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<p style="margin-bottom:12.0pt;mso-add-space:auto"><strong><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">Happy to announce our next great CWRU/MFA class!<o:p></o:p></span></strong></p>
<p style="margin-bottom:12.0pt;mso-add-space:auto"><strong><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif""><o:p> </o:p></span></strong></p>
<p style="margin-bottom:12.0pt;mso-add-space:auto"><strong><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">Thanks,<o:p></o:p></span></strong></p>
<p style="margin-bottom:12.0pt;mso-add-space:auto"><strong><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">Ed<o:p></o:p></span></strong></p>
<p style="margin-bottom:12.0pt;mso-add-space:auto"><strong><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif""><o:p> </o:p></span></strong></p>
<p align="center" style="margin-bottom:12.0pt;mso-add-space:auto;text-align:center">
<strong><span style="font-size:22.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif""><o:p> </o:p></span></strong></p>
<p align="center" style="margin-bottom:12.0pt;mso-add-space:auto;text-align:center">
<strong><span style="font-size:22.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">CASE WESTERN RESERVE UNIVERSITY/<o:p></o:p></span></strong></p>
<p align="center" style="margin-bottom:12.0pt;mso-add-space:auto;text-align:center">
<strong><span style="font-size:22.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">CLEVELAND PLAY HOUSE MFA ACTING PROGRAM<o:p></o:p></span></strong></p>
<p align="center" style="margin-bottom:12.0pt;mso-add-space:auto;text-align:center">
<strong><span style="font-size:22.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">ANNOUNCES INCOMING CLASS</span></strong><span style="font-size:22.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif""><br>
</span><em><span style="font-size:20.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">8 Candidates Selected from Over 400 Applicants</span></em><i><span style="font-size:20.0pt"><o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="Default"><b><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">CLEVELAND, OH (July 1, 2013)
</span></b><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">–<b> </b>The Case Western Reserve University/Cleveland Play House MFA Acting Program today announced its Class of 2016. The three women and five men represent eight different undergraduate programs
from across the United States.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="Default"><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:windowtext"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="Default"><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">"It is always an exciting time for the program when a new MFA Acting class arrives to begin their intensive studies,”
</span><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:windowtext">says <b>
Ron Wilson</b>, director of the program. “</span><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">The students in the class of 2016 will have the distinction of being in residence at CPH during the theatre's 100th year anniversary."</span><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:windowtext"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p align="center" style="text-align:center"><strong><span style="font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">CWRU/CPH MFA Program Class of 2016</span></strong><strong><span style="font-size:16.0pt"><o:p></o:p></span></strong></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="color:black">NICK BARBATO</span></b><span style="color:black"> hails from the frozen tundra that is Syracuse, NY, where he attended Le Moyne College, graduating in 2008 with a BA in English with a Theatre Arts Minor and
is a founding member of the Central New York Shakespeare Company. After graduating, he interned at The Roundabout Theater Company in NYC, and worked primarily on the Roundabout Underground project. Favorite regional roles include: Edmund in
<i>King Lear</i>, Yolland in <i>Translations</i>, and Sherlock Holmes in <i>The Hound of the Baskervilles</i>. He also appears in the “Lose My Mind” music video by brit-pop sensation:<i> The Wanted</i>. He is extremely excited and grateful to begin his Acting
MFA at CWRU/CPH this fall!</span><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="color:black"><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="color:black">JEREMIAH CLAPP</span></b><span style="color:black"> is beyond excited to be a member of the MFA acting program at Case Western Reserve University/CPH. He is a Houston, Texas native with a 2013 Bachelor of Arts
Degree in Theatre from Texas A&M University Corpus Christi where he has appeared as Steven in
<i>Farragut North</i>, Malvolio in <i>Twelfth Night</i>, Chorus in<i> Henry V</i>, Bartlett in
<i>Back of the Throat </i>and Nikolay Ivanov in <i>Ivanov</i>. Jeremiah is an alumi of the Stella Adler Studio of Acting’s (NYC) Chekhov Intensive Summer program. He is one of nine siblings and dedicates his success to his late mother, Patricia Kay Wicker.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><o:p> </o:p></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>ALEC HYNES</b> is a 2013 graduating senior from Cornell College with a Bachelor of Specialized Studies in Theatre, Religion Studies, and Performance Studies. He has worked regionally in Iowa with Riverside
<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Theatre as Babbybobby in <i>The Cripple of Inishmaan</i>; Peter Van Daan in
<i>The Diary of Anne Frank</i>; and <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Sir Eglamour in <i>The Two Gentlemen of Verona</i>. He has also worked with Working Group Theatre as Milan Tradnoviæ in the premiere of
<i>The Toymaker’s War</i>. Roles at Cornell include Mercutio in <i>Romeo and Juliet;
</i>Clive/Edward in<i> Cloud 9</i>;<i> </i>and Nana in <i>Milkmilklemonade.<o:p></o:p></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><o:p> </o:p></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>MEGAN KING</b>, of central Arkansas will graduate from the University of Arkansas at Fort Smith this June with her Bachelors degree in Theatre Performance. She previously attended Arkansas State University Beebe where she received her
Associate of Fine Arts. Her most recent work includes a full length devised physical production,
<i>Dromnium</i>, which was recently reviewed by a national panel from the Kennedy Center, and is now competing for awards on the national level. Along with acting Megan enjoys reading, playing piano, aerial silks, trapeze and partnered adagio. She looks forward
to continuing her theatrical pursuits and moving to Cleveland to join the CWRU-CPH MFA Program.
