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<P style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal
align=center><B style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 18pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">Weathervane
Playhouse’s ‘Quilters’<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns =
"urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p></o:p></SPAN></B></P>
<P style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal
align=center><B style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 18pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">Stitches
Together the Stories of the Pioneering Women Who Settled the American
West<o:p></o:p></SPAN></B></P>
<P style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal
align=center><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'"><o:p><FONT
size=2> </FONT></o:p></SPAN></P>
<H1 style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><EM><FONT size=5>Porthouse Theatre Artistic
Director Terri Kent</FONT></EM></H1>
<H1 style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><EM><FONT size=5>Directs Weathervane
Ensemble</FONT></EM></H1>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><FONT size=2>(Jan. 24, 2011 – Akron, Ohio – FOR
IMMEDIATE RELEASE) – Weathervane Playhouse’s 2010-2011 Founders Theater season
continues with <I style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">Quilters</I> – the<I
style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal"> </I><SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>inspiring musical about the pioneer women
who settled the American West –<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</SPAN>live on stage from Feb. 3 to 20, 2011. <o:p></o:p></FONT></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><o:p><FONT size=2> </FONT></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><FONT size=2><I
style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal"><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial">Quilters
</SPAN></I><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial">depicts a series of short tales,
each depicting an aspect of womanhood. This musical mosaic examines the
significant milestones of a pioneer woman’s life – girlhood, marriage,
childbirth and spinsterhood – against the backdrop of the perilous and uncertain
journey out west through twisters, fire, illness and
death.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><o:p><FONT size=2> </FONT></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">These heart-rending scraps of
stories – much like the assembled blocks or patches of a quilt – reveal the
larger narrative of the American experience as told by the brave women who
blazed a trail in an unfamiliar country while shouldering the burden of raising
of a family.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 10pt"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">Written by Molly Newman and Barbara
Damashek, with music and lyrics by Damashek, <I
style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">Quilters</I> was described by <I
style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">Newsweek</I> as “…a tender and moving
theatre work, a human patchwork rippling in the breeze of
memory.”<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><o:p><FONT size=2> </FONT></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><FONT size=2>Weathervane Playhouse welcomes Terri
Kent as the guest director of <I
style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">Quilters</I>. Kent is the artistic director
of Porthouse Theatre, which performs each summer on the grounds of Blossom Music
Center. Jonathan Swoboda, a featured keyboardist for Mannheim Steamroller,
serves as the production’s musical director along with Jen
Korecki.<o:p></o:p></FONT></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><o:p><FONT size=2> </FONT></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><FONT size=2>During the three-week run of <I
style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">Quilters</I>, Weathervane Playhouse’s main
lobby will play host to a large display of handmade quilts by members of several
local quilt clubs . This exhibition is made possible through the coordinated
efforts of Judy Holder a member of Weathervane’s Board of
Trustees.<o:p></o:p></FONT></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><o:p><FONT size=2> </FONT></o:p></SPAN></P>
<DIV
style="BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 1pt solid; BORDER-LEFT: windowtext 1pt solid; PADDING-BOTTOM: 1pt; PADDING-LEFT: 4pt; PADDING-RIGHT: 4pt; BORDER-TOP: windowtext 1pt solid; BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 1pt solid; PADDING-TOP: 1pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-element: para-border-div">
<H3 style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">The <I
style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">Quilters </I>Cast and their Ohio
Hometowns<o:p></o:p></SPAN></H3></DIV>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><o:p><FONT size=2> </FONT></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><FONT size=2><B
style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial">Lenne
Snively </SPAN></B><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial">(of Cleveland) …
Mother<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><o:p><FONT size=2> </FONT></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><FONT size=2><B
style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial">Patricia
