<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN">
<HTML><HEAD>
<META content="text/html; charset=iso-8859-1" http-equiv=Content-Type>
<META name=GENERATOR content="MSHTML 8.00.6001.19328">
<STYLE></STYLE>
</HEAD>
<BODY bgColor=#ffffff>
<P style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal
align=center><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.5pt"><FONT
face="Times New Roman"><FONT size=3><U><STRONG><SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>“The Nutcracker” Opens on the Ashtabula
Arts Center Stage on Friday!</STRONG></U></FONT></FONT></SPAN></P>
<P style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal
align=center><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.5pt"></SPAN> </P>
<P style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal
align=center><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.5pt"></SPAN><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><FONT face="Times New Roman">Enduring for more than a
century, “The Nutcracker” is a Christmas fairy tale that will bring back the
nostalgic feeling of holidays past and the promise of holidays to come.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>The annual full-scale production of this
classic tale will open on the Ashtabula Arts Center stage on Friday, November
30<SUP>th</SUP>.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Additional
performances will be presented on December 1, 2 (sold out), 7, 8, 9, 13, 14, 15,
16.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Saturday & Sunday matinees
begin at 2 p.m. Thursday, Friday & Saturday performances begin at 7:30 p.m.
Santa will be available to visit with children prior to the 2 p.m. performance
on December 1.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>There will be no
7:30 performance on December 1.<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns =
"urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p></o:p></FONT></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal align=center><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><FONT
face="Times New Roman"> <o:p></o:p></FONT></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal align=center><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><FONT face="Times New Roman">Loosely based on the
tale “The Nutcracker and the Mouse King,” by E.T.A. Hoffmann, this time-honored
classic tells a story of an enchanted Nutcracker doll that magically comes to
life to battle an Evil Mouse King and his band of ferocious mice.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Audiences will quickly be drawn into the
battle scene and then carried away to a dazzling land of dancing snowflakes,
angels and bon bons. It is a Christmas treasure that brings enchantment,
festivity and fun to the holiday season for families throughout the world.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN><o:p></o:p></FONT></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal align=center><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><FONT
face="Times New Roman"> <o:p></o:p></FONT></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; tab-stops: 54.75pt" class=MsoNormal
align=center><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><FONT
face="Times New Roman">General Admission Adult tickets are $13, Seniors/Students
are $12, Child age 12 and under are $11. OR save $2 per ticket when you purchase
in advance! Advance tickets must be purchased prior to 4 p.m. on the day of the
show or on Saturday for Sunday performances.<o:p></o:p></FONT></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal
align=center><SPAN></SPAN> </P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal align=center><SPAN>Get half price
“Nutcracker” tickets! For each non-perishable food item you bring to the Arts
Center for donation to the Faith Food Pantry, you can purchase a ticket to the
Thursday, December 13<SUP>th</SUP> performance of “The Nutcracker” for half off
the regular ticket price while seats last. Donations must be brought to the Arts
Center before half price tickets can be purchased. Donations will be accepted at
whether or not tickets are purchased. Items that are especially needed include
tuna, peanut butter, canned meats and canned goods.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>No expired items, please.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN><o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal align=center><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt"><FONT
face="Times New Roman"> <o:p></o:p></FONT></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal align=center><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; COLOR: black; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt"><FONT
face="Times New Roman">For tickets to any performance or extra events or for
more information contact the Ashtabula Arts Center at <U><STRONG>(440)
964-3396.<o:p></o:p></STRONG></U></FONT></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal align=center><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; COLOR: black; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt"><FONT
face="Times New Roman"> <o:p></o:p></FONT></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal align=center><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; COLOR: black"><FONT face="Times New Roman">The Arts
Center is funded in part by the Ohio Arts Council.<o:p></o:p></FONT></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal align=center><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; COLOR: black"><FONT
face="Times New Roman"> <o:p></o:p></FONT></SPAN></P>
<P style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal
align=center><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; COLOR: black"><FONT
face="Times New Roman">###<o:p></o:p></FONT></SPAN></P>
<DIV align=center>Pamela Hammond<BR>Public Relations/Marketing
Coordinator<BR>Ashtabula Arts Center<BR>2928 West 13th Street<BR>Ashtabula OH
44004<BR>(440) 964-3396<BR><A
href="mailto:aac@ashartscenter.org">aac@ashartscenter.org</A><BR><A
href="http://www.artscenternews.com">www.artscenternews.com</A></DIV></BODY></HTML>