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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link="#0563C1" vlink="#954F72"><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal><b>For Immediate Release <o:p></o:p></b></p><p class=MsoNormal>Contact: Cathleen O’Malley<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>216.631.2727 ext. 212<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><a href="mailto:comalley@cptonline.org">comalley@cptonline.org</a><o:p></o:p></p><p class=Default><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:windowtext'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=Default><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:windowtext'>April 9, 2013<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=Default><b><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:windowtext'><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p><p class=Default align=center style='text-align:center'><b><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:windowtext'>Cleveland Public Theatre supports emerging director<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class=Default align=center style='text-align:center'><b><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:windowtext'>THE DROWNING GIRLS</span></b><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:windowtext'> <br><b>Onstage April 17-May 03<o:p></o:p></b></span></p><p class=Default><b><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:windowtext'><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><b>Cleveland, OH </b>—Cleveland Public Theatre (CPT) Executive Artistic Director, Raymond Bobgan announces the regional premiere of <i>The Drowning Girls, </i>written <span style='background:white'>by Beth Graham, Charlie Tomlinson & Daniela Vlaskalic and directed by 2013/14 Joan Yellen Horvitz Director Fellow, Melissa Therese Crum. The production will take place in CPT’s intimate Storefront Studio theatre. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><u>About the Show<o:p></o:p></u></b></p><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><i><span style='background:white'>With their first look at him, their lungs filled with air; with their last look at him, their lungs filled with water.<o:p></o:p></span></i></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='background:white'>Based on the infamous “Brides in the Bath” murders of early 20<sup>th</sup> century England, <i>The Drowning Girls </i>tells the true story of three women who were allegedly wooed, wed, insured and murdered by the same man. In this touching and hauntingly beautiful script, Alice, Bessie and Margaret surface from the still waters of their bathtubs to deliver their post-mortem testimony, augmented by traditional and original music sung <i>a cappella</i>, composed and arranged by CPT’s 2014 Kulas Composer Fellow, Sam Fisher. The production features period costumes (by Inda Blatch-Geib) and antique bathtubs filled with water onstage (set design by Val Kozlenko). Lighting by Ben Gantose sets a mood that is both haunting and evocative.</span><b><u><o:p></o:p></u></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><u><o:p><span style='text-decoration:none'> </span></o:p></u></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><u>About the Joan Yellen Horvitz Director Fellows Program<o:p></o:p></u></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><i>The Director Fellows Program</i></b> is a year-long residency that provides mentoring, formal classwork and practical work. Fellows assistant direct, create new work and direct at least one show in CPT's season. <strong><span style='font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"'>Cleveland Public Theatre's 2013/2014 Director Fellows are Melissa Therese Crum and Caitlin Lewins*</span></strong><b> </b>(*whose original devised work, <i>Left In Ink</i>,<i> </i>will premiere May 2014). "The intent of this new initiative is to address Cleveland's limited pool of directors with experience creating new theatrical work," said Raymond Bobgan, CPT's Executive Artistic Director. Each Director Fellow receives an award of $3,000 and full underwriting of all of their learning and artistic activities during the fellowship, culminating in a production in spring of 2014.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=Default><b><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:windowtext'><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal style='text-autospace:none'><b><u>About the Director<o:p></o:p></u></b></p><p class=MsoNormal style='text-autospace:none'><b>Melissa Therese Crum </b>is a Cleveland based performer, director, educator and creator of original work. Melissa currently works as a teaching artist for PlayhouseSquare, piloting a new educational program. She has also worked with Great Lakes Theater, where she toured throughout Northeastern Ohio performing and teaching classical drama. She was the lead teaching artist for The Musical Theatre Project's <em><span style='font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"'>Kids Love Musicals</span></em> program, teaching children to explore themselves and the world around them through musical theatre. Melissa also piloted TMTP's Intergenerational Program, working to bring people of all ages together to connect through the arts. Melissa worked as a lead teaching artist for Cleveland Public Theatre's Brick City Theatre program, creating original work with youth living in public housing. She has been a co-creator of several original works at CPT including: <em><span style='font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"'>Inquietude</span></em>, a part of Pandemonium and <em><span style='font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"'>Seppuku</span></em> in CPT's Big Box Series. CPT performing credits include:<em><span style='font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"'> Airwaves</span></em>, <em><span style='font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"'>The Loush Sisters Do the Nutcracker</span></em>, <em><span style='font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"'>Tender Napalm</span></em>, <em><span style='font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"'>The Most Magic Show on Earth</span></em>! (Director/Conceiver), <em><span style='font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"'>Earth Plays</span></em>, <em><span style='font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"'>Seppuku</span></em>, <em><span style='font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"'>Fever/Dream</span></em> and <em><span style='font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"'>Between Life and Death</span></em>. Melissa has a BA in Theatre Arts from Cleveland State University and has recently trained with Raymond Bobgan in the direction of devised work.