Bestic </SPAN></B><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial">(of Hudson)<B
style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"> </B>…
Daughter<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 10pt"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><FONT size=2><B
style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial">Danielle
Dorfman </SPAN></B><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial">(of Silver Lake)<B
style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"> </B>…
Daughter<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 10pt"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><FONT size=2><B
style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial">Kristy
Tucci </SPAN></B><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial">(of Venango PA )<B
style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"> </B>…
Daughter<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><o:p><FONT size=2> </FONT></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><FONT size=2><B
style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial">Kaitlyn
Warren </SPAN></B><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial">(of Uniontown) …
Daughter<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><o:p><FONT size=2> </FONT></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><FONT size=2><B
style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial">Erin
Diroll</SPAN></B><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial"> (of Stow) …
Daughter<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><o:p><FONT size=2> </FONT></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><FONT size=2><B
style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial">Caitlin
Rose</SPAN></B><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial"> (of Madison OH ) …
Daughter<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><o:p><FONT size=2> </FONT></o:p></SPAN></P>
<DIV
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<H3 style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><STRONG><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">About the Show’s
Director</SPAN></STRONG><STRONG><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-WEIGHT: normal; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold">
<o:p></o:p></SPAN></STRONG></H3></DIV>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><STRONG><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-WEIGHT: normal; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></STRONG></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><FONT size=2><STRONG><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial">TERRI KENT </SPAN></STRONG><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial">directed Weathervane Playhouse's <EM>Children of
Eden</EM> in 2008. She is an associate professor at Kent State University, where
she serves as head of the acting and musical-theatre programs and as artistic
director of Porthouse Theatre (which performs each summer on the grounds of
Blossom Music Center). During Porthouse Theatre’s 2010 season, she directed
<EM>The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee</EM> and <EM>Bye Bye Birdie</EM>.
In previous years at Porthouse, she directed <EM>A Funny Thing Happened on the
Way to the Forum</EM>, <EM>Annie Get Your Gun</EM>, <EM>Anything Goes</EM>,
<EM>The Music Man</EM>, <EM>Jesus Christ Superstar</EM>, <EM>The Spitfire
Grill</EM>, <EM>West Side Story</EM>, <EM>Godspell</EM>, <EM>Guys and
Dolls</EM>, <EM>Brigadoon</EM>, <EM>Oklahoma!</EM> and <EM>Big River</EM>. Her
affiliation with Porthouse goes back to 1983 and she has also performed on the
Porthouse stage in such shows as <EM>Dames at Sea</EM>, <EM>Quilters</EM>,
<EM>Fiddler on the Roof</EM>, <EM>Twelfth Night</EM> and <EM>The Importance of
Being Earnest</EM>. She is a member of Actors’ Equity Association and the
American Federation of Television and Radio Artists and has performed both
regionally and internationally. Locally, she has directed at Cain Park, the
Halle Theatre and the Working Theatre. She has also served as an assistant
director and movement coach for several Great Lakes Theater Festival
productions.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><o:p><FONT size=2> </FONT></o:p></SPAN></P>
<DIV
style="BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 1pt solid; BORDER-LEFT: windowtext 1pt solid; PADDING-BOTTOM: 1pt; PADDING-LEFT: 4pt; PADDING-RIGHT: 4pt; BORDER-TOP: windowtext 1pt solid; BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 1pt solid; PADDING-TOP: 1pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-element: para-border-div">
<H3 style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><STRONG><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">About the Show’s Musical
Director</SPAN></STRONG><STRONG><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-WEIGHT: normal; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold">
<o:p></o:p></SPAN></STRONG></H3></DIV>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><B
style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><o:p><FONT
size=2> </FONT></o:p></SPAN></B></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><FONT size=2><B
style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial">JONATHAN
SWOBODA</SPAN></B><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial"> served as the musical
director for Weathervane Playhouse's <EM>They're Playing Our Song</EM> in 2010.