<s><o:p></o:p></s></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><o:p> </o:p></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>JAY BEN MARKSON </b>is considerably aflutter at the prospect of attending CWRU this fall. Since graduating Dartmouth College in 2010 with a BA in Theatre and Creative Writing, he has lived and worked in the Boston area. Favorite roles
include Fin in <i>Mrs. Whitney</i> (Merrimack Repertory Theatre) and Joe Crowell, Jr. in David Cromer's production of
<i>Our Town</i> at the Huntington Theatre. Jay Ben also is ensemble member and Executive Director of MaineStage Shakespeare, a summer ensemble that provides outdoor theatre to the families of Kennebunk, ME, free of charge. Roles include Touchstone in
<em><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">As You Like It</span></em>, Mercutio in
<em><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">Romeo and Juliet</span></em>, and Puck in
<em><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">A Midsummer Night’s Dream</span></em>.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="color:black"><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="color:black">RICKIE MCDOWELL</span></b><span style="color:black"> is a 2012 graduate from Eastern Michigan University with a BA in Theatre Arts. Favorite roles and great learning experiences are Lorenzo from
<i>The Merchant of Venice</i>, Adam from <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="color:black">Someone Who'll Watch Over Me</span></i><span style="color:black"> and Cassio from
<i>Othello</i>. Rickie has a passion for all aspects of film, ranging from acting to producing. His life outside of acting consists of family, athletics and the outdoors.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>KATHRYN METZGER</b> received her Bachelor of Arts in Theater Arts and English from Case Western Reserve University in 2012. Most recently in her time at CWRU, she had the honor of performing as Nurse/Amaryllis in the MFA class of 2012’s
production of <i>The Winter’s Tale</i>, as well as appearing in CWRU undergraduate productions of
<i>Top Girls </i>and <i>Les Liaisons Dangereuse</i>. In the year since graduating, Kathryn has been working and enjoying family in her hometown of Seattle, WA. She will appear this summer in the San Juan Islands as Katherine in
<i>The Taming of the Shrew</i> with Island Stage Left.<span style="color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>KATIE O SOLOMON</b> Katie is very happy to be part of CASE/CPH MFA. She is a Baltimore, MD native. Katie graduated in 2010 Summa Cum Laude with a Bachelor of Science from Towson University's theatre program with a concentration in performance.
She is a founding member of the Stillpointe Theatre Initiative which focuses on bringing music and movement to text and performing theatre in non-traditional settings. Last Summer she worked at WordBridge Playwrights Laboratory and ARTscape and this Summer
she will be playing Dorinda in Everyman Theatre's <i>The Beaux' Stratagem</i>.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p align="center" style="text-align:center"><strong><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">ABOUT THE CWRU/CPH MFA PROGRAM</span><o:p></o:p></strong></p>
<p><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">Since 1996, Cleveland Play House has partnered with Case Western Reserve University to offer a Master of Fine Arts degree in Acting. In 2003, it became a conservatory program completely housed at Cleveland
Play House. Every two years, the CWRU/CPH MFA Acting Program accepts a class of eight actors into its three-year program. All three years are spent in residency at Cleveland Play House, providing students with unique access to its new downtown Cleveland state-of-the-art
facilities and the professional expertise of its staff. Program graduates include Rich Sommer (<i>Mad Men, Harvey</i>), Elizabeth A. Davis (<i>Once –
</i>Tony Award Nomination, <i>The 39 Steps</i>), Tom Degnan (The Good Wife), and Andrew Gorell (The Lion King).</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p align="center" style="text-align:center"><strong><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">ABOUT CLEVELAND PLAY HOUSE</span><o:p></o:p></strong></p>
<p><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">Founded in 1915, <b>Cleveland Play House</b> is America’s first professional regional theatre. Throughout its rich history, Cleveland Play House has remained dedicated to its mission to inspire, stimulate
and entertain diverse audiences in Northeast Ohio by producing plays and theatre education programs of the highest professional standards. It has produced more than 100 world and/or American premieres, and over its long history more than 12 million people
have attended over 1,300 CPH productions. Today, Cleveland Play House looks toward its centennial while performing in three state-of-the art venues at PlayhouseSquare in downtown Cleveland.</span>
<a href="http://www.clevelandplayhouse.com"><i><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">www.clevelandplayhouse.com</span></i></a><o:p></o:p></p>
<p><b><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">Cleveland Play House </span>
</b><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">is funded through the generosity of Cuyahoga County residents through Cuyahoga Arts and Culture, and The Ohio Arts Council helps to fund Cleveland Play House with state tax dollars to encourage economic growth,
educational excellence and cultural enrichment for all Ohioans.<i><o:p></o:p></i></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center">###<i><o:p></o:p></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="color:black">Ed Gilchrist<br>
</span></b><b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;color:black">Director of Marketing and Communications</span></b><span style="font-size:13.5pt;color:black"><br>
</span><span style="font-size:10.0pt;color:black">Cleveland Play House</span><span style="font-size:13.5pt;color:black"><br>
</span><span style="font-size:10.0pt;color:black">1901 E. 13th Street, Suite 200</span><span style="font-size:13.5pt;color:black"><br>
</span><span style="font-size:10.0pt;color:black">Cleveland, OH 44114</span><span style="font-size:13.5pt;color:black"><br>
</span><span style="font-size:10.0pt;color:black">216.400.7020</span><span style="font-size:13.5pt;color:black"><br>
<a href="mailto:egilchrist@clevelandplayhouse.com">egilchrist@clevelandplayhouse.com</a><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:13.5pt;color:black"><a href="http://www.clevelandplayhouse.com/"><span style="color:purple">clevelandplayhouse.com<br>
</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:13.5pt;color:black"><br>
<br>
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
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