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<P style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" align=center><B
style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; COLOR: #444e5c"><FONT size=3>From page
to stage, ‘Nicholas Nickleby’ is a barnburner<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns =
"urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p></o:p></FONT></SPAN></B></P>
<P style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" align=center><B
style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; COLOR: #444e5c"><o:p><FONT
size=3> </FONT></o:p></SPAN></B></P>
<P style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"
class=MsoNormal align=center><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; COLOR: #1f497d; FONT-SIZE: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">Bob
Abelman<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"
class=MsoNormal align=center><I style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal"><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; COLOR: #1f497d; FONT-SIZE: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">News-Herald,
<?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags"
/><st1:place w:st="on"><st1:PlaceName w:st="on">Chagrin</st1:PlaceName>
<st1:PlaceType w:st="on">Valley</st1:PlaceType></st1:place> Times, Solon Times,
Geauga Times Courier<o:p></o:p></SPAN></I></P>
<P style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"
class=MsoNormal align=center><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; COLOR: #1f497d; FONT-SIZE: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">Member,
International Association of Theatre Critics <o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"
class=MsoNormal align=center><I style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal"><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></I></P>
<P style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt" class=MsoNormal
align=center><SPAN
style="LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; COLOR: #1f497d; FONT-SIZE: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">This
review appeared in the <I style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">News-Herald</I>
</SPAN><SPAN
style="LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt">on
7/13/12</SPAN><SPAN
style="LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" align=center><B
style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; COLOR: #444e5c"><o:p><FONT
size=3> </FONT></o:p></SPAN></B></P>
<P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">A
year or so ago, when the good folks at Rabbit Run Theater announced that <I
style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">The Light in the Piazza </I>w<SPAN
style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic">as part of their summer stock season, the
response from most theater insiders was astonishment. <SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN><o:p></o:p></SPAN></SPAN></P>
<P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-style: italic"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">Rabbit
Run Theater is a barn with a stage and a limited budget.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>How can it effectively produce a play
that takes place in <st1:City w:st="on">Rome</st1:City> and <st1:City
w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Florence</st1:place></st1:City>?<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>The show’s music and lyrics are <SPAN
style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic">operatic in nature and</SPAN></SPAN><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt"> </SPAN><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">Italian
is spoken throughout the production.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</SPAN>How w</SPAN><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt">ill it find the
talent to pull this off?<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</SPAN><o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt">It can and it
did.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</SPAN><o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt">And now Rabbit Run is
attempting the epic “The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby,” an immensely
challenging enterprise for any theater.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN><o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN><o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'"><FONT size=3>Based on Charles Dickens’
lengthy third novel published in the early 1800s, “The Life and Adventures of
Nicholas Nickleby” is a nine-hour stage play by David Edgar that was first
performed over two evenings by the Royal Shakespeare Company in 1980.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>The play required 46 actors, who took on
300 roles.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN><st1:City
w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Cleveland</st1:place></st1:City>’s Great Lakes
Theater acquired the first American rights and performed the drama at the Ohio
Theatre in 1982.<o:p></o:p></FONT></SPAN></P>
<P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'"><FONT size=3>Rabbit Run is staging an
abridged version of this play, requiring a mere six hours for its two-part
telling and 35 actors to play more than 150 roles. <SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>The first part of the production opened
last weekend, with both parts being performed in repertory over the next few
weeks.<o:p></o:p></FONT></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'"><o:p><FONT
size=3> </FONT></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT size=3><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'">Part one sets everything in motion by
concentrating on the </SPAN><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-ansi-language: EN"
lang=EN>wickedness of money-broker Ralph Nickleby and his cold-hearted decision
to send his nephew, young Nicholas Nickleby, out into the world to </SPAN><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; COLOR: #333333">provide for his mother
and sister so they are no longer the uncle’s burden. </SPAN><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-ansi-language: EN"
lang=EN>Nicholas’ adventures introduce him to abject poverty, truly dark and
sinister souls and—as personified by his friendship with a severely deformed boy
named Smike—the value of human decency, civility and charity, otherwise known as
the Dickens trifecta.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</SPAN><o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-ansi-language: EN"
lang=EN><o:p><FONT size=3> </FONT></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT size=3><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-ansi-language: EN" lang=EN>This
production is superb.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN></SPAN><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'"><o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'"><o:p><FONT
size=3> </FONT></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT size=3><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'">In a barn and on a budget, we are
transported to the Victorian era, travel from crowded <st1:City
w:st="on">London</st1:City> to dreary Yorkshire to the bucolic countryside of
<st1:place w:st="on">Devonshire</st1:place>, and moved from tears to laughter
and back again.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN></SPAN><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-ansi-language: EN"
lang=EN><o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-ansi-language: EN"
lang=EN><o:p><FONT size=3> </FONT></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT size=3><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-ansi-language: EN" lang=EN>All
