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<P style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; BACKGROUND: white"
align=center><B style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; COLOR: black; mso-bidi-font-style: italic"><FONT
size=3>Say I do to ‘My Mother’s Lesbian Jewish Wiccan Wedding’<?xml:namespace
prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office"
/><o:p></o:p></FONT></SPAN></B></P>
<P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"
class=MsoNormal align=center><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt">Bob
Abelman<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"
class=MsoNormal align=center><I style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal"><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt">Cleveland Jewish
News<o:p></o:p></SPAN></I></P>
<P style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"
class=MsoNormal align=center><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt">Member, International
Association of Theatre Critics <o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"
class=MsoNormal align=center><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; BACKGROUND: white"
align=center><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; COLOR: black; mso-bidi-font-style: italic"><o:p><FONT
size=3> </FONT></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; BACKGROUND: white"><FONT size=3><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; COLOR: black; mso-bidi-font-style: italic">Sure,
</SPAN><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; BACKGROUND: white; COLOR: #222222">'N
Sync’s </SPAN><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; COLOR: #333333">Lance Bass, Broadway’s
Andrea McArdle and the Pointer Sisters are a fine way to open the 2014 Gay Games
in Cleveland.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>But m</SPAN><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; COLOR: black; mso-bidi-font-style: italic">arriage
equality advocates looking to spin, depoliticize and depolarize this issue need
look no further than “My Mother’s Lesbian Jewish Wiccan Wedding,” on stage at
Actors’ Summit.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; BACKGROUND: white"><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; COLOR: black; mso-bidi-font-style: italic"><o:p><FONT
size=3> </FONT></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; BACKGROUND: white"><FONT size=3><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; COLOR: black; mso-bidi-font-style: italic">Actually,
it is on stage again in honor of the </SPAN><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; COLOR: #333333">Gay Games and with the
hope that participants, supporters and those who missed the 2012 production will
work their way up Route 8 to Akron to take in this musical.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>This limited engagement encore
production </SPAN><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; COLOR: black; mso-bidi-font-style: italic">is
well worth seeing.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; BACKGROUND: white"><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; COLOR: black; mso-bidi-font-style: italic"><o:p><FONT
size=3> </FONT></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; BACKGROUND: white"><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; COLOR: black"><FONT size=3>Written by
David Hein and Irene Sankoff, the story is grounded in Hein’s own nontraditional
upbringing.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>The show boasts of
immediately likable – no, lovable – characters played by exceptionally talented
and personable performers, a host of musical numbers – not anthems – that are
charming, and a political agenda that is soft-soaped – though not trivialized –
so that it touches our hearts rather than grabs us by our throats.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN><o:p></o:p></FONT></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; BACKGROUND: white"><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; COLOR: black"><o:p><FONT
size=3> </FONT></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; BACKGROUND: white"><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; COLOR: black"><FONT size=3>The play
begins with Claire (Aubrey Caldwell) undergoing a messy traditional divorce in
Nebraska and culminates in a gay wedding with Jane (Dawn Sniadak-Yamokoski) in
Ottawa.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>In between, Claire <SPAN
style="BACKGROUND: white">discovers her true sexual identity, rediscovers her
faith, reunites with her teenage son (Daniel Hoy), and reconciles with her
ex-husband (Keith Stevens).<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</SPAN><o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; BACKGROUND: white"><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; BACKGROUND: white; COLOR: black"><o:p><FONT
size=3> </FONT></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; BACKGROUND: white"><FONT size=3><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; BACKGROUND: white; COLOR: black">All
this is narrated by the playwright’s </SPAN><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; COLOR: black">guitar-playing avatar
(Kevin Kern); a direct-address device that creates the same homey,
meta-theatrical vibe </SPAN><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'">found in <SPAN
style="BACKGROUND: white">Thornton Wilder</SPAN>’s</SPAN><FONT
face="Times New Roman"> “Our<SPAN style="COLOR: black"> Town” and which allows
the proceedings to progress at a pace suited to audience reaction.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN><SPAN
style="BACKGROUND: white"><o:p></o:p></SPAN></SPAN></SPAN></FONT></FONT></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; BACKGROUND: white"><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; BACKGROUND: white; COLOR: black"><o:p><FONT
size=3> </FONT></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; BACKGROUND: white"><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; BACKGROUND: white; COLOR: black"><FONT
size=3>Under director Neil Thackaberry’s gentle touch, every emotional button is
pushed and every tender moment is embraced, which nicely sets up the humor
waiting just around the corner.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</SPAN><o:p></o:p></FONT></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; BACKGROUND: white"><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; BACKGROUND: white; COLOR: black"><o:p><FONT
size=3> </FONT></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; BACKGROUND: white"><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; BACKGROUND: white; COLOR: black"><FONT
size=3>Segues from dialogue into musical numbers are seamless and beautifully
supported by J.T. Buck on keyboards and Scott Sexton (alternating with Erik
Diaz) on drums.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>And because this
production requires few moving parts in an open performance space, this show is
all about the performers (also including Jennifer Browning, Zach Griffin,
Elizabeth Lawson Holmes, and Hope Caldwell) and their superb performances. <SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN><o:p></o:p></FONT></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; BACKGROUND: white"><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; BACKGROUND: white; COLOR: black"><o:p><FONT
size=3> </FONT></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; BACKGROUND: white"><FONT size=3><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; BACKGROUND: white; COLOR: black">For
those attending the range of festivities associated with the </SPAN><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; COLOR: #333333">Gay Games, by all
means see Tori Amos at Cain Park and <SPAN style="BACKGROUND: white">George
Takei<SPAN class=apple-converted-space> </SPAN>at </SPAN>The
Nightlight</SPAN></SPAN><FONT face="Times New Roman">.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>But don’t miss “</SPAN></FONT><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; COLOR: black; mso-bidi-font-style: italic">My
Mother’s Lesbian Jewish Wiccan Wedding” at Actors’
Summit.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; BACKGROUND: white"><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; BACKGROUND: white; COLOR: black"><o:p><FONT
size=3> </FONT></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P
style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-AUTOSPACE: ; mso-layout-grid-align: none"
class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt">WHAT:<SPAN
style="mso-tab-count: 1">
</SPAN><SPAN style="COLOR: #333333">“</SPAN><SPAN
style="COLOR: black; mso-bidi-font-style: italic">My Mother’s Lesbian Jewish
Wiccan Wedding”</SPAN> <SPAN
style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-font-style: italic"><o:p></o:p></SPAN></SPAN></P>
<P
style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-AUTOSPACE: ; mso-layout-grid-align: none"
class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-font-style: italic">WHERE:<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN><SPAN
style="mso-tab-count: 1"> </SPAN>Actors’ Summit,
</SPAN><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt">Greystone Hall in
downtown Akron<SPAN
style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-font-style: italic">
<o:p></o:p></SPAN></SPAN></P>
<P
style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-AUTOSPACE: ; mso-layout-grid-align: none"
class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-font-style: italic">WHEN:<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN><SPAN
style="mso-tab-count: 1">
</SPAN>Through August 17<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; tab-stops: 1.0in 5.25in"
class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-font-style: italic">TICKETS:<SPAN
style="mso-tab-count: 1">
</SPAN></SPAN><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt">$10 - $33, call
330-374-7568 or visit <A href=""><FONT
color=#0000ff>www.actorssummit.org</FONT></A><o:p></o:p></SPAN></P></FONT></DIV></BODY></HTML>