He is the music director for the Kent State University School of Theatre and
Dance. In addition to teaching, Jonathan has music directed KSU’s productions of
<EM>A New Brain</EM>, <EM>Jane Eyre</EM>, <EM>Rent</EM> and <EM>Oklahoma!</EM>
as well as Porthouse Theatre’s productions of <EM>A Funny Thing Happened on the
Way to the Forum</EM> and <EM>Annie Get Your Gun</EM>. Jonathan is a graduate
with high distinction from the University of Michigan School of Music and holds
a master’s degree from the University of Nebraska. He has music-directed more
than 75 productions throughout the country including numerous national tours. He
was an assistant director for Purdue Musical Organizations, at Purdue
University, directing numerous vocal and instrumental ensembles. As a pianist,
Jonathan is equally at home in the classical world as both a soloist and
accompanist. More recently, Jonathan spent three years as a Resident Music
Director for PCPA Theaterfest in California, and he toured as the Featured
Keyboard Artist for the internationally known performing ensemble Mannheim
Steamroller. <o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><o:p><FONT size=2> </FONT></o:p></SPAN></P>
<DIV
style="BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 1pt solid; BORDER-LEFT: windowtext 1pt solid; PADDING-BOTTOM: 1pt; PADDING-LEFT: 4pt; PADDING-RIGHT: 4pt; BORDER-TOP: windowtext 1pt solid; BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 1pt solid; PADDING-TOP: 1pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-element: para-border-div">
<P
style="BORDER-BOTTOM: medium none; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; PADDING-LEFT: 0in; PADDING-RIGHT: 0in; BORDER-TOP: medium none; BORDER-RIGHT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 0in; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-padding-alt: 1.0pt 4.0pt 1.0pt 4.0pt"
class=MsoNormal><B style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><FONT size=2>The <I
style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">Quilters</I> Backstage Team and their Ohio
Hometowns<o:p></o:p></FONT></SPAN></B></P></DIV>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><o:p><FONT size=2> </FONT></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><B style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">Assistant Director – Rocky Encalada
</SPAN></B><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">(of Stow)<B
style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><o:p></o:p></B></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><B style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 10pt"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></B></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><B style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">Stage Manager – Jill
Forster</SPAN></B><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 10pt"> (of
Akron)<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><o:p><FONT size=2> </FONT></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><FONT size=2><B
style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial">Costume
Designer – Jasen J. Smith</SPAN></B><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial"> (of
Akron)<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><o:p><FONT size=2> </FONT></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><FONT size=2><B
style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial">Sound
Designer – Drew Suffron</SPAN></B><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial"> (of
Uniontown)<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><o:p><FONT size=2> </FONT></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><FONT size=2><B
style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial">Properties
Co Designers –</SPAN></B><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial"> Pamela Parks Costa
(of Akron)<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><FONT size=2><SPAN
style="mso-tab-count: 4">
</SPAN><SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>and Karen Burridge
(of Brimfield Township)<o:p></o:p></FONT></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><o:p><FONT size=2> </FONT></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><FONT size=2><B
style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial">Lighting
Designer – Brandon Davies </SPAN></B><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial">(of
Stow)<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><o:p><FONT size=2> </FONT></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoBodyText><B
style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial">Scenic Designer and
Technical Director – Alan Scott Ferrall</SPAN></B><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial"> (of Cuyahoga
Falls)<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoBodyText><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><FONT size=2><B
style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial">Assistant
Technical Director – Kathy Kohl </SPAN></B><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial">(of
Akron)<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 10pt"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></P>
<DIV
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<H3 style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">About the Show and its
Creators<o:p></o:p></SPAN></H3></DIV>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><o:p><FONT size=2> </FONT></o:p></SPAN></P>
<H2 style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial"><U>About the Show’s
Production History<o:p></o:p></U></SPAN></H2>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><o:p><FONT size=2> </FONT></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><FONT size=2>Artistic collaborators Molly Newman and
Barbara Damashek based <I style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">Quilters</I> on
the 1977 non-fiction book <I style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">The Quilters:
Women and Domestic Art, an Oral History</I>, written by Patricia Cooper and
Norma Bradley Allen, which collects the stories of American pioneer women. <I
style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">Quilters</I> was originally developed and
produced at The Denver Center Theatre Company in 1982. Following the premiere
production in Denver, the show was staged at such regional theaters across the
United States as the Mark Taper Forum in Los Angeles, Pittsburgh Public Theater
and in Washington, D.C., at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.
