<html><head><style type="text/css"><!-- DIV {margin:0px;} --></style></head><body><div style="font-family:times new roman,new york,times,serif;font-size:18pt"><div><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">"Block 5,"</span> based on a true story of an incident which took place at the Mauthausen Concentration Camp during World War II, is now available on DVD. Playwright, J.E.Ballantyne, Jr., who wrote and directed the play, says that the the DVD of the revival production produced in Youngstown in 2009 is a great depiction of what happened to seven Jewish prisoners at the camp. <span style="font-style: italic;">"It is a great educational opportunity for schools and for students who are studying the Holocaust,"</span> says Ballantyne. The DVD is accompanied by an extensive study guide to help students get more out of what they have seen once they view the DVD. Anyone interested in acquiring a copy of the DVD should
contact J&B Production Arts Services at 330-799-6176, or by sending an email to jandbproductionarts@juno.com or jandbproductionarts@yahoo.com.<br> The production was shot with three cameras and has a number of extras included with it. A special quantity discount is available when purchasing 5 or more DVDs.<br>A press release dealing with the DVD release follows: <br><br><br> <span style="font-weight: bold;">Release of</span><br style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"> <span
style="font-style: italic;">“Block 5”</span> DVD</span><br><br><br> J&B Production Arts Services has announced the release of the DVD recording of <span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">“Block 5”: The Revival</span>. Produced by L&M Productions, the 3-dvd set was released this past Monday, April 4. Taped during a live performance during the <span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">“Block 5”</span> production run in October of 2009 at the Victorian Players in Youngstown, the three dvds contain the full theatrical production of <span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">“Block 5”</span> along with many Bonus Features which add to the appreciation of the play.<br><br> The play’s writer and director, J.E.Ballantyne, Jr., said that there is a wealth of educational material contained in the set. The first two discs contain the
play while the third disc contains a roundtable discussion with the actors and Ballantyne. During the roundtable discussion the actors from the production talk about the play, their roles in it, what the experience meant to them and about the Holocaust and how it relates to the production. The disc also features a Downstage Dialogue, sponsored by the Youngstown Area Community Theatre Alliance, during which the audience from the recorded performance ask the actors and playwright questions about the production which they had just witnessed. The disc finishes up with behind the scenes photos and still photos from the production.<br><br> “This 3-disc set is a fantastic look at not only what happened at Mauthausen, but also at the Holocaust in general,” says Ballantyne. And at a price of only $25.00 for the entire set, it is a real bargain when you look at dvd costs in any retail store. Ballantyne
went on to say that, “anyone interested in the Holocaust, particularly students, should learn a great deal by watching the play and then listening to the actors involved.” He said that, for many of them, it was an emotional experience which took time to recover from. There are reports that a local organization is interested in purchasing copies of the dvd and then distributing them to local schools.<br><br> Several schools brought groups to the performance in 2009 and without exception, Ballantyne states, they were all very moved and effected by what they saw. In addition to the production of <span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">“Block 5,”</span> an exhibit called <span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">“Mauthausen to Auschwitz”: Visions of the Holocaust</span>, was also at the theatre. So, the students had the opportunity to view photographs as
well as read quotes directly associated with the Holocaust. <br><br> In fact, the <span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">“Block 5”</span><span> website is still up due to the popularity of it during and immediately after the production. It can be found at <a target="_blank" href="http://www.block5revival.com">www.block5revival.com</a>. The 3-dvd set is available to the general public at the cost of $25.00 and can be obtained by calling J&B Production Arts Services at 330-799-6176 or by emailing them at jandbproductionarts@juno.com or jandbproductionarts@yahoo.com.</span><br><br> The Holocaust exhibit, <span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">“Mauthausen to Auschwitz”: Visions of the Holocaust</span> is also available at the same contact information.<br><br><br><br><br> <br></div>
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