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<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Arial><span style='font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Arial'>FOR:
Rabbit Run Community Arts Association<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Arial><span style='font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Arial'>
<st1:address w:st="on"><st1:Street w:st="on">P. O. Box</st1:Street> 235</st1:address>,
<st1:Street w:st="on"><st1:address w:st="on">49 Park St</st1:address></st1:Street>.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Arial><span style='font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Arial'>
<st1:place w:st="on"><st1:City w:st="on">Madison</st1:City>, <st1:State w:st="on">OH</st1:State>
<st1:PostalCode w:st="on">44057</st1:PostalCode></st1:place><o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Arial><span style='font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Arial'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Arial><span style='font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Arial'>CONTACT: Karen Ziegler, Publicist<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Arial><span style='font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Arial'>
440-428-5913<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Arial><span style='font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Arial'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Arial><span style='font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Arial'>DATE:
August 9, 2011<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Arial><span style='font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Arial'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><b><font size=3 face=Arial><span style='font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Arial;font-weight:bold'>FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – <i><span
style='font-style:italic'>Lend Me a Tenor Opens at Rabbit Run Theater<o:p></o:p></span></i></span></font></b></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><b><i><font size=3 face=Arial><span style='font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Arial;font-weight:bold;font-style:italic'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></i></b></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Arial><span style='font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Arial'>In 1934 world famous tenor, Tito Merelli, is to perform
Otello, his greatest role ever, at the Cleveland Grand Opera Company. On
opening night, however, Merelli arrives intoxicated. Through a hilarious
maze of mishaps, tranquilizers, mistaken identities and love triangles this
uproariously funny story spins out of control onstage and off.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Arial><span style='font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Arial'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Arial><span style='font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Arial'>This Tony Award winning, rib-tickling comedy by Ken Ludwig
opens Friday, Aug. 12, at Rabbit Run Theater and runs through Sunday, Aug. 28.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Arial><span style='font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Arial'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Arial><span style='font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Arial'>Janet Shank is the show’s director. Shank</span></font><font
size=2 color=black face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial;
color:black'> </span></font><font color=black face=Arial><span
style='font-family:Arial;color:black'>is a life-long veteran of theatre, having
earned a BFA degree at <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:PlaceName w:st="on">Kent</st1:PlaceName>
<st1:PlaceName w:st="on">State</st1:PlaceName></st1:place>. She also
studied at <st1:PlaceName w:st="on">Lake Erie</st1:PlaceName> <st1:PlaceType
w:st="on">College</st1:PlaceType> and served as the Director of Performing Arts
at <st1:place w:st="on">Lake Erie</st1:place> during the 1980’s. In
addition, Shank studied and performed at The Cleveland Playhouse as well
as owning a professional touring company. <br>
<br>
"I love directing farce." Shank said. "It's a lot of hard work
because of the physicality and the need for exquisite comedic timing. The
cast is outstanding and, I believe, some of the most talented actors in the
area. Comedy is a demanding art form, and this cast has uniformly
demonstrated the qualities needed to pull off a show like <i><span
style='font-style:italic'>Tenor</span></i>. The audience will have a
wonderful time with this fast-paced comedy.” <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 color=black face=Arial><span style='font-size:
12.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 color=black face=Arial><span style='font-size:
12.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:black'>Tito Merelli is played by Don
Knepper. Knepper has appeared several times at Rabbit Run including last
year’s production of <i><span style='font-style:italic'>Frost/Nixon.
</span></i>He has also performed in a number of productions at the Fine Arts Association
and Chagrin Valley Little Theater. <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 color=black face=Arial><span style='font-size:
12.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 color=black face=Arial><span style='font-size:
12.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:black'>Michael Crowley, a recent <st1:place
w:st="on"><st1:PlaceType w:st="on">Lake</st1:PlaceType> <st1:PlaceName w:st="on">Catholic</st1:PlaceName></st1:place>
graduate, plays Max, assistant to the Opera manager. In addition to <i><span
style='font-style:italic'>Lend me a Tenor </span></i><st1:City w:st="on">Crowley</st1:City>
performed this summer in Rabbit Run’s productions of <i><span
style='font-style:italic'>Urinetown </span></i>as the lead role, Bobby Strong,
and in the ensemble of <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:City w:st="on"><i><span
style='font-style:italic'>Chicago</span></i></st1:City></st1:place><i><span
style='font-style:italic'>, the Musical. </span></i>This fall <st1:City
w:st="on">Crowley</st1:City> plans to begin at <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:PlaceName
w:st="on">Kent</st1:PlaceName> <st1:PlaceName w:st="on">State</st1:PlaceName> <st1:PlaceType
w:st="on">University</st1:PlaceType></st1:place> as a music theater major. <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 color=black face=Arial><span style='font-size:
12.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 color=black face=Arial><span style='font-size:
12.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:black'>Nancy Shimonek Brooks portrays
Tito’s wife, Maria. Most recently Shimonek appeared as Sister
Aloysius in <i><span style='font-style:italic'>Doubt, a Parable, </span></i>at
Rabbit Run in June. Roger Principe is playing Saunders, the Opera
manager; Matt Mortensen is the hotel bellhop, and Kathe Tascone plays Julia,
Chairman of the Opera Guild. Completing the cast is Caitlin Rose, as
Saunder’s daughter, and Evie Koh as Diana, a soprano with the Opera.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 color=black face=Arial><span style='font-size:
12.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify'><span class=apple-style-span><font
size=3 color=black face=Arial><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial;
color:black'>Tickets are $19/adult and $17/senior, student and are available by
calling the box office at 440-428-7092 or online at <a
href="http://www.rabbitrunonline.org/"
title="blocked::http://www.rabbitrunonline.org/">www.rabbitrunonline.org</a>.
Box office hours are Wednesday through Sunday, 3 to 7 p.m. For group
dinner packages and sales call 440-428-5913.</span></font></span><span
class=apple-style-span><font face=Arial><span style='font-family:Arial'><o:p></o:p></span></font></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify'><span class=apple-style-span><font
size=3 color=black face=Arial><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial;
color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Arial><span lang=EN style='font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Arial'>All shows begin at 8 p.m. Rabbit Run Theater is
located at <st1:address w:st="on"><st1:Street w:st="on">5648 W. Chapel Rd.</st1:Street>,
<st1:City w:st="on">Madison</st1:City></st1:address>, and is one of the few
remaining barn theaters in <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:State w:st="on">Ohio</st1:State></st1:place>.
Rabbit Run operates under the auspices of Rabbit Run Community Arts Association
and receives partial funding from the Ohio Arts Council.</span></font><span
lang=EN><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 color=black face=Arial><span style='font-size:
12.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
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12.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 color=black face=Arial><span style='font-size:
12.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:black'> <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
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