Broadway came next. After five preview performances, the show opened in New York
City at the Jack Lawrence Theatre on Sept. 25, 1984, where it played for 24
performances before closing on Oct. 14 of that year. The production received six
Tony Award nominations, including one for Best Musical, Best Book and Best
Original Score. In 2009, The Denver Center Theatre Company revived the show in
celebration of the theater company’s 30<SUP>th</SUP>
season.<o:p></o:p></FONT></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><o:p><FONT size=2> </FONT></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><o:p><FONT size=2> </FONT></o:p></SPAN></P>
<H6><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><U><FONT size=2>About the Show’s
Creators<o:p></o:p></FONT></U></SPAN></H6>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><o:p><FONT size=2> </FONT></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><FONT size=2><EM><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial">Quilters</SPAN></EM><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial">
book-writer<STRONG><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial"> MOLLY
NEWMAN</SPAN></STRONG> was born in Indiana and moved to Denver to attend
college. She began her career as an actor before switching gears to writing and
producing. Although best known in the theater world as the co-writer of the
musical <I style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">Quilters</I>, Newman also wrote
the play <I style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">Shooting Stars</I>, a comedy
about a minor-league women’s basketball team touring the United States in the
early 1960s. In the years since <I
style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">Quilters</I> and <I
style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">Shooting Stars</I>, Newman has served as
writer and producer for television. In her various roles as a producer, writer
and story editor, her TV credits include <I
style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">The Larry Sanders Show</I>, <I
style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">Murphy Brown</I>, <I
style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">Frasier</I>, <I
style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">Sisters</I>, <I
style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">7<SUP>th</SUP> Heaven</I>, <I
style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">Maximum Bob</I>, <I
style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">Tracey Takes On…</I> and <I
style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">Snoops</I>. In 1997, she won the Emmy Award
for Outstanding Variety, Music or Comedy Series for <I
style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">Tracey Takes On…</I>). Since 2006, she has
served as part of the producing team of the ABC-TV drama <I
style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">Brothers and Sisters</I>.
<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><EM><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><o:p><FONT size=2> </FONT></o:p></SPAN></EM></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><FONT size=2><EM><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial">Quilters</SPAN></EM><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial">
book-writer, composer and lyricist<STRONG><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial">
BARBARA DAMASHEK</SPAN></STRONG> is an assistant professor of musical theatre at
San Francisco State University. She leads the institution's musical-theater
program, teaches workshops in acting for both non-musicals and musicals, directs
musical and opera productions, and develops a lab for the creation of new
musical-theater productions. She is the author of many musical-theater pieces,
most notably <EM>Quilters</EM>, for which she was nominated for three Tony
Awards, and which has been produced extensively all over the world. She has
directed for many of the leading professional theatres in the United States,
including Berkeley Rep, the Magic, South Coast Repertory, Oregon Shakespeare
Festival, Trinity Rep, and the Denver Center for the Performing Arts. She holds
an M.F.A. from Yale University, and has also taught at University of California
at Irvine, American Conservatory Theater, the Trinity Rep Conservatory, and the
O’Neill Theatre Institute.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 10pt"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></P>
<DIV
style="BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 1pt solid; BORDER-LEFT: windowtext 1pt solid; PADDING-BOTTOM: 1pt; PADDING-LEFT: 4pt; PADDING-RIGHT: 4pt; BORDER-TOP: windowtext 1pt solid; BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 1pt solid; PADDING-TOP: 1pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-element: para-border-div">
<H3 style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">Ticket and Performance
Information<o:p></o:p></SPAN></H3></DIV>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><o:p><FONT size=2> </FONT></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><FONT size=2><I
style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal"><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial">Quilters</SPAN></I><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial">
plays on the Weathervane Playhouse Founders Theater stage between Feb. 3 and 20,
2011.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><o:p><FONT size=2> </FONT></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><FONT size=2>The low-cost preview performance is
Thursday, Feb. 3 at 7:30 p.m.; the official opening-night performance is Friday,
Feb. 4 at 8 p.m.<o:p></o:p></FONT></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><o:p><FONT size=2> </FONT></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><FONT size=2>Between Feb. 3 and 20, 2011, performance
days and times are Thursdays at 7:30 p.m., Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m. and
Sundays at 2:30 p.m. In addition, a 10 a.m. performance will be offered on
Wednesday, Feb. 16; discounted tickets for school groups are available for this
daytime performance.<o:p></o:p></FONT></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 10pt"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><FONT size=2>Tickets for the Feb. 3 preview
performance only are $18 each. Tickets for performances after Feb. 3 are $24
each. <o:p></o:p></FONT></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><o:p><FONT size=2> </FONT></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><FONT size=2>$21 tickets for seniors and college
students are available for Thursday and Sunday performances. Tickets for
children (ages 17 or younger) are $19.50 at all performances after Feb. 3.
