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<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><b>Weathervane Playhouse</b>
<b>unveils finalists for the 7<sup>th</sup> annual 8 x 10 TheatreFest </b><br>
<i>142 plays narrowed to eight! You the audience will pick the winner! </i><b> </b><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><b> </b><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>AKRON, OH</b> –What has ghosts, surprises, criminal tools, nurses, and a swan driving a golf cart? Weathervane’s annual 8x10 TheatreFest of course!
<i><span style="color:#1F487C"> </span></i>The 7<sup>th</sup> annual celebration of 10-minute plays received 142 submissions from all over the United States and six countries including Canada, Australia, Ireland, New Zealand and the United Kingdom. The final
eight scripts for the 2017 8x10 TheatreFest have been selected to be performed on the Weathervane stage July 13-16. The plays include:
<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>Ghost of a Chance<o:p></o:p></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Tamara Benson<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Strasburg, OH<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Directed by Brian Westerley and Harriet DeVeto<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Catherine: Chelby Benson<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Mother: Beth Gaiser<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Grandmother: Marci Paolucci<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>Good Surprises</b><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Elizabeth Mowers<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Mogadore, OH<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Directed by Bill Morgan and Samantha Gates<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Bill: Al Klesh<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Hattie: Pat Robertell-Hudson<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Harold: Scott K. Davis<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>Good Things</b><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Peter J Stavros<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Louisville, KY<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Directed by Melanie Pepe<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Father: Tom Stephan<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Son: James Rizopulos<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Hospital Orderly: Mason Shuman<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>Magical Thinking</b><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Joel Alden<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Richmond, CA<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Directed by Joshua Larkin<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Vicki: Patty Rhodes<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Mike: Adam Alderson<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>Psych Nick</b><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Scott Lummer<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Santa Rosa, CA<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Directed by Kyla Williger<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Renee: Stephanie Cargill<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Mary: Brandi Eaton<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Man: Matthew Heppe <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><o:p> </o:p></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>The Blue Album</b><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Scott Mullen<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">North Hollywood, CA<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Directed by Scott K. Davis<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Bob: Chris Macchione<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Finnyard: Benjamin Mehalik<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Mary: Dede Klein<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>The Emperor’s New Car</b><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Barry Wood<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Navenby, Lincolnshire, UK<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Directed by Jay Sigler<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Kim Wilson: Pam Daerr<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Megan Schultz: Brooke Lytton<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Sue Gordon: Tari Lyn Bergoine<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">"Our 8x10 TheatreFest gives us the opportunity to create something new. Audiences who come to see these plays will experience eight, ten minute plays that no one has ever staged before -- that no one has seen before," Said Melanie Pepe,
Weathervane's Artistic Director. "This this year's plays are incredibly eclectic. This festival tells stories that will intrigue, inspire and entertain."<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">One twist in Weathervane’s contest is the use of a special prop, which must be featured in each of the entries. This year's prop was a deck of Tarot cards. The prop is picked by the previous year's audience.
<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">All eight finalist plays will be presented at each of the festival’s four performances: Thursday, July 13, at 7:30 p.m., Friday, July 14, at 7:30 p.m., Saturday, July 15 at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, July 16 at 2:30 pm. Audiences will vote to
select the first, second and third place winners of the festival. They also will have the opportunity to help select the 2018 festival's inspirational prop! Tickets are on sale now, and can be purchased by calling the box office at 330-836-2626 or going
to <a href="http://www.weathervaneplayhouse.com">www.weathervaneplayhouse.com</a>
<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The Sunday matinee will be followed by a reception and the announcement of the winners. Congratulations to all of the finalists and thank you to all who shared their talents and enthusiasm!
<o:p></o:p></p>
<p><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black">For interviews, media members should contact Fred Gloor at 330-836-2626 or
</span><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"><a href="mailto:fgloor@weathervaneplayhouse.com">fgloor@weathervaneplayhouse.com</a><span style="color:black">
<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Weathervane Playhouse provides high-quality live theater with volunteer artists, designers, and technicians under professional direction, delivers education and training in theater arts and appreciation, and engages and entertains its audience
to enrich the quality of life in Northeast Ohio. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p align="center" style="text-align:center"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p align="center" style="text-align:center"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif">###<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center;vertical-align:baseline">
<u>Weathervane Playhouse’s 2016-2017 Season Support Provided by:</u><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center;vertical-align:baseline">
<o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center;vertical-align:baseline">
AARP<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center;vertical-align:baseline">
Akron Community Foundation<br>
Akron/Summit Convention and Visitor’s Bureau<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center">Mary and Dr. George L. Demetros Charitable Trust<br>
Margaret Dietz <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center;vertical-align:baseline">
GAR Foundation <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center;vertical-align:baseline">
Kenneth L. Calhoun Charitable Trust (KeyBank, Trustee)<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center;vertical-align:baseline">
The Mary S. and David C. Corbin Foundation<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center;vertical-align:baseline">
Kohmann Bosshard Financial Services, LLC<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center;vertical-align:baseline">
The Margaret Clark Morgan Foundation<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center;vertical-align:baseline">
Northeast Ohio Boomer and Beyond Magazine<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center;vertical-align:baseline">
Northeast Ohio Parent Magazine<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center;vertical-align:baseline">
Ohio Arts Council<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center">OMNOVA Solutions Foundation
<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center;vertical-align:baseline">
WKSU 89.7 FM<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
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