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<p class="" style="text-autospace:none"><b style><span style="font-family:Palatino;color:black"><span style="color:rgb(255,0,255)"><br></span></span></b></p><p class="" style="text-autospace:none"><b style><span style="font-family:Palatino;color:black"><span style="color:rgb(255,0,255)"></span><br>
</span></b></p><p class="" style="text-autospace:none"><b style><span style="font-family:Palatino;color:black"><br></span></b></p><p class="" style="text-autospace:none"><b style><span style="font-family:Palatino;color:black">WOODY [Guthrie] SEZ, a dang good 98<sup>th</sup> season opening
pleaser, at CPH</span></b></p>
<p class="" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-family:Palatino;color:black"> </span></p>
<p class="" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-family:Palatino;color:black">Roy Berko</span></p>
<p class="" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Palatino;color:black">(Member, American
Theatre Critics Association, Cleveland Critics Circle)</span></p>
<p class="" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Palatino;color:black"> </span></p>
<p class="" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-family:Palatino;color:black">Even before the official start of WOODY SEZ, the
cast of four set the melodic and emotional mood by playing music and
interacting with the audience.<span style> </span></span></p>
<p class="" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-family:Palatino;color:black"> </span></p>
<p class="" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-family:Palatino;color:black">As the music driven WOODY SEZ:<span style> </span>THE LIFE & MUSIC OF WOODY GUTHERIE
unfolds, we are exposed to Guthrie, the man, his life and his music.</span></p>
<p class="" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-family:Palatino;color:black"> </span></p>
<p class="" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-family:Palatino;color:black">From early on, until his death from
complications of Huntingtons disease in 1967 at age 55, Guthrie acted as a
spokesperson for the poor, the disenfranchised, and the union and non-union
members who were taken advantage of by company stores, big business, acts of
nature, and politicians.<span style> </span>His
emotional and purposeful vocals, his twangy guitar, harmonica, mandolin and
fiddle playing, reeked of down home Okie ideals.<span style> </span>They highlighted his experiences in the Dust Bowl era and
Great Depression and help teach a solid history lesson of the era.</span></p>
<p class="" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-family:Palatino;color:black"> </span></p>
<p class="" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-family:Palatino;color:black">His strong political views earned him the
honor of being blacklisted, investigated by the FBI, and censored in his
media appearances.</span></p>
<p class="" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-family:Palatino;color:black"> </span></p>
<p class="" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-family:Palatino;color:black">Guthries outspoken nature and obligation to
speak out cost him three marriages and solid relationships with his eight
children.<span style> </span>One of his sons, Arlo, took
up his mantle and became a renowned folk musician.<span style> </span></span></p>
<p class="" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-family:Palatino;color:black"> </span></p>
<p class="" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-family:Palatino;color:black">He is credited with inspiring and mentoring a
generation of new folk musicians, including Ramblin Jack Elliott and Bob Dylan.
</span></p>
<p class="" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-family:Palatino;color:black"> </span></p>
<p class="" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-family:Palatino;color:black">Guthrie is noted for such songs as So Long its
Been Good to Know Yuh, This Train is Bound for Glory, Pastures of Plenty,
The Ballad of Tom Joad, and<span style>
</span>Nickel, Nickel.<span style> </span>He wrote
what many consider the countrys spiritual anthem, This Land Is Your Land. </span></p>
<p class="" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-family:Palatino;color:black"> </span></p>
<p class="" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-family:Palatino;color:black">The Cleveland Play House production, under the
adept direction of Nick Corley, who co-devised the script, wraps the audience
in music, tales and morals.<span style>
</span>There is an easy, comfortable pace and mood to the two-act, hour and a
half show that is enhanced by the intimacy of the Allen theatre.<span style> </span>This ability to create closeness
highlights yet another reason why the CPH move to downtown was a wise choice,
as the old theatre spaces didnt offer such a venue.</span></p>
<p class="" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-family:Palatino;color:black"> </span></p>
<p class="" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-family:Palatino;color:black">The simple set, consisting of a series of
shipping cases, serves as places to store the multitude of guitars, fiddles,
harmonicas, autoharp, Appalachian dulcimer, double bass, mandolin, banjo,
pennywhistle, jawharp and soup spoons, which were played by the
performers.<span style> </span>They also served as
places for individual cast members to sit when they were not performing.</span></p>
<p class="" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-family:Palatino;color:black"> </span></p>
<p class="" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-family:Palatino;color:black">David Lutken, who authored the piece, inhabits
the personage of Guthrie so well that it is easy to forget his is not the man
himself.<span style> </span>Lutken obviously knows
Guthrie, his music, his mannerisms, and his sense of humor.<span style> </span>He is a multi-talented musician who
well creates the thoughts, desires, and wisdom of the Dust Bowl Troubadour.</span></p>
<p class="" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-family:Palatino;color:black"> </span></p>
<p class="" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-family:Palatino;color:black">David Finch, Helen Jean Russell and Leenya
Rideout are all outstanding musicians and performers who well portray many
people who affected and influenced Guthries life and beliefs.<span style> </span>Pleasurably, none of the cast or their
instruments are encumbered by microphones, so there is a natural, not
artificial sound to the music and the singing.</span></p>
<p class="" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-family:Palatino;color:black"> </span></p>
<p class="" style="text-autospace:none"><i style><span style="font-family:Palatino">CAPSULE
JUDGMENT: <span style="color:black"><span style> </span>If your definition of a musical is an orchestra in the pit,
dancing, and a plot in which the songs perfectly fit into the story line, WOODY
SEZ: THE LIFE AND MUSIC OF WOODY GUTHRIE isnt for you.<span style> </span>If, however, you get off on learning
about a real person, and sharing his music and philosophy, presented by an
engaging note-perfect cast, this is the show for you.<span style> </span>CPH has opened its 98<sup>th</sup> season with a sure
audience pleaser!</span></span></i></p>
<p class="" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-family:Palatino;color:black"> </span></p>
<p class="" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-family:Palatino">WOODY SEZ runs through October 6, 2013 at the Allen Theatre
in PlayhouseSquare.<span style> </span>For tickets
call 216-241-6000 or go to <a href="http://www.clevelandplayhouse.com">http://www.clevelandplayhouse.com</a>.</span></p><p class="" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="color:rgb(255,0,255)"><br><span style="font-family:Palatino"></span></span></p>
<p class="" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-family:Palatino"><span style="color:rgb(255,0,255)"></span><br></span></p>
<p class="" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-family:Palatino"> </span></p>
<p class=""><span style="font-family:Palatino"> </span></p>
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