<html xmlns:v="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:vml" xmlns:o="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" xmlns:w="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:word" xmlns:m="http://schemas.microsoft.com/office/2004/12/omml" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40"><head><META HTTP-EQUIV="Content-Type" CONTENT="text/html; charset=us-ascii"><meta name=Generator content="Microsoft Word 12 (filtered medium)"><style><!--
/* Font Definitions */
@font-face
{font-family:Calibri;
panose-1:2 15 5 2 2 2 4 3 2 4;}
@font-face
{font-family:"Freestyle Script";
panose-1:3 8 4 2 3 2 5 11 4 4;}
@font-face
{font-family:"Blackadder ITC";
panose-1:4 2 5 5 5 16 7 2 13 2;}
/* Style Definitions */
p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal
{margin:0in;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";}
a:link, span.MsoHyperlink
{mso-style-priority:99;
color:blue;
text-decoration:underline;}
a:visited, span.MsoHyperlinkFollowed
{mso-style-priority:99;
color:purple;
text-decoration:underline;}
p
{mso-style-priority:99;
mso-margin-top-alt:auto;
margin-right:0in;
mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;
margin-left:0in;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";}
span.EmailStyle17
{mso-style-type:personal-compose;
font-family:"Freestyle Script";
color:windowtext;
font-weight:bold;
font-style:italic;}
.MsoChpDefault
{mso-style-type:export-only;}
@page WordSection1
{size:8.5in 11.0in;
margin:1.0in 1.0in 1.0in 1.0in;}
div.WordSection1
{page:WordSection1;}
--></style><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:shapedefaults v:ext="edit" spidmax="1026" />
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:shapelayout v:ext="edit">
<o:idmap v:ext="edit" data="1" />
</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link=blue vlink=purple><div class=WordSection1><p><strong><span style='font-size:10.5pt'>Karamu Performing Arts Theatre Presents August Wilson’s, </span></strong><o:p></o:p></p><p><strong><span style='font-size:10.5pt'>Gem of the Ocean directed by Michael Oatman, Cleveland Arts Prize Winner</span></strong><o:p></o:p></p><p> <em><b><span style='font-size:10.5pt'>Gem of the Ocean</span></b></em><span style='font-size:10.5pt'> is the first installment of August Wilson’s decade-by-decade, ten-play chronicle, The Pittsburgh Cycle, dramatizing the African-American experience in the twentieth century. The play is set in 1904 at 1839 Wylie Avenue in Pittsburgh's Hill District. Aunt Ester, the drama's 285-year-old fiery matriarch, welcomes into her home Solly Two Kings, who was born into slavery and scouted for the Union Army, and Citizen Barlow, a young man from Alabama searching for a new life. Citizen Barlow is in search of redemption. Aunt Ester is not too old to practice healing; she guides him on a lyrical journey of spiritual awakening to the City of Bones.</span><o:p></o:p></p><p> <span style='font-size:10.5pt'>Karamu's talented, experienced cast, consisting of DeNny Averhart as <em>Aunt Ester</em>, Butch Terry as <em>Solly Two Kings</em>; Kyle Carthens as <em>Citizen Barlow</em>; Rodney Freeman as <em>Rutherford Selig</em>; Cornell Calhoun III as <em>Caesar Wilkes</em>, Lauren Sturdivant as <em>Black Mary</em>; Daniel Gray Kontar as <em>Eli</em> plus an award winning Playwright, August Wilson and an award winning Director, Michael Oatman make Karamu’s <em>Gem of the Ocean </em> a “must see” production. </span><o:p></o:p></p><p> <span style='font-size:10.5pt'>Performances are Thursday thru Saturday at 8:00 pm and Sunday at 3:00 pm. There are two performances scheduled on May 19th, one at 3:00 pm and one at 8:00 pm Tickets are $20.00 on Thursday and Sunday and $25.00 on Friday and Saturday. Group, senior and student discounts are available. Tickets maybe purchased on line at <a href="http://www.karamuhouse.org">www.karamuhouse.org</a> or via phone from our box office at 216-795-7077. Performances run through June 3, 2012.</span><o:p></o:p></p><p> <span style='font-size:10.5pt'>Come to Karamu and Feel at Home In the House, Karamu House is the oldest African American Cultural Arts Institution in the United States and recipient of an Ohio Historical Marker. Karamu House Inc. is supported in part by The Cleveland Foundation, The George Gund Foundation, The Ohio Lottery, The Ohio Arts Council and is generously funded by Cuyahoga County residents through Cuyahoga Arts and Culture.</span><o:p></o:p></p><p> <o:p></o:p></p><p align=center style='text-align:center'>###<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><i><span style='font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></i></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><i><span style='font-family:"Freestyle Script"'><o:p> </o:p></span></i></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Blackadder ITC"'>Vivian C. Wilson<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal>Marketing Director<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Karamu House<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>2355 East 89th Street<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Cleveland, OH 44106<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Ph: 216-795-7070 extension 215<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Fax 216-795-7073<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><u>vwilson@karamuhouse.org<o:p></o:p></u></p><p class=MsoNormal><u>www.karamuhouse.org<o:p></o:p></u></p><p class=MsoNormal><i>Feel at Home in the House!<o:p></o:p></i></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div></body></html>