opportunity to interact with eating disorder specialists, and
elaborate on topics that were presented in the play.<br>
<br>
</span><span style="font-size:10.0pt">"We want to provide our audience the
opportunity to be entertained, stimulated, educated and connected to the
critical topic of eating disorders through our professional theatrical
production,” </span><span style="font-size:10.0pt">said
Jeff Grover, president of Fairmount Center for the Arts.<span> </span>“T</span><span style="font-size:10.0pt">he
combination of the production and our extraordinary sponsors and professional
resources providing post-play discussions, will make a difference in many
people's lives."<br>
<br>
</span><span><span style="font-size:10.0pt;color:black">Elementary, junior high and high schools
(available for presentation where parents and their children can share the
experience together), colleges, universities, community groups and
organizations</span></span><span style="font-size:10.0pt"> can inquire about booking the EAT tour by
contacting Fairmount Center at 440-338-3171.<br>
<br>
Major sponsors for the “Eat” tour include: Cleveland Center for Eating
Disorders, Fairmount Minerals and The Mt. Sinai Health Care Foundation. The
Tour is being presented in collaboration with Young Audiences of Northeast
Ohio.<br>
<br>
</span><b><u><span style="font-size:10.0pt">A CHRISTMAS CAROL</span></u></b><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><br>
<b>An Evening With Charles Dickens<br>
<br>
A One Man Show<br>
Conceived and Adapted by Tom Fulton</b><br>
Based on Charles Dicken's performance tour<span>
</span>of the U.S. in 1867-68<br>
Performances: December 4 at 7:30pm and December 5 at 2:30pm<br>
<br>
This production, starring executive director and veteran professional actor Tom
Fulton, is modeled after the performances Charles Dickens himself brought to
America to great acclaim in the 1860's. Mr. Fulton has been performing <b><i>A Christmas
Carol</i></b> for many years both privately and for the public. <br>
<br>
Audiences of this production will hear 'A Christmas Carol' - perhaps - for the
first time - not only the words of the dialogue, which have become as familiar
as our favorite holiday carols, but rather the strains of the brilliant
narration so unique to Dickens and so utterly filled with a holiday spirit and
wit of their own.<br>
<br>
<b><u>PIPPIN</u><br>
By Stephen Schwartz<br>
<br>
directed by Sean Szaller<br>
<br>
</b>Performances: February 18 – March 5, 2011<br>
<br>
<span>Once upon a time, the young prince Pippin longed
to discover the secret of true happiness and fulfillment. He sought it in the
glories of the battlefield, the temptations of the flesh and the intrigues of
political power (after disposing of his father King Charlemagne the Great). In
the end, he found it in the simple pleasures of home and family.</span><span> </span><br>
<br>
<span>This hip, tongue-in-cheek, anachronistic fairy
tale captivated Broadway audiences and continues to appeal to the young at
heart everywhere.<span> </span>The energetic
pop-influenced score by three-time Oscar®-winning composer/lyricist Stephen
Schwartz (Wicked, Godspell, Children of Eden and the animated films Pocahontas,
The Hunchback Of Notre Dame and The Prince Of Egypt) bursts with one show
stopping number after another, from soaring ballads to infectious dance
numbers.<br>
<br>
“This is the PERFECT show for teens to tackle!” says director Sean Szaller,
“It’s a show about growing up and finding out who you are – what better group
to tell that tale than a group of people who are going through that discovery
on a daily basis!”<span> </span>This production will
not be your “traditional” Pippin.<span> </span>In
fact, it won’t be like any other show you’ve seen in a while.<span> </span>Come experience the magic of this tale in a way
that you’ll never expect!”<br>
<br>
<b><u>BARE</u><br>
Book by Jon Hartmere, Jr. & Damon Intrabartolo<br>
Lyrics by Jon Hartmere, Jr.<br>
Music by Damon Intrabartolo</b><br>
</span><br>
<b>Directed by Fred Sternfeld</b><br>
<br>
Performances: April 28 -- May 15, 2011<b><br>
<br>
</b><span><span style="color:black">FPAC will present
the Ohio premiere of the beautiful and searing coming-of-age musical <b><i>Bare</i></b>,
a cult-hit that took Los Angeles and New York by storm. Its rich, vibrant score
draws on many styles of contemporary music.</span></span><span><span style="color:black"> </span></span><span><span style="color:black">The musical won the L.A.
