<div dir="ltr"><br><span style="color:rgb(0,255,255)"><br>***********************************************************</span><br><br>
<style>
<!--
/* Font Definitions */
@font-face
{font-family:Cambria;
panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4;
mso-font-charset:0;
mso-generic-font-family:auto;
mso-font-pitch:variable;
mso-font-signature:3 0 0 0 1 0;}
@font-face
{font-family:Palatino;
panose-1:2 0 5 0 0 0 0 0 0 0;
mso-font-charset:0;
mso-generic-font-family:auto;
mso-font-pitch:variable;
mso-font-signature:3 0 0 0 1 0;}
@font-face
{font-family:"Bookman Old Style";
panose-1:2 5 6 4 5 5 5 2 2 4;
mso-font-charset:0;
mso-generic-font-family:auto;
mso-font-pitch:variable;
mso-font-signature:3 0 0 0 1 0;}
/* Style Definitions */
p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal
{mso-style-parent:"";
margin:0in;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:12.0pt;
mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-ascii-font-family:Palatino;
mso-fareast-font-family:Cambria;
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-hansi-font-family:Palatino;
mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;
color:black;}
span.style14
{mso-style-name:style14;}
@page Section1
{size:8.5in 11.0in;
margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in;
mso-header-margin:.5in;
mso-footer-margin:.5in;
mso-paper-source:0;}
div.Section1
{page:Section1;}
-->
</style>
<p class="" style="background:none repeat scroll 0% 0% white"><span class=""><b style>An interview with Laura Kepley, the 9<sup>th</sup>
Artistic Director of the Cleveland Play House</b></span></p>
<p class="" style="background:none repeat scroll 0% 0% white"><span class="">Roy Berko</span></p>
<p class="" style="background:none repeat scroll 0% 0% white"><span class=""><span style="font-size:10pt">(<font size="1">Member:<span>
</span>American Theatre Critics Association, Cleveland Critics Circle)</font></span></span></p>
<p class="" style="background:none repeat scroll 0% 0% white"><span class="">A new era has
begun at the Cleveland Play House!<span style>
</span>Laura Kepley was recently appointed to be the ninth Artistic Director in
the 98-year history of CPH.</span><span class=""> </span>
</p><p class="" style="background:none repeat scroll 0% 0% white"><span class="">Who is Kepley
and what can the community expect from the organization’s former Associate
Artistic Director?</span></p>
<p class="" style="background:none repeat scroll 0% 0% white"><span class="">Kevin Moore,
CPH’s Managing Director states, “Her passion for theatre and for engaging with
our community through powerful productions and innovative education programs is
a joy to be around and support.”<span style> </span></span></p>
<p class="" style="background:none repeat scroll 0% 0% white"><span class="">Based on my
recent interview with Kepley, in her brightly lit windowed office, which
reflects her effervescent smile and open communication style, her passion,
enthusiasm, and desire for a collaborative work environment were evident.</span></p>
<p class="" style="background:none repeat scroll 0% 0% white"><span class="">Michael Bloom,
the former Artistic Director, was responsible for selecting the offerings of
the 2013-2014 season.<span style> </span>We’ll know
more about what’s in the future for CPH when Kepley announces the 2014-2015
season.<span style> </span>She indicated that the
selecting of the season will be based on her philosophy that centers on
“stories that are relevant, smart, entertaining, and provocative.”<span style> </span></span></p><span class=""></span> <p class="" style="background:none repeat scroll 0% 0% white"><span class="">She gravitates
towards work that “makes the viewer see the world in a different way” and that
incites dialogue long after the viewing is over.<span style> </span>She cites such recent CPH productions as THE WHIPPING MAN,
GOOD PEOPLE, and RICH GIRL as those types of shows.</span></p>
<p class="" style="background:none repeat scroll 0% 0% white"><span class="">She likes plays
that ‘display a diversity of voices, especially plays with strong female
characters.’<span style> </span>She is “not afraid of
new, bold, provocative shows, which open audiences<span style> </span>to surprises.”<span style>
</span>Kepley thinks “Cleveland is the kind of city that is open to that type
of challenge.”</span></p>
<p class="" style="background:none repeat scroll 0% 0% white"><span class="">How will she
know whether a play has succeeded?<span style>
</span>Kepley likes to wander the lobby at intermission and after the