<b><o:p></o:p></b></p><p class=MsoNormal style='text-autospace:none'><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=Default><b><u><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:windowtext'>About Joan Yellen Horvitz<o:p></o:p></span></u></b></p><p class=Default><b><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:windowtext'>Joan Yellen Horvitz </span></b><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:windowtext'>is an admired couture designer whose work was based in Cleveland. Joan Yellen Couture Designs can be viewed in the permanent collections of the Kent State Museum Costume collection; The Western Reserve Historical Society, The Chisolm Halle Costume Wing; and Ursuline College Historical Costume Study Collection. Ms. Horvitz has designed costumes and sets for dance and theatre. At CPT Ms. Horvitz's stunning work was seen in <em><span style='font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"'>Fefu and her Friends</span></em>, <em><span style='font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"'>Between Life and Death</span></em> and most recently <em><span style='font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"'>Insomnia: the Waking of Herselves</span></em>. Many local arts organizations and individual artists have benefitted from Ms. Horvitz's generosity.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=Default><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:windowtext'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=Default><b><u><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:windowtext'>Cast and Crew of <i>The Drowning Girls<o:p></o:p></i></span></u></b></p><p class=Default><i><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:windowtext'>The Drowning Girls </span></i><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:windowtext'>was written by</span><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:windowtext;background:white'> Beth Graham, Charlie Tomlinson & Daniela Vlaskalic. The CPT production is directed by Melissa Therese Crum, 2013/14 Joan Yellen Horvitz Director Fellow.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=Default><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:windowtext;background:white'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=Default><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:windowtext'>The three woman cast of <i>The Drowning Girls </i>is Jaime Bouvier (Margaret), Natalie Green (Alice) and Sarah Kunchik (as Bessie).<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=Default><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal>Complete creative and production team includes Melissa Therese Crum (Director), Inda Blatch-Geib (Costume Designer), Ben Gantose (Lighting Designer), Val Kozlenko (Set Designer), Sam Fisher (Sound Design), Donna Pedaci (Dramaturg) and Cameron Cerny (Stage Manager). <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=Body><b><u><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:windowtext'>Ticket & Show Information<o:p></o:p></span></u></b></p><p class=Body><i><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:windowtext'>The Drowning Girls </span></i><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:windowtext'>previews Thursday, April 17 and<b> runs Friday, April 18 through May 3</b>. Performances are <b>Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Monday at 7:00pm </b>in CPT’s Storefront Studio Theatre, 6415 Detroit Avenue, Cleveland, OH 44102. </span><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=Body><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:windowtext'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=Body><b><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:windowtext'>Tickets are $12 – $18.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class=Body><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:windowtext'>All Thursday and Monday shows are just $12! Student and Senior discounts ($3 off) are available for Friday and Saturday performances.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=Body><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:windowtext'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=Body><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:windowtext'>**<b>Every Friday</b> is FREE BEER FRIDAY at CPT. Audience members are invited to mingle with the artists after the show and enjoy a drink or two on CPT.**<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=Body><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:windowtext'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><div style='mso-element:para-border-div;border:none;border-bottom:double windowtext 6.75pt;padding:0in 0in 1.0pt 0in'><p class=MsoNormal style='border:none;padding:0in'>Tickets are available for purchase at <a href="http://www.cptonline.org">www.cptonline.org</a> or by phone at (216) 631-2727 x 501.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='border:none;padding:0in'><o:p> </o:p></p></div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>For more information about <b><i>The Drowning Girls</i></b> or other upcoming CPT productions, please visit <a href="http://www.cptonline.org">cptonline.org</a> or contact Cathleen O’Malley, Director of Audience Engagement & Media Relations at (216) 631-2727 x 212 or <a href="mailto:comalley@cptonline.org">comalley@cptonline.org</a>. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>Cathleen O’Malley<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Arial Narrow","sans-serif"'>Director of Audience Engagement & Media Relations<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Arial Narrow","sans-serif"'>Cleveland Public Theatre<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Arial Narrow","sans-serif"'>(216) 631-2727 x 212<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Arial Narrow","sans-serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><i><span style='font-size:7.5pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>See what's playing tonight, go to </span></i><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'><a href="http://www.cptonline.org/"><i><span style='font-size:7.5pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:blue'>www.cptonline.org</span></i></a></span><span style='font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Arial Narrow","sans-serif"'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div></body></html>