Weekly Award for Best Musical, the Ovation Award for Best Musical and the L.A.
Drama Critics Award for Best Score. The show went on to a successful New York
run, performing off-Broadway at the American Theatre of Actors.</span></span><span><span style="color:black"> </span></span><span style="color:black"><br>
<br>
<span>A group of high school seniors at a Catholic
boarding school faces issues of sexuality and personal identity. They struggle
to come to terms with who they are, and who the world thinks they should be. <span> </span><span> </span></span><br>
<br>
<span><b><i>Bare</i></b> is staged as part of FPAC’s
continuing effort to present socially relevant theatrical productions.<span> </span>Ten years after BARE's premiere, its themes
of acceptance, tolerance and equality are increasingly relevant today.</span><br>
<br>
</span><b><br>
<u>A LITTLE NIGHT MUSIC</u><br>
by Hugh Wheeler and Stephen Sondheim<br>
<br>
Directed by Fred Sternfeld<br>
</b><br>
with Tracee Patterson as Desiree Armfeldt and Dorothy Silver as Madame Armfeldt<br>
<br>
REVISED DATES:<span> </span>Performances: October 27
– November 13, 2011<br>
<br>
<span>One of Broadway’s masterpieces, the romantic and
achingly beautiful <b><i>A Little Night Music</i></b> deals with the universal subject of love,
in all its wondrous, humorous and ironic permutations.</span><span> </span><br>
<br>
<span>In turn-of-the-century Sweden, middle-aged Fredrik
Egerman brings his 18-year-old bride Anne to a play starring his former
mistress, Desirée Armfeldt. Soon, Fredrik and Desirée resume their romance,
incurring the wrath of her current lover, a pompous Count. The situation culminates
in a weekend at a country estate, with Fredrik, Anne, Desirée and the Count in
attendance, as well as Fredrik’s son (who is hopelessly in love with Anne),
Desirée’s illegitimate daughter, the Count’s manic-depressive wife and the
Egerman’s lusty maid. And there, under the summer night, things are set to
right.</span></span><span style="font-size:10.0pt;color:black"><br>
<br>
------------------------------<br>
</span><span><span style="font-size:10.0pt">Tickets for all the productions are available online at
this link: </span></span><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><a href="http://fairmountcenter.tix.com/" target="_blank">http://fairmountcenter.tix.com/</a><span><span> </span>or, by calling
the Fairmount Center at 440-338-3171.<span> </span><br>
<br>
All productions, except for the tour of <b><i>Eat (It’s Not About Food),</i></b> are
presented at Mayfield Village Civic Center, 6622 Wilson Mills Road, Mayfield
Village. It is located off the Wilson Mills exit of I-271 at the corner of
Wilson Mills and SOM Center Rds. There is ample free parking in an adjacent
lot.<br>
<br>
Fairmount Center for the Arts is dedicated to the advancement of the arts in
Ohio through excellence in training and performance for people of all ages and
levels of mastery, from early youth to seasoned professional. Our programming
seeks to challenge, enrich and nurture, providing self-confidence and
understanding that encourages each student to thrive as a creative
individual. The mission of Fairmount Center is to nourish the artist
within, by providing professionally-guided arts training and performance for
all ages and skill levels.</span></span><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><br>
<br>
<span style="color:black"><br>
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<br>
Media Contact:<br>
</span></span><span style="font-size:10.0pt;color:black">Carolyn Downie<br>
Publicity and Administrative Support<br>
<a href="mailto:cdownie@fairmountcenter.org" target="_blank"><span style="color:#0000CC">cdownie@fairmountcenter.org</span></a><br>
440.338.3171</span><span style="color:black"><br>
<br>
<br></span></p>