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<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Arial><STRONG>FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE<BR>July 18,
2011<BR><BR></STRONG><FONT size=5><STRONG>Great Lakes Theater Festival Is
Now<BR>GREAT LAKES THEATER</STRONG></FONT><BR><FONT size=2
face=Arial><BR><STRONG><EM><FONT size=3>The newly streamlined name for
Cleveland’s classic theater is designed to accurately <BR>reflect the company’s
current seasonal structure and artistic
programming.</FONT></EM></STRONG><BR><BR><STRONG>CLEVELAND, OH – Great Lakes
Theater Festival</STRONG>, Cleveland’s professional classic theater company,
<STRONG>will streamline its name to Great Lakes Theater (GLT) beginning this
summer</STRONG>. The company’s move to eliminate the word Festival from its name
is <STRONG>designed to establish a succinct moniker for the regional theater
that accurately reflects its current seasonal structure and artistic
programming</STRONG>.<BR><BR>Originally founded in 1962 as the Great Lakes
Shakespeare Festival, the theater’s name was changed to Great Lakes Theater
Festival in 1985 to reflect the company’s interest in diversifying production
offerings beyond the work of Shakespeare. The company transitioned from a
festival-style producing model to a seasonal structure in 1991.<BR><BR>“While we
absolutely remain committed to producing the work of William Shakespeare and the
classics, we no longer present plays in a festival-style format,” said Todd
Krispinsky, GLT’s marketing and public relations director. “<STRONG>Our new
name, Great Lakes Theater, is a refinement that more accurately communicates who
we are as a company today and eliminates any potential confusion for audience
members</STRONG> who associate certain expectations with words like ‘Festival.’
Our Board and staff believe that our fiftieth anniversary season is the perfect
occasion to make such a name change…as we embark upon a new and exciting chapter
of our company’s history.”<BR><BR><STRONG>The theater’s transition to its new
name will occur in phases. </STRONG>Marketing materials will reflect the change
beginning in late July. The marquee and interior signage of the company’s Hanna
Theatre home at PlayhouseSquare will receive an update in August. Great Lakes
Theater’s redesigned website will launch in September.<BR><BR>Great Lakes
Theater has brought the pleasure, power and relevance of classic theater to the
widest possible audience since 1962. The first resident company of
PlayhouseSquare, <STRONG>Great Lakes Theater will celebrate its fiftieth
anniversary season in 2011-12</STRONG>. The theater’s programming reaches 85,000
adults and students annually.<BR><BR>#
# #<BR><BR><STRONG>Media Contact:</STRONG><BR>Todd
Krispinsky<BR>Marketing and Public Relations Director<BR>Great Lakes
Theater<BR>1501 Euclid Avenue, Suite 300<BR>Cleveland, Ohio 44115<BR>(216)
241-5490 x317 / (216) 241-6315 Fax<BR><A
href="http://www.greatlakestheater.org">www.greatlakestheater.org</A></FONT></FONT><SPAN></DIV></SPAN>
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