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<p style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;line-height:18pt;vertical-align:baseline;background-image:initial;background-repeat:initial"><span style="font-family:Calibri;color:rgb(62,62,62)"><font size="4">That old familiar excitement has
started! Year Two at <span style="color:rgb(219,39,35);border:1pt none windowtext;padding:0in;text-decoration:none">Hathaway Brown Theatre Institute</span>
is officially underway. Session One of
classes has begun and two of our shows, <b><i>Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of
Fleet Street</i></b> and <b><i>You're A Good Man, Charlie Brown</i></b>, are
already in rehearsal. <i><b>A Chorus
Line</b></i> is set to start next week. </font></span></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;line-height:18pt;vertical-align:baseline;background-image:initial;background-repeat:initial"><span style="font-family:Calibri;color:rgb(62,62,62)"><font size="4"> </font></span></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;line-height:18pt;vertical-align:baseline;background-image:initial;background-repeat:initial"><span style="font-family:Calibri;color:rgb(62,62,62)"><font size="4">I love the first few days—there are
so many sights and sounds. There's the
energetic buzz of students in the hallways as they move from class to
class. Within the rooms, there are those
fantastic, attentive faces and those minds like sponges, so eager to soak up
new experiences and knowledge. All are
brimming with energy as they meet their fellow classmates and cast mates for
the first time, starting new friendships and work partnerships. They meet their instructors and begin to
understand just how much work—and growth—is ahead of them in the weeks to come,
and it's a testament to the quality of our students that they rise to meet these
challenges with vigor. At rehearsals, there's
the great camaraderie of working with top-notch directors, musical directors,
choreographers and support staff, and knowing they are giving their all to
creating memorable pieces of theatre. </font></span></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;line-height:18pt;vertical-align:baseline;background-image:initial;background-repeat:initial"><span style="font-family:Calibri;color:rgb(62,62,62)"><font size="4"> </font></span></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;line-height:18pt;vertical-align:baseline;background-image:initial;background-repeat:initial"><span style="font-family:Calibri;color:rgb(62,62,62)"><font size="4">There will be many more wonderful
moments as we move forward. Nothing is
better than watching a student make an acting breakthrough, or realize they can
do more than they ever thought possible as a dancer or singer. Precious to me also are the excellent
performances that evolve in the shows, and seeing the pride our students
develop in their productions. It's
fantastic in a different way to see how hard the parents of HBTI students work
to help their kids: going the extra mile
to make schedules work, volunteering when needed, and yes, the ever-important
chauffeuring! It's truly inspiring to
see a new generation of performers get such committed support from their
parents. </font></span></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;line-height:18pt;vertical-align:baseline;background-image:initial;background-repeat:initial"><span style="font-family:Calibri;color:rgb(62,62,62)"><font size="4"> </font></span></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;line-height:18pt;vertical-align:baseline;background-image:initial;background-repeat:initial"><span style="font-family:Calibri;color:rgb(62,62,62)"><font size="4">Many of my staff have already
expressed how impressed they are. Yesterday,
"Charlie Brown" director Michael Dempsey said how thrilled he is already
with his cast after only a few days of rehearsal, and his stage manager, James
Jones, added: "These students are on a whole other level from some of the
other places I've worked." Hearing
something like that just puts a huge grin on my face, every time!</font></span></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;line-height:18pt;vertical-align:baseline;background-image:initial;background-repeat:initial"><span style="font-family:Calibri;color:rgb(62,62,62)"><font size="4"> </font></span></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in 19.4pt;line-height:18pt;vertical-align:baseline;background-image:initial;background-repeat:initial"><span style="font-family:Calibri;color:rgb(62,62,62)"><font size="4">But perhaps the most gratifying experience will come a long time
after the classroom lights are turned off, after that final curtain call. It's when our alumni express how our program
has impacted their lives down the road.
Maybe it helped their self-discipline, confidence and life skills. Maybe it expanded their horizons, or just
gave them an experience they cherish.
There will be those who move on to professional careers on Broadway, in regional
theatre, television and film. We at HBTI
know that all the hard work (and yes, occasional craziness!) has been worth it
when one of us gets a note that says, “Thank you–your program gave me the
skills I needed to get where I am.”</font></span></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in 19.4pt;line-height:18pt;vertical-align:baseline;background-image:initial;background-repeat:initial"><span style="font-family:Calibri;color:rgb(62,62,62)"><font size="4">Many great memories will be forged in the weeks ahead. It's an honor to lead, instruct and direct
this bunch of young talents. So thank
you, and let's get cracking!</font></span></p><p style="margin:0in 0in 19.4pt;line-height:18pt;vertical-align:baseline;background-image:initial;background-repeat:initial"><font size="4"><a href="http://www.hb.edu/page.cfm?p=1899">Join us for Session Two or Three - info here!</a><br>
<br><a href="https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10152529370798894.1073741852.504158893&type=1&l=a05272cbf4" style="line-height:18pt">Here are some pictures taken this morning</a><span style="line-height:18pt">.</span></font></p>
<div><br></div>-- <br>Fred Sternfeld, Executive Artistic Director - <a href="http://www.hb.edu/page.cfm?p=1899" target="_blank">Hathaway Brown Theatre Institute</a><br>personal website: <a href="http://www.fredsternfeld.com/" target="_blank">http://www.fredsternfeld.com</a><br>
216-360-0718-home<br>216-496-6087-cell<div><p style="color:rgb(34,34,34);font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:12.800000190734863px;background-color:rgb(255,255,255)"><a href="http://www.hb.edu/" style="color:rgb(17,85,204)" target="_blank"><img src="http://www.hb.edu/uploaded/eNotify/EmailFooterFiles/HBlogo.gif"><strong></strong></a></p>
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Hathaway Brown School </strong>19600 North Park Boulevard Shaker Heights, Ohio 44122</p></div>
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