this is done on a set designed by Ray Beach that </SPAN><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'">consists only of stairs and
scaffolding.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>It is decorated with
random actors in authentic period costuming designed by Karen Ziegler, who are
observing the action from the shadows designed by Clayton Sandham.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Platforms are rolled in and out to
effectively represent storefronts, back rooms and carriages, and set pieces are
brought on and off the stage with incredible
stealth.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'"><o:p><FONT
size=3> </FONT></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-ansi-language: EN" lang=EN><FONT
size=3>The play is performed by a core of professional actors and a talented
ensemble of amateur players, who develop rich, textured characters and
successfully communicate all that Dickens imbued in them.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Much of the play’s dialogue is directly
addressed to the audience, which serves to bring us into the action while
providing Dickens’ narrative voice and a taste of his eloquent writing.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN><o:p></o:p></FONT></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-ansi-language: EN"
lang=EN><o:p><FONT size=3> </FONT></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-ansi-language: EN" lang=EN><FONT
size=3>Rod O’Toole is phenomenal as Nicholas.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>He wears his character’s humanity on his
sleeve and bears the weight of each moral decision as if Dickens himself were
leaning on his shoulder and whispering in his ear.<o:p></o:p></FONT></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-ansi-language: EN"
lang=EN><o:p><FONT size=3> </FONT></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'"><FONT size=3>Lincoln Sandham is
heartbreaking as Smike.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>He delivers
the requisite pathos of all the “crippled” children in Dickens’ novels, but does
so with so much sensitivity, dignity and physicality that you can’t take your
eyes off him for fear of missing something
memorable.<o:p></o:p></FONT></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'"><o:p><FONT
size=3> </FONT></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'"><FONT size=3>George Roth as Ralph
Nickleby and David Malinowski as Squeers, the nasty sot who first employs
Nicholas, own the stage upon their entrances and leave remnant discord in their
wake.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>They find depth in what could
easily become caricature and are an absolute pleasure to watch.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>The same can be said for Kelsey Bowens,
who masterfully handles the bulk of the play’s comedy as Fanny, Squeer’s
daughter who is smitten with Nicholas.<o:p></o:p></FONT></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'"><o:p><FONT
size=3> </FONT></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt">Still, this
production is a group effort that includes the on-stage handiwork of
H</SPAN><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">eather
Arata, Ingrid Balstad, Brianna Beck, Nancy Brooks, Anna Davis, Norah DeMilta,
Greg Gnau, Maggie Greg, Nick Grimsic, Tom Hill, Kathleen Horvath, Evie Koh, Alex
Lane, Brint Learned, Maria Lister, Kyle Lorek, Pat Mazzarino, Erin McManus, Gina
Mulh, Matt O'Herron, Sandy Peck, Sam Portzer, Sydney Portzer, Olivia Roth,
Brendan Sandham, Kelly Smith, Matt Super, Kathe Tascone, Caitlin Van Niel and
Dale Van Niel.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</SPAN><o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT size=3><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'"><SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN></SPAN><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-ansi-language: EN"
lang=EN><o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT size=3><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-ansi-language: EN" lang=EN>The
play’s volumes of descriptive dialogue, abundance of short scenes, and mass of
humanity are given life and meaning by a very </SPAN><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'">imaginative </SPAN><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-ansi-language: EN"
lang=EN>director, Ann Hedger.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Her
extensive efforts have resulted in an entertainment that unfolds with admirable
fluidity, grace and intelligence.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</SPAN><o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-ansi-language: EN"
lang=EN><o:p><FONT size=3> </FONT></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT size=3><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-ansi-language: EN" lang=EN>This
marvelous production not only demonstrates that </SPAN><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'">Dickens can be translated into
absolutely riveting community theater when in the right hands, but </SPAN><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-ansi-language: EN"
lang=EN>bolsters Rabbit Run’s reputation for turning difficult scripts into
</SPAN><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'">astonishing
performances.</SPAN><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-ansi-language: EN"
lang=EN><o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-ansi-language: EN"
lang=EN><o:p><FONT size=3> </FONT></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT size=3><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-ansi-language: EN" lang=EN>The
second part of “Nicholas Nickleby” sets its </SPAN><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'">focus on the principal players and
their dramatic storylines. <SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN></SPAN><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-ansi-language: EN" lang=EN>For
those who miss the first three hours of the play, all that transpired is
recounted in the first 10 minutes of the second three-hour production. <SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN><o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-ansi-language: EN"
lang=EN><o:p><FONT size=3> </FONT></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-ansi-language: EN" lang=EN><FONT
size=3>These six hours are certainly time well
spent.<o:p></o:p></FONT></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><I style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal"><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-ansi-language: EN"
lang=EN><o:p><FONT size=3> </FONT></o:p></SPAN></I></P>
<P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><I
style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal"><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt">“The Life and
Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby”</SPAN></I><I
style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal"><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">
continues through August 5</SPAN></I><I
style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal"><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt"> at Rabbit Run
Theater, <st1:Street w:st="on"><st1:address w:st="on">5648 W. Chapel
Rd.</st1:address></st1:Street>, in <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:PlaceName
w:st="on">Madison</st1:PlaceName> <st1:PlaceName
w:st="on">Township</st1:PlaceName></st1:place>. For tickets, $<SPAN
style="COLOR: black">17 to $19, call </SPAN>440-428-7092 or visit <A href=""
target=_blank><SPAN style="COLOR: blue">www.rabbitrunonline.org</SPAN></A>.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</SPAN><o:p></o:p></SPAN></I></P></FONT></DIV></BODY></HTML>