Additional discounts for groups of 12 or larger are also
available.<o:p></o:p></FONT></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><o:p><FONT size=2> </FONT></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><FONT size=2>The Weathervane Playhouse Box Office is
open Mondays between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m., Tuesdays through Fridays between 10
a.m. and 5:30 p.m. and is also open beginning one hour before each performance.
For tickets, visit or call the Weathervane Box Office at (330) 836-2626 during
Box Office hours or connect online to </FONT><A
href="http://www.weathervaneplayhouse.com/"><FONT
size=2>www.weathervaneplayhouse.com</FONT></A><FONT
size=2>.<o:p></o:p></FONT></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><o:p><FONT size=2> </FONT></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">* * *<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><o:p><FONT size=2> </FONT></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><FONT size=2>Weathervane Playhouse and its dedicated
volunteers offer vital performing arts resources for the people of Northeastern
Ohio. We create exciting and thought-provoking shows with impressive production
values. Through educational programs and volunteer opportunities for people of
all ages and backgrounds, Weathervane serves the theater community, our patrons
and our volunteers.<o:p></o:p></FONT></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><I
style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal"><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><o:p><FONT
size=2> </FONT></o:p></SPAN></I></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><I
style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal"><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><FONT
size=2>The Ohio Arts Council helped fund this program with state tax dollars to
encourage economic growth, education excellence and cultural enrichment for all
Ohioans.<o:p></o:p></FONT></SPAN></I></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><I
style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal"><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><o:p><FONT
size=2> </FONT></o:p></SPAN></I></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><I
style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal"><U><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><FONT
size=2>Additional 2010-2011 season sponsors<o:p></o:p></FONT></SPAN></U></I></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><I
style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal"><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><FONT
size=2>89.7 WSKU-FM<o:p></o:p></FONT></SPAN></I></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><I
style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal"><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><FONT
size=2>The Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company<o:p></o:p></FONT></SPAN></I></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><I
style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal"><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><FONT
size=2>OMONOVA Solutions Foundation<o:p></o:p></FONT></SPAN></I></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><I
style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal"><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><FONT
size=2>Sisler McFawn Foundation<o:p></o:p></FONT></SPAN></I></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><I
style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal"><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><FONT
size=2>Akron Community Foundation<o:p></o:p></FONT></SPAN></I></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><I
style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal"><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><FONT
size=2>Kenneth L. Calhoun Charitable Trust<o:p></o:p></FONT></SPAN></I></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><I
style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal"><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><FONT
size=2>The Margaret Clark Morgan Foundation<o:p></o:p></FONT></SPAN></I></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><I
style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal"><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><FONT
size=2>Mary S. and David C. Corbin
Foundation<o:p></o:p></FONT></SPAN></I></P></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial>Janis Harcar<BR>Director of Advancement<BR>Weathervane
Playhouse<BR>330-836-2323 X16<BR><A
href="http://www.weathervaneplayhouse.com">www.weathervaneplayhouse.com</A></FONT></DIV></BODY></HTML>