<html xmlns:v="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:vml" xmlns:o="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" xmlns:w="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:word" xmlns:m="http://schemas.microsoft.com/office/2004/12/omml" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40"><head><meta http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; charset=us-ascii"><meta name=Generator content="Microsoft Word 14 (filtered medium)"><style><!--
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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link=blue vlink=purple><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – Rabbit Run Theater and Lake Erie College hold auditions for first two shows of 2016-17 The Studio Series</span></b><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>As part of the 2016 - 2017 collaborative season, The Studio Series, Lake Erie College Department of Theatre and Rabbit Run Theater announce open auditions for the upcoming productions of “Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike” and “Almost Maine”. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>“Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike” written by Christopher Durang is directed by Ann Hedger, Programming Coordinator at The Fine Arts Association. “Almost Maine” by John Cariani is directed by Dr. Jerry C. Jaffe, Associate Professor of Theatre, Lake Erie College.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>Auditions are Monday, Aug. 15, and Tuesday, Aug. 16, at 6:30 p.m. both nights at the Royce Hall for the Fine and Performing Arts on the campus of Lake Erie College (off of Gillett St. in Painesville). <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black;background:white'>Chekhov is alive and well in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, in “Vanua and Sonia and Masha and Spike”. Adult siblings Vanya and Sonia reside in their old family home, mourning their lost dreams and missed opportunities. When their often-wrong, fortune-telling maid warns of impending dangers, and their movie star sister, Masha, arrives unexpectedly with young, sexy, boy toy, Spike, the family is launched into a rollicking weekend of one-upmanship, exposed nerves, and a lot of broken mugs. With wit and absurdity, Christopher Durang’s<span class=apple-converted-space> </span></span><em><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'>Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike</span></em><span class=apple-converted-space><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black;background:white'> blends Chekhov’s famous ennui with the modern-day toils and troubles of celebrity, social networking, and age into a laugh-out-loud comedy.</span></span><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'><br></span><span style='font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'><br></span><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black;background:white'>On a cold, clear, moonless night in the middle of winter, all is not quite what it seems in the remote, mythical town of Almost, Maine. As the northern lights hover in the star-filled sky above, Almost's residents find themselves falling in and out of love in unexpected and often hilarious ways. Knees are bruised. Hearts are broken. But the bruises heal, and the hearts mend—</span><i><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'>almost</span></i><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'>—in this delightful midwinter night's dream.</span><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>Auditions will consist of readings from the script. No monologue need be prepared. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>Performance dates are Oct. 13 through Oct. 23 for “Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike” and Nov. 11 through Nov. 20 for “Almost Maine”. All performances are at the C.K. Rickel Theatre in the Royce Hall for the Fine and Performing Arts on the campus of Lake Erie College, 391 West Washington St., Painesville, OH. Access to the theater is off of Gillette St. in Painesville.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>To confirm an audition, call Rabbit Run Community Arts Association at 440-428-5913.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'><br>The Studio Series</span><span lang=EN style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'> is made possible in part by funding through the National Endowment for the Arts</span><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'> and the Ohio Arts Council.<br><br><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'>Karen Ziegler<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:black'>Director of Marketing/Group Sales<br>Rabbit Run Theater<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:black'>P. O. Box 235, 49 Park St.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:black'>Madison, OH 44057<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:black'>440-428-5913<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:black'><a href="http://www.rabbitrunonline.org">www.rabbitrunonline.org</a> <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div></body></html>