production, meeting people, having dialogues, and listening to the buzz.<span style> </span>She also admits to reading reviews of
the company’s shows.</span></p>
<p class="" style="background:none repeat scroll 0% 0% white"><span class="">There have been
comments and complaints that in the past several years CPH has become, at least
in part, nothing more than a site for touring shows.<span style> </span>In response to whether this trend is going to continue,
Kepley indicated that “though CPH is 98 years old, in some ways we are only 3
years old as that is how long we have been downtown.<span style> </span>The new facilities in the Allen complex open new
possibilities.”<span style> </span>She says that “the
company is getting new audiences, which are younger and more diverse,” and
“part of the challenge is that we need to introduce and reintroduce our unique
identity.”<span style> </span></span></p>
<p class="" style="background:none repeat scroll 0% 0% white"><span class=""> </span>She
thinks the challenge is “to do a variety of work while making sure audiences
know that they are watching a CPH show.”<span style>
</span>It is her concept that, “going forward, we will be more clear on how we
tell stories.”<br>
<span class=""></span></p>
<p class="" style="background:none repeat scroll 0% 0% white"><span class="">After being,
for many years, a totally Cleveland based theatre, complete with a resident
company, CPH has recently mainly depended on actors from Chicago or New
York.<span style> </span>Is there any role in the
future for the corps of local performers?<span style> </span>Kepley indicated that “Right now, since moving
downtown, 25% of the actors have been local.”<span style> </span>It was our goal to cast CAROL FOR CLEVELAND with a total
local cast.<span style> </span>Unfortunately, some of
the people we offered parts to had day jobs and other obligations that
restricted them from accepting casting.”<span style>
</span>She went on to say that, “We [the Northeastern Ohio area] have great
actors, and part of our challenge is to find out how we can make sure they are
in a position to do the work they want to do.”</span></p>
<p class="" style="background:none repeat scroll 0% 0% white"><span class="">Kepley
describes her management style as “collaborative.”<span style> </span>She attempts to set everyone up for doing the best
possible work, to encourage and to inspire. “I don’t have to have the best
ideas in the room.<span style> </span>I have to
create an atmosphere, and know which ideas are best.”</span><span class=""> </span>
</p><p class="" style="background:none repeat scroll 0% 0% white"><span class="">She thinks last
year’s New Grounds Theatre Festival, an annual showcase which presents a
variety of new work from nationally recognized artists, and includes The Roe Green
Award which brings a leading American playwright to develop a new project, is
an important aspect of CPH.<span style>
</span>She hopes that “the activities will be a springboard to our main stage
as new work is fundamental to what we do.”<span style> </span>She also is interested in doing collaborative works with
other local theatres, especially in regard to the centennial season.</span></p>
<p class="" style="background:none repeat scroll 0% 0% white"><span class="">Her goals
include bringing in new audiences, especially young audiences, and has created
a campaign that is bannered, “Reach Out, Enrich, Mobilize.”<span style> </span>One of the new engagement programs
allows any person under 35 to get a ticket to see any show for $25.<span style> </span>There will also be a party for the
“under 35s” on Friday, November 1<sup>st</sup> in conjunction with VENUS IN
FUR.</span></p>
<p class="" style="background:none repeat scroll 0% 0% white"><span class="">On the
whiteboard behind Kepley’s work table are the words, “artistry, innovation,
community and ensemble.”<span style> </span>These are
the objective goals on which the Cleveland Play House was founded.<span style> </span>It is Kepley’s challenge is to
retain those goals and determine “how to make CPH into a 21<sup>st</sup>
century manifestation of these ideals.” </span></p>
<p class="" style="background:none repeat scroll 0% 0% white"><span class="">It appears that
the new CPH Artistic Director is well equipped both in training and attitude to
lead CPH to confront the challenges and make a plan for success. </span></p>
<p class="" style="background:none repeat scroll 0% 0% white"><span style="font-family:"Bookman Old Style""> </span></p>
<span style="color:rgb(0,255,255)">••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••